I haven't seen this posted. The title says it all. According to Mark Berman, Bonzi's agent told him that Bonzi will not opt out on the second year of his contract. Bonzi will be here next year for the $2.8 mil. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r778DzNgZ5Y"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r778DzNgZ5Y" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Thats awesome!! James/Alston Tmac/ ?? Shane/Bonzi ??/Chuck Yao/ Mutombo we just need a power forward and another wing player, and then we'll have a good deep core.
Thanks for posting the report Ottomaton. Interesting atleast. Morey made it sound like it was pretty definite that Bonzi was going to be back. I'm sure Bonzi's camp will spin it that he believed in Houston, Adelman, T-Mac, etc. .... but truth is he likely didn't get anything offered that was bigger than that amount.
whose minutes will bonzi eat into...head mac battier hayes novak james or alston (thought they may play both pgs together some)
I know this for sure, if JVG and the roxs had beaten the jazz, and lost in the 2nd round or in the west finals...JVG would still be the coach and Bonzi would not be returning. But, I'm sure his options were limited as you mentioned too.
It has been reported that Bonzi's agent has been "testing the waters" through informal means to see what kind of a market there is for him. That is what Clutch meant.
Not true. Bonzi said a few weeks ago that he respected JVG a lot and that it was his fault things didn't work out, and that he wanted to be back in Houston, but he'd test the market first. As Clutch said, no team will pay him more than the 3 million that he's owed this year.
after the year bonzi had, no one will offer more than that amount anyway. at least here he's on a playoff team with a coach that he likes. by the way, adelman is pretty insistant on playing bonzi at SG. he says when he's a SG he has a great advantage on the block that isn't there against SF's. if that's the case then i could see our depth chart this way: yao hayes shane-novak-snyder-reed tmac-bonzi-head-sura james-rafer-billy-lucas it's pretty clear that a few guards will be on the move in the coming weeks. billy, head, snyder, sura, and #26 can all be moved for frontcourt help IMO.
$2,284,200 can't get a better deal than that if you're the Rockets. Also by playing another year it would mean that next off season he could be re-signed without having to use the MLE. So right now the team looks something like this: PG James/Alston/Lucas SG McGrady/Wells SF Battier/Novak PF______/Hayes/Reed C Yao/Mutombo/_____ I'm sure they will re-sign Hayes and Mutombo. I'm not sure about Tsakalidis, I think they will replace him with a free agent or draft pick if they can do it cheaper than re-signing him, if not then they re-sign him. I am not listing Spanoulis because we don't know yet, but I would really hope he comes back because unlike most fans here I would really like a James/Spanoulis combo at point guard, and then we could move Alston and Head, whom I also left out because I think he's just too one-dimensional and he's good trade bait. I'd be happy if they just got Spanoulis back and they tried to package the 26, Head, and Alston for a PF. That would be a heck of a team.
Other than another potential waste of team time and resources and rotation playing time... you're right. Relatively low risk, high reward. But this year, Bonzi needs to come in to camp with something to prove. If that ESPN report about only giving $2 million worth is true, I'm turned off by the "org" paying him again. But let's hope he gets it together. Exactly. Thanks rimbaud.
Man I hope Battier isn't starting for us next season. The lineup as of now should be: PG: James/Alston SG:Wells/Head SF: Mac/Battier PF: X/Hayes C: Yao/Deke
I think the big difference is that last year, while a contract year, was a year where he was simmering over that $38.5 million deal he lost. This year is a contract year where he knows dang well he better put up or it will be no more chances again at a big cash out. Also, Bonzi does know contract years as evidenced in the past. In other words, when it comes to Bonzi it's all about the Benjamins as they say. Bonzi didn't produce last year largely because he was being adversely affected over losing that money, whereas the previous year he shined much more so than he normally does because he was dreaming of a big pay day. This year he knows the chips are up, so I would say that it would be the year after this year, if the Rockets re-signed him, where he would be more likely to again not care. It's sad, but unfortunately this is the way some of these athletes are.
