Rafer has a good assist/turnover ratio, but if you mention that, don't forget to mention that he also has one of the worst fg %% in the entire league...
Amen to that brother. I just don't understand all these folks who acknowledge they don't want him on the team yet want a first string role players in exchange. Rafer should be considered a second string at best. That's the reason he's still available and other teams continue to deal for other PGs. If we got a first round pick or someone reasonable servicable (like Jeff Foster) I'd be happy. I'm not sure Boston has anything left though. All the insane trade ideas are getting old.
But he is not bad spotting up at the 3 line. Good A/TO, good defense, good handles and a veteran, respectable spot up 3 shooter. A lot of qualities when you are just looking for a 4th or 5th starter around KG, Pierce and Allen--he is not a bad choice. They already have a guy who can shoot but can't do anything else (House) and a young raw PG (Rondo)--but the don't have a steady veteran PG at all. Alston + Reed (OR JL3 + Novak) for Scalabrine + Tony Allen could be OK. Allen could be a decent rotation SG--I'd have a lot more hope for him than Snyder and he probably has a hgiher upside than Head as well. We could also consider swapping the rights of Landry/Davis in the above deals, or just send the rights to Landry and asking for their Portland 2nd rounder or a future (2011) 1st.
Though I wouldn't not rule out Rafer staying in the rotation if he is not traded, I'd feel relatively confident that James/Brooks/Francis could cut it. James can give you 32MPG, we would only need Francis or Brooks to provide a solid 16MPG--much better prospects than last year with Head/JL3 trying to do that. So I would say it is a small risk, not a great risk, to trade Rafer. I am more concerned with Scola/Hayes cutting it at the PF than James/Brooks/Francis at the PG. So though Scalabrine is way overpaid, he at least could be a 3rd vet PF, and Tony Allen could become our best all around youngish 2 guard and future starter down the line (when Tmac moves to the SF, which at some point he will because he will be too slow for an SG though still probably a decent player at some point).
Thats because we dont need rafer to jackup insane amount of shots anymore this season with the addition of francis, james and scola. we need someone who is a good ball handler and a good passer to setup the offense. if you think francis and james are gonna provide that then good luck. Adelman has made it clear that he wants to revert tracy back to a scorer mode again, hence he will not be doing much playmaking this season. that leaves only brooks as the only real playmaker if rafer leaves.
Scalabrine is thrash man. he is a complete waste of a roster spot.as for tony allen?the guy playing on one leg. the guy is done with injuries. Atleast if were gonna trade rafer send him to a team like the clippers or the cavs who can give us something half decent in return.
Rafer is not more of a "playmaker" than Mike James. He is not better at breaking down a defense or nor making offensive plays than Mike James. Alston is a little bit more disciplined, but at the cost of a lot of efficiency in most all phases of scoring (shooting, driving, draw fouls, converting fouls). James A/TO and assist numbers over his career are solid, just a little below Alston's, despite Alston needing to pass a lot more because he finds himself in a spot on the floor (or the defense gives it to him) where his own shot is inefficient (where it is a good shot for James to take it). IMO James will enable Yao and Tmac a lot more, contribute to overall playmaking and offensive flow because he can't be cheated on as much as Alston. Now Francis as a PG I agree is more of a question. He always has turned the ball over a lot, didn't matter the system or coach. But we only need Francis OR Brooks to give you 15-20 minutes of good back-up production at PG. Consider Alston played 38MPG the last 2 years, James best year was at 37MPG. Having James give you at least 30 minutes of decent production should not be an issue. Now if Brooks and Francis are really good, then James minutes could be even less.
It pretty much ays were trying to trade sura's contract along with JL111. i'm guessing it will be for a non-guranteed contracts. a JL111 and say reed for Darrell armstrong and then we'll probaly waive armstrong to shorten our list.
If Allen is that hopeless of a recovery as you say, than yeah, I wouldn't do that trade without some picks (Allen would still be an expiring this year so it is not terrible). Boston has Portland's 2nd next year, their own 09 2nd, and their 2011 first rounder they could put in play.
It's funny to read that, even though it's just an opinion by a writer. After the KG deal I was thinking <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=3057387#post3057387">something very similar</a>. Swap Rafer and Scalabrine with the Rockets getting back a smaller asset. Unfortunately the Celtics have traded all of them away. The only guy I'd be interested in is Glen Davis, but the Rockets just passed on him twice. Also, the Rockets aren't really in a position to take back 2 contracts for 1. They need to do the opposite. They will not get much for Rafer straight up ... most NBA execs wouldn't want to touch him for 3 years unless they are getting something else back that is valuable or they are unloading something that is relatively unmoveable.
We'll see i guess. maybe i'm being tad to cautios i guess. see i'm not counting on francis to play anymore then 60 games this year due to he's prior medical history. i just think we should keep rafer as a insurance policy. i hate trading just for the sake of trading.
I am shocked at the number of Rafer fans on this board. Do you really like Rafer? Or is this just SF3/James hate, mentally transposed?
yeah maybe... some people like you seem to forget he had the lowest fg% for someone that got as many minutes as him in rockets history last season. and one of the lowest 2 or 3 ever in the history of the league. he is worth something in a trade i guess. but the guy is NOT THAT GOOD AT ALL. get your facts straight
actually this isn't anywhere close to being a good reply of the off season. Rafer has been utter junk to the Rockets the whole time he has been here. He is unquestionably one of the worst starting PGs in the league and the one of the primary reasons the Rox have not had playoff success. I guess when the Rox have had a revolving door of mediocre PGs over the years (wesley, rafer, VSPAN, JL3, etc) people get used to mediocrity. I can only imagine what a decent PG's impact would have been on this Rox team the past couple of years, I believe it would have been at least a second round playoff appearance. Lets not forget the dozens and dozens of games where many posters here could pinpoint direct blame on Rafer after a bone-headed loss the past few years. It is clearly time for Rafer to go. I will be glad to see his weak defense, poor decision-making (especially in crunch time), 3-19 shooting, getting man-handled by the younger/better PGs in the league outta here. As for Francis and MJ going down for injuries, the Rockets have a brilliant rookie PG waiting in the wings who I believe is already much better all-around than Rafer. So please get rid of this guy once and for all. I like Rafer as an individual so I will be one of those who wish him nothing but success if he is moved on.
