Players who are hopefully going to play their careers in Houston - Steve, Eddie, Cuttino Starters (if roster were healthy) with questionable futures - Maurice, Kelvin, Rice Players that can play, but still have questionable roles - Moochie, Kenny, Walt Players that we don't know if they will ever contribute - Langhi, Collier, Terrance, Brown To me, that is an extremely high percentage of your roster that has one-sided games, or that the coach doesn't trust, or that hasn't been able to prove their worth, or has questionable health. If we could trade half the freakin' roster for just one productive and well rounded player I would be very happy. We can fill out the bench with whatever garbage comes in the trade to offset the salary, or we can cut em' all and go to the CBA. I don't care!
This is the kind of trade I'm talking about. Houston trades: SF Walt Williams (8.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.3 apg in 22.7 minutes) PG Moochie Norris (9.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.2 apg in 28.4 minutes) PF Kenny Thomas (14.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.9 apg in 34.8 minutes) SF Oscar Torres (6.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.6 apg in 16.6 minutes) Memphis trades: SG Shane Battier (15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.0 apg in 40.3 minutes) SG Nick Anderson (4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.9 apg in 14.6 minutes) PF Tony Massenburg (5.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.3 apg in 17.2 minutes) SF Antonis Fotsis (4.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.3 apg in 10.6 minutes) PG Willie Solomon (4.4 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.4 apg in 12.1 minutes) Change in team outlook: -5.4 ppg, -0.2 rpg, and -3.1 apg.
Kenny does not belong in the questionable list. Someone who can average 14/8 is worth having on any team. Kenny has a decent jumper, a great post move, good ball skills for a PF, is a good passer, and can even rebound. And his defense is improving constantly. Hell, Kenny's improving very rapidly. Your list seems to imply that anybody who isn't a star is somehow a question mark.
I agree with Haven. To me Kenny is like a young Chris Gattling but faster. Rudy at this point in is coaching career reminds me of Don Nelson during the Run-TMC days. Back then the best 6th men in ball were Eddie Johnson and Chris Gattling. I think Kenny is too valuable to let go. He is an energy guy, when he comes in he brings energy on the court and thats what this team needs from the bench. If he is to be traded he better get us a stud or I'm not interested. If his trade value is so low that he can't bring us a player straight-up I would rather re-sign him and keep him.
i agree about kenny thomas that he is a good player and i want him to play here for a long time, but it is likely that he will get traded at some point. also, mo, rice, and cato you put on the starters with questionable futures list, but we are stuck with them for a while. mo (five years?) rice (two more) and kelvin (im not sure, but i think three or four). we also have to stick with moochie for a while.
What about KT straight up for Rashard? You'd have to throw in a cap filler or two, but those guys are of comparable value.
