Affordable UFA's that could help

All the Affordable UFA's have good/decent value. Some of them might be affordable with part of the MLE. I want to see Duhon on the team as a reserve PG. Our PG position is still very weak.

 

LOL! there is no way in hell the celtics would trade rondo for rafer. did you forget they just WON A CHAMPIONSHIP with this kid ? rondo is only going to get better, his upside is ridiculous because of his ability to rebound, defend, and get to the basket. rondo is just scratching the surface and they won a title with him, why give him up for rafer's old ass ?

 

You should post here more often.

 

Morey's told the media they're looking at free agents with their LLE and Brent Barry who was offered the vet's min last season.

All the players listed so far are probably out of the Rockets salary range.

 

Y'know, if I were offering Rafer to another team for Rondo and they actually agree with the offer. I would seriously try to have them committed, because who be crazy enough to trade a promising pg, like Rondo for below average, aging PG, like Alston.


Then, I would thump myself in the head with a hammer for thinking somebody would be dumb enough to make a deal, like that.

We might could get Eddie House and another supplementary player for Alston, but not Rondo.

 

We could use someone, like Barry, but I think we should stay in the youth movement direction, though.

Besides, I think of all the FAs they have out going, he is the one Spurs will probably keep.

 

He's definitely a realistic possibility and affordable, but I would say he's a good defender. His only real weakness is his outside shot, but I think it's improving.

 

We need to keep in mind that Landry's salary will eat into the MLE. While Les have said that he will be willing to go over the cap, I find it hard to believe we can convince him to pay a extra 3 to 4 million dollars for the likes of Ricky Davis.

And DD I have to disagree with your list there, I believe that Beno Udrih left Sacramento because he wants not only more money (MLE), but also a starting job. And I honestly don't believe that he is that much of a improvement over Rafer. I also don't really understand the need for Gerald Green, it takes more then the ability to jump out of a building for you to be successful in this league, and based on what I have seen so far Green hasn't even come close. I mean lets be honest, this is the same guy we traded Kirk Snyder for, and cut for Mike Harris and Loren Woods.

The kid can't shoot, can't defend, doesn't even have the basic mental ability to follow directions. The guy has a all the potential in the world, but if he can't even get minimum minutes in places like preKG Boston, and Mini. What makes you think that he can contribute at all for the Rockets?

 

I like the idea of signing a guy like Pietrus, and then trading Battier, Head, expiring contracts, one of our Bigs, maybe even a future draft pick, for an impact player. Perhaps a guy like Barbosa.

Tracy needs to be moved back to the 3, and there's not much of a defensive drop off from Battier to Petrus (who's an excellent defender, but younger).

 

Pietrus is one of the better FA out there for big 2/3. Not exactly can create his own shot, but has good athleticism to attack the rim in some occasions. Defense is okay. Shooting is improving. Ball handling is suspicious.

But I think he's looking for MLE. I dont know if he can get it. He couldnt get it last year.

For an impact 2/3, I think the Rockets need to wait until the trade deadline when the expiring contracts become more attractive.

 

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This post is ridiculous...
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Gerald Green is a pretty decent shooter who because of his size and athleticism can get his shot off from basically anywhere he likes. His ball handling may leave a bit to be desired, but in all honesty, that is something you gain with practive, so it can be learned pretty easily. He has decent mechanics on his shot, so he can also improve that pretty easily. Also, it is a false claim that he got no minutes in Boston. He got a fair deal of minutes as one of the key pieces off their bench (not saying much) and averaged about 10 ppg two seasons ago. The guy has a fair deal of potential and upside. Let's see where his determination and work ethic take him though. Why don't we leave the worrying about Gerald Green up to the big boys in the Rockets upper brass.

 

count me in on the james jones bandwagon. he was instrumental in portland's winning streak.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=119732518991649900

Blazer assistant coach Bill Bayno has been quick to appreciate the talents of the 6-8 small forward who joined the team this season after spending the previous two years with Phoenix.

“James is a savvy veteran who gives us a lot of weapons,” Bayno says. “He’s like the glue for us – always in the right spot. He’s a calming influence with our younger guys. And he can shoot the heck out of the ball.”

Conversations about Jones always get around to that shooting stroke. Jones enters Portland’s game tonight at Utah with terrific numbers – .548 from the field, .636 from 3-point range and a perfect 5 of 5 from the line – in eight games.

During the Blazers’ current three-game win streak, Jones has been even better, making 14 of 20 shots, including 11 of 14 on treys. That’s somewhere between hot and unconscious, but he isn’t sweating it if the temperature cools a degree or two.

“I just want to make a contribution,” says Jones, 27, a fifth-year pro out of the University of Miami. “I’m a team-first guy, and I know about winning, and I want to do what I can to help us win.”

With Jones’ stroke and range, it’s surprising his career field-goal percentage going into the season was only .395, though a solid .385 on 3-pointers. The next step in his career will be to show he can be a consistent shooter. It didn’t happen in Phoenix, where he became a starter late last season but wound up shooting only .368 from the field through the regular season.

“For some reason in Phoenix – maybe the pressure of playing for a good team comes in – James never consistently made shots, but he made them in practice,” TNT analyst Doug Collins says. “(Assistant coach) Alvin Gentry would always tell me that. And when he shot poorly, it tended to affect the other phases of his game.

“But it doesn’t have to be that way. He has a certain toughness about him. He can do some things to where, even if he’s not making shots, he can help the team.”

Coach Nate McMillan says he was leaning toward making Jones a starter at small forward, but a bone bruise on Jones’ right knee two weeks before training camp forced him to miss almost all of the preseason and 12 games early in the regular season.

“I’m about 85 percent (healthy) now, working toward 90,” Jones says.

“I’ve been in all types of roles in my career,” Jones says. “It doesn’t matter to me, as long as I’m on the court and can make some kind of contribution. This is my fifth year, but I feel like I’ve spent a lifetime in this league. I’ve been blessed to play on some great teams, and I’ve learned what it takes to be a winner. I’m not too worried about starting – it might mean more to Martell (Webster) or Travis (Outlaw).

“But just know when you call on me, I’ll be ready to go.”

 

http://www.nba.com/nba_news/blazers_streak_071220.html?rss=true

Blazers Are the Surprise of the West
By ANNE M. PETERSON,

Portland's reserves have also been key to the team's success. Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw and James Jones lead a group that has averaged 41.9 points a game.

Jones, who was acquired in the offseason from Phoenix, has made 20-of-37 3-point attempts, and 28-of-29 free throws over the nine games. Outlaw has 11 blocked shots.

Through it all, Oden has often looked on from the bench, usually wearing a suit and a broad smile. The 7-footer's rookie season was over before it began when he had microfracture surgery on his right knee in September.

With the way the season is shaping up for the Blazers right now, Oden's return next season has become all the more exciting.

"This is what you play for. You play for wins,'' Jones said. "You don't play for stats, you don't play just to compete. You don't play for anything besides wins.''

 

I know you guys think I have been smokin' the loco weed when I said that Rondo for Rafer could be a possiblity, but I don't think you all realize the level of discontent with Rondo in Boston. Most of their fans feel like they won DESPITE Rondo instead of BECAUSE of Rondo.

here's a link to show you what I'm talking about:
http://www.celtic-nation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10706
Read through the thread (I realize it's about 50 posts), and see what Boston fans say about Rondo.

"A prophet is never appreciated in his own town."

I'm just saying it MIGHT be possible to pry him away from Boston, and I think that a vet like Rafer is exactly the kind of player Boston would be looking for. Rafer still has some good time left, and he's experienced in the playoffs, doesn't make silly mistakes, and can effectively run an offense. Look at the difference in the Rocket's with him versus without him in the Utah series. Don't get me wrong, I like Rafer, I just think Rondo would be more valuable to us than Rafer.

I'm just saying....

 

Yea we should leave it up to the big boys, and they made the right decision when they cut him.

I am not saying he can't improve his work ethnic, defense, and ball handling. But its been 4 years since he got drafted, don't you think that the chances of him actually becoming a regular player in the league have been long gone?

Ok lets just say that the Celtics wasn't tanking to get Oden that season where he played 22mins a game and avg 10.4 points shooting close to 40%, hell even Brian Scalabrine played 20mins a game that season for the Celtics. Don't you think that he would have shown something to warrant playing time in Mini, where his only real competition was Rashard Mccants for mins?

Even Kirk Snyder, who couldn't even get off the bench over here, played 25 mins every game once he got to mini.

I am not saying another team won't give him another chance, but it won't be the Rockets.

 

Blindberry said Snyder couldnt remember plays.

 

Makes you wonder how bad Green was if Snyder got more mins at Mini then he did.

 

It's certainly possible that the chances of him becoming a 'regular player in the league' HAVE passed!

I'm not 'in the know' about his situation, but here are a couple of tidbits that might make us think:
1. In the 26 games he started (06-07) for Boston, he averaged 32mpg, 16ppg on 82% from the line and 37% from 3pt land (42% overall). Clearly the guy CAN score at the NBA level.

2. His contract was expiring at the end of last season. Minny decided that he wasn't one of the players they wanted to put the time into: translation - they were unimpressed with his attitude, didn't want to spend half the year correcting it for him to simply fly the coop at the end of the year. (with all due respect to Kirk Snyder - his 'potential' is much lower than Greens, making him much easier to play and then retain if he proved worth it). If Green was going to be a problem and sulk, he could do that on the end of the bench.

3. When he came to Houston, he realised he DID have a bad attitude, and felt like this was the fresh start he needed to make a change! Unfortunately Ming and Landry were injured at the same time, leaving Scola, Mutombo and Hayes manning the big spots - size was needed, and a roster spot needed to be freed up. Green was the easiest to chop - he didn't yet know the offence (Harris did) and his was an expiring deal.

4. Riley brought in the D-League all stars to the Heat, and tried to bring Green in. Green turned down the offer.

SO - with those 4 points in mind, is it not at least possible that the Rockets brass talked with Green, asked him to work with Lucas (on the unwritten agreement of joining the team again this season) and not to sign for another club?
He certainly hung around - that he didn't join another club either means he IS washed up (at 22 with his skills? surely not...) OR he's waiting for us?

I'm favouring option 2 (rejoining us) - but honestly, I'm not in the know, so we can't be certain!

What I CAN be sure of is that I'll have some confidence should he sign with us.