As much as I love Bullard and everything he has done for us, his contract ends next year and he has been injured quite often and he is a defensive liability with his lack of lateral movement and vertical jump. The guy was 4th this year in 3's which is great but if the Rockets don't want to take the chance and resign Bullard b/c of his health and the fact he makes over a million this year and might find someone more helpful, younger and cheaper; so I'm asking who out there is around 6'9 or < and is an upgrade over Bullard in terms of youth, price, and overall ability but most notable 3's. My guesses are: Terry Mills or Scott Padgett or Mirsad Turcsan. Neither of these come cheaper than Bullard but their overall ability is an upgrade to Bullard's. Also, I would think there would be a big man in the CBA who could shoot well that Rudy might find. I'm doing this b/c I don't think we will resign Bullard after this year but Rudy would like a big man to be able to shoot the 3 or at least from the outside to open the lanes up more for Francis and Mobley. So, who else could be an option for that position? ------------------
i think Sam Perkins would fit in. Perkins is a great shooter from beyond the arc and is a big guy. any ideas about his contract? ------------------ Dream's Team!
First Post - Please be nice. As a casual observer of the playoffs, I saw Christian Laettner of Detroit. 6'11" with a nice shot and seems to run the floor well. He never achieved the status of a third overall pick, but seems like he would fit nicely into what the Rockets are doing. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/christian_laettner.html Enjoy. ------------------
How good a Shooter is Van Horn Doleac seems to have a nice jumper and credible defense. Rocket River unfortunately they both from utah ------------------
After Hakeem retires, the Bull will have the most seniority on the team. The Bull is a good high post player who sets some of the best screens on the team. His defense is improved this year. Combine this with a low price tag and the BEST three point shooting in rockets HISTORY, and I think we've got a keeper. ------------------ Kapaayaaaa!!
Perkins is retiring at the end of the year, and if something weird happens and he changes his mind, he would not come to a rebuilding team with no championship hopes, barring big upsets. Shooting is a rare art today, and finding a big man who can do it will be difficult, but the person who said Doleac may have hit the spot. ------------------
dirk nowitski would be perfect. And I think he might be a free agent next year, or the year after that. ------------------ Now introducing the starting lineup for your Houston Rockets: Starting at Center, from Wake Forets TIM DUNCAN...
Rodney Roger would be a nice fit in Rudy's system. He has a big body and is one of the best 3 point shooter in the nba. I think he will be a free agent in 2001 or 2002. By that time, Olajuwon will be retired and we could use the salary cap room to lure him here.
Doleac is a free agent too I believe...I think he could be had for 2.3 mill exception ------------------ Rockets fans wanted at hoopsboards.com Draft Chat, NBA Chat, Team Chat, and more!
What I meant was a replacement for Bullard. With Bullard wearing down, Rudy would like a nice role player who could play the SF, PF, and C to spread the defense out. Right now, when he's not going to Bullard, The Wizard is playing the center spot. Perkins could play the PF and C and Laettner could play the 3 spots but both are aging and are more expensive than Bullard. I think this is the reason Rudy drafted Turcsan was to be a possible Bullard replacement and if we trade Walt this offseason and don't resign Bullard after next then we could possibly make a deal for Turcsan or at least sign a tall shooter out of the CBA. ------------------
Dirk is a little too good for the money your looking to spend. ------------------ You can't stop F&Brule, you can only hope to contain him.
bart: Laettner was good in college, but he's slowed down a bit since then. And he's not exactly a bruiser... He's OK on perimeter shots and usually makes his layups, but he doesn't take them when confronted by big men. He's a pure SF, and a kinda slow one at that (but with a decent shot), and I don't think that's what we need right now. We need two things in either a PF or C: blocking and rebounding. Actually, if you look at all the games this season, it is the intimidation factor (90% of the block) that we lack, and not so much rebounding itself. Opposing guards have consistently driven right thru our screens, only to find Cato standing there looking into the fan seats, or worse, arguing with a ref... Cato has the talent/ability to do both, but... we all know where this is going, so I'll cut it short. Introduce an intimidating factor near the hole, and at least 50% of the enemy's shots will be ineffective. That intimidation factor is what Hakeem was so good at, and it's the one factor totally absent frin the past season's lineup (except for the occasional/rare Cato flare-up). That is what we need. Not so much rebounding, blocking, or even simplea tenaciousness, we need someone who can go in there and scare the sh*t out of those drive-prone guards who keep killing us. 'Cause our guards sure ain't pullin their D... Bull wants to be a broadcaster. Next year he probably will be. ------------------ [This message has been edited by treeman (edited May 01, 2000).]
