He abused them by shooting 40% from the floor? I'd like to see what the 2003 Mavs do to guys they actually can handle, then. To the tune of a .505 TS%? C'mon, Bonzi is still good, but he was better when he was younger. It seems that injury and age has robbed him of some of his abilities. He can still rebound, though, and score against the right matchups-- and that's really useful. But he isn't going to come close to filling in for TMac's role if Tracy gets injured. He just isn't that kind of talent, nobody on the team is. Bonzi's offensive production last season is pretty similar to Juwan Howard's when Tracy and Yao were out. He isn't going to work miracles. If Tracy gets injured, the Rockets will just have to asked Yao to carry a even bigger load when he's on the floor, he draws heavy attention and knows what to do with it. When Yao is off the floor, I guess we'll just have to hope for Spanoulis/Alston pushing the pace and penetrating the paint to create some open shots (and the shooters actually making them this year).
We have to be grown adults about this situation. Does anyone believe that Van Gundy wants to give Bonzi "personal" time away from the team? Uh ...Nope. Those posters who pout and cry over something such as this need to remember that we are all human beings with potential for real problems away from work, including b-ball players. I would much rather give him sufficient time to work out all his problems now than pressure him onto the court and risk him developing bad sentiments toward the team or JVG himself. I think I would probably need some personal time too if I am being paid pennies right after I gave away a fortune in Sac-town. Remember that he will be up for contract renewal at the end of the year...so we dont want to piss the guy off now. Hopefully we have learned our lesson after MikeJames-gate.
I agree with everything in this post. I would like to add that Wells is our version of our drat day target in Brandon Roy. He is not flashy or spectacular, but he is effective and for the most part consistent. Yes he is older than Roy, and may have a few more negative marks against him while Roy is a model citizen. But Wells is proven, end of story. No guessing on what he can do because we got several years in the league on video. I am pleased to say the least about his presence with our Rockets.
I hope he wouldn't need personal time because he is only making 2 million dollars. Honestly I do hope its something serious, therefore it would just needing the absence.
How do you know he's complaining about minutes? And how can he complain about minutes when he hasn't even played yet? Jumping to conclusions I see!
Bonzi is not one of the top two guys on the team. He needs to fit in with them, not the other way around. If he develops bad sentiments because he doesn't like the way he's being used, then we don't want or need him. He needs to man up and get with the team, or he might not play at all. JVG probably saw that he wasn't happy and told him to take off until he's ready to get on board.
1. Wells is a good player, but if he isn't likely going to be the difference between 50 wins and championship. If he is that kind of difference maker, he would have made that difference on his previous teams already. For all his stats vs. the Spurs, they still lost the series. They lost the series because the supporting cast wasn't good enough. Care you seriously tell me that if Bonzi put up those same type of numbers for a completely healthy Rockets, in this year's playoffs, that it wouldn't make a difference? 2. This whole "3rd option" thing is rather ridiculous. Just run the offense and take the shots you can make and the offense will run fine however they line up the options. It's not like you can just give the ball to Bonzi and trust him to score on an efficient rate or create for teammates anyway. McGrady can do that, Yao can do that, but Bonzi really hasn't done that for a few years except for the 5 games in the playoffs. He doesn't shoot a high TS% (similar to Juwan Howard's), doesn't create too many assists, and turns the ball over a fair amount relative to the points he scores. He helps the offense not really by being an "option" but with his rebounds and garbage points. You're crazy if you think Bonzi Wells as a 3rd option "isn't that big a deal". Yao has been gotten into foul trouble, and both he and T-Mac have had injuries. You don't think having a guy like Bonzi is going to make a big deal!? Bonzi is useful living off garbage points and offensive rebounds, if you want to make him an "option" as in throw the ball to him and tell him to go to work, he has sucked at it during recent years unless he gets a clear mismatch. He is no more a 3rd option than Juwan Howard was last year. He's just better at that other things-- offensive boards, getting steals, etc. This doesn't even deserve a response because it's so idiotic I my eyes are literally bleeding. 3. Who is insisting Battier is capable of doing what? I've always maintained that Battier is capable of averaging a good amount of points-- more than he did he Memphis-- off open shots and easy finishes (including offensive boards). I never said just throw the ball to him and tell him to iso like Steve Francis. The coaching staff thinks he can shoot more, too, within the offense as evidenced by recent comments. Yet Bonzi Well can't do that though he has done that for Sacramento and Portland, at a higher degree of success? Here's something, you say that Bonzi isn't that big a deal because he put up big numbers in the playoffs but his team lost. Well Battier put up good numbers and his teams consistently got swept in the playoffs, so what does that say? BTW, comments about me or anyone else being "Battier's agent" simply because I said he (AND Snyder) appear to be more important acquisitions than Wells contributes nothing to the discussion. It's completely irrelevant to the issue at hand even if I were Battier's agent. Well at least you're not the coach and the GM, who consider Wells a bigger acquisition. But hey, at least you got to praise Battier and Snyder!
They didn't have to say it. If Battier was a free agent, do you think Dawson would had Van Gundy, Yao and T-Mac out doing a major recruiting of Wells? I mean look at this: The recruiting contingent included Yao Ming, GM Carroll Dawson, assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, coach Jeff Van Gundy, personnel director Keith Jones and Tracy McGrady, who called Bonzi directly to make his pitch. Do you think they would have done that for Battier and Snyder? I mean, common sense.
Yes. Bonzi got recruited simply because he was the one available at the moment... for cheap, mind you. No need to recruit guys who are under contract, you just trade for their asses, which they did. In Battier's case, they gave up significant assets for him, too. If you want to play the comparison game, I don't remember the Rockets willing to give up the 8th pick and Swift for Bonzi, do you? Assume Bonzi did get signed to that $35 mil deal (comparable to Battiers)... I still don't see them trading Swift and the 8th pick for him.
You never answered my question, if you didn't have to "trade fortheir asses" do you think that the Rockets would have gone all out to get Battier and Snyder like they did for Wells?
Wow. The Rockets also traded the #9 pick for for Jason Collier, so using your logic Jason Collier is as important as Bonzi Wells. As for the Rockets not offering the #8 pick for Wells, do you know whether or not the Rockets offered that deal? Because no one even knew about the Swift and Battier deal so for all we know the Rockets could have been offering big stuff for Wells over the years. Again, I doubt T-Mac, Yao and others would have been out trying to recruit Battier and Snyder. And that is NOT knocking those players at all. They're solid role-players. Wells is a go-to player, even if he is just a #2 or #3 option.
There is no use arguing with you. I'm sorry, if you seriously believe that Snyder is a more important player then Wells and that Battier would have been recruited by the same people that recruited Wells what can you say?
This is from your guy Battier: OK by Battier "After playing with Bonzi for two years, I know what he's capable of doing," Battier said. "He gives us another dimension offensively. Last year the Rockets had a lot of trouble scoring the basketball, especially when Yao and Tracy got hurt. Bonzi adds an offensive presence. "He's a guy other teams must pay attention to, especially when you put him on the block and throw the ball to him. The margin of error is so small, you always must have everyone on the same page. To win in this league, you must have everyone with a common goal and common beliefs on team. That's essential." McGrady worked to recruit Wells and said Wednesday he considered Wells a key addition. "He adds more depth," McGrady said. "He is the missing piece we need, especially when we match up with teams like Dallas and Phoenix when they go small." Post-up man Wells could step into the starting lineup, replacing David Wesley who started at shooting guard the past two seasons. He also could come off the bench, making his ability to post up and create his own shot more valuable when McGrady or Yao are out. Either way, he would seem to offer a more proven talent to the Rockets' retooled backcourt and different skills than the other players acquired in this offseason. "Before this happened, I thought we would be very competitive," Battier said. "With the talent we have, especially with the addition of Bonzi, we can be a formidable team nightly." So I guess the players are overrating Wells as well?
The post you quoted even started with the word "Yes." As for Bonzi's value... He's 30 years old. Even though he had a decent year last season, he's still aging in NBA terms. The biggest contract they (and any other team) offered 30 year old Mike James, who also had a veryh good year, was 4 years at the MLE. I really doubt they wouldn't at least be leery about taking on 30 year old Bonzi had he come with a 5 year contract. Remember, Bonzi also has a lot more mileage on that body and more of a history of injuries than Mike James. About the Przybilla/Collier trade. Collier was the 15th pick... I guess they didn't know he really wasn't that good and they liked his jump shot or whatever else he does on the court. Just a mistake pick. Had Collier had a few years in the NBA (as Battier has), I doubt they gave anything up for him, despite the fact that he was a good guy from all available sources.
Actually, now that I read it, I just missed the word "Yes", it was my mistake, my bad. The point is, this isn't "Battier and Snyder vs Wells". What's the point of arguing that when everyone is on the team together? But when push comes to shove and you're playing San Antonio or Dallas or Phoenix in the playoffs I'm guessing you're going to want Wells (if healthy) out there and not Battier and Snyder. I'm just going on proven history and production down the stretch in critical games and the playoffs. And if T-Mac goes down who do you feel more comfortable as a temporary go-to guy Wells or Battier? Or Wells or Snyder. Because that's why we got Wells, in case T-Mac got hurt and to give our go-to options that extra jolt.
