We need use the money to sign a good backup center, we do not have much from MLE if we use 3.5 mil for Wafer. We only have a MLE.
A player nobody else wanted?!?!?! Jermaine Taylor was the #32 pick in the draft, and most mock drafts had him going in the early second round. He is the most likely option to fill the Von Wafer role next season. How can you say that nobody wanting him? Also, as to your point about second rounders rarely making an impact, you should look at players taken in the 25-45 range, not the second round in general. Daryl Morey has said numerous times that this range typically offers players of similar caliber. Taylor (32) and Budinger (44) fall within this range. Here's a look at some notable players (including some international guys who are highly thought of by NBA GMs) taken in the 25-45 range over the past few years who have had fairly decent careers (remember, just because some of these guys are overpaid doesn't mean they are/were not still NBA-caliber players): 2008: Nicolas Batum (25), George Hill (26), Darrell Arthur (27), Donte Greene (28), Nikola Pekovic (31), Mario Chalmers (34), DeAndre Jordan (35), Omer Asik (36), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (37), Chris Douglas-Roberts (40), Goran Dragic (45) 2007: Aaron Brooks (26), Arron Afflalo (27), Tiago Splitter (28), Petteri Koponen (30), Carl Landry (31), Glen Davis (35), Kyrylo Fesenko (38) 2006: Shannon Brown (25), Jordan Farmar (26), Mardy Collins (29), Craig Smith (36), Daniel Gibson (42) 2005: Jason Maxiell (26), Linas Kleiza (27), David Lee (29), C.J. Miles (34), Ersan Ilyasova (36), Ronny Turiaf (37), Von Wafer (39), Monta Ellis (40), Louis Williams (45) 2004: Kevin Martin (26), Sasha Vujacic (27), Beno Udrih (28), Anderson Varejao (30), Royal Ivey (37), Chris Duhon (38), Trevor Ariza (43) 2003: Carlos Delfino (25), Kendrick Perkins (27), Leandro Barbosa (28), Josh Howard (29), Jason Kapono (31), Luke Walton (32), Sofoklis Schortsanitis (34), Steve Blake (38), Willie Green (41), Zaza Pachulia (42), Keith Bogans (43), Matt Bonner (45) 2002: John Salmons (26), Roger Mason, Jr. (31), Dan Gadzuric (34), Carlos Boozer (35), Milos Vujanic (36), David Andersen (37), Juan Carlos Navarro (40), Ronald "Flip" Murray (42) 2001: Gerald Wallace (25), Samuel Dalembert (26), Jamaal Tinsley (27), Tony Parker (28), Trenton Hassell (29), Gilbert Arenas (30), Brian Scalabrine (34), Mehmet Okur (37), Earl Watson (39), Bobby Simmons (41) 2000: Jake Tsakalidis (25), Primoz Brezec (27), Mark Madsen (29), Marko Jaric (30), Jake Voskuhl (33), Eddie House (37), Eduardo Najera (38), Michael Redd (43), Brian Cardinal (44) I could keep going, but I won't. My point is, there are plenty of quality NBA players to be found in the 25-45 range. Especially when those players are being selected by one of the top front offices in the league. I think the chances of at least one out of Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger or James White (former #31 pick) providing a similar contribution to that of Von Wafer last season is fairly decent.
Hopefully since Budinger was a projected lottery pick a couple of years ago, he can fill Wafer's role nicely. Good luck Wafer whereever you may end up.
I don't know who is the bigger idiot, Wafer for rejecting 3.4 mil or the guy that offered him 3.5 mil.
His name sounds cool and he's young and not un-athletic like Yao. He could be an OK center for years to come after Yao
I don't think that's true. The reason why you get the stories about the 7/1 midnight courtings is because contact before that time is not allowed. And, if they were doing it on the sly, they certainly wouldn't want stories like this one to leak or they'd be in trouble with HQ.
Gortat's a good option, but he's a RFA. What would it take to trade for Tyson Chandler? His team has been trying to get rid of his contract for a while, Chandler is at least a proven starter who could also play the 4 when Yao comes back (I still believe).
Von should try to get a starting job somewhere, he was OUTSTANDING as a starter in Houston and we had our most effective unit with him and Battier at the wings. I hope Von signs here......his athleticism and first step are of the ELITE level.....and that does not fall off of trees. DD
I greatly appreciate Von Wafer's contributions to this team this year but let's not kid ourselves here - his athletic attributes are a dime a dozen in this league.
Von's atheleticism might be elite (or "near elite" as Morey said)-- and he can shoot, too, unlike some other guys out there-- but the fact that Sasha Vujacic is his kryptonite scares me. Sasha Vujacic?
Like I said during the playoffs, I haven't seen greater ownage than that since what Vernon Maxwell did to Dan Majerle in 1994.
