Atlanta enters the Mike James sweepstakes (UPDATE: Hawks sign Claxton)

Your absolutely right about that, thanks, I just found some info that does verify that.

 

31 is not old. James is in the prime of his career. If you watched any Toronto games last year, you'd see that he hasn't lost a step. Actually, he seems to have gained a step.

If the Rockets want to 'win now' like they say they do, James is a perfect fit.

 

i wasn't inferring james was too old. i was suggesting he'd get a better deal than cassell.

 

Not necessarily. James wants a 5-year deal. Both teams are offering 3-year deals. Both teams are offering their MLE which is about $5 million. It all depends on what James wants.

If he wants a chance at a championship, then he'll sign with Dallas. If he wants to go for the $$$, then he'll sign with Atlanta. If he truly wants to play at home then he'll sign with Houston.

I think 3 years is about right for a 31 year old shooting guard who's 6-2 and a bit on the small size compared to the bigger 2 guards in the West. Give James a 4 year contract and you may well wind up with another contract that can come back to haunt this franchise. Looking at what has transired so far, I'm not certain that the addition of James will prove to be the bonanza they expect.

 

I never suggested the Rockets should offer Mike James that amount.

James & Cuttino are the same age. Cat's stats from 2005 are similiar to MJ's this season. James's stats are slightly better.

Clippers gave mobley 42m/5yrs that's 8.4m/yr.

All I'm saying is, if Atlanta want him, it wouldn't be inconceivable to suggest they would offer him such an amount.

 

Four year MLE deal for James is a nobrainer in my book. I am thinking a Rocket small line-up: Alston or Head, James, Tmac, Batt and Yao, might be extremely difficult to slow down.

Also, the only reason Dallas could be in the stakes is to keep him from us. If there is any player in the league Mike James is the older "lite" version it is Jason Terry. They also have Harris (young 1 with upside), Stack and Daniels. Even if they move Daniels a clear starting role for James over Terry, Harris or as 6th man scorer (over Stack) is not obvious. Dallas has the least to promise Mike James in terms of a role than any team in the league I can think of.

 

Not quite. Sign and trades have to be 3 years, but they don't all have to be guaranteed. We signed and traded Mike Wilks as part of the Deke trade, and he only got one year guaranteed. We sent along cash to cover his salary, and the Bulls just ended up cutting him without losing any money.

But the issue is more about the fact that James is going to want to get paid right now. He's not taking a one year deal even if he gets Bird rights at the end. You can never tell what will happen. Better to just get his guaranteed cash right now.

 

I'm sorry--I just don't see what the fascination is with a 31 y/o, egotistical, undersized, shoot first guard that we traded away not long ago? Rafer should start --he's the pass first guy we wanted and with a healthy Mac & Yao we need a distributor not a trigger happy ballhog.

If Alston & James both start, our backcourt will be undersized and James is no defensive stalwart (see: Bryant, Kobe-81 pts) and I can't believe he'd turn down millions and rush here to be Rafer's backup.

Dallas is so loaded it'd be hard to hurt the team, Atlanta is so pathetic it'd be hard not to help but the Rox are in a very precarious position (and the 2 for 1 draft day deal wasn't the greatest start). I hope and pray they consider carefully the chemistry and roles of who is added to the team from here on...

 

We need a guy that can put the ball in the hoop. We need a 3rd scorer to take the load off Yao and T-mac. And we need someone that can step up if one of our big two goes down. Considering our assets and how much money we have to work with, Mike James is by far the best option.

 

I know we are never going to be the Phoenix Suns on offense which means we are gonna have to shut some guys down. All James did in Toronto was shoot hoping to raise his stats and get paid this offseason which he is in position to do. I don't fault him for that but like I said, I don't see him playing back-up all year and I think that if Yao is healthy and playing like he did late last season having someone who'd rather jack up shots than throw a good entry pass hurts and so does someone whose man is gonna have a clear path to the basket 20 times a game to get Yao in foul trouble...Mike James is both.

 

^ Actually Mike James is a pretty good defender. He was one of our better ones when he was here.

 

Even if he can guard PGs, at 6-2 he's not gonna stop SGs nor be much help out on the perimeter if it's a Alston/James backcourt...

 

they just signed Speedy Claxton!

 

Speedy Claxton to the Hawks for 4yr 25M. (Bobby Jackson got 3yr 17M from the Hornets).

Clearly Mike James will be looking for a contract similarly to those.

 

Yes!!! Now get the Mike James Deal Done Now!!!

 

Who is they?? Houston? Atlanta??

 

And if we don't sign him, we are absolutely screwed this offseason because there is noone else even remotely worthy of the MLE left on the market.

 

I think Houston will get a deal done with Mike James.

 

OK, never mind

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2508532

Hawks lure Speedy Claxton away from Hornets

The Atlanta Hawks, roundly criticized for bypassing Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA draft, filled their void at point guard Monday by reaching a verbal agreement with Paul's backcourt mate: Speedy Claxton...

 

So, with Speedy going 4 years 25m, what's the price Rox has to pay for James?