Its a little too early to look to the offseason,but having a plan and a vision is never too early. I was scanning the possible free agents who can help the Rockets next season. It has to be a bargain because all the Rockets will have is the mle or the trade exception. Most think a trade might be in the works as soon as the season is over, but if its not, feel free to throw out some names that might be a bargain. I'll throw mine out and other can do so also. Etan Thomas: Strong Physical Brian Grant type of worker.6'10 250lbs good hands, good shot blocker and rebounder. 8ppg ,6rebs 1.5 blks in 20mns of work. 25yoa and would be a upgrade of Cato. Stromile Swift: Hard to get a read on this guy. Most will still beleive in his ability even though he's been in the league 4 yrs.Still has the "p" word because he hasn't done anything but catch a few alley oops. Could play pf and would probably bring the same thing as Cato, but makes Cato expendable. Chris Mihm: 7fter who is probably better suited as a 4 along side Ming. Has good hands and is a good athlete. Has been plagued by injuries since being in the league. 24 or 25yr old with his best yrs ahead of him. Feel free to insert or add others. My focus is to upgrade the 4 position and get some bigger player to play with Ming and beside Ming. I'm also hoping we can move Cato and Taylor somehow and keep Spoon as the vet off the bench. Its like you can almost get any player from the class of 2000 because most are fa's because they haven't did much, but some have shown some flashes, just not enough.
If we trade Cato, which I'm not necesSARILY opposed to, who is going to play backup center? Our tiny frontcourt seems to me that it necessitates a big guy in the middle to help mop up their defensive mistakes. As a starting power forward, Cato makes a great backup center. So why not try to keep him?
can some one respond thats question we can use that 6.9 and wilks(example) for another player more valuable? and if we can use them to sing some one in the free agent? if we tread to other team they can use them as salary ? thanx ThE GaMe
I would like to get younger and little better at that spot. Also i would like to package him with someone else and get another player. If we do upgrade that spot, I was thinking about another 6'10-7" F/C with better hands and the ability to hit a open shot on occasion. Mihm,Thomas comes to mind first. They will be cheap and are both 24-25yr of age. Can do the same job as Cato, has better hands and would make him availible in a package deal somehow.
Those are decent suggestions, and trading Cato is not completely out of the question. However, 2 issues need to be addressed. We need a backup C either through FA or trade simply because Yao cannot bang in the NBA for significant stretches of time. Our PF needs to have a better shot than Thomas/Swift/Mihm have. Preferably a Mo Taylor/Cato combination, but the most important thing is rebounding.
I think its realistic to get 2 of those guys with the mle split actually and have great depth at the 4/5 spots. Start with Thomas when given time has produced double-double and 1.5 blks, then come in with Mihm who has good hands also. I think if Cato handled the ball better, he could score better. his hands are terrible.
Leebigez, I think Thomas and Swift are good suggestios, I don't like the Mihm suggestion unless it for like a million bucks or less. The question is what is Thomas and Swift worth? A full MLE is something like 40 mil for 6 years, 32 for 5, 24 for 4, 18 for 3. How much do you want to pay, you have to pay enough so they won't be matched, and at then perhaps there is a reason they are not matched. Of course maybe we can capitilize on the Grizzilies or Wizards just being cheap asses as we were with Posey. At best it is a calculated gamble, it is the kind of moves we have consistently flubbed up since the Francis trade (drafting Yao was a nobariner and does not count).
I actually would mind a staright up swap for Lorenzen Wright. Their contracts are the same, Wright can make the 14fter plus he's a little younger. Maybe you don't want to trade with West, but I think it could benefit Houston.
I think you let the market do it. You don't have to give these guys long term deals, just 3yr deals. I like Thomas first, but after him, I like Mihm who been playing pretty good since being in Boston. Its possible to get Thomas or Mihm for 3yrs 9mill, which isn't to bad for a 24yrs old. If they play up to the "p" word, then resigning thme to go along with Ming in the future would be nice. I really like the 2 center deal like SA and Houston runs. I really like Etan Thomas toughness and stregth and Mihm's size and hands. The pitch can always be to not be the man, get easy buckets and play for a winner. As my sig suggest, Hunter could be 1 big, then add some like Mihm or Thomas, then have spoon as that veteran could really shore up the spot. Teams use 2 or 3 headed centers, why not do it at the 4 spot?
Surely the Wizards would match if even to trade him. ALL are RFA, you basically have to out bid their own team in starting amount and/or years. I wouldn't hesitate a 3 year full MLE for Swift (e.g., around 17 mil) or Thomas. Then MoT and this player are FA in 3 years, which is also the same year we will offer Yao the max after our FA dealings are done. Now for 4, 5 or 6 full MLE we really have to be confident this player is a long term fixture. I just don't see Mihm as a good compliment to Yao. We preferrable put a major athlete and physical presence in the 4 spot (rebounding, defense, weak side shotblocking, and adequate offensive skills). It could be a center type as well, if that center type had the skills of a PF like TD or Hakeem or even an Otis Thorpe (when we traded for him to be our 4 instead of a 5 where he was at the time I believe).
Their player options weren't picked up so they're free as can be. Its not a match type deal as with Miles and the other from 00 draft class. Those options were supposed to be picked up b4 the season and were not.
My top 3 are: Sheed-everybody knows his pros and cons Maglorie- promising young 4/5 with good post skills Jahidi White-wide body who hustles and can hit the open j
He was drafted in 2001 which means he could become a restricted free agent after next season. He sounds like a JJ. He's a strong man defender with a good outside shot. However, Mike Miller is a restricted free agent after this season, and I read that Jerry West really likes Shane. He might just put Shane in the 2 guard spot.
Mihm might be useful. He is long and can play backup Center as well. Plus he can hit that 15 foot shot. I would like to see a more cerbral player fill that role, so that when Yao goes out, the team can stay consistent. Mihm it is for me. DD
I haven't watched Orlando too much this year, but I'd like to swap Cato for Juwan or Gooden, preferably Gooden. Then sign Etan Thomas to be the backup c. Guys I would like to pry away using the mle or trade exception: Stro Okur
