Bonzi to NY? Why? The only people that are going to want Bonzi are people that want to gamble on a last piece for the playoffs. The guy is a half-season rental, with a small contract and a bad attitude. I really doubt anyone will want him bad enough for us to package him with Howard, Rafer, or Sura, the only three players that come close to having "bad contracts" on this team. Of those three, I only see us trading Howard. Outside of those three, you've got TMac, Yao, and a bunch of short, small contracts. Best case scenerio is we trade Bonzi and our trade exception for a couple of scrubs with upside. I can't think of a big that we could trade Howard and Bonzi for that is an upgrade from Howard. We have to get a big back if we trade Howard, and there's no room in the rotation for a really good guard unless we trade either Rafer or Head.
If rockets get bounced early from the playoffs, the what if bonzi scenario will haunt this team for a long time.
You forget. Thomas's job is on the line here! He will pull the trigger if it can help the Knicks win some more games.
LOL, since when has cap relief and luxury tax been James Dolan's concern? Well, Minnesota's future isn't Kevin Garnett either, and he makes a ton of money, that doesn't mean you can exchange trash for treasure. The knicks are trying to get to the playoffs this year and are only a game or two out in the anything-goes east. Just giving away one of their best players for essentially nothing in wells and a 6 million dollar savings in Howard (which isn't going to help them not have to pay luxury tax that they don't care about paying anyway) is just not going to happen. If they're getting rid of Richardson they would try to get something good ("trade value" - what you propose lends zero value to the knicks) -- but they're likely not in any event as they're trying to make the playoffs.
and you can't see that bonzi took his opportunity to have a huge contract away? do you not even see that all this was bonzi's fault for being overweight and not working to get in shape? what could van gundy do? force bonzi to get liposuction to lose the 40 pounds? is your whole solution just throw bonzi out on the court even if his play hurts the team by him being so fat? it's like saying an abused wife causes the marriage to fail when she leaves and files for divorce.
apparently... yes.. that dense. I am sorry but this comment proves you have blinders on. Do you honestly believe that this team would be better with an unhappy attitude filled Bonzi on the court, screwing up the good vibes we have going?? Especially for those players that have worked hard to earn their spot in the rotation. Please! Use some common sense.
I agree that it would be nice to have a productive, well-adjusted Bonzi. But that is not reality. Bonzi decided not to do what was necessary to be a productive player. That's his fault. Getting in shape and showing up for team functions are hardly unreasonable requests for a coach to make. If he can't get in line with simple things like that, what makes you think he would be a good player for the team?
After Jan. 2: Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Bonzi Wells 6-5 SG from Ball State 13.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.8 apg in 32.4 minutes Scott Padgett 6-9 PF from Kentucky 3.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.7 apg in 11.6 minutes Incoming Gerald Wallace 6-7 SF from Alabama 15.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.8 apg in 34.5 minutes Brevin Knight 5-10 PG from Stanford 12.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 8.8 apg in 34.0 minutes Change in team outlook: -1.0 ppg, -6.4 rpg, and +5.7 apg. Charlotte Trade Breakdown Outgoing Gerald Wallace 6-7 SF from Alabama 15.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.8 apg in 34.5 minutes Brevin Knight 5-10 PG from Stanford 12.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 8.8 apg in 34.0 minutes Incoming Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Bonzi Wells 6-5 SG from Ball State 13.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.8 apg in 32.4 minutes Scott Padgett 6-9 PF from Kentucky 3.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.7 apg in 11.6 minutes Change in team outlook: +1.0 ppg, +6.4 rpg, and -5.7 apg. Successful Scenario Due to Houston being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
I too believe that Bonzi could be our 3rd scorer and make us an absolutely lethal team. It's a shame that he and JVG could not come to terms. But I certainly won't defend him when he thinks he's above Yao and Tmac and doesn't need to get into shape. Bonzi can stay on the couch and keep eating bon-bons feeling sorry for himself. The sad thing is, if Bonzi goes to another team I bet he'll actually start to make an effort to get into top form to prove the doubters wrong (Rockets, media, etc) and to up his value.
You also have blinders on. His weight was overblown. He wasn't shawn kemp fat and he's always been a chunky guy. The guy had no contract in the summer and was nursing an injury, so players don't work out hard in the summer cause they risk injury and with no contract, that's bad news for them. A lot of you are quick to blame bonzi for this and I'm not sure why. No one ever thinks that hey his attitude would be much better if jvg let him play from the start. Who cares if he didn't play preseason. Preseason is meaningless for vets. After JVG's press conference last night, I don't know how there are so many pro jvg guys. This team is winning cause of yao/tmac. Anyone coach could have this record with those two. He didn'td o much last year when he didn't have his stars. This team is winning despite JVG, not cause of him. A new coach with a better attitude would put this team over the top.
Bonzi with a better attitude could put this team over the top. Like so many others, blame JVG for the bad times and give him zero credit when things are going well.
why do i even bother? you really are that dense. but i can't leave you alone...it's like you are a scab that i have to pick. HE WAS 40 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT!!!!!!! imagine yao came in at 350...how long do you think it would take him to get in shape? HE BLEW OFF A MASSIVE CONTRACT OFFER AND GOT FAT AFTERWARDS!!!! if someone offered you 50 million and you said no and ended up settling for 4 million wouldn't you bust your ass to stay in shape and try to show that you are worth more than 50 million rather than sit around and get fat? yes or no? wouldn't you be a lazy slob if you didn't try to stay in shape so you could make tens of millions of dollars? DO YOU PUT ANY BLAME ON BONZI AT ALL?
The History Channel presents, Luffy1 on World War II: "The only reason Hitler was such a dick was because the allies kept messing with him. They let him invade czechoslovakia and he was sucessful there, I didn't hear them complaining. Why did they have to be such arseholes and not let him invade North Africa, Russia, France, Holland, & Britain? Just because he did a few bad things in the past shouldn't be held against him."
I don't agree. Last year we won 34 games. THat's obviously not any good, but it ain't bottom rung either. And how did we win those games? The stats are clear. Even though half our roster had borderline NBA talent most of the season, we were still managed to have the 8th best ranked defense in the league (and just barely behind 5th place Detroit). On offense, we were 29th out of 30 teams. What success we had, it should be attributed mostly to our defense. And that's JVG.
