The Mavs need a true center. Someone that can push back against the other 7 footers in the league and rebound. If Cato were in Dallas he would be their best post defender and their best rebounder plus he is a true center unlike anyone else on the Mavs roster. Cato would finally complete the Mavs roster. Nash Finley Dirk Jamison Cato That would be tempting wouldn’t it? Fortson is a great rebounder but is a little undersized at center. Cato is a perfect center for that team. He shoots a very high percentage but demands very few shots while running the floor, rebounding and playing defense. Moochie is a player that the Mavs could use. They were interested in him a couple of years ago when he was a free agent and he plays a little like Robert Pack who is an ex-Nellie player from his first few years with the Mavs. One thing the Mavs lost in the NVE trade was a veteran to give Steve Nash a break during the season so he does not run out of gas by the play-offs. Moochie could be that man. On the other hand I think Fortson would be an excellent pick up for Houston at the 4 spot. Fortson rebounds the way we hope Eddie will someday and he plays with aggression. At 6’9” he is big and strong enough not to get pushed around by the other power forwards in the west and unlike Cato, power forward is his natural position. Fortson could still pull spot duty at the 5 and he makes less than Cato. Fortson is a free agent in 05 so we should be certain of our plans for Eddie at that time and if we want we can just let Fortson walk for the cap room. Mills is nothing more than cap relief for the Rockets since his 6+ million comes off of the books next summer. He could also be an extra veteran at small forward this season in case Boki is not ready and Rice gets hurt. With Mills 6+ million coming off of the books next summer the Rockets might be more inclined to use Rice’s expiring contract to go after a quality long-term player. SAR at the 3 anyone? IMO this trade addresses many needs for both the Rockets and the Mavericks with out being a blockbuster trade. It improves the Mavs starting front court as well as its depth since Lafrentz would become a bench player and it gives the Rockets a strong rebounding power forward (while EG matures) while providing cap relief in 04 (Mills) and 05 (Fortson). A win / win trade.
I like the idea of Fortson, but who backs up Steve? Hell, I'm better than old gay-ass whatshisname, maybe I could try out.
I'd like to see the Rockets sign Rafer Alston to back up Steve even if we don't trade Moochie. Fortson is too injury prone for my liking and he would have a huge hole behind Yao since Taylor, Fortson, and Griffn are strictly PFs.
How about the guy that played so well in the summer leagues? I don't remember his name but DOD seemed to be fairly high on the guy.
I'd rather not trade Cato to our divisional rival. This trade helps out Dallas more then it does us. Who is the best player in this whole deal? Unbelieveably its Cato. I like the idea of getting rid of Moochies contract, but not at the expense of giving away Cato (we are basically giving him away) and helping out our rival.
Fortson is undersized for the 4, has Cato-like range, and has been discarded by every team he's played for. Please conjure a trade that values my favorite team and is doable by all...thankyouverymuch.
here's an idea: why don't we just say "No" to giving Dallas their final missing piece especially in exchange for the player GSW required you to take off their hands (Fortson) if you wanted to trade with them. man, I used to get all excited about Fortson's rb/g, but all indications are the dude is not welcome on any team he goes to. I'd rather let JVG have his shot at using Cato at PF on occassion than giving Dallas their missing piece and getting back a logjam at PF with an unwelcome player like Fortson. As far as this helping us land SAR, crash...uhh...are you trying to start a new fad where present trade idea A is justified by the likelihood of it sealing future trade idea B. so it isn't so...hehe
Fortson is not undersized at the 4. He is 6'9" and 260 lbs. That is not undersized at all. Only one inch shorter than Webber and yet bigger. He is taller than Brand and only 5 lbs lighter. Fortson is not undersized for the 4. I don't know who your favorite team is. This trade is doable by all. It does not favor any side as far as talent. Both Cato and Fortson have shown that they can play in the league and be productive yet neither will ever be all stars and both have excess baggage. Compelling reasons can be made why this is good for both teams.
the trade is more valuable to Dallas than it is for us. You are making Dallas better than you are making us.
Jason Miskiri. I honestly can't see how he'd be any worse than Moochie unless he's dumb and can't learn plays. He was injured in that last game, though. Looked like a knee/leg. I'm not sure how serious that was. I'd rather have somebody with NBA experience play backup though.
I am not advocating SAR in particular, just saying that we save salary cap space for next summer with this deal. Even you mentioned in another thread that we might just as well let Rices contract expire for our own cap reasons. It seems to reason that if we can find another way to make our cap a little more friendly then we could use Rices expiring contract to attract another useful, highly skilled long term player. From a fans point of view it sure seems like a waste to let Rices contract expire with out using it to secure long term help for our team. Surely this is a benefit of the trade worth mentioning...is it not? BTW, Fortson’s contract expires in 05 so he would not be a burden on our cap for long if he did not work out.
Fortson sucks. He helps us not one bit. A 3rd pf who can't play d, is most likely a cancer, and has a hefty contract. pass. And I highly doubt Atlanta would let SAR go just for an expiring contract or else a team like Dallas would have him already.
Man that quote is so true with regards to Cuban! Anyway I don't really think Dallas has anymore expiring contracts with the exception of Nash, and he sure isn't going anywhere. As far as Atlanta I might be inclined to agree with you if not for the fact that they basically traded Big Dawg for an expiring contract that will not ever play for them.
crash, please don't discuss trade A with how it will effect some future development that isn't 100% under our control. That opens up a huge can of speculation that is further indirectly related to reality. When teams do Trade A to help with Step B, Step B is usually completely under their controll (like getting under the cap, or signing their own players,etc). Just make your trade stand on its own merits. wrt that: I'd much rather trade Cato straight for LaFrentz than having Fortson. hell, why don't we trade Cato and Moochie for Nick Van Exel. LOL!!
You may trade Cato, but NOT to any of the top 5 in the West!! Cato on any of those teams would give them the championship!! We couldn't get equal impact back from any of them.
