[Ch.2] Derek Anderson says Rockets his No.1 choice

I don't know, when healthy Anderson is a VERY good defender. But Hughes is a better defender, I agree. Anderson is a poorer man's Larry Hughes, which is not bad at all! Definitely a backcourt of Anderson and Sura would be outstanding. Big and long and athletic and capable of hitting the outside shot, closing the lane on perimeter players and scoring and running the floor. And with Anderson and Sura it gives us a host of guys to throw at guys like Jason Terry and keep them fresh. Sura, Anderson, James and Wesley all can rotate on a hot guard and slow them down.

 

I really like a Sura/ Anderson backcourt because they both have size at their positions, they are both tough edgey players, and they both are capable defenders.

James/ Barry off the bench is another nice combo because of the energy they bring with the 3pt threat.

Where does Wesley fit in? Well personally, I'd love to keep him as extra depth, but if we could trade him for a quality 3, or a pure point guard, I'd be pretty happy.

 

so like when the hell does this boy sign

 

Seems like all the articles/interviews are pointing to DA taking the weekend to decide. We should know by tomorrow, or possibly even when the Chronicle's web-articles go up later tonight.

 

wow. i totally forgot about all of that, but you're so right. it's honestly all coming back to me.
i remember all of that, and i remember being so surprised about an allegation from such a calm, collected ultra-religious guy against such a classy organization, and really just wondering what the heck actually went on.

 

I'm glad Derek Anderson had high praise for Bob Sura, but if Derek signs here, our backcourt will kinda/sorta look like this:

James/Wesley/Head/Ward/Moochie
Anderson/Sura/Barry

Now, granted, Ward and Moochie are crap. Moochie stays here unless involved in a trade, as he is essentially in the last year of his contract; Moochie will only play at the end of blowouts (if then; Head would get some clock at that point).

So, revised:

James/Wesley
Anderson/Sura/Barry

I suppose Sura could also play some 3, and that might help out in the backcourt somewhat, but I just don't see it. Small ball got us killed in the playoffs.

Something's got to give here. I'm wondering if that 2-for-1 deal is still on the table somewhere, and what it might be.

 

small ball killed us in the playoffs because we were starting ryan bowen. with this seasons roster we would have a nice small ball lineup..

james, sura, anderson, mcgrady, swift or
sura, anderson, mcgrady, howard, swift

both lineups are nice, and you could fiddle with both, maybe add barry or wesley. i really like the rockets depth this year, especially if we pick up anderson or spree.

 

Looks like we got DA, if this article is to be believed.....

Lakers Point to McKie
By Mark Heisler, Times Staff Writer

Ending their search for a point guard, or at least a Phil Jackson-type point guard, the Lakers have agreed to terms with another candidate no one could have predicted, Aaron McKie.

"We've come to an agreement," said McKie's agent, Leon Rose, from his home in Pennsauken, N.J., Sunday. "Everything will get done over the course of the next few days.

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"The Lakers approached him with a nice offer. He had a long talk with Coach Jackson regarding the situation and the role he can play was something that appealed to him.

"Coach Jackson has had a lot of success with veteran big guards and hopefully Aaron can have the same kind of success and bring the team a defensive presence.

"He's also looking forward to playing with Kobe Bryant. He's known him a long time from their days in Philadelphia."

The agreement is for two years and $5 million. The Lakers had no comment.

The agreement with McKie is expected to end negotiations with Derek Anderson, another big veteran guard who received a similar offer but was expected to take less and sign with the Houston Rockets.

Having traded Chucky Atkins, last season's starter, the Lakers have been looking for a successor in Jackson's unconventional mold, in which size and attitude count more than youth, athleticism, scoring ability — or even any experience as a point guard.

In Jackson's triangle offense, the point guard is called the "initiator." He sets things up and makes the first pass but doesn't control the ball as much as a conventional point guard and doesn't have to be as good a playmaker.

When Jackson arrived with the Lakers in 1999, he benched starting point guard Derek Fisher, who had just gotten a five-year, $15-million contract, and brought in bigger, older Ron Harper to replace him. Harper had played shooting guard for his entire career until Jackson switched him to "initiator" with the Bulls in 1995 at age 31.

A shooting guard throughout his career, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound McKie will be 33 in October. He is known as a tough competitor with a stand-up-guy reputation but his career has declined sharply since he started for the 76ers, who lost to the Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals.

Last season, new 76er Coach Jim O'Brien parked McKie on the bench for the first half of the season to go with younger players. McKie got back into the rotation, averaging 21 minutes a game after the All-Star break, but his 2.2 average was by far the lowest of his career.

Anderson offered the Lakers a younger (31), more athletic option, averaging 9.2 points last season in Portland, although he missed 66 games in his last two seasons there. However, the Lakers weren't convinced he was the defender and leader they wanted. Anderson is known as sunny and likable but his attitude was questioned by people in Portland. He reportedly didn't take it as a compliment when the Lakers asked him about it during his visit here two weeks ago.

Last week for the first time, the Lakers contacted McKie's agent, Rose. Until then, McKie had been expected to take a $1.1-million offer to back up Vince Carter in New Jersey.

By then, Anderson was reportedly leaning toward the Rockets, who could offer him only $1.7 million but made him feel he was the player they wanted.

The Lakers then made similar offers to McKie and Anderson, hoping to assure themselves of getting one of them.

With a $2.5-million slot left, the Lakers would like to add a small, quick guard or a big man. Their top guard prospect, former Laker Tyrone Lue, is expected to re-sign in Atlanta.

Still on the Lakers' list and available are former UCLA Bruin Earl Watson and former Laker Jannero Pargo. With a short list of big men to choose from, a return by Vlade Divac may be possible.

HTML:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers22aug22,1,6730974.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

 

Well, I would say that gets us Anderson, folks!

 

We will be deep with him on the team, healthy, but able to handle the storm if he goes down for a time.

I like the move, hope he agrees to sign tomorrow.

 

Just saw it on Fox Extra....we got em.....sweet

 

Agreed about small ball. The problem with playoff small ball is we had to play two among Wesley (short), James (short) and Barry (unathletic and physically unimposing 6'5). Sura or DA can definetly fill in as Tmac's back-up. I see Bowen not getting meaningfull minutes unless their is an injury, we gain more having DA/Sura play or share back-up 3 duties than having Bowen get those minutes. Both players a light years better offensively, and Sura in particular is a much better rebounder. Going 6'5 (Sura), 6'5 (DA) around Barry (light 6'5") or DW/MJ (6'2") when Tmac is out should be fine against most teams, much more formidable than if Bowen is out as our SF despite his height.

 

Yeah, sure thing.

Heres a thought maybe he preferred Houston?