[chron] - Wells Accepts Reduction Of Role With Rockets

Whenever DD is proven correct he is happy !

Except when he is not right, then he is unhappy.



Can't get em all right, I guess a blind squirrel finds an acorn.....

DD

 

Oh, I guess DA and Bonzi couldn't have gotten more money elsewhere?

Nevermind the fact that the LLE is chump change compared to average NBA salary. You make it sound as if the LLE is something sooo appealing.

 

Come on !!!



Each player will look at their own unique situation, Bonzi's boneheadedness will not damage the Rockets reputation at all.

As long as Yao and Tmac are here and they advance in the playoffs, players will want to play here.

DD

 

Signing for chump change and playing is one thing. Signing for chump change and not playing is another. Unfortunately, DA and Bonzi are the latter.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world and obviously players will want to still play here but I can't wait to see all the "Potential LLE candidates" lists people make this summer. Guaranteed on that list will be veterans not necessarily looking for a payday but merely to contribute to a winning cause and as the situations with DA and Bonzi have proved -- signing here, passing up on more money and playing here isn't a guarantee. Not saying it's anymore of a guarantee here than anywhere else but if a veteran is going to pass up on more money to play for a winning team they're going to expect to play. Bonzi and DA's situations have proved that players in that position should possibly think twice.

Again, like I said it's not the end of the world. I just won't expect any super bargains for the LLE once the time to use it rolls around.

 

I don't see how Houston has uniquely mistreated free agents who signed. Plenty of free agents sign with other teams and don't get the playing time they were expecting. Ask Mike James how his tenure in Minnesota is going. How about Marcus Banks and Jalen Rose in Phoenix?

Every team simply plays who they think will win them games.

 

What JVG is doing is expactly what needs to be done. You contrubute, you play. You don't work hard, you sit.

As for other players coming here to play for less. No one is putting a gun to their head to sign here. Bonzi signed for a little less ONLY becuase he couldn't get more. He figures he'll get a chance to play here because of the need for a 3rd scorer. He was dead wrong for not trying hard to be in shape and ready to go and diffinitely wrong for fighting with the coach.

Players with come to play for a winning team. If Rockets win, others will come. Yao and TMAC is the honey that will draw the players. They must however, realize that not working hard will get them on the bench!

 

because he actually didn't look good.

 

well...

so who can we get for bozi?

 

and by bozi, i mean boNzi.

 

Wells was not bad in PER or Roland ranking. Let's not pretend his offensive efficiency was as bad as JL3, VSpan, Novak, or even Rafer.

Someone mentioned, "everyone knows JVG is a hard ass", kind of take. Well, everyone knew "Bonzi is a bonehead". So both parties well knew what they were getting. That is why we got a player with that much talent for that cheap (not to mention his agent screw up).

Also, I don't think this situation will affect our FA situation. Other league players know what Bonzi is, and isn't (just look at SB's initial mixed reaction--he be a good addition IF he works hard kind of comment), and I don't think most players identify with him.

Also, the DA situation was entriely different. DA is a washed up player who was cut by his former team. We signed him for an LLE--more money than what he has shown he can produce now, and then when he wanted out we kindly obliged and sent him to the would become NBA champions. The Swift handling (not a lot of PT, shipped him back to Mem) I could seen rubbing off on us some negative--but it isn't like he commands respect around the league in spades either.

Overall I don't think we have maintained the kind of atmosphere for welcoming FAs in the Rudy T era (and remember we ended up paying some too much), we probably are not among the top rated from players perspectives (Phx, Dal, SA, Mia?)--but nor are FAs going to shy away too much either IMO. We are still an unselfish team with two great players and a good if sometimes some difficult coach that will appeal to some all things being equal (comparable MLE contracts from different parties).

Finally, still have concerns that Bonzi's talent would be needed for a deep playoff run--we need that 3rd scorer and extra match-up problem guy not versus most of the league but ultimately to get by Dallas, Phx, SA, but JVG feels chemistry is more important than the extra talent on the floor. We will see I guess.

 

I predict JVG and Bonzi are playing a trick on the rest of the NBA, come playoff time you will see the Bonzi of last years playoffs... or atleast I hope.

 

ok, ok, Let me get this straight. Are you saying that "free-agents" may not want to sign here based on the fact that the last 3 years we have screwed over free agents that signed here for "less" money?

Cause if you are, I agree 100%!

This NBA is a very small sub-culture. Your word is your bond. If you are out screwing guys over it will not be long till the word get out, Dont sign with Houston; unless you want to rot on the bench and ruin your reputation

 

Actually, he's pretty bad in PER and Roland rating.

http://www.82games.com/0607/0607HOU.HTM

His PER is 10.9, league average is about 15.
His +/- is -5.5.

The only thing that keeps his Roland rating from being horrible is the least reilable component of the rating: defensive PER. With Shane Battier so often taking the toughest defensive wing assingment, the Rockets often don't have the wings guarding their own "counterpart." Most of the credit for Wells' supposed low opponent PER has to do with 1)Shane guarding his man or 2)Shane guarding the tougher guy, leaving Bonzi with easy defensive assingment or 3)good team defense rotating to help on Bonzi's guy.

How did we "screw over" these guys again?

Nobody guaranteed them playing time even if the team doesn't perform well with them playing when they signed, nobody guaranteed they wouldn't get traded. The Rockets didn't do anything not allowed by the contract. More importantly, the Rockets didn't do anything any other team wouldn't do.

 

Ridiculous. JVG is the disappointment. Not Wells.

Bonzi really hasn't had a chance. JVG is like a child the way he handles players.

 

Not really. His +/- is better than Head, Howard, Snyder. Further, Alston-Head-Wells-Hayes-Howard did better than Alston-Head-Wells-Battier-Hayes. I think JVG even said it is hard to have both Wells and SB on the floor.

I am not saying he was great--but he was certaintly middle of the road of the roster in productivity when given the chance and does have a much higher ceiling to get better.

The only player this could apply to was Swift. Bonzi and DA were scrambling for homes late in FA and we offered ours and paid them what we could.

I am hoping too, but based on JVG's previous operations I think we are fooling ourselves to think this.

I think it is some on both--probably more on Wells but not sure. And I think this is more accurate "JVG doesn't handle child-like players well at all."

 

I met a person who knows Tmac, Wells and Keith Jones, all pretty well. Stick a fork in Bonzi. He is cooked. Two or three guys would have to be injured before Bonzi would see the floor again. His chances now of getting a contract elsewhere of any significance are below slim. And if he takes his option for next year he is nothing more than #15 on the roster barring his conversion to some strict version of any religion where he cleans up and sins no more. But Van Gundy still would need to believe that he had really changed and that does not seem possible at this point. Wells' credibility is dead and buried, he shot it himself, dug the hole himself and buried it himself.

You guys know I am not exactly on the JVG bandwagon so I would tend to give Bonzi the benefit of doubt. But I hear the whole team now understands Bonzi and you don't hear anyone else ON THE TEAM squeaking even a little bit about wanting Bonzi back, do you?

Injury? What injury? Oh you mean my vacation injury!

Shaq can get away with it. Bonzi can't.

 

So you've handled 12-15 individuals who are multi-millionaires yet at least half of them are in their 20s?

Bonzi received PT, JVG has seen what he has to offer, now JVG thinks his best spot is on the Inactive List.

Hey he was a cheap experiment, it failed, but we are still in good shape with Kirk.

Ala Derek Anderson and MoT, vets in the Inactive list with a mysterious injury that the player himself questions...might as well write them off.

 

if you said is true rich... all i can say is what a waste! waste of telant, money, fans' hope...

 

Are you telling me that Anderson or Bonzi were not our top free agents signings?

It is understood when a player of their calibur signs with you, they will play.

As mentioned above, they were all 3 touted out as starters or our 6th man as a major player in the rotation.

 

Well we didn't know they would suck beforehand...everything changes when players underperform, or doesn't fit into JVG's plans, or whatever you want to call it that when said free agent isn't getting PT...then JVG makes the necessary decisions...*boot*

One thing you need to learn about JVG and alot of other NBA coaches is that they will play the players that give them the best chance to win, JVG rejected the Cavaliers job because the GM wanted him to promise that certain players (Lebron) would get so many minutes. JVG told him the above statement and backed out of the job.