Dampier to report to Rockets! [UPDATE: JT's agent says Houston-Dampier not happening]

Hill was never ever a center and the rockets know it. Hills a natural four and hopefully at some point in the season he'll be backing up Scola at that position.

 

Is Dampier playing tonight against the Nuggets?

 

I doubt it.

 

There is one adjustment that could improve our perimeter defense and increase team balance overall: start Lowry and Martin. Brooks and Lee are will sub from the bench.

Problem solved. Send the check.

 

The roster spot hasn't even been made available yet (by trading or cutting JT).

 

i think dampier chose houston cause we're the best shot at winning and give him the best chance to showcase his abilities. dampier is so SELFISH

just like lebron chose miami

 

I guess we wouldn't see him until late next week, at the earliest.

 

theres way too many posts to read, so ill ask and apologize if its been discussed, but why the HECK did we get another center after making a hard push for brad miller? is there something wrong, pending trade or what?

 

All that plus he can stay close to his family. Really Houston is the best situation for him playing wise because we need him more so then any other team... Miami can beg the differ tho if they start to get exposed in the middle but Wade and James play great defense on the perimeter and Joel Anthony gives a great effort protecting the paint..

 

Other than having avoided training camp...what new facts have come up on Dampier's side to let him make the decision now, rather than weeks ago?

Could it be that it was the Rockets who were waiting to see how the first two games would go, and after seeing how they sucked at D, changed their offer to him a bit?

 

If I were to venture a guess, istream.....

...I'd say Erick Dampier's signing has everything to do with an uncertainty surrounding Yao Ming.

I'll take the positive, that the Rockets are forward-thinkers, and are loading up on quality size in order to give the Lakers a run for their money in the playoffs. The value of good big men are most evident in the postseason.

I'll take that position because I'm that kind of guy. And because I'm right more often than I'm wrong.

Except in this case. Which leads me down some roads I don't want to think about.

You know the REAL problem I have with the Rockets (or more specifically, Yao's doctors) pronouncing that Yao would have his minutes capped at about the same number as a D-leaguer on a 10-day contract?

It's that the Rockets pronounced it. If the organization wants to guard Yao's minutes (and guard Yao, ultimately), and explain that it's in Yao's best interests (and it is, from a long-term, quality-of-life-after-basketball perspective), that's fine.

I suppose if anybody has earned some semblance of favorable treatment, it would be Yao. It's hard not to love the big lug.

But you do NOT tell the rest of the free world about it. You do NOT knowing gameplan and coach two distinctly different approaches to winning with the same team, and feign concern about why the bag is so mixed.

Brad Miller is an adequate backup for Yao, ideally suited for the job considering his familiarity with Rick Adelman and his offense. Dampier is insurance at best. He has size and some ability…and despite his last contract, has been something of an underachiever or the first order.

I could even envision Miller playing at the 4 alongside Yao, myself. Miller has good skills for a player his size. Always has. He can also shoot the ball well from 15-18 feet, and performs perfectly at the high post.

Of course, all of anyone's suppositions are grounded in the stupefying muddle of Yao's availability.

There's no need to factor Yao in if he's an itinerant participant. And certainly no reason to say all you intend to play him is 24 minutes every other day or so if he's a role player.

If that's all Yao is, and you sign a player like Dampier, let the both of them fight it out and see who gets those spare minutes lying around.....


....should be a fair fight. Right?

 

Other than actually being willing to sign Dampier at all, I can't really see where the Rockets have changed their offer to Dampier more favorably. Instead of the widely-reported two-year, $4M deal, the Rockets instead are only giving Dampier one year at the Biannual Exception ($2.08M), prorated for the number of games left in the season after he actually signs. I guess that was in order to "trump" other teams only offering the veteran's minimum (~$1.35M).

Either the Rockets were not willing to sign Dampier at all before, or Dampier finally decided to accept a one-year deal instead of continuing to hold out for a two-year deal (player option in second year).

That's my best guess, at least.

 

Good point. I'm glad DM was willing to hold out and not offer Erick any more dough.

 

I suspect the Rockets reached a verbal with Damp before the season began, and ask him to sit out the first few games, while they tried to find a way to make room for him on the roster.

 

Is it too late? Don't sign Dampier. Unless he is significantly better than last season he will just clog an already overcrowded big spot. I can not see how Hill can be worst than Dampier. He played like a big tonight. He is young an inexperienced and should get better. Our biggest problem right now besides Yao's minutes is no one knows their roles. Signing Dampier only makes that worst.

Please don't sign Dampier. I think that is Les' call not Adelmans. I watched him at the warriors game and he looked to cringe watching the team play. He must think Dampier will help us when Yao is out. And he might help a little bit but he will only make the rotation even more logjammed and make us worse when Yao is in. I agree with DD run a 9 man rotation when Yao is in and cut it too an 8 man rotation when Yao is out. But don't add Dampier. He is just going to clog up the rotation that much more and the Dampier that finished with Dallas last year is just average. Listen to what Dirk said this preseason... "Haywood and Chandler is probably the best center combo I've ever played with here in my 12 years,"... That means even in Dampier's prime Chandler and Haywood are better. Dampier is far from in his prime. We have Yao Miller, Hill, Hayes, Jeffries and even Scola who can play minutes at the 5. Dampier is not the answer and he only adds anther average player with some size and alot of negatives in the middle. I got to believe this is a Les idea after he saw jeffries and hayes getting all the minutes. Just like the rest of us he thinks he can coach too. But dampier is not the answer.

We need Less Les... make a 3 for 1 trade. Gets us a superstar. Other wise leave the team alone.

We started off better last year because everyone knew their roles.

 

Wow, this sucks. Really, Dampier? I wonder if Rodman is still available? I'm sure that he is better than Erick.

 

I love you Old Man Rock. No homo.

That said, I do kind of wish this eventually falls through with Morey having to go "Well I just can't make room on the roster for ya, sorry bro."

 

Erica Dampier is going to be Houston's savior?

 

I totally agree, they are grasping at straws with Dampier.....they just don't want to play Hill because he is raw......but that rawness is what makes him intriguing.

Dampier is garbage but he will stop the layup drill when Yao is out.

DD

 

Good thought.