Sorry to burst your bubble, oh tin one, but the Celts added this green w/black trim road jersey just a couple of years ago: And let's not forget these Bulls unis we saw last year:
Deke faded big time at the end of last year, but that was because he played such heavy minutes during the season. Who can we sign that is better than Deke for less money?
I love Deke and everything, but the NBA is a business and he's one of the oldest, if not the oldest player in the league, we shouldnt pay him more than we can afford for wat he could do.
How is that cap circumvention? It's the same as if Les wanted to donate a bunch of money to UNICEF or the Make a Wish Foundation. It's no difference. Dikembe won't get the money, it all goes to the foundation to build the hospital. If Les donates enough money, I bet Dikembe plays for free lol.
Deke ain't old. Now this is old: Kevin Willis - Dallas Mavericks Age 44 Season Team G GS MPG FG% 3p% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 06-07 DAL 5 0 8.6 0.385 0.000 1.000 0.4 1.2 1.6 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.40 2.20 2.4
I think you answered your own question there. If the donation inclines Mutombo to sign with us, it is circumvention. EDIT: Carl Herrera, thanks for that. If Deke is balking at $1.83 million, I don't know what to tell him.
Nat Hickey F Providence 1947-48 46 Robert Parish C Chicago 1996-97 43 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C L.A. Lakers 1988-89 42 Bob Cousy G Cincinnati 1969-70 42 Herb Williams C New York 1998-99 41 Charles Jones C Houston 1997-98 41 John Stockton G Utah 2002-03 41
Good to see him answer my question. I still stand pat in believing we should offer him a good offer, plus I thought we were looking to deal JL3, I would trade him for a 2nd round pick, that we lose his salary, and Deke can be signed basically what we offered him last year. This is all about Yao for me. If I knew Yao was going to play in like 78 of the 82 games, then we wouldn't need Mutombo, but since I expect him to miss more than that, I would feel more comfortable having him back up Yao than Butler. Even though you are going with a faster pace offense, you still need a defensive inside pressence, Mutombo gives you that. He is also a very good offensive rebounder.
This is a business, if we could afford to offer him more we would. Deke should go sign with the Celtics then if money is the real "slap in the face" to him. How many more millions of dollars do you need at this point? Have the Rockets donate your vets minimum to help build more hospitals in Africa, play for free before you complain about making the vets minimum at age 50... Deke obviously chose the Rockets to win a ring and play with Yao, unfortunately only one of those 2 things has happened... yet. And now we have another young center vying for PT, his bargaining position, and value for that matter, has somewhat weakened I'd say...
I hope he goes elsewhere, gets more money, comes back as an asst. coach or something in the organization. Great guy, doesn't fit this season.
I don't understand the indignant reaction to the offer by a few posters. Odds are that much like Barry and Wesley, age will probably affect Deke's production next season. He showed signs of it prior to Yao coming back. Deke is at an age where you don't offer him a contract based on what he did a previous season but on what you think he will contribute in '07-'08. If the Rockets think the market is set at the vet minimum and if they are proven wrong they can counter a higher offer if they really want him. Deke know this is a business and probably won't hold it against the Rockets. But if no one offers him over the vet minimum then who are we to ask them to overpay because of sentiment. I'm in the opinion that Morey isn't the type to overpay if he doesn't have to.
