I'll take the bet whoever picks him up. I've said he doesn't have a future in the NBA as a solid player. Go back and look at what I agreed upon with andy. Certain people think I'm crazy/stupid/wrong for saying that. If they think I'm crazy/stupid/wrong, then certain people can show me up here and now. If my tirade is ridiculous, and my head is on the block; then you can prove me wrong and chop it right off -- the offer is open to you too. You can take andy's bet or we can agree upon something else.
The deck is stacked in your favor. Probably, 90-95% of 22 year old young FA who sign for the minimum never become solid NBA players. I don't think you are crazy, stupid or wrong, but I don't think you see low risk-potential upside, and you completely underrate EG's athletic gifts that NBA teams value despite players having serious on and off the court problems. I'll tell you this, EG has a lot better chance of being a "solid NBA player" than the average 22 year old free agent of being one (at best a 10% chance). So I'll make a deal, if EG doesn't produce a "solid" season in the next 3 years, I'll change my signature for your choosing for 1 year, but if he does than you change you signature for 5 years. If you decline that I have to say EG is a wirthwhile risk (20 chance of being a contributer to someone in the next 3 years). Like I said, bring him to camp, no guarantees, it is low risk, hgih reward.
For a team that just traded away it's 3 most tenured members and is seen by many critics as stabbing the poster child of its rebuilding efforts in the back, I think it would be a brilliant PR move to bring this guy back. What do they have to lose? A couple hundred thousand that would otherwise be spent on the likes of Pig Miller? Les is a businessman and he understands the simplicity of this situation (I hope). If Eddie flakes out, we cut him loose. If he averages anything more than 10 minutes per game, Les is embraced by the public as the glorious philanthropist willing to give the troubled kid a second chance. I'll admit he's not very skilled. He'll never be an offensive force. But he's one of the best natural shotblockers I've ever witnessed. How is that not worth $200,000? He changed games in his rookie year with his nose for the ball. Everyone remembers it. Shed the resentment and welcome Eddie back. I sure hope the Rockets do.
No worries. Illogical insurgencies still show up like a sore thumb (reminds me of NewYorker). Francis-loving for a "good" reason...(Jazz loyalty?)...If that's the case. Then Sam knows basketball! Oh, the irony! Anyways....about EG....It doesn't matter....want proof? If EG suits up for the Rox and plays well. Then, the Rox benefit. If the Rox refuse to sign EG, and he plays well for another team. Well, that would be good for *other teams* that hate the Rockets; i.e. Jazz. Sam's Mission accomplished: Two birds; sure, the Jazz don't get a revived EG. But at least the Rox don't either. Also note that if EG doesn't play well for any team...what does it matter who wins the "bet?" Like if it was supposed to imply that you were "helping us all along?" P.S. I've always believed that as long as we had SF on our team, we'd never win a title (especially as our leader). But who would want that? Any Western Conference rival, that's who!
Why not you ask? Well let's see, hmm, they looked like fools for throwing away 3 FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS on this guy who washed himself out the league so they can now top that little escapade by bringing him back a second time and looking like even bigger fools this time around when he washes himself out the league once again. How's that for "brilliant" PR?
Eddie Griffin is a vegetarian! What?!? (psst...Spread the rumor in hopes that it convinces Les to bring EG back!)
Only to the few who have recollections that much before Yao arrived let alone since news broke out Tmac was coming. Yao and Tmac are awefully big erasers, what have you done for me lately. Most Rockets fans could probably care less whether they brought some guy name Eddie Griffin back as a 12th man.
LOL, 5 years? Damn, that means that this thing could be going on till 2013 (3 years plus 5). Will the internet even exist by then or will be cyborgs driving around in flying cars? But I'll take it if you can define solid.
How will they look like fools? If they bring him back in a limited backup role with no expectations, noone will even notice, especially if the team is winning. There will be a short blurb in the paper and everyone will forget the whole incident. Again, what is there to lose? Are you Eddie's girlfriend?
What do you think? Have a season in the next 3 years where he appears in 43 or more games and averages say at least 15 MPG per appearance? That is a lot more than your typical 11th, 12th man. 5 years too long? How about 1 month (me) versus 5 months (you)?
OK I was trying to be reasonable here so let's stop it with the cute personal attacks right now. What EG did to that girl was not funny nor a joke. The Rockets were fools to invest 3 no. 1 picks on this guy given the fact that (a) His last name was not Jordan (b) There were good players to be had in the positions they had picks and (c) there were enough questions about Eddie Griffin to raise doubt about investing so much in a guy who turned pro after one season at Seton Hall, where he sucker-punched teammate Ty Shine in the locker room after Shine had failed to pass him the ball late in the game. (That's the kind of player deserving of 3 no. 1 picks (right CD?) or was he "depressed" back then as well?) Three years later, EG is on the outside looking in at the league, the Rockets have nothing to show for this but massive egg on their faces, a big hole at the 4 and players that the Rockets passed on are now playing and contributing elsewhere in the league. This entire affair must give Rod Thorn the giggles on a daily basis. And you think it would be great to go back down that rabbithole with EG one more time. The Rockets need to be about the business about finding guys who can help them compete and WIN now and (a) quit looking for guys who'll sit at the end of the bench playing "limited roles" or (b) not be about the business of rehabbing the careers of guys who could not cut it in the league for whatever personal reasons. That didn't work for them in the past with John Lucas, Mitchell Wiggins or Lewis Lloyd and (now) Eddie Griffin and it won't work now.
Can anyone name a pro basketball person who has come back from rehab and made a difference for any length of time? Baseball? Football? Odds are they will never be back to the same level they left and EG didn't leave on a high note...(no pun intended).
You're correct in that a lot of folks here have very short memories and most don't realize that the Rockets have already gone down this same road once before with Mitchell Wiggins, Lewis Lloyd and John Lucas. It didn't work out for the Rockets then and it won't work in this case. I repeat my contention that the Rockets need to be about the business of looking for real NBA caliber players who can help them compete against the elite teams and not worrying about who'll be their 12th man.
You're correct in that a lot of folks here have very short memories and most don't realize that the Rockets have already gone down this same road once before with Mitchell Wiggins, Lewis Lloyd and John Lucas. It didn't work out for the Rockets then and it won't work in this case. I repeat my contention that the Rockets need to be about the business of looking for real NBA caliber players who can help them compete against the elite teams and not worrying about who'll be their 12th man. But Mitchell, Lloyd and Lucas were alot older. Bottom line, it doesn't really hurt to give the guy a chance if it's clear that he's got his life together. Besides,we're gonna need some height, Other than Yao, we have a very short team.
