From EPSN Insider Oakley speaks out The NBA, says Charles Oakley, is in trouble and he's just the man to fix it even if he is about to turn 40 any day now and has yet to sign on with a team that needs a rugged power forward to do the dirty work. "You got teams in the NBA that are not trying to win," he said in the New York Daily News. "They don't know how to put together a team. You can't compete with five guys who need the ball. You need someone to do the little things. The NBA has become a league of talented high school and college players. It's supposed to be high-scoring, but no one can shoot. I don't see a powerhouse team. Sacramento has too much finesse. Dallas is the Harlem Globetrotters of the NBA. San Antonio almost got beat, but the Lakers missed that one shot. I can fit in with any team in the league. I'm not saying I'm a great player. But I could fill a role." Maybe he can become a TV analyst in the future. Maybe he can become a coach. Maybe he should have taken the job offered by his former coach Jeff Van Gundy in Houston even if it meant going to training camp and becoming the last guy on the bench. Either way, Oakley wants back in. "I'm about 240," Oakley said of his weight. "There is still gas in the tank." #### I guess JVG/Rockets wanted Oakley and he declinded? Did they want him as a player or a coach? Interesting.
Oakley the coach? Nah, I don't see that one. I do think Oakley would have made a better addition to the Rockets than Alton Ford because he would have added another shooter to the team that can hit a mid-range jumper in the low post.
Yet, with EG and MoT going 'away' (for indeterminate amounts of time), JVG brought in Padgett, kept Braggs, even is giving a try out to Ford. But apparently no calls to Mason and no more to Oakley.
Considering how much of a punk and a thug Oakley is, I don't think he needs to be criticizing anybody. It sounds like they were going to sign him as a player to fill out the roster, like Washington did with him. I would rather have Braggs then Oakley any day of the week.
Chemistry is good right now. I believe we have most complete team in the NBA - inside and out. Stay away Oakley. Stay far away.
Not now. Can he still shoot straight? Can he still jump? A 40-year old enforcer? I think we have Cato and Braggs and we have good team harmony. Maybe Kevin Willis, who is a 7-footer that won't rip into his team like Oakley did to Carter if I remeber correctly.
Why would we want Oakley? I know we need an enforcer type, but he'd be a bigger distraction than a contributor. We already have a very undisciplined team that's just starting to turn it around a bit. Adding Oakley, a 40 yr old @ that, would kill the progress. Besides, moneywise it just doesn't make sense. Would you rather sign Oakley to a vet minimum or Ford for scrub money? Either way they'd be sitting @ the end of the bench waiting for garbage minutes.
We don't need an enforcer. We have one in Cato, and he will be able to fulfill that role once we restore our depth at PF. This team is very well-rounded, and the only thing we really need is one more shooter to play on the same side as Yao...and in about 2 weeks we'll have that in Pike.
Your right we dont need anything, team is clicking so dont touch it no trades or free agents at all, IMO
I'd rather see if Ford can make the team because Ford is so young. However if Ford looks like he will never be an NBA contributer, I would hold my nose and consider Oakley. I don't like him either, but he would bring toughness and attitude (and be more likely to get veteran calls in the playoffs). Also, Cato is not an enforcer. He is a physical and defensive presence for sure--but he does not have the mindset to punish the opponent physically. If cheap shots were laid on Yao or Francis--you know Oakley would make them hurt in kind and maybe get a better opponent thrown out to boot, and that does have its utility for a team as it is a deterrent from cheap shots being laid on our guys.
Charles Barkley on Oakley after they got into a fight in preseason: "Steroids make you go crazy" or something like that.
