Here's a clip from the Insider... (with the Wizard to Wizards info..sorry bout that) Jordan to bid Jahidi Hidi Ho? by Chad Ford Tuesday, August 7 Updated 8:21 AM EST NBA Free-Agent Watch NBA Depth Charts Will Jahidi White be the next Wizard to pack his bags? Michael Jordan promised Wizard fans that he'd remove that losing stigma in Washington by any means necessary. Over the course of the past year he's found a way to dump Rod Strickland, Juwan Howard, Mitch Richmond and almost every other player on the Wizards' roster when he arrived. Apparently he's not done. A league source told ESPN Insider that Jordan has been talking to several teams about trading center Jahidi White. The Mavericks and Rockets are the most interested. The Sonics have also shown interest in landing the rugged, 270-pound low-post menace. Each team is looking for a physical, low-post presence. Jordan tried to move White this summer in exchange for Charles Oakley. The deal fell through just before the draft, but that hasn't stopped the Wizards from listening to various offers. Jordan doesn't have a particular disagreement with White, but would just like to clear more cap space next year. White's contract doesn't run out until the 2004-05 season. Jordan is looking for players in the last year of their contracts as well as draft picks in return for White. If he can get rid of White, he can get nearly $15 million under the cap to pursue next year's free agents. Even if Jordan does find a taker, he'll have to wait until mid September to trade White, who is a full base year player until then, making his salary almost untradeable. According to the source, Jordan traded for rookie Brendan Haywood to shore up the Wizards' front line in anticipation of shipping White off sometime this season. The biggest question is, what is Jordan going to do with all of that cap space? With Vince Carter, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki under long term extensions, there won't be much left in the 2002 free-agent market. Insider has learned that Jordan's main target will likely be Sonics free agent Rashard Lewis. The Sonics may have something to say about that. They're building their whole team around him, but Jordan would have created enough cap spaces to land Lewis straight up. Combine him with an almost sure lottery pick this year (Jordan loves Duke point guard Jason Williams) and you have the makings of a young, dynamic basketball team. this part is from an insider report on the imminent signing of SA... The Rockets could still land a center via trade and, as Insider reports above, have talked with the Wizards about a Walt Williams for Jahidi White swap. Any deal would have to take place after White's base year status changes in mid September.
I think the Wizard for big Jahidi Hidi Ho would be a really good thing. It would have been better had we decided not to resign Taylor and could've put Jahidi at the 4. I like Jahidi's game; I like that he was not a glamorous draft pick or highly touted player and basically had to earn the respect and contract he got. He's a solid guy. The one thing that worries me is his hieght. I know he's listed at 6'9" and that's "only three inches short of 7 feet" or "only one inch shorter than Marc Jackson." Unfortunately I think Jahidi suffers from a condition reffered to as Barkley/Media Guide disorder. Usually happens when a player is listed at the size they play like. Barkley was listed at 6'6... and he was more like 6'4. Granted Barkley played like he was 6'10 but everyone knows he WASN'T 6'6. My point is, I saw a picture of Jahidi guarding Shaq yesterday (it was posted in another thread) and it showed Shaq backing in on Jahidi... the guy was barely as tall as the letters on Shaq's back... in fact I think he was a bit shorter. That's scary... seeing as we also have to deal with Duncan and Robinson, Sabonis, Dale Davis, etc. playing out west. The one good thing I noticed about the picture was that Jahidi's arms were almost as big around and as well developed as Shaq's... so who knows?
How is White going to help? He's only 6'9 with Vin Bakers weight!! Are the Rockets interested in Trading for White, then shipping him somewhere else? Walt has alot of value, TO THE ROCKETS ALSO, when his contract ends next season. Let's at lease get a center who is at least 6'10. Can White where high heels?
Eric, You don't really believe that, do you? You realize that if both were standing in that picture, that would make white about 6'2"...he is short for a center, but not that short. Shaq was obviously in the air. Proceed.
Defense and Rebounding Those are 2 things that White provides. So what if he's short, he's also built like a truck. What he lacks in height, he more than makes up in bulk. Even against the Lakers, he averaged 4.5 points, 5.5 boards, and 2 blocks in just 18 minutes. His only major problem, in my opinion, is that he often gets into foul trouble.
A guy with a low center of gravity (which White would have compared with many other centers), some bulk and some determination can be very effective at keeping guys out of the paint. He would effectively work like a door stop. Is White the answer to all of our problems at center? Not likely. But with the number of small forwards we have, I'd certainly be willing to give up Walt in order to get him.
Eric: Already mentioned, but, I don't think Shaq was so much in the air as Jahidi Hidi Ho was squatting semi-sumo style in order to lower his balance of gravity. Walt + Toronto pick for Jahidi. That's my guess. I was the first to mention it, and I'll stick to it. We have too many 3's and no 5's (and that includes thought of the Catomic bomb).
You're damn right, ROXIA. We're loaded at the 3, and Walt may be the odd man out. We already have: Griffin (3/4), Bullard, Langhi, Anderson (2/3), and Morris. Walt has a tendency to suck for extended periods of time, and if another team wants him, by all means trade him. Also, Walt would be going back home to Washington, so he wouldn't care, either. This trade should work out perfectly in terms of money and cap stuff. Jahidi Heidi Heidi Ho is a brute who can push around Tim Duncan and that softee DRob. He can keep Vlade out of the paint and maybe lean on Shaq until the triple team comes. Who cares if White has no offensive skills. This team should be in the top-5 in scoring next year- our main weakness is a defensive presence down low. The Rockets are desperate for some shotblocking and rebounding. I think that a two-headed monster of Cato and Jahidi would be able to provide that.
You guys are killing me with your Gold Club sigs. The only problem I see with getting Jahidi is his contract. Between him and Cato, our center postion would be locked up for 4 years and that would limit out ability to deal for someone we REALLY want (Lafrentz?). I agree that his rebounding would be a benefit. I just don't see where the 20mpg he would play would make us a contender. I say play Cato for 30mpg, Collier for 10mpg, and sign Pig to cover the remaining 8 with Bullard or EG depending on the matchups. As for Cato, the only thing to do is to play him. If he gets a career ending injury then we will all cry while filling out the injury exemption forms for the league. If he somehow manages to play decently, then trade him for anything you can get, because it won't last long. If he just sucks and doesn't get better, then let EG take care of him. I think we could all live with those options. But the bottom line is, PLAY CATO. It's sime for him to sink or swim.
That's really interesting. White is locked up through 2005, but he is only on the books for $25 million TOTAL meaning he is, at most, going to make around $7 million. That would seem to be a reasonable hit to take. The question is: Even if he is better than Cato, is he worth taking if it is only for the short-term? Would that mean they would be stuck with 3 average to below average centers if the possibility of grabbing a good one came along?
I think it's been proven that capspace is overrated. We waited all year long for Webber and didn't sign Hakeem. The Bulls got Mercer and Eddie Robinson. Orlando got lucky with McGrady and Hill. We shouldn't hold out for players and get burned later. We need to start winning now, or else the fair-weather Houston fans will not fill the Compaq Center. If someone wants to play for the Rockets, a sign and trade will be facilitated. Suppose LaFrentz wants to come here- then the NUGZ can sign and trade him for Jahidi, KT, and a pick. Good deal for both sides. Let's not hold up any potential deals for Raef LaFrentz.
