Evaluating the full 15-man roster, no Baxter, no NVE, probably no splash

I agree with this. But I just want a new point guard, and would like to get rid of Sura and Wesley, and of course all the bad contracts that just warm the bench.

 

Desert Scar, slightly off-topic question that someone brought up in another thread: Are you the poster formerly known as "Sir Scarvajal"? Thanks.

 

Signing Bowen seems silly in one respect, I agree, but at this point I trust JVG. He always has method to his madness. I beleive he said he wanted to resign Bowen, Barry and Deke to maintain that chemistry we had last season. Yes, Bowen isn't too athletic. But if this team can gel like late last season (before JHow went down), then we'll be stronger than if we mix up the folks too much.

But I agree that unless a great trade or LLE pickup comes along, this is our 2005-2006 team.

 

Assuming we waive Spoon or Baker, that would open up a roster spot for Baxter. He wouldn't cost us more than the minimum, I think he would be a better insurance policy in case JH goes down.

 

All valid. However, all words from CD (and Berman!) indicate more changes are coming. Thus, cuts would seem to impend.

 

Nice analysis as always Desert Scar. The only thing I disagree with you about is James. I think he's out of her next year regardless (when he opts out) and I don't think it's wise to really count on us being very close to a ring this year.

As he is one of our few tradeable assets I think he needs to be shopped now and continually this year. Howard's contract is an issue but I think he's more of an important piece for the next 2 years than James unless we're willing to commit to Baxter or someone of his ilk and I just don't see JVG risking giving Baxter significant minutes.

I like everone else love our chemistry, but I would like things to be shaken up a little before the trade deadline when this team will almost certainly be changed again. T-Mac and Yao are still young and we have to look to their peaks which are likely a couple of years away.

 

While your positions are well thought out, I hope and think you are wrong about our offseason being complete.

I think Baker is more likely to be waived with the one time "amnesty" because he has no chance at being on the floor next year. Spoon can conceivably get playing time.

You can't rule out NVE just because of our tweener guard glut. He can contribute to this team and make it better. We can waive Ward to create a spot. I agree we CAN rule out Jay Williams because of the high likelihood he won't crack the rotation.
Because a big SG/backup SF is our biggest current need, I predict we WILL swing a trade(s) involving MJ and/or DW and draft picks. Yes, these two proved to be contributors last season, but if we can get a younger bigger starting SG that improves our team, CD will pull the trigger.
With (injury prone) Swift as our only other PF that can play, we probably will not trade JH. Like some of the players you mentioned, JH is more valuable to us than other teams.

CD will make a "bold" move. It's coming sometime before October. Our offseason is not almost complete.

 

I could see us freeing up a roster spot by trading "last year" contracts with another team.

eg. we send Ward & Baker to Toronto for Lamond Williams. Salaries are close enough to be allowed, they get 2 smaller expiring contracts & we get a bigger lemon & roster spot.

I'd like to see Glover or Baxter on this team...

 

oops - that should be Lamond Murray, not Lamond Williams.


...been reading too much about jay/jason williams

 

i think we will make a few more moves. it is clear that CD is looking to use the LLE (talks with buckner, spree, payton, damon, NVE, DA). once we have someone signed for the LLE we will work on bringing deke back.

after using the LLE and signing deke we will make a cut.

lets assume NVE works out, we would have wesley, JB, sura, james, nve. someone will have to be traded. sura and JB will stay for chemistry. wesley and or james will be moved.


thats my prediction.

 

I can see the resemblence

 

Sura signed for less money and pushed himself even though he was broken. JVG pursued James for a long while he's not going to give up on him so early.

The best defender on the team is Wesley. He's got Barry & Head to back him up. Is there enough minutes for another major player there?

Tracy averages around 40mins a game. That's 8 minutes minus Rybo's time in segmented blocks for the athletic backup 3 you want.

 

How sad that we fans are already resigned to the inevitability that Le$ will never allow the payroll to even go a dime into lux tax territory. Especially in light of what Arison did w/ the Heat this week. Especially in light of the fact that the Rockets are one of the top 3-4 NBA franchises in terms of profitability.

 

The Spurs have proven that you can win a title without overspending. The Knicks, Mavs and Trailblazers have proven that you can spend money like crazy, and still never win the title. A rich owner is nice, but a smart GM is more important.

 

The spers are the only one of the eight teams teams who went further in the playoffs than the Rockets, that wasn't over the lux tax threshold.

 

i would like to keep james. we should get rid of wesley instead. i actually liked the trade for wesley last year, until he vanished in the play-off and became horrid, airballing open three pointers.

 

I agree with others that Wesley's the obvious guard to move.

 

I agree about James being a "spark off the bench" but whose to say a guy like Dion Glover couldnt be? Or Luther Head for that matter. Its almost certain James will opt out right? So why let him walk away with out getting anything in return? If we do that we will be stuck in the same position with our old guards a year older. Clearly, we need a younger more athletic backcourt. And chances are slim, we will be able to sign someone to make that adjustment. Any players we can sign are going to be older, with a few exceptions. So the only real answer we have is a trade. Not neccessarily in the offseason though. Think about it from another teams perspective to trading with us. What tradable aspects do we have? (Besides McGrady, Yao, Swift.)
Expiring contracts : Weatherspoon, Baker, Norris, Ward
James has the option so you could basically call him an expiring right?
Three point shooters : Bob Sura, Mike James, David Wesley, Jon Barry
Young: Mike James, Luther Head.
Height: Juwan Howard, Weatherspoon
Versatility: Sura, Barry
Healthy: James, Barry, Wesley
Proven: Howard, Sura, Barry, Wesley, James

Teams might want some expiring contracts but they arent going to send any young, athletic guard for merely expiring contracts. It would have to be a package deal. Agree? I think Mike James / David Wesley / Juwan Howard + expiring / picks or any combination like that would have to be the real things considered. So in summary I think James is the most tradeable asset we have.

 

Couldn't we move a couple of our expiring contracts for somebody's #1 pick next year?

That would get rid of two spots, we would still get something in return, and the other team would get some cash to go after FAs instead of having to draft a rookie.