article link Rockets Guard Von Wafer Clippers to Meet with Wafer Updated: Monday, 03 Aug 2009, 8:47 PM CDT Published : Monday, 03 Aug 2009, 8:15 PM CDT * MARK BERMAN HOUSTON - Los Angeles Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy asked free agent guard Von Wafer to come to L.A. Tuesday to meet with him. "My agent called and said I am going to have lunch with Coach Dunleavy and the Clippers (Tuesday)," Wafer said in an interview Monday with FOX 26 Sports. "So I'm very excited and very happy." After being with five teams in four years, Wafer was finally able to play meaningful minutes as a member of the Rockets and show what he can do coming off the bench. He played in 63 games, starting 11 and was sixth on the team in scoring at 9.7 points a game. However, his play last season has not translated into the type of contract he was looking for. The Clippers invitation couldn't have come at a better time. "It means a lot because it's been a tough time," Wafer said. "This free agency has been real difficult for me to deal with. It's just real stressful. I'm just ready for it to be over. "At the same I want to get a situation that's best for me and my family. Just because I'm tired and upset doesn't mean I go out and do something. I've got to be patient." Wafer believes part of his problem is how he is portrayed by the media and on the internet. "I read all the comments that people make. They say I'm a weak defender. I feel I need to work on that. That's good. (jsmee2000: He must be reading clutchfans) "But it just irks me every time I always see he's a good player or he's an OK player, but he's a head case. That's just something that bothers me because I don't understand where people could get that from. I don't understand." Wafer knows some of the negative speculation about him probably stems from his disagreement on national television with Rockets head coach Rick Adelman during game two of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Adelman was in the process of replacing him on the floor and Wafer didn't act appropriately. Adelman sent Wafer to the locker room for the rest of the game. Wafer apologized the next day for his actions and again during this interview. "I'm sorry that it happened," Wafer said. "There was a lot of tension in the air and I'm a very emotional player and sometimes I do things without thinking. In that instance it was wrong what I did. "I wasn't trying to show up Coach Adelman. I was just upset because I really wanted to be in the game. It didn't look good and I can understand where Coach Adelman was coming from. He has to do what he did. I didn't mean it that way and I just think it got blown all out of proportion." While Wafer will meet with the Clippers Tuesday, he is still hopeful he might be able to return to the Rockets. "This is where I want to be," Wafer said. "They gave me my first opportunity. I want to be here." But if that's not possible, and the Clippers make him an offer, Wafer could be changing addresses again.
IF Wafer DOES go to the Clips... BDiddy + Wafer in the backcourt Griffin in the front. That right there already shows promise.
We are all human beings who have a proclivity to make mistakes now and then. Forgive and forget. Bring Wafer back. He is still a good, young talent player.
It really depends on if he's worth the money he's asking for, but if it's a reasonable amount, I'd love to bring Von back.
Don't forget about Eric Gordon and Al Thornton. That's going to be a young, explosive, entertaining sqaud.
Agreed. Wafer did a lot of good for us when Tmac was out and I would hate to lose a good player and get nothing in return. If it is only bad feelings amongst the parties that preclude a Wafer signing then losing Wafer would be a terrible loss for us. Now, if he is asking for crazy money....
I'd say so. He scored in double figures in 12 straight games, including 23 against LAL and 21 against the Jazz.
Say no to bringing back Wafer. If they bring him back, it will be a sure deal that Chase or Jermaine will not make the time. Chase can score and make a team better. Jermaine and Wafer is similar, but I would rather keep Jermaine for his upside, and I don't think he'll be a headcase like Wafer.
I'm inclined to agree with Wafer here; it's not really fair to label him a headcase because of one incident. He was a model player the entire year, got upset for being pulled from a game he desperately wanted to be in and made a mistake... now he's a headcase? I'll take Von over Budinger or Taylor every day of the week.
Wafer has huge upside. He's young, athletic, and can stroke from downtown. This past season was his first to see significant playing time, and he was a key contributor on a playoff team. I want to hold on to Budinger, but I'd rather see Wafer in red than J Taylor any day.
Streetball, you need to watch the video of Udoka getting 3 offensive rebounds in a row on you last season. You need to work on virtually every single aspect on the defensive side of the ball: reounding/boxing out, footwork, intensity, rotations, aka everything. It doesn't do any good to be a good offensive player if you give it right back on the other end. Some ball handling drills wouldn't hurt either so you don't get taken out of games by the Vujacic's of the NBA.
I'm inclined to think, given Morey's apathy towards resigning Von, that there's more to the story than just what surfaced. Similar to what happened with Ron Artest, where the Rockets simply managed to keep things under wrap. I can't imagine Von Wafer the player is not worth at least a couple of mil a year. So you have to think Adelman and/or Morey are dismissing him due to other factors.
