the fact that you would make a comment about an organization's collective basketball IQ when referencing Gerald Freaking Green astounds me.
We are bent on building "safe" winning teams that are a tribute to mediocrity. Our Rockets are truly fearful of daring to be great. This shortsighted thinking is same philosophy of when we traded Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift for Shane Battier and "win now." Rudy Gay would have been so perfect for this team NOW .... and yet our "win now" philosophy plods on into the future.
Gerald Green has done what exactly, to deserve such praise? Gerald Green is a terrible basketball player right now. He is undisciplined, does not play defense, does not play team offense, and really does very little that's worth even talking about besides dunk and "have potential". Sure, 3 years from now, if he dedicates himself, he may turn into something. but given what I know about him, the odds that he dedicates himself and actually puts in any real work are fairly low. keep in mind that this guy has always taken every shortcut available to him.
You are missing the whole point. Green is a low risk, high reward player. He may well prove to be a bust, but, for the amount of "risk" (money) and given our desperate need for height and athleticism at the backup 2 spot, Green was the best available solution to us.... low risk, potential high reward. That assessment is what the Mavericks obviously concluded. So now we will gamble on Maurice Evans, who has been tried and traded by several teams. Evans has a much lower ceiling and can never hope to achieve starter status in the NBA. Well, maybe I shouldn't make that conclusion when the team that I have followed since it came to Houston once made Chuck Hayes its starting PF.
no, I'm not missing the point. the rockets had green (at very little cost in salary), and obviously thought so little of him and his "potential" that they cut him outright. that says more than any amount of speculating on our part. Throw in his "drug problems" and "bad work ethic" and "bad attitude" and i dont want him on the rockets at ANY price. let him go play And1 ball, sicne that's probably where he will end up anyway. "So now Dallas will gamble on Gerald Green, who has been tried and traded and cut by several teams. Green has a higher ceiling but will never get there and can never hope to achieve starter status in the NBA. Well, maybe I shouldn't make that conclusion when the team that I have followed since it came to Dallas just traded away its future for an old, horribly expensive PG that can't shoot."
Your horrible old and expensive PG means Dallas will have $21.3M coming off its books -- just in time for the big free agent hunt at the end of next season. Meanwhile, even at his age, Kidd is still a vastly superior PG to anything the Rockets have. But that's neither here nor there. We will just agree to disagree on Green as a lost Rocket opportunity. We will see who is right this time next year.
Don't blame that on Morey that was all Van Dummy's shortsighted thinking. He never wanted Gay and demanded Battier over any other draft pick. After people screamed for not picking Gay CD blamed it on JVG and after Battier started to shine for the team CD said JVG deserved the credit. Also if you were watching this years draft on ESPN you may have heard JVG's comment when asked about the draft process, "As a coach you only have a couple of years to win... you don't draft for a rookie's potential, you may never see it... you want someone who'll contribute right away. " (paraphrased but pretty close). So grade Morey and what he has done so far with what he has had to deal with. He got us Landry and Brooks. Stole Scola from SA. Got rid of Mike James and picked up a valuable expiring. Took a risk on Gerald Green which didn't pan out cause the dude is a mess. Helped bring in Adelman who lead us to a 22 game win streak and if not for Yao's injury may have been in the finals. This offseason he has already picked a high potential rookie in Donte Green while also getting something out of nothing (Meaning Dorsey and the 1st pick of the second round next year). And it's only July 2 less than 48 hours pass the opening of free agency. Don't expect any signings of Maggete or Artest and don't expect Felton or Hinrich at the point but do expect an overall improvement with depth and maybe a surprise or 2.
Yes, but in the western conference, will that be enough? If other teams are taking healthy cuts, can we afford to bunt? DD
the spurs have been bunting successfully for . . . ten years? is it a fluke that the only time Dallas found any success is when they stopped swinging for the fences? there is a lot to be said for slow, steady improvement, and the chemistry that comes along with it.
I don't know DD but we won 22 games in a row and that is unheard of these years. Make no mistake about it this is a very good Rocket team that is still improving. Remember that it took half the season for them to get RA's offense and he to get them but when it happened they took off like rockets. I am convinced if they had signed Barry last season they would have beaten Utah without Yao. And with Yao I see finals. This Rocket team is still improving and still adjusting to Adelman. Scola Landry and Brooks will be better. I think Dorsey is going to contribute in big ways right away and Greene be part of the rotation by season's end. And if they sign Barry and get us a legit back up point guard we will have filled most of our weaknesses on a not so weak team in one offseason. They absolutely will start off much better this year I am sure of that.
Look, I have been one of the main guys around here saying we are VERY close to winning it all with the roster as is, I believe with a healthy Yao we would have been in the WC finals and perhaps the finals this year with the current team. However, you can not ignore the fact that the WC is a mine field and if our main rivals are improving by adding a 20ppg athletic scorer like Maggette while we add Brent Barry that it does not swing the balance more their way. Just because we are one of the best teams does not mean we are a complete team, we still have major holes, we need a 2nd attacking creating player...either a PG or wing, we need a backup center, we need a better starting PG.... That doesn't mean we can't win with what we have but if there is a chance for us to dramatically improve our team by adding a player like Maggette at a position of need AND in our price range, we should take it. Assuming of course that he is interested in coming here, if not...screw him and get the next guy on the list. This has been my mantra for years, that we are getting closer and closer, and I generally agree with you, but Maggette is the exception to the rule, IMHO...especially since you are not giving anything up to get him. As for the thread topic....I am happy for Gerald Green, I would have liked to sign him but if he does anything in Dallas he will be an UFA next year and we have another shot. DD
So where are all the people that said Green would never get picked up by a NBA team again? We know Dallas knows talent. Over the years, Cuban and Co. have picked up quality players, some virtually unknowns. Guys like Barea, Brandon Bass and even Josh Howard was a late 1st rounder. Good luck to the kid, but for the sake of the Rockets, I hope it doesn't pan out for the Mavs.
I hope he shows flashes and gets his body and mind clean, he will be an UFA next year, and we may be in a better position to offer him something, if he warrants it. DD
This could be a blessing in diguiese we get to see what GG can do in the league with out haveing to pay him. If he really whats come back home and play he can in the 09 season.
Great, watch him go all Kerry Kittles in Dallas now next to Kidd. Yeah the Donte Green stuff was a problem, he knew he couldnt get time here after that move...
This is the best of both worlds. We don't have to hear about Gerald Green, and when he gets assigned to the NBDL again, DaDakota gets to watch him on the Austin Toros. (Aren't the Toros affiliated with the Mavs?)
The only thing that Gerald Green is going to help Dallas do is become one of the CHEESIEST teams to play with on NBA2k9 see ya Dallas!!!!!
