since a lot of player and people in the organization read this board, i thought i'd throw this out there and hopefully it helps. it's sort of an offseason paint-by-numbers. step 1 - identify what we need. the first two major causes of concern this summer have to be shooting and perimeter defense. it wouldn't hurt to have a 4 who can play post defense either. incase you missed it, we can use a backup to rafer. step 2 - identify your assets for aquiring said needs. well, it's down to the MLE and the bigger TE. at this point, we can see that finding one of our needs will not be possible (a 4 who can pla post defense). bigs are expencive and when they can actually contribute, they are hard to get for the MLE or less. we are left hoping to fill the needs of shooting, perimeter defense and a second PG. mike james would've filled all 3, but that's in the past. step 3 - who's out there that fits any needs? who's out there and who can we afford? when looking to fill needs it's allways good to kill two birds with one stone... like the first 3 players on this list. Marcus Banks is a PG who plays excellent perimeter defense. Eddie House is a PG who shoots the ball well. VSpan if we can get him he is a PG who can really shoot. Tony Delk can put up points and is a good catch and shoot player. Fred Jones would help with perimeter defense but Indy would match the offer. Jarred Jeffries would help with perimeter defense, but the wiz would match. Jarron Collins could help with post defense against bigger teams. Lorenzen Wright could also help at the 4/5. Kelvin Cato - would also bring defense at the 4/5. step 4 - contact. call all thier agents to guage interest and asking price. step 5 - moneyball. after you know who's interested and in our price range, run thier numbers through moneyball and see who's really worth it. ------------------------------------------------------------- i understand that we can't use the full MLE this year and then also again next year, esp if we bring someone in with the TE. i too am willing to take the chance that we will get better value for our MLE next season than this season. However, we NEED a second PG on this team. JLIII should make a nice 3rd stringer. If we wait to find legit help at the point until next summer, we will have major trouble on our hands because we will also need to add center who can block shots, and probably a 4 to replace Jho who is on the decline. one of those 3 spots has to be filled THIS SUMMER. Good luck CD and Morey. I hoped I helped get you started on plan B.
Thanks for trying to restore snaity to the board smoothie. Off that list,I'd want Lorenzen Wright and Jared Jefferies. VSpan should develop nicely,but can't be rushed. That said,I'm confident that CD will pull off a deal for a sizeable 2 (perhaps a hybrid 1/2) and a PF. OMT...The guy I really want to see in a Rockets uni is Corey Maggette.
HTML: i understand that we can't use the full MLE this year and then also again next year, esp if we bring someone in with the TE. i don't think this is correct you are thinking of the BI-ANNUAL EXCEPTION
I assume he's saying that if we use the full MLE and TE this year, we'll be over the luxury tax b/c yao's max contract kicks in and we have very little coming off the books next year. Yes we will have another MLE next year, but we might be unable to use it due to Les's unwillingness to pay luxury tax out if his own pocket (which is dissappointing but understandable).
Thinking bout would could be this off season, With Fred Jones on the team next year ill be really happy.
I think if we make the playoffs he'll pony up the MLE next season. Ofcourse, the further we get into the playoffs the more likely he is to spend money on what he'd then consider the final piece of the puzzle. I really can't imagine us making it past the second round though, and probably not the first.
Smoothie -- suggest you add to your list Jeri Welsch and DerMarr Johnson, both restricted FAs but attainable if JVG would accept them.
Jazz will re-sign Jarron Collins according to the salt lake tribute. http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_4044782
Lorenzen Wright. 4/5 Rasual Butler 2/3 Marcus Banks 1 I think we could get all three if we were able to use the TE for one of them and split the other two VIA MLE. This Lineup would give us good flexibility. I think this is about the best we can do given the current quality of starting 2's in this years free agency. Gives us tradeable pieces, if someone is selling at the trade deadline. Sura 1/2 Ill take him at 80% 15-20 Mins a Game Tmac. 2/3 Superstar. Butler 2/3 Good Shooter, Up and Comer. Battier 3/4 Intangibles, Solid D Novak 3/4 Sharpshooter Wright 4/5 Solid Big Yao/Wright/Mutombo Battier/Howard/Hayes/ Mcgrady/Butler/Novak Head/Sura/Wesley Alston/Banks/Lucas
No, it's correct. using the full MLE will put us very close to the luxury tax. adding a player with ther TE after that would put us just above (i tihnk). and so we probably won't see the team use the MLE both this year and next. also: i forgot to add Chucky Atkins to the list. he's a PG who is a great catch and shoot player.
i think cd needs to have a press conference and tell us wat direction we're heading, cuz as of rite now, im all for trading tmac to get some good draft picks and young talent,