[Houston Chronicle] Stoudamire agrees to terms with Memphis

Thing is there really isn't much out there for an upgrade to the SG position except people like Spreewell, Demarr, Greg Buckner, Wally in a trade, or possible amnesty cuts like Finley and Houston. None of those guys are worth bringing here for more than the LLE. That rules out somebody like Wally. And when you look at the rosters of teams that will more likely than not be looking to dump salary at the trading deadline because they are out of the race, there isn't much to pick from there either. Most of the big money deals that teams are wanting to dump are for big men. So if we are going to get us a good, young defender at the 2, who can shoot a little bit, we are going to have to take back somebody else's bad big man contract. And then there are maybe 3 or 4 teams that would have the piece that we need at SG. Portland and Golden State fall into the category of teams with some bad contracts that they may want rid of at the trading deadline. Possibly Memphis now would be willing to unload Posey along with Swift in a S&T for some of our expirings. And we'd have to give them some picks back. Turkoglu may come available once Orlando hits the skids midseason, but I don't know if he really helps us. After all, SA dumped the kid. He isn't a good defender. If Utah doesn't get off good this year, they're going to be looking to dump salary, but they are wanting to dump Boozer and Okur and what do they have at SG that would be enticing enough to take on one of those 2 contracts???? Clips may be inclined to move Maggette, but I would think they would get better offers than some expirings and a pick or two for him.

Let's face it. The reason that the perimeter guys are getting the big deals this summer is because there is a shortage of quality perimeter players in free agency and there is a shortage of perimeter players that are available through trade.

 

Our defensive PG is MJ, not Luther Head. MJ's energy and on ball pressure are something Head can strive for. I would take NVE for the LLE if we don't have "bolder" options.

Wesley will not be our starting SG when the season opens. There's got to be some trade or SnT out there somewhere.

 

What is it? What trade is out there that would be an upgrade to Wesley? In other words, the same bulldog defense, except bigger to prevent the post ups, and a shooter on offense? The trade goes something like this:

Our expirings, picks, and $3 mill cash to Portland for:

Ratliffe and Patterson/Miles.

or

Same package to Golden State for:

Foyle and Pietrus.


I don't think either team is willing to do those deals right now, possibly at midseason, and then they are going to be looking at other offers.

One other possible trade:

Same package to Orlando for:

Hill and Turkoglu.

Look at those ugly contracts. And then convince me that Turkoglu represents an upgrade over our current situation. Yeah, I know, Hill at the 3 and TMac at the 2. But in my opinion, at this stage of Hill's career, he is a glorified JJ who can't really defend and he forces TMac back to defending 2's. Besides that it, it hijacks our salary cap down the road. Besides that, we'd have to convince Orlando to do it, and Dumbbrod is gone.

Look at it this way. List the SGs that are in this league and then look at whether they are attainable and what would it take to attain them, and whether or not then are actually better than Wesley/Sura/Barry at the 2.

We might as well go with Sura at the 2, pick up a big FA at the 1, resign Barry to back up the 2/3, let James and Head back up the 1 and hold our cards. We may get lucky and pick up Finley for LLE or minimum.

 

I would take Boozer for Howard + (Baker, Spoon, Moochie) + a pick in a heartbeat. Boozer is a better shooter, rebounder, off/def player than Swift. Swift & Boozer can also play a little backup C for when Deke retires as well. We can only hope Swift can turn into the player Boozer already is. Since Swift signed to a good deal and is young there is no need to "unload" him.

Yao/Deke
Boozer/Swift

As for a SG/SF I say again bring in DerMarr Johnson for the LLE. We need to increase our guard speed and bringing in Spree or Houston or Finley won't solve this problem that JVG pointed out after losing to Dallas in the playoffs.

 

I don't necessarily think the Rockets need a talent upgrade in the backcourt as much as they need to add some versatility. The group of guards we have now is just so redundant. Our backcourt consists of nothing but combo guards that lack size, athleticism, and youth.

So what if players like Damien Wilkins, Greg Buckner, Maurice Evans, Dermarr Johnson are not significant talent upgrades over the guards we currently have. They would all give the team a different dimension with their youth, athleticism, and size.

Sooner or later, the Rockets are going to have to think long term in the backcourt. Wesley and Barry are likely finished after next season. Sura is probably one more serious injury away from retirement. James is a career backup and could possibly leave for greener pastures after next season. We are going to have a lot of replacing to do in the near future. It would be nice to have some young players on the bench that we can at least develop and groom to be the future replacements for our current guards. To limit ourselves to only going after guards that are huge upgrades over our current guards is very short sighted thinking.

 

Jay Williams...sign him now.

 

I'd take NVE for the vet min, he is too old and injury prone to consider anything more. If we use the LLE we want someone who adds more.

I would have liked Stoud, but it is no huge loss.

 

I would love for us to have Jaric but like someone said, if he's looking for 5 mil than no way.

Jay Williams would be a low risk, high reward person.. I say go for it!

 

What makes you think Mem would want to unload Posey? You sure make a lot of assumpions!

 

I think V-Span is there long-term solution @ point with head being what they consider their long-term solution @ two guard. Role players are all we really need around the current cast so the declining years of players in our backcourt isn't as much of a concern as some make it.

We were a 50 win team last year with Sura hurt a good amount of time, and no true backup to Howard. If we were to stand pat only resigning barry and Mt. Sexula, I think we'd have a good shot a 55-60 win team this year.

Ideally, we would probably like to add some size in the backcourt, but if the price is not right, I think they'll let it slide. If they do, there shouldn't be some big uproar over what the rockets didn't get done. With all said and done, the Stro signing was, as clutch said, a major coup for this team. He will give us the versatility to go small against the Phoenix's of the league and should really help defensively on rotations.

 

I said possibly. I'm just looking for possibles. That's how thin the market is.

 

They don't speak for mgmt, but fans on Memphis' RealGM board have been open about unloading Posey. Fans are fickle, but IMO, Posey is definitely available for a reasonable offer. It remains to be seen whether we have anything to offer that is reasonable.

MemphisX, feel free to jump in at any time.

 

what about doug christy? i know he wants out of orlando. not sure what kind of injury he had at trade time.

 

Exactly why we need to stop trading away alll our draft picks. It's alot more costly just picking up free agents here and there, especially if their young. Plus you just might get a diamond in the draft rough every few years. Now to contradict myself, the modern era Rockets haven't conviced me they have the brightests scouts in the league. Yao was a no brainer, but prior to him you have to look back to Horry and Cassell. I guess we'll see how Head turns out and hopefully have 2 picks next year.

 

If we could get him without his wife, or make her sign a contract not to talk to the media, he'd fit perfectly into our system!

 

i hadnt heard about that. what did his wife say?

 

I couldn't even remember all the times about what if i tried. It was a big joke in Sac Town who w**** the pants in the family. She would never leave his side either. Put it this way. She's like the Brenda Warner of the NBA. If anyone from the media were to critisize Christie, she'd be on the radio the next day defending him and attacking whomever wrote whatever column the exact same way Brenda Warner would. The Houston media would get more interviews with her than Christie.

 

Nike,
In response..no! I think Barry will be signed for about 2per and Deke for between 3-4per. I also think we will add another body using the small exception (maybe van exel). That puts us squarely around 70 mil. If a standout trade does not present it sef. Spoon is gone for LT savings.

 

if there is any rumor to this before swift is signed i am sure he'll go elsewhere, part of the reason i think he chose houston over other teams is that he would be starting on this team with t-mac and yao. boozer has proven that he deserves to start in this league and i dont think he'd sit well coming off the bench. nice thought but a total dream

 

Too bad, I had a good feeling about getting Stoudamire. 4yr/17M, that's a pretty decent deal. I wonder what the Rockets were offering other than Howard/Spoon, I thought one of the guard's names would be dangled around.