If you were Chicago, would you want O'Neal or Cato?

If Chicago is going to trade Fizer, it's gonna be to the Clippers for Darius Miles. Jerry Krause loves the kid.

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You ain't gotta like me, you just mad cause I tell it how it is, and you tell it how it might be.

 

Cabbage,

That 7.7 RPG is somewhat misleading. Marcus Fizer had a very small starting unit surrounding him. They started three small guards in Michael Nurse (6-1), Kantrail Horton (6-1) and Jamaal Tinsley (6-3). Also, Fizer's frontcourt complement, Stevie Johnson was only 6-4. Due to this, opposing teams would have multiple players at once boxing Fizer out and making it very difficult for him to rebound. This was easily done with the zone defenses in college. No matter how big and strong you are, if you have three opponents stuck to you at every move, since everyone else on your team is tiny, rebounding becomes extremely difficult. If you surrounded any of the nations top frontcourt players with these 4 teammates of Fizer, it would be difficult for them to rebound as well. Fizer actually did overcome this in the late season and tourney as he had various double digit rebounding games.

I think in the NBA, Fizer will be a strong rebounder as he boxes out well, works very hard around the basket and has an excellent set of hands. Also, he is very good at finishing around the hoop and has been labelled by some as "a man among boys". Im not worried about his ability to finish against the big men in the West. Also, about the Rockets having no center, Jason Collier could easily slide over the 5 position as he is 7-0 260. Then the Rockets could pursue a shot blocker either in free agency or in next yr's draft to fill Cato's shot blocking void.

As far as the cap room thing Mango brought up. The Rockets could attempt to fill their SF position with Michael Finley or if he signs for 1 yr, Rashard Lewis. Also, they would have the option of taking on a contract in a trade like the Clippers did during this draft. This should not be their principal worry though. They could just as easily not make this deal, still have cap room and then get no one. The only difference is that they would not have acquired Fizer in the bargain.

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New Jack, problem is that LAC will in no way accept Fizer straight up for Miles. If the deal could have happened, it wouldve been done by now. LAC wanted Fizer AND Dooling for Miles on draft day, but Krause stepped in and broke it up by taking Fizer at 4. Clippers are not dealing Miles for Fizer.

Slick, the Bulls are going to have trouble playing Fizer and Brand together as they are both PFs. This leads to the belief that Fizer was drafted because he is big trade bait. Also, Fizer is not the only one with a connection to Tim Floyd. Cato has a big connection with Floyd who coached him at Iowa State.

This deal makes such good sense on so many levels. The cap level is excellent for both teams as the salary is there at the times they need it, the player fits are excellent and the future considerations for Chicago is just what they need. This deal makes the kind of sense that the Steve Francis one did last summer.

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MManal, thacabbage, NIKEstrad et al

The next few weeks until August will seem like an eternity. Once August hits........action.

Cato's improvement (offseason progam) has generated good reviews, but the fans are unable to quantify how much improvement and can only take the Rocket's word on it. The finer details of Cato's change make it more difficult for us to judge the true fairness of a proposed trade with Chicago or the Clippers and other teams.

Mango

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1. Put new topics in the proper forum
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All will be assimilated.

 

Mmanal, I am still having trouble believing that Chicago would do this deal. Are there really no centers out there? Fizer should be a multiple all-star in this league. Otherwise, picked as high as he was, he would be a disappointment. Cato has been in the league for several years, and has never been any more than an Ervin Johnson (a little more hops, but with poorer rebounding skills). I still like his chances to improve, even become a top-15 center in this league, but I doubt he will amount to anything close to what Fizer will.

Basically what I hear the argument as, is "Chicago doesn't need 2 PFs." Granted. But for Krause to trade away one for less-than-market value would be to admit he made a mistake in drafting Fizer. I think he could get more for such a high draft pick than a middle-of-the-pack C (with potential) and a middle draft pick (I personally think that, with Francis, Fizer, and Cuttino we could contend for one of the last playoff spots in the west NEXT YEAR).

Dropping Hawkins' salary does help Chicago. But, for the same reason picking up a guy with one year left is valuable to Houston, I think it is valuable to Chicago to keep their cap options open. It doesn't look like they're doing too well in the free-agent market this summer, so far.

If Chicago can't attract Duncan (having already lost the Hill and McGrady sweepstakes) they might be better off waiting until next summer rather than spending their cash on the likes of Eddie Jones.

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Yes, there are really no centers out there.

I too just want August to be here. IMO, I'm teetering back and forth on the pick thing. I'd much prefer maybe top 15 protected? Or a conditional in the next 3 years. Or the Orlando or Detroit picks, instead of our own next year.

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The more lefties on your team, the better.
Collier is Seven Foot and Left Handed. How can you go wrong?
Trade or bench Kenny Thomas.

 

I would trade Cato, Drew and any a 1st round pick for the rights to Fizer.

Fizer is exactly what the Rockets need, some muscle to go with all the softies on the team now.

Fizer is the best player in this years draft.

DaDakota


One GM when speaking about Fizer said this: " He is the only player in the draft who commands a double team"

HELL YES !! I want him on the Rocket..ship Cato NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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First off, yes centers are very rare in this league thus a big athletic one can draw a lot in a trade. I have tried to ponder this but I cant find any other package where the can get a young athletic center as good as Cato PLUS a solid mid range pick in 2001. I agree with the assessment that Fizer is going to be an All Star which is why I want him on this team; he just wont be that in Chicago b/c he cant play the 3 position consistently. Also, TheFreak brought up the point on Chris Mihm. That dealing of Mihm amazed and shocked me. Mihm is the perfect center to have in the triangle offense and they moved him. I have actually heard that they are going to start scrapping the triangle to a certain extent, and this could be the precursor to it.

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That's true, yet the only thing it means is that Fizer is probably the big man in this draft who is most ready to step in and contribute immediately. (I've seen you post this statement many times in different threads, so I wanted to clarify.) This doesn't mean that Fizer is the best post player [long term]. It's just that Stromile Swift is so raw at this point, that he won't be a post threat for a couple of years. I disagree with the GM who said this as I think Martin will step in and command double teams. Out of the trio of Martin-Swift-Fizer, from watching all 3 of them, I would say that Fizer is a distant 3rd in terms of potential. Then again, you never know.

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"I wanna eat his children."

[This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited July 06, 2000).]