Didn't we renounce him? I though that meant we couldn't pick him up again for like 5 months. Damon Jones is a restricted FA, meaning Memphis (damn that sounds weird) can match an offer. There are a few guys out there, but the pickings are slim: Tyus Edny, Matt Maloney, Erick Strickland (?), Sherman Douglas, Rod Strickland , John Stockton .........
matt maloney ...yeah that would be a great pick up! ...moochie will stay here in houston, nothing to worry about!
I just looked at the Dallas roster, and they are stacked up with PGs. Nash will be the starter, and Hardaway will back him up. That leaves little or nothing for Khalid El-Amin, Darrick Martin, Muggsy Bogues and/or Kenny Satterfield. Will any of those guys fit the Rockets if Moochie bolts?
I think re-hashing Webber when there was no way he was coming here anyway is a waste of time and always has been. As for Moochie, I don't want to see him go, but the best part of dealing him or letting him move on is also seeing Fegan go. Make no mistake, the money thing is all on Moochie because he has to accept it, but one has to wonder how in the world dealing with David Falk was so damn easy and dealing with this guy is so tough. enbehay: I would take Darrik Martin in a heartbeat for Norris, but I don't see that happening. I doubt Toronto is giving him the exception either. I'd bet on him signing here or the Rockets waving bye bye. Their patience with Fegan is undoubtedly growing extremely thin.
always Jeff? the rockets didn't 'always' think as you do. I'm just trying to be funny, anyways. I do think that we on the bbs overplayed the 'luvfest' though (not that the Rockets would have handled the kingpin.. the Dream talks, any differently). Remember all of the "either/or"s people used to draw up to criticize pursuing Webber? "Either" Bullard, Moochie, Shandon, Dream "or" Webber. Those statements weren't even valid cap-wise, but we still find a way to lose Bullard, Shandon, Dream and now perhaps Moochie. Cute. BTW ebay, there's no "parity" clause. The entire CBA was written to create equality throughout the NBA. I was just spouting off on how the owners (and hopefully fans) "won" this past lockout.
Actually that's not competely true. I remember responding to a bunch of post with people blaming Fegan for the Dream talks going bad by saying that Dream is a 17 year veteran and he knows what he is doing. Same goes for Shandon and Moochie. The reason I'm not all over Moochie is because I can kind of understand where he is coming from. This might be his one and only chance for a big contract. Shandon was somewhat in the same boat even though he was making several million per year. Dream was a multi-millionaire looking for more money knowing it would screw up or hamper the team's ability to re-sign players. Still, this IS Moochie. An agent can only get away with what his client LETS him get away with.
There is no way that Moochie should make more money than Francis this year or any other year. He and Feigan are delusional if they believe they can find a taker for Moochie with 1 successful NBA season under his belt. Moochie has developed into a good role player but it was only one year. His other time in the league was a flop. There are plenty of PG's who could serve as a backup. For example, El Amin will be waived before the season starts. So many PG's with no where to go!
Moochie, Talk to your agent my man, your confusing power with popularity. Your popularity with the Rockets is eroding, especially when Les is paying the bills and Steve isn't. You have no power in this issue and Fegan is selling you a Taurus with a Rolls price tag. Fegan is only concerned with his 4% and he is ripping you off if he his getting more (a little financial planning advice). I would prefer Damon Jones game over Moochie. First, he doesn't dribble out the shot clock. Second, Damon's 3 point shooting is much better. Third, he's also very good friends with Steve and Cat. I think he looking for $2 - $3 mil per season over 3 or 4 years to stay at home. Mooch, Fegan will have you outta here like a Barry Bonds at bat.
per year $$ does not really matter in the grand scheme of one's life. Total compensation is what matters. I am willing to bet the Rockets will offer equal total compensation to any 3-4yr deal that Moochie will get via an exception. All we have to do is offer the 6-yr at $2m starting and DENY Fegan a sign n trade. Then Moochies goes shopping, if money is the bottom line. At that point, Moochie will realize that he is NOT getting a sign-n-trade from us, and further he is not getting more that a 3-yr straight out. Shandon got his 6-yr because Dallas wanted to lose salary and NY wanted to lose Rice. Hakeem got his silly contract, because Toronto thanks too much of their title contention abilities. Since we no longer have significant capspace to spend in a s-n-t, Moochie is not the attraction to anyone that Shandon was, and I doubt anyone considers him a starter, so he is not the attraction that Hakeem was. Moochie is not going to find more money. Just call his bluff!!! Tell Fegan he is not getting a sign-n-trade for a backup PG. Call his bluff. Wait him out, and give him $2m start over 6 yrs if you have too, which comes out to: $15.5m or very close to a $4m average over 4 yrs. Why would Moochie care about an extra .5m over the course of his life versus having a major backup role on a competitive team? The 4yrs higher average versus a 6yr equal total compensation is not a big difference in the grand scheme of one's life. If Moochie excels in our system, his next contract will be a classic overpriced veteran contract. If he struggles as a backup on Toronto's methodical Vince play, will he even get a second contract after 4 yrs. Guaranteed money over a long contract is how Cuttino looked at it. I think Moochie will come around, too. Call is damn bluff.
We did renounce the one armed Slot Machine known to some as Colson. I like Jones. Jones likes Houston. He'd be a good fit if Moochie leaves. Another name I'd be interested in picking up, would be Robert Pack. Off the top of my head, I think he's a free agent. HEB-Glen Rice more than negates the loss of Shandon and Bullard. Damon Jones, or another similar player, would negate the loss of Moochie. The only real loss was Hakeem, who we got a couple of picks for. If we're lucky, Cato not playing in Hakeem's shadow will somewhat negate Hakeem.
NIKE How about Kelley from UT? He seemed promising in the summer league. Of course, he might prove a better back-up to Cat.
Well, Damon Jones is a UH grad and that's reason enough for me to be happy if he's added to the team. But exactly how could he replace Moochie? Moochie is a point guard. His primary role is to distribute the ball when he comes in. This allows Steve to get some rest, and also allows Steve to play some 2 guard and look to score, without worrying about getting the ball to teammates. It's an important role and one that requires a guy with point guard instincts. Damon is a small shooting guard with good handles and a nice shot, who can pass a little, but he's no Moochie in that department. Unless he's changed his game ALOT since the days when I watched him play over at Hofheinz. He was a big-time gunner back in the day. I'm not sure that Moochie deserves 4 mil per season, but then I'm not sure how it hurts for us to pay him that much. Thanks to G-Rice, aren't we going to be capped out for the next few seasons anyway? And then Steve's new contract will kick in after that. Bottom line is the team is worse without him.
That's if you think stats are more important than continuity. The Rockets didn't want to sign all their FAs because they were great as individuals, but because they all fit well and played well together. The team overachieved last year...they UNDERachieved when they tried to play fantasy ball with Pippen and Barkley. Switching out Rice for Shandon, Bullard, Moochie, and Hakeem is banking that stats will beat out chemistry and continuity--that's never been the recipe for success for the Rockets.
You think Nash will start over Hardaway? I have a hard time buying that, especially over the course of 82 games. As for the other guys you mentioned, El-Amin shouldn't even be in the NBA. He's an overweight PG that can't break down defenses and isn't that great of a passer IMO. Bogues' time ran out a few years ago and although he knows the NBA game, IMO is just a novelty now. I like Darrick Martin from the few times I saw him play, but I question how well he would fit in with the team, but then again I'd do that with just about anyone we might have to bring in to replace Moochie. In regards to Satterfield, I don't know anything about the guy really...
After the ridiculous long term contracts we gave to Price, Maloney, and Cato, I want NO PART in another 6 year deal to an unproven former CBA player. If he won't accept $5 million over 2 years or $9 million over 3, then I say we cut the line and let him go. It's hard for me to say that because Moochie is probably my favorite workhorse Rocket, but I don't want to see the team put into another financial bind for years to come.
