Riiight... so putting a disgruntled player on the IR solves everything? Obviously there was a lot behind the scenes we do not know about, but I've never heard of a coach hating a player enough to trade him just because he doesn't play good defense. Your reasoning on JVG causing the problems is pretty silly. JJ for Wesley in the end will probably be just a wash, as I feel Wesley will bring more scoring to this team while bringing less defense. Nachbar wasn't going to work with this roster, and we free'd up a roster spot for a trade later down the road. I wish we could've gotten atleast a second rounder out of it, but oh well. You make the trade because as it stands right now, we are a losing ball club. Doing more of the same is not going to generate any better results. Maybe Wesley will hurt us, maybe he will help us more. It doesn't matter -- something had to be done. Sometimes change is good, and hopefully this will help the Rockets change their losing ways.
Best case scenario: Wesley is a diamond in the rough. His numbers might not show what he really delivers on the court and he could improve those numbers if he was on a contending team with some stars. CD scouted this one well. The Rockets (finally) get a player who can sink an open jumper when T-Mac/Yao gets double-teamed. Jackson, though a strong producer, may have hindered the chemistry that the Rockets need to gel, and wesley may provide that chemistry. Other players on the team will get the message that they need to start living up to their potential or they're outa here. Worst case senario We gave up two players (one of which is one of our better starters) for only one player. Wesley will be a worse shooter than JJ was and will make our we-can't-sink-the-open-jumper headache even worse. Wesley will be a shot hog and won't get the ball to the right players at the right time. Only time will tell. -- droxford
JJ was good for us last year but he has under-performed this year. He might has the same FG% as Wesley but I doubt that David had as many open shots as JJ did. Wesley is also very good at the Pick-n-Roll which we run almost every time. JJ is taller and gets more rebound but they play different position. The rebounds JJ got was from the SF position, not SG or PG. We are not looking for Wesley to help rebounding. Boki is a non-factor in the trade. You can get scrubs like him anywhere. Watching Kapono abused him was probably the last straw that broke the camel's back.
Well guys, it looks like the trade is about to be completed. If it makes you feel any better, we can always take Interstate 10 up to New Orleans and tell JJ whaz up By the way, the Hornets come into town on April 1, 2005. Another must-see game!!!!
I'm betting the outcome will be somewhere in the middle... Wesley will be no better no worse than JJ, but might be the change the team needs. Letting go of Boki in this deal (with nothing else in return) I think will be a mistake, albeit a small one, especially if no other trades happen, cause now we're non-existent at the 3. The team will shoot about as well as they have been for the past few weeks and we'll start scoring 90pts a little more consistently. Other players might get the message, but it won't last, especially w/ Mo and JH. Really, the trade isn't gonna improve or weaken the team drastically, and more or less will turn out to be a trade just for the sake of change.
The only positive I see in this is it's not the worst trade CDs ever "negotiated". That has to go to the Glen Rice (in the last year of his 9+ million dollar contract), a #1, two #2s and cash for John Amaechi. CD and JVG are destroying this team.
On 610 earlier they (the guy filling in for Matt J this afternoon) said the Rockets tried to pull a MoT & JJ (and/or Boki) for PJ Brown & Wesley. The Rockets balked when NO apparently asked for a 1st rounder, b/c they don't know if they'll be in the lottery and didn't think they could make the trade & keep a potential 1st rounder lottery protected. If true, wtf? This year's draft is gonna suck. Even if we get in it will be a late pick. Why not get rid of MoT, forget nxt yrs 1st rounder, and come away w/ a hustler & a boarder along w/ Wesley? Can anyone corroborate this?
T for Time out - not T for Technical! I am not proposing any deals for any of these guys. They may all be in play one way or another (if Clips got Baron Davis might they want to lower their load with Wilcox instead of Brand?), and Rox are obviously in play (except on the court of play where they have feet of clay, and are falling like Liston), so --what might some GM, CD or another (ie, a real one - ouch -) be thinking along about now? That is the question, not the 'proposition'.
I think the Rockets have finally realized the value of first round picks. Yeah, a lot of em are busts for us, especially in recent years. However, you have to draft to find solid contributors like Kyle Korver, Josh Howard, Zach Randolph, etc. This is not the time to trade draft picks for more old players.
At least next year we can all have something positive to talk about. A 1st roung lotto pick! With all the threads about a Euro PF who will never make it on our squad, there will be millions of new threads next year. The only problem is nobody can develop under JVG.
Clutch's article on the trade provides excellent insight. Which begs the question - if Boki was a cancer, why not just cut him? That's what we did with EG. Why make JJ the fall guy? Plus, Boki's salary comes off the books this summer, which relieves a little bit of luxury tax concerns next year. Even if there is no luxury tax this year, don't be suprised if its back for next year. The fact that Boki was an expiring contract, something that is very marketable in this league, makes this trade look even worse.
That is one thing that is worrying me. JVG won't play his younger guys so what's the point of even having a pick? First let me say I'm ALL FOR draft picks and hoping they work out unless your late in the first round and there's nothing left because I'd hate to have to sign a guaranteed contract to a crappy player. If you think about it, the best we can hope for is probably in the 15-20 range. I believe we got Boki at 15 and he didn't play, so why would anyone else? Well hopefully we'll be smarter next time and get a better player AND (this is the key) let them play. JVG is obsessed with veterans and doesn't seem too enthused about playing rookies. If I were a rookie and knew who my teammates were going to be I'd love to come here, then when I found out who the coach was I'd immediatetly scratch that team off my list. If I can't play I can't prove myself, if I can't prove myself I can't get a contract, if I can't get a contract what am I doing here? Pugs
Anybody know the rules on player trades. Is JJ required by the league to report in a certain time? Does he have to declare his intention to retire in a certain time? Can the Rox just say forget it and take him back? Anybody ever remember a case where a player didn't report? In a way I hope JJ takes his own sweet time and makes CD/JVG look like the idiots they are. Best thing that could happen to this team now is that there is a complete collapse then you will really see some changes.
