[Kings Sources] Kings offering Udrih entire MLE

Neither do I.

 

I heard that. Am i the only one that thinks that is ridiculous? Calderon is going to be getting about the same amount and someone who i think is comparable to Udrih, Chris Duhon is only getting offered half as much money.

Every year someone gets the mid-level when they shouldn't get it and someone gets the mid-level because who should get more. It is what it is, i guess.

 

With Landry and his agent holding us hostage we don't have the luxury of pursuing full MLE free agents anyways.

 

You're right,but I don't think they want to use the full MLE anyway.

 

I like Udrih. He's like V-Span, but he actually turned out ok. But a 5 year contract starting at $6 million? The Clippers possibly paying more? Seems like a lot.

Also seems like if a team is in desperate need of a point guard (Clippers) and has a quality asset to do a S&T, we have a solid PG that could work.

Rafer Alston + Bobby Jackson salaries = $10.22 million. This seems like a fair starting point for Maggette. Throw in one of Hayes, Head or Novak if necessary and/or a draft pick.

Of course, the Rockets then desperately need a PG themselves (Anthony Carter is unrestricted and would be a good stop-gap at that point) but swapping Rafer for Corey and keeping Battier would be awesome.

 

Landry is not holding us hostage, it was the Rockets who screwed themselves by only offereing a one year tender.

If they did the typical 2 year contract with a 3rd year team option per usual high 2nd round picks they would not be in this situation.

Morey has been nails, but Landry was a faux paux.

DD

 

Sounds like a logical move, but unless you can follow that move up by getting a PG who is actually on par with Rafer I don't think we would be taking a step forward.

And you have to consider that there is a huge demand for PG right now with, Clippers, Kings, Twolves, even the suns are looking for a back up for Nash.

I might be in the minority here but I don't think that we are in need of a huge change in our starting 5. We just need someone who can make a basket consistently to relieve some of the pressures on our starters.

It is unfortunate that none of the guys we brought in to strengthen our bench was not able to contribute. Mike James, Bonzi, Francis, ect.

 

No doubt, but you got to keep on swinging until you get contact.

DD

 

We've already established despite how sound Morey's judgment has been so far that he butchered Landry's initial contract offering. Nothing we can do about that now, but Landry's agent firing up smoke screens and crafting reports of bogus interest & what not to benefit his client has undoubtedly hampered our offseason.

He's doing his job but he's also painting the picture that Landry is worth more than he really is. As long as they keep holding out and being stubborn negotiators they are essentially holding our MLE and LLE hostage.

 

Agree 100%, Morey dropped the ball big time on the 1st player picked in the second round. He should have done everything he could have to lock Landry up for 2 to 3 years on the cheap and avoid this current situation (you never know). I still think they will sign him to a reasonable contract that fits for both sides. Disaster would be some stupid team coming in with an over the top offer for the high end portion of the MLE. A team like San Antonio could do that to the rockets just for alittle revenge on the Batum larceny.

 

And DM is doing his job talking about Landry's knee.....

It is all business, and as you correctly pointed out we are stuck until it is resolved regarding the use of the MLE.....

I don't blame Landry for getting all he can, I don't blame Morey for playing hard ball, but we as fans need to temper our expectations because of the contract situation.

If, and this is a big if....the Rockets offered Pietrus or Vujicic a contract offer that takes a portion of the MLE, it would signify to me that they are not really that concerned about keeping Landry.

While I consider him a good player, I hope we do not over pay for a backup PF.

DD

 

I'm the first to admit the offense looked a lot worse without Rafer last year then with him. But I haven't forgot that he is still outmatched almost every night. He continues to be a horrid FG% shooter and super streaky. Basically, if you could count on Rafer playing at least average individual basketball consistently for the season (and by average, I mean a 40% FG shooter, which he hasn't done once with Houston and being more of a creator -which he can't really be with that FG%...it's circular), I would agree with you.

But the opportunity to get a Maggette type player would make me do that trade. He's your legitimate, bonafide 3rd scorer, has true size at the SG position and attacks the basket. Check out Maggette's hotspots. A full 40% of his shots were within 5 feet...as compared to T-Mac's 25%.

You definitely lose out by losing Rafer, but if Aaron develops into a competent backup PG, and you can sign an Anthony Carter type, and have a big lineup with T-Mac, Maggette, Battier, Scola, Yao for a few minutes a game, it could work.

Not to derail the thread, but if Udrih type players are getting paid that much, I think Rafer becomes that much more valuable of a trade chip...

 

Yes Udrih was always out of our league, short supply and high demand of FA PGs will make them all be of risky value.

Duhon shoots worse than Alston, and comparatively makes Alston seem both explosive and dynamic. Calderon and Udrih were two of the more efficient shooting PGs in the league.

 

Udrih is a good PG, he is better than Rafer, and the Kings are paying the going rate for a quality PG.

Good for him.

DD

 

I hear ya. Landry is kind of the x-factor on this team. He could get injured, he could plateau, he could improve. Either way I hope he sticks around long enough for us to find out.

 

But the reason they did that was because they signed Steve Francis last summer - had they not done that they would've signed Landry to a 3 year deal. I know Francis turned out to be a bust, but I seem to remember this board being really impressed with Morey when he pulled it off last summer.

 

Oh I know the reasons, they had Reid, Butler, and Harris outplayed him in the summer leagues.

Still, it was a bad business decision to save less than 200k.......I am sure Morey won't let it happen again.....



DD

 

not surprising. they traded Bibby and were already planning on him being the PG of the future.

would have loved to have had him, but I knew it wasn't realistic.

 

His last season in San Antonio Udrih shot 37%, 29% from 3. Granted, he's historically a better career fg% shooter, and last year was the first time he got quality minutes...

but I think full MLE for one year of okay performance is overpaying. I see how the Kings are in a tough spot, and a lack of available PG's is driving up the market right now, though.

Over the long haul, though I think Udrih is a Derek Fisher player at best (let's see if he can do it with Derek's longevity and consistency). Derek is getting paid $4.4 million next year...and you'll remember his contract seemed ridiculous when he signed it with the Warriors a few years back. Steve Blake is another good comparison, imo. $4.25 million. Earl Watson (I'm comparing overall talent level as opposed to necessarily type of PG) = $5.8 million (but likely overpaid).

But I guess it's also true there are definitely PG's out there getting paid more and producing less (Marbury, Ridnour, Tinsley, etc.)