So say a number of Israli web sites. These links are in Hebrew, FWIW. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3282779,00.html http://sports.walla.co.il/?w=/7/948998 http://www.one.co.il/cat/articles/ar...id=79337&bz=12 http://www.sport5.co.il/articles.asp...D=8847&lang=he 1.5 million a year for 2 years for the 6'9" PF., a good dunker apparently. Michigan grad. Basically they are using the traded player exception gained from giving Anthony Johnson to the Mavs to sign Baston and to take the contract of a scrub center named Edwards from Atlanta to help the Hawks cut more salary in making the Al Harrington deal.
Apparently this guy is twice the prospect Anthony Parker is. He seemed a Terrence Morris-type at Michigan, but blossomed quite a bit overseas. Hollinger loves him.
I remember he was all the hype when signed with the Raptors a few years back. He was injured for most of the season. Nothing more than a 12th man IMO.
I don't read Hebrew, but I remember at Michigan and right afterwards he was a PF stuck in a SF's body - sort of a poor rebounding/low effort Jerome Williams.
He only played 16 games, and his per-minute numbers were pretty damn good: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bastoma01.html I'd like to see a bigger sample size before dismissing him.
I know he's pretty well thought of in Europe and was a very highly rated prospect in high school (but had health issues in college). I don't think he'll be great, but he could surprise some people.
I liked what maceo baston had to lend to a team from back then. no he wont be a star but I thought he had just as much chance to contribute in the league as his lazy umotivated teammate Maurice Taylor at Michigan. though in size baston looked like a twig compared to him and the other prospects. terrance morris is a decent comparison.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPEK6KtROeg
I was excited about Baston when Toronto brought him in - think Hakim Warrick in terms of size and style of play - but he simply didn't have the lateral quicks to keep up with anyone. The injuries he suffered early on have taken away the ability for him to be an impact player in the NBA, but he could fill a role off someone's bench. I suspect Kevin O'Neal had a lot to do with this acquisition, since he would hae been familiar with him from their time in TO.
