The Atlanta Hawks waived Matt Bologna today to make room for Dan Dikau, their draft pick returning from knee surgery. I can quote a source if you think it's really necessary for me to find one. Does this impact the Rocets' payroll at all? Somehow, I have a suspicion that it does.
January 23, 1999. Before the lockout shortened season, Maloney signed a guaranteed seven year deal with the Rockets. (1998)-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 That leaves 2003-2004, and 2004-2005 before he is off of the Rockets books.
Train, MM got a 7yr-$21M from Rudy. He still didn't marry his daughter. Mo 6yr-$48M, Cato 6yr-$42 and Norris 4yr-$12M! Sad! The market didn't dictate these salaries. Les is paying over $120M for these bench warmers. How did Les make his money again? Rudy must have unflattering pix of Les. It's clear that Rudy can't evaluate talent!
Well, he was on his way down here to relocate back to Houston when he got signed by Atlanta....so keep your eyes out for him down at the Gingerman.
...and Oscar was waived, Tierre not ever picked up, and Dan ('I'm not Najera') Langhi rides serious pine in the desert. On the other hand, the selection of #1 in June seems pretty good and the non-trade of that pick looks even better.
The Hawks didn't need Maloney anymore after former Rice Owl Mike Wilks emerged from nowhere to become a solid contributor.
Let's see, Rudy and Les have two championships and have re-tooled in 3 years and poised to be a contender very soon once again. Not to mention two budding perenial all-stars... It's clear that your perspective is rather jaded. Les makes his money by taking risks. No risk...no reward. Les takes risks and some don't work. Taking Steve and Yao were also risks that are paying off HUGE and clearly offset the Matt Maloney decision. Now Les is poised to make more money than in his wildest dreams.
To add, the Rockets have turned a handful of trades and offseason moves into the four long-time starters and one potential starter JUST FROM THE DRAFT. In the past 5 years, they've gotten Francis, Mobley, Nachbar, Griffin and Yao all from the draft. Technically, you could count Posey among those because it was the drafting of Thomas that allowed for us to acquire him. Yeah, they clearly don't know what they are doing.
Do you think that Houston should bring him back, and at least make him act like he is earning money? I thought he was pretty decent until the "great" guards of the time period wrecked his confidence, like Payton, and Stockton, and Kidd, and Stephon, guys like that killed Matt.
Guys, Any word on the $120M that is out right now? That's my point. Whatever facts that are presented on this forum are tossed away and another point is brought up. My Logic class called that a Red Herring! You have to finish out of the Playoffs for the last 3 years to draft well. Boki hasn't seen the floor. Richard Jefferson may be in the All-Star Game this Feb. 9! Ouch. Rashard Lewis? Bryce Drew, Mirsad, Collier, Dickerson, Griffin? Yao Ming saved the franchise. I feel for Less, sorry Les. If he continues to let Rudy go shopping for him he will have less.
D, You have to explain how this NBA thing works. A player tells the Rox what he would like to be paid, no matter what the market bears. Les, who loves the Rox and didn't hire anyone to make the Player Acquisitions, agrees to the contract that the player submitted. He calls the Coach and GM to tell them he just signed a bench warmer to a ridiculous contract. The GM has to roll with the Program because his former boss promoted him to GM. I get it now. Thanks D!
Interestingly Rudy is the most adaptable NBA coach I can think of, which has resulted in the waiving of Maloney and dumping for draft picks Drew. Rudy has retooled for the talent on hand and the time spent down has hurt -- but -- 45 wins one year and a gabillion lost games to migraine and injuries explains that some for me.
No prob 9teen...but from your explanation, it's Rudy who says, "We need this player and sign him at all costs" and Les just says, "Rudy, I have no brain but lots of money and I will sign him to whatever contract you want me to sign him at. Then Rudy says, "Let's be nice to the player and sign him for more than he's worth." Les just giggles as he pulls out the checkbook. All the while Carroll, the puppet GM, is out getting Rudy's shoes shined. In all seriousness, the Rox signed some horrible contracts and are lucky to succeed with them. But your previous post seemed to put all the blame on Rudy and from my understanding of basketball, isn't their a GM and owner who should take most of that blame?
D, I honestly believe that your first paragraph is how the Rox do business. You and I know that the GM Should have more power than the Coach. In the Rox case, we know that it is the exact opposite. Maloney is still counting against the cap. Willis could have been kept if not for all of these silly contracts. Les is afraid of the Media. It seems that he's a smart guy and wants to win. Signing those MM checks, for a guy that was so horrible that they cut him, has to make him ill. If you were Owner, what would you say to CD&RT about your wasted $120M?!
Rudy has more than his say on who gets the fatty contract....I think this is well established... With that being said.... 1. Francis was pure luck.....we didnt draft him, we just lucked out that he didnt want to play for the Grizz. 2. EG was a product of one team looking to move its low pick, in what they considered a weak draft for 3 possible contributing players...right now the Nets got the better of that deal 3. I think we can all agree that Ming was the luck of the ball bouncing our way. By the numbers, almost every...short of maybe 1 or 2 Teams would of drafted Ming first. We very well could of been sitting with Mike Dunleavy right now. 4. Mobley is a great pick up in the 2nd round. But you cant tell me the team thought he would be the player he is now, or they would of drafted him in the first round......easily. Either way though, a great decision. 5. Remind me how Nachbar is doing again. Rudy has been infatuated with Rice forever....he had the same feelings about Walt Williams. Both were entrenched in starting roles FAAAAAAR to long. I dont see Rice losing his starting role even next year, as long as the Rox keep winning...mark my words. Which leads us to why we agreed to taking Rice at 9 million per, my gut is that Rudy had ALOT to do with this. The argument can be made that we made a promise to S.A. and this was a way to keep it by trading him and getting him the Contract. My belief is that, if they felt S.A. didnt deserve the money, then they should of cut the ties. 6. Kenny has proven a worthy pick at 22. But, he has had his shortcoming also. Overall a great decision at 22 7. Need we remind you of...Bryce Drew, Turkan, and Dickerson. 8. Or of Scottie Pippen, Cato's Contract, the left overs we took for Pippen....and Matt Maloney's still counting deal. 9. Rashard Lewis. Nuff said on that. 10. We can go back to Cassell, and Horry. But really Horry was a product of playing with the best player in the world at the time. Hes done little outside of hitting some big 3's, and playing well in two years with the Rox. Overall, I think that the Rox management...Rudy, Carrol, and LES, have made some terrible decisions, while having some unbelievable luck. But no one should be touting them as Draft day or deal making genius'. My .02 cents.
