Ok I know I'm really pumped up for the season to begin already........but...the most obvious problem we have is Von/DJ...and from what I've read everywheres been saying we're only keeping 14 players on the roster. This is a major concern! In my view we should keep 15 players...and also shall not be hesitant to pay Lux Tax this season if it means we can keep the best team on the roster possible! My reasons for doing so: --- DJ and Von are legit NBA prospects...DJ Defensively and Von Offensively, letting them go for nothing is likely giving away draft picks for nothing. And at the price they come, which is something near the Rookie Min, there is NO RISK HIGH REWARD. DJ could be at least Royal Ivey! --- To avoid paying the tax we could just trade them as assets at the trade deadline...instead of liabilitys....hmmm...cough cough Luther --- We're going ALL IN for this season right? With Yao and T-Mac AND Ron nearing or just coming off the peAk of their playing career, and Ron is an elite star playing in a contract year for a mere 7 Mil salary. Which other star in another team is playing for 7 Mil per year?! --- Boston's big 3 which won them a championship is about 31, 32, 33. Players peAk during their late 20's early 30's. I reckon we're really lucky to assemble a squad that has our central core at 29, 28, and 29. The Dynasty is the grand view on the top of the mountain once we reach The Top! --- I'd hate for us be cheap@$$ and frugal to save like what, 200k, or 2 mil, just to ruin Yao, T-Mac, and Ron's prime and championship aspirations. You know they'll be playing the hardest of their careers this year. Since when did Donald Sterling get anywhere with the Clippers... --- Previous Contenders paid the Lux Tax... 06'-07' Spurs ($200K) 07'-08' Celtics ($8.2M) Not to mention the Knicks, Mavs, and all those other $hit teams Oops how did I forget not to mention getting rid of Luther Head... Carlos Delfino for 2 Second Rounders If Carlos Delfino was able to fetch 2 Toronto 2nd Rounders......allow me to praise and sell Luther Head for the team: all rookie 2nd team? all sophomore all star team? .400+ 3pt shooter in 2nd year for top 10 in NBA 3pt %? So how about this... Luther Head to Indiana for 1 Indiana Future 2nd Rounder and 2 Dallas Future Second Rounders Luther Head to Indiana for THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE ROCKETS! Views?
Hmmm, I think if you keep both of them they both won't develop due to time splitting between them and francis.....but who knows. It will be tough cuts. They both bring something to the game.
Um, I don't know if you've noticed the logjam at SG/PG. There's like seven players that could vie for those two positions and one of them is a proven starter, the other is a superstar. (Alston/Barry/Brooks/Francis/McGrady/Head/DJ/Von Wafer.) And this is being generous and not accounting for the fact that Battier or Artest could log significant minutes as 2-guards... Pretty much, there's no way we can keep both...it doesn't make any sense to just increase the logjam. And Morey's already made clear that he wants to get a seven-footer into the team to shore up frontcourt depth with that extra roster spot...that's actually something the team needs, not 10 PG/SGs.
Great thread, On luther great fit with yao, however everyone knows brent barry is taking his minutes, Von Wafer is a better all around player than Luther and can gaurd both back cort spots as well. We nned a scoring punch behind t- mac. Artest will be on the court all ready while shane makes his effect on the court in a different low key way. Obviously defense. But if you think about it we are thin our 2 and threes. All we got is shane, artest, and mac. On the bech we get slower and shorter= Luther, harris, barry? I like Dj but i think Von is the one we keep even over luther if necessery. Francis contract coming back to bite us anyone?
yeah I realise there will be a log jam at guards spots... but Brooks is not entirely ready to step up and be a serviceable backup, and can't really defend. Reminds me of that Gabe Pruitt shot.......... DJ can defend, which we lack. We also lack good 3pt shooting. We gave our best 3pt shooter away for free, which I thought was a good move, lol
Morey should keep Von Wafer. He is a great scorer when he plays with Brooks. Brooks knows how to draw people towards the basket and dish our to Waffer on the 3pt. line, Also Wafer is great at getting open ready for the shot which is an indication that he knows how to move within the game , something that Novak didn't have. The way the team is now constructed outside shooters are going to get open shots- Von Wafer is our man, he has great potential !!
There's no point in the Rockets keeping both. Really, neither would play anyways unless there are injuries, or its a blow out. And to have both of them would make it even harder to give them playing time. Morey even said that if he signed anyone of them, it's no guarantee that they won't be waived midseason to make room for other deals. These guys really don't seem to be a key priority for the team.
well the point could be to package them with Steve Francis and Luther Head to make a 4 for 1 deal or 5 for 1 incl pick to get a decent vet to help. now Les should be willing to pay lux tax for that. plus we got our trade exception
In response to the OP. I don't care who they keep of the 2, just don't keep both. Very redundant and makes it hard for Mutombo to come back or for us to have the ability to make other roster moves. Just figure out who would be a better fit for our team. All he is likely to do is warm the bench anyways.
Most of the time they are going to be deactivated and in street clothes, so they wouldn't be able to play in blowouts anyways, only injuries can get them PT. Remember only 12 are active for each game, the other 3 are deactivated.
as musch as i really like to keep both Von and DJ, i guess keeping both of them is really unnecessary in terms of giving minutes and lux tax. My mind goes with DJ coz we need a big PG who can defend, but my heart goes with Von Wafer as i really like seeing him hitting those open 3s and cutting into the basket. I'm confused... Really.. whats keeping head in the team is his contract issue.. And I know if head is still here at the start of the season, there will be a head bashing thread
To all those who say we dun need both cos we dun have enough minutes for them?!---------- So Lakers should just cut Trevor Ariza cos they have Lamar Odom Vlad Radmanovic Luke Walton????!!!!!!!! and also they need to cut Josh Powell cos they have lyk 4 starting quality PFs.................I mean whats the point of trading for Pau Gasol when they already have Andrew Bynum/Turiaf/Mihm...I mean that was a horrible trade for the Lakers cos they couldn't give enough time to Ronny Turiaf man..what was Kupchak thinking man trading for excess talent in Gasol??!!!!!!!
Um, your comparing Wafer and Strawberry to Odom? Vlad and Luke? Then you bring up Gasol? Come on, you make no sense. Wafer and Strawberry is more like Coby Karl for the Lakers.
