Here's an article I posted a few months ago. Gives you a good insight to Amaechi, and his problems: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59098
Actually it was reported that a Jazz assistant coach yelled this acusation at Amaechi. I think the deal with Amaechi is that he is a really smart guy, disenchanted with the NBA (see how Orlando repaid his loyalty), who didn't appreciate Coach Sloan's style of coaching, does have that tipical British snobbery toward Americans and doesn't take anyone's ****e. Also, Amaechi didn't appreciate being Sloan's whipping boy.
I forgot about that whole Amaechi/Sloan thing. That automatically makes him one of my favorite players.
After reading that article, I hope we keep him. We're no worse off with him than we were with Collier, unlike Collier, Amaechi doesn't look like that psycho from Full Metal Jacket.
thats a little out of context. Pose make 24 compared to 42 of Shandon. Thats 18 mil less and 3 less years. I dont think 24 was really unreasonable at all actually. But then again, JJ for 2.5 might be better.....
cool article on him. i like this dude. a guy getting a doctorate, running a youth gym, and playing nba ball.... thats pretty cool. i also enjoyed him talking about other players getting hammered and sleeping around but always throwing out that "my passion and intensity for the game is so strong" bs...
agreed..screw Sloan. Does anyone remember that one game against us where Amaechi had a career day? Whatever else, if he can play anywhere near like he did that day...he is serviceable. He seems tougher than the Stay-Puft Man, who we basically just replaced with Amaechi. Im a little concerned about his seeming lack of committment to the game...he may butt heads with JVG about that in a manner that makes his pissfest with Sloan seem mild by comparison.
So you remember that while he didnt dominate us, he definitely showed that he does have some skills worth talking about. He did stuff I have never seen Collie do. So, in my eyes...if he can play like that...we upgraded our 12th man position(like that means alot) but, to hear alot of people here talk like he cant walk and chew gum at the same time is just plain wrong.
I remember that everything that left his damn hand was good. It was one of those embarassing games. Afterward on all the tv's recaps, hearing how he rocked the rox....man.. ouch.
I think a big issue with Amaechi is he looks at the NBA as his job and he'll go to practice and do what's required of him, but isn't going to work out in his free time, etc. Don't look for a guy who's going to be first into the gym and the last one to leave after practice. Sloan is a work-a-holic and expects the same from his players. I imagine that and both Jerry and John having strong personalities accounted for most of their problems with each other.
*shudder*, and how would you describe JVG...."a strong personality with an unbelievable work ethic". All that will matter is if Amaechi respects JVG, else we will have "Amaechi-Sloan II starring JVG."
PLEASE don't tell me you're comparing Jackson to those guys? And your logic, Posey makes more money then Jackson, thus Posey is better? That means that Mcllvaine was one of the elite centers in the league for years right? Bottom line, this was an outstanding deal.
TOTALLY AGREE... thank you SO MUCH for posting that Bailey... excellent read. After reading it, I couldn't help but like the guy. He seems smart, realistic, and with his TRUE priorities in mind. Although those qualities don't neccessarily make a great player, they help make a great person.
the trade does this: As to the luxury tax, it's a dollar-for dollar penalty. Thus you save not only the dollars (1.7 mil) you were over, but you also save the tax (1.7 mil). In addition, the money paid for the tax is split up evenly among the team who were under the tax (about 4 million). So, the rockets bottom line net is for 7.4 million. In addition, first round picks, after the first 10 or so, are a crap shoot. Unfortunately, you have to give them gauranteed contracts. Assuming that the team does Gel, their pick next year would be about 20-25. If the jazz sucks, as they probably will, their pick will be about 30, and, because it's a second rounder, does not have to be gauranteed. Amechi is also a fairly decent backup, which will allow Cato to be moved. If anybody thinks that Cato is satified being backup to Yao, then they are nuts. Every NBA player wants the chance to start. Cato just hasn't said so in the press. The 6.5 million exception is just a bonus. Rice for Jackson is a no brainer, talent wise. So, basically, they got a decent backup center for some draft picks. The Exception (partially used) and Cato will bring in a good PF. All in all, I can see why CD did the deal. It put the rockets in a good position for the future, and made some $$ in the present.
I'm examining our GM's record of overpaying for average/below average players. The fact that Posey makes more than Jackson isn't nearly as indicative of my point as the fact that Jackson has played for *several* different teams only receiving a minimum salary. If he's so great why's he bouncing around the league so much? Oh well, maybe he's not so great then. But hey let's give him a three year contract and see how that works out. How is that outstanding by the way? Some in another thread kept calling Jackson a veteran leader which is total nonsense, he's a veteran player who hasn't led anything in this league. If you want to add Jackson that's great, he can be a good bench player but telling me we're going to trade our ace (Rice's expiring contract) so that we can add Jim Jackson well I don't think so.
What if Rice's contract wasn't the ace we fans have been making it out to be? What if, facing the luxury tax, teams have been unwilling to pick up Rice's contract since doing so doesn't help them at all this year? Also, there would still need to be quite a bit of financial magic performed to make such a deal (for Rice's contract) work. By dealing the contract now, while it has value, the Rockets pick up the exception which has greater value than Rice's contract. The real ace is the exception, not the contract. Now it is just a matter of the team actually playing the thing instead of letting it expire.
Im sorry but this is asinine. James Posey may be overpaid but he's a far superior player than Jim Jackson. James Posey is 26 years old and has the best basketball years ahead of him. We wanted to keep him. Jerry West wanted him. Jim Jackson 6 years ago may have been better but not now. There's a reason Jackson has been begging for a job the past few years. He will never play more than 25 minutes in the NBA ever again.
