OK, I'm finally breathing a sigh of relief, after reading the Florida Today article, about T-Mac coming here. This has been rather gut-wrenching. And kudos to Stevie for doing what it takes to make the trade go through at the end, and starting to show some class. So, this is amazing ... But, we now have some holes to fill, and I think we have the resources to fill them. What do you guys think should be CD and Les's next steps? Our biggest resource is our TE. We might actually get another TE from the ORL trade. We'll see. But, it enables us to move contracts that aren't so good, like Taylor's to other teams, as long as we're willing to recieve back either bad contracts or big ones. Obviously, our three biggest needs are at PF, PG and backup center. So, here's an example of some things we could do: 1) Send Taylor and 3 mil of our TE to SEA for Brent Barry and Calvin Booth. Yes, its like we're getting a weaker Cato and his bad contract again for another 3 years. But, we're also getting the ability to still use our MLE for FA's that will want to play with Ming/TMac. I love Taylor's instant offense. But with TMac, its not needed, and we do need muscle and rebounding, which he doesn't provide, he's a black hole and doesn't pass to Ming, and we are too stacked at PF. SEA would do this, because they are getting rid of a bad contract with Booth, and turning Barry, who they are willing to lose, into depth at PF behind Kurt Thomas, and they reduce salaries by 3 mil in the deal. It works for both teams. If there is any way to get Murray in the deal, I'd give them anyone but Ming or TMac, but I doubt they'll let him go. I believe he is a future talent, like Michael Redd was... 2) Send Howard/Booth and 3 mil of our TE to MIA for Brian Grant. MIA has wanted to move Grant's huge max contract, so they have more flexibility in trades. This gives Riley the PF he wanted long ago, gives them salary room, and some depth at C. MIA is shopping Caron Butler and Eddie Jones, and I assume they'll get a better starting center. I have generally been against getting Grant, even though I've always liked his grit and muscle, but he just seemed way too expensive, and getting up in years. But, as long as Les doesn't mind going into luxury tax territory, he would be a perfect compliment to Ming. He's a banger and tough, which is what we need at PF. He would also be able to fill in as a backup center periodically. 3) Sign Eddie Griffin. I know he screwed up royally. But, as long as he's dealt healthily with his depression, which is entirely treatable, and follows the advice of mentors, such as Lucas, then we'd be the ones who are crazy, not him, if we didn't bring him back. We've already made the investment. If he does get proper treatment, he'll be able to fulfill his original potential, and we'd all regret it if he did that with another team, after all we've invested in him. His depression and self-medicating with drugs caused him to fall short of his potential. Now that that is solved, we need to let him fulfill his destiny. At this stage, with the problems identified and well addressed, he will probably be huge for us in the future. There is no better bang for our buck at PF. 4) Sign Lucas as an assistant coach or consultant to the team. He would be a huge asset and teacher, especially if we signed Griffin. 5) Use our MLE to sign a good backup center, or for any other great deals on FA's that present themselves, like we got last year with JJ. Our team would be: Ming/FA Grant/E.Griffin/Spoon JJ/Boki/A.Griffin TMac/Pike/Gaines Barry/Lue/Wilks Thats a smart, strong, talented, balanced, fairly deep team, which I think would be able to battle with SAN, LAL, DAL (even if they get Shaq), and MIN in the playoffs. It could be a very fun year. <b>So, what do you think should be our next steps this summer?</b>
Next Steps? I will throw out my ideas once we OFFICIALLY have McGrady. I am not putting the cart before the horse here via one Newspaper article. Heck we were supposed to be home free after the Expansion draft. And then Orlando pulled back. Cautiously optimistic is where I am right now. It isnt done until it is done!
You had a good post going there..then it crashed and burned on this one. He was a terrible player for us. He quit on his team. He was a terrible person off the court. NO. We blew 3 draft picks, accept it. It happened, it's over. There is no "destiny", nor is there any chance he will be "huge" for us or anybody else outside the CBA in the future. There's not even "potential", the guy did next to nothing in 2+ years and exhibited few skills as anything other than a weakside shotblocker-- he couldn't shoot, couldn't defend, couldn't dribble, couldn't pass, couldn't do anything. I don't call that potential -- I call that not very good. Just like Steve going to Orlando, it's something you people will have to accept at some point....but I don't think you will.
either signing or trading for a PG. barry, fisher, hudson, alston, damon, arroyo...could all bve signed. daniels, snow, NVE, lopez, claxton, payton, stoudamire, could all be traded for. my guess is that, because we want to fill holes not replace them with other holes, we will sign one of the first 3 PG on my list.
Could we try and package Bostjan Nachbar and the trade exception plus a pick or two for Al Harington.
Didn't Griffin hammer the Rockets on his way out the door? No thank you, we don't need him. I'd rather try and pry Dale Davis from Portland.
Sign DFisher for the point. Bring in Brian Skinner to backup Yao and PF. Yao/Skinner Howard/MoT/Spoon JJ/Boki/AGriffin Tmac/Piatkowski DFish/Lue/Wilks Minutes break down like this: Yao - 34 MPG Skinner - 14 Howard - 28 MoT - 18 Spoon - 2 JJackson - 32 Tmac - 6 Boki - 10 Tmac - 32 Pike - 12 JJack - 4 Fisher - 30 Lue - 18
I like the Brian Skinner idea. What happened to the Piakowski for Ollie deal. Not that I care either way, I just thought that had been agreed to. Where are we going to get any rebounds with these proposed line-ups? Yao? can't jump, doesn't anticipate well, doesn't have the desire for rebounding. Mo-T and Howard? Surley you jest. T-mac? He'll be shootin, JJ? at 6'5" nah. And no Stevie to go get'em. I really like the idea of the set offense with T and Yao but I fear a rebound and run team will blow us out of the building. And not just because that's what the Pistons did to LA. I've always been a 'Showtime' guy.
I like B. Grant. He is not injury prone like he was before. I was thinking Mo or Howard + trade exception for Grant and Alston (not sure if thats his name). Grant can hit the 17 footer, and can definitely rebound. He is Yao's perfect muscle. He is old, but not that old, only around 32 or 33 I think. So he has a couple of good years left in him. And we get a pg.
trade for Brian Skinner and sign Derek Fisher with the mle. Those two guys would fit perfect in JVG's system
Good Grief! Dale Davis? Not only is he ancient but he is exactly what Indiana used to pry Jermain O'Neal away from Portland and we all know how that turned out. Davis has never been anything more than just a decent player. Give me youth. If we want someone who can be a great power forward then we are going to have to take some chances. If we wait until Tyson turns into Jermain O'Neal then we will never get him. Jermain did not start producing quality minutes until about the middle of his 4th year. I guess it was a good thing that Indiana didn't consider him a bust.
Don't trade our 1st rounder next year. keep it and take Chris Taft from Pitt. A beast of a power Forward who will perfectly compliment Yao.
the next thing we will do is persue FA's. i say that because the god ones go fast, and trades will allways be there. i almost guarantee that the MLE is spent on a point, since we have so many good ones available. i will just go with the rumors of us gettign fish even though i would want barry more... after that... we look to add size with the TE. if we look to dump taylor or howard before finding someone with the TE, and the TE goes to waste there will be a big backlash from fans about the wasted chance to add someone w/o giving up anything to get them. it won't be a great, even a good player, but we will most likely get a servicable back-up big man. there are an abundance of bigmen in the league that are overpaid. their teams would jump at the chance to dump the salarie. laetner, potapenko, pollard, mutombo, D.Davis, ect.... of these i would say pollard is out since indy could be sour over tmac. laetnet way go in package to la. my guess is potapenko could be had for about anything worth while taking back. we can have: yao-potapenko howard-mo-spoon jj-boki tmac-pike fisher-lue-wilks our bench would still need some work. mo will be the next to go. but i would say this is the direction they are taking.
I think that, in the short-term, we'll be just fine with J.Howard as our starting PF. And it's not like the style he plays takes a huge toll on his body - he'll be a pretty good player for a few more years. Also, consider these stats: In 02-03, when Eddie Griffin, our starting PF, scored 10 points or more we were 20-10. When he grabbed 7 or more rebounds, we were 21-11. In 03-04, when Kelvin Cato, our starting PF, scored 10 points or more we were 8-2. When he grabbed 7 or more rebounds, we were 24-11. Juwan Howard's scoring and rebounding averages the past two season: 17.7ppg, 7.3rpg
excelent point!!! however i would guess that he won't average 17ppg anymore. but it will be above 10. so thats means a combined 28-12 the past 2 years could be what kind of record we are looking at by allstar break
I would be hesitant to go after Brian Grant, or Dale Davis. The Rockets should preserve as much cap flexibility as they can with the great Yao Ming resigning saga looming over their heads in a couple of years. Brian Skinner sounds good. I am hoping we can use the trade exception to cherry pick from the Dallas, Phoenix, Sacramento or Clippers rosters if they want to add some Lakers drama queens to their teams. This is the best case scenario.
Brian Grant is totally an overated player. He is no long the same player he was in Portland. He is averaging 8.7 points and 6.9 b per game while logged in Yao-Ming like time. His contract is so fat. And most of all, he will not get better, most likely. We can get any filler, if we play him 30 plus minutes, to have such kind of number for the miminum wage.
