Here is a chance at another Magic player. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=knight-freshstartwithcavsmakesgo&prov=knight&type=lgns Steven Hunter's days with the Cavaliers were short. It hasn't become official yet, but it will be announced in the coming days. The Cavaliers will cut the 7-footer they acquired with Gooden and Anderson Varejao from the Magic last week. According to Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, the release was agreed to prior to the trade. To make the deal work and match salaries, Hunter had to sign a three-year contract. The final two years of the deal weren't guaranteed and the Cavaliers are just responsible for the first year. His take for being a Cavalier for a few days: about $1 million. I don't know how many players from the worst team in the league are good for your roster but its a backup center that is 7 feet tall.
This is huge!!! Sign him!!! I watched him play a lot last season as I live in Florida. He has tons of upside, but is quite raw, basketball IQ is ??? He's basically a younger, cheaper, skinner, more athletic version of Cato IMO.
Will his Fragile body holdup?. you sign him and he gets injured again, who'll backup Yao?. look he's Talented, but his also very injury prone. It's a gambel.
I guess Clark would be OK, but he's 6 years older, an inch shorter, still injury prone, and probably a little more expensive...he also played in all of 2 games last year, I don't know guys... FYI: Both players are Illinois natives and were drafted in the first round by Orlando with the 13th and 15th picks respectively.
How sweet is this deal for Hunter? He pockets a million bucks for his signature. He made more money than I'll ever see for a bureaucratic manuever. And, I believe he lost his restriction on free agency, putting him in a slightly better position in his search for work.
he is a cheap, young, talented 7 footer we could use to play him 10-15min game, he is a great shot-blocker i heard, well at least he can be..and JVG will make him do that..he would be a great signing
Let's get him if he comes really cheap. Then all we'd need is one of the PG's and we're set for the season.
Wow, this guy blocks 1.2 shots in under 14 minutes! That's around 2.5 blocks in 30 minutes! Wow, that's a very good rate. I would LOVE to get this guy, he can fill in at PF sometimes as well.
There is a reason that Hunter couldn't get much playing time on an Orlando team that desperately needed a center. There is a reason that he's going to be cut by Cleveland, who is trying to find a backup center for Z (Diop is not the answer there). The kid is not that good (he could easily make Steve look like Magic Johnson in terms of Bball IQ), and he's got major attitude problems. I would pick him up for minimum, non-guaranteed training-camp contract. If JVG can work magic with him, maybe he can be a serviceable third-string center at the end of our bench. However, Hunter is not the answer for our primary backup center role. He's not capable of playing 15 minutes a game every night.
If we are going to gamble, I'd rather pick up Jake Tsakalidis or even Menke Bateer. Jake has had one season as a primary center and one as a backup. He is still learning the game, but he is young (just turned 25), tall (7-2), beefy (290 lbs), strong -- and inexpensive. Yes, he is on the slow side, but he has a decent shot as long as he is within 10 feet of the basket.
Sign him. He can play the backup minutes at center. If necessary, Mo can slide over to center for a few minutes a game, but Hunter, at least, would be a cheaper version of Cato. And maybe JVG can fire him up, too.
You all are kidding yourselves if Steven Hunter is your answer at center. All he can do is block shots - and he doesn't have great instincts even at that. There's a reason why Cleveland is cutting him, why the Magic didn't pick up his 4th year, and why no team signed him as an unrestricted FA before the s&t - he's just not good. In the west, he'd get absolutely killed. Put the ball in his hands - turnover. Ask him to set a pick - ineffective. About all he can do is run; he's not even good at finishing off of the run. Look elsewhere.
Did you guys forget what the orlando magic record was last year, it was 21-61. I don't understand why everyone is happy about acquiring 5 players from that lousy team, and have big expectations? Of all these players, I would only take T-Mac, the rest are nothing but SCRUBS.
When a team lacking power players (Ilgauskas is only good for 30 mins/g max and Diop is wretched) waives a young athletic center making 1 million, you can rest assured that player isn't worth taking. Evan
Steven Hunter is an excellent back up for Yao! He can be a good 20 to 25 minutes of playing time and he is perfect for minimium exception. I'll pull this one if i'am CD!!!
I think it might be time for a poll! I vote yes to Hunter, both him and Clark are injury prone so lets go with the younger one.
