This guy is a competitor, but him and JBarry on the same team... I dont know exactly how they are gonna like that considering all the trash talking they did during the Minne Den serious...
If he'd sign a one or two year contract for the league minimum, I'd take him to back up McGrady. I don't know how he'd feed his family on the league minimum contract though.
Clutch, good profile. I am sure Sprewell is a hot issue here. The Rockets would be interested in Sprewell because of his perimeter defense and his length at the SG spot. He has the size of Jim Jackson but is much quicker than Jackson so that's why the fit would be good here versus Wesley. With that said however, Sprewell isnt the shooter Wesley is and clearly the "chemistry" issue is a BIG one! I agree that our MLE shouldnt be looked at here. A "S&T" would be the only thing that makes sense IF we even decide to entertain the idea of Sprewell being here. My gut tells me though, IF Sprewell is going to succeed anywhere in the NBA, he would have his best chance here in Houston playing for JVG. With that said though, I still am not sure I bring him in.
His game looked broked this past season but I wouldnt mind him here but we need to get younger not older......
If JVG does end up getting Sprewell, I think its safe to say that he will end up opening the door for Phil Jackson's entrance. Sprewell will be one ex NY Knicks signing too many.
No thanks on Spree. He is too old and has seem to be more of a distraction than help lately. There are other swingmen that could help us out just as much and without the baggage.
Spree has career #'s as follows: 18.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG and is 6'5 David has career #'s as follows: 13.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 4.6 APG and is 6'1 On paper it seems Spree is a serious upgrade over Wesley. TMac is thoroughly entrenched in the 3 so Spree could start at 2 along side of MJ and give us some serious footspeed on the perimeter. If he is a S&T, then we are straight up better off. If JVG likes him and we are winning, everyone will be happy. I don't recall Spree having trouble with his peers but rather with authority figures and JVG got along with him OK for several years. It would be nice to have Spree while we are bringing on one of our younger players that I hope we get.
I have no problem if we get Spreewell in a sign and trade for other dead wood, but, as long as the contract is 2 years Max so he is expiring the next season. If it cost us anything under the age of 32 to get him or more than 2 years it is a dangerous fit as we can't afford to "feed his family" when he is a shell of himself at age 37 and 38 and still eating cap space ala the MT albatross we just got rid of. I can just see him being a 4 year 36 million dollar waste of space in year 3 and 4 and us stuck with another Witherspoon eating cap space when we could use those dollars to get the help we need.
Though Spree has many advantages (particularly size and finishing) to be fair Wesley has a better 3 ball, more steals, more assists and better A/TO than Spree. Spree is fairly marginal at the 3 point line. I'd think Wesley is the better starting two in general for us. That 3 ball keeps teams honest on Tmac and Yao, and most defensive matchups Wesley does fine. But I'd love to have Spree as the 6th man, backing up the 2 & 3. I see no problem with Sura (if healthy and back in form) and Wesley starting, with James and Spree being an "energy" line, particularly when Yao sits. Barry (unless Spanouils beats him out for the 5th guard spot) is also there if we need a guy to just hit the big shot. There is nothing wrong with having 5 guards who can play--Sura, Wesley, Spree, James & Barry (or Spanouils), particularly because of the age of most of them and b/c Spree can double as the back-up 3. Spree would also be invaluable if Tmac had to miss some games. This is just like the Spurs situation with Parker, Barry, Manu, Brown and Udruh--it is nice to have 5 guards whom belong in the NBA. So if Spree will take a 2 year 3.3 mil exemption (even with player option on the 2nd year), heck yeah I do that. He has had his past troubles, but he has been a hard nosed player on the court for the Knicks and Wolves for many years now.
I think you are vastly over rating Spree. This is not the same guy that led the Knicks to the Finals. Sprewell at this age is basically the same thing on offense as David Wesley...a jump shooter. The problem with that is that Spree was never a great shooter to begin with and there is no way I take his shooting over that of Wesley's. Spree is no longer a great threat to drive to the basket and watching him play this past season he basically settles for mid-range jumpshots. He is clearly on the decline (as his ppg and shooting percentage indicate) and I don’t think he is nearly as good of a defender as we might think he is. Yeah he is 4-5 inches taller than DW but he doesn’t have the same lateral quickness that he use to back in his Knick days. Spree just doesn’t fit on this team. DW even though he is much shorter gives us something on offense that Sprewell can not...3 point shooting. Also let’s not forget that Wesley for the most part was above average on defense for most of the season. Just because he got abused by Finley/Stackhouse doesn’t mean that we need to get rid of him. I would like the Rockets to get another 2 guard in here during the off-season but Spree is not the answer that we are looking for.
