It is a good year for finding a PF in free agency, and I will be delighted if we can land Walker, Swift or SAR (in that order). However, unless C.D. has some magic dust to sprinkle on a T-Mc like deal -- and I pray he does -- we shouldn't get our hopes up. Acquiring Kwame Brown in a trade is not as appetizing but is more realistic. Because the Rockets love misdirection and secrecy in their trade/acquisition moves, I bet $25 to the tip jar that the player we end up with is Kwame Brown. Brown is young and very athletic but has experience; has talent that JVG can pry loose; is a threat to our chemistry, but is a risk that could be a real home run in the future.
I'm on. If it's Kwame then I'll put the $25 in. While I consider it a safe bet I haven't tipped the jar in a few weeks and need to do so, so I shall -- and then add the other $25 if you're correct.
At this point, I think I would prefer Antoine Walker over even Stromile Swift. I did not realize he was only 28. He's been around so long I thought he was in his 30's. I would not mind adding any of the 3 (Walker, Swift, SAR) but I have always felt that to acheive greatness, teams have to dare to be great. Adding Walker has the greatest risk and by far the greatest potential. It's these types of risks that can put a team over the top. Drafting the unknown Yao and trading 3/5 of our starting lineup for McGrady to even get to this point. Trading for Rodman, trading for Wallace, playing Amare at center - the league is just too talented to play it safe if you want the big prize. NIKE has already outlined the main reason I see Walker as more desireable than SAR. He's a playmaker - he impacts others. If he came here with the clear understanding that he was to play the 3rd fiddle, I don't see why he would step out of his role. Contrary to popular belief, Francis and Mobley did NOT take bad shots in their last year here under Van Gundy. Mobley played a disciplined game while Francis after no longer being allowed to run free became pretty much worthless, so I don't see why JVG wouldn't be able to control Walker. Honestly, with McGrady's abilities, Yao on the inside, and Walker on the perimeter making plays (while we lose nothing on the boards) who could stop our offense?
The difference there is that Francis is a point guard making stupid plays. Once you put the handcuffs on him and take away his free reign to jack-up anything he wants, he becomes completely useless. He becomes any other point guard who you can acquire for the vet minimum. Tone down Walker's erratic tendencies and he's still something unique - a power forward out on the perimeter handling the ball, still averaging 9 boards per game.
The point is he tried to turn Francis into a player that he was not. He wannted his point guard to play like a traditional point guard. He wants his center (Yao) to play like a traditional center that bangs down low. I suspect he's going to want a power forward that plays like traditional power forward. He's not going to utilize Walker's point guard-like skills. He's going to try and turn Walker into a traditional power forward. How do we know this will not have the same effect on Walker as it did on Francis.
If I understand the current CBA correctly, they'd have to pick up his option in order to trade him. Otherwise, Larry Coon's rule #79 kicks in & they can't trade him. http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#79 If the player is playing under a one-year contract and will have Larry Bird or Early Bird rights at the end of the contract, he can't be traded at all.
I was referring to special circumstances in regards to playing SAR at SF. You make some very good points & combined with Jeff's comments, I'm starting to get a little giddy about signing AW. Especially, if he signs for just the MLE. Can you see any scenarios where we could do a S&T with Boston, such as expiring contracts & a #1 pick, possibly? That'd allow us to use the MLE on Simmons, or possibly Damon Jones. Or, am I just getting greedy?
JVG also "neutered" T-Mac's playmaking ability until he junked the slowdown offense. I think JVG grew a lot as a coach last year when he gave in and turned the players loose on offense. It has been said (by T-Mac or JVG) that T-Mac has a blank check to do whatever he wants on offense because he's earned that from JVG. Could you have ever imagined that happening? The new and improved JVG may be able to harness AW's multiple skills to improve our offense. Think about just this one: What if AW turns into an effective interior passer to Yao? Jackpot! Hello 23-25 PPG and 65% FG pct for Yao. This thought alone has opened my mind to him coming here. Add one more spot up shooter (either PG or SG) to that equation and we are championship contenders. As many of us have stated, AW wouldn't come here unless he was willing to play a distant 3rd fiddle to our two stars.
I don't think so. Francis just isn't a very good basketball player, period. JVG allows freedom if they deserve it. He didn't stop McGrady from his signature 'run down the court and jack up a 3 on fastbreak' play.
As I have said the past couple days, I have converted to Walker as my Prime offseason catch (realistically) a close second is Bobby Simmons, but I even think that only grabbing Walker, Head and resigning Mutumbo and Barry makes us a bit better than last year. I would grab Walker and Antonio Daniels or Simmons ideally.
Exactly. McGrady is far and away our best player, but Yao is far and away THE most imperative factor to our future success. We've seen that he's virtually unguardable once he can get the ball within 5 feet of the basket. Our problem has been getting him the ball. If you have two 6'8 playmaking point guards masquerading as forwards (McGrady and Walker) getting it in to him, the possibilities are endless.
Completely agree. While other players may be a more "safer" option, you have to take into consideration of the overall upside of aquiring a certain player. And there is no question that Walker provides the best upside as far as making a contribution to his team. As long as he isn't signed to a ridiculous contract, then you can move him if things don't work out. With the current makeup of the team, I think he can be a good fit. Now, if the rockets went out and signed Cuttino Mobley or Bobby Simmons, then it changes the picture. However, as it stands now, the rockets desperately need another player on this team who can create offense at a high level.
But T-Mac went to JVG and said, Look, let me do what I do and we'll win. I'd like to think JVG would utilize Walker's strengths: a PF who handles, passes, can stretch the floor with the 3, rebounds.... Let me play devil's advocate (I'm gonna get torched for this): to get Walker would likely require a sign and trade. We're also looking to fill the 2 spot (young, fast, outside shooting, etc). Antoine Walker and Ricky Davis. Ainge gets expiring contracts and/or Bobby Sura.
It sure seems like Van Gundy and Dawson think that the PF position is changing in the NBA by targeting Walker. I am starting to warm up to the idea of an offensive force at that position when I think about how effective the Rockets were when Howard was knocking down shots. The Rockets play help defense enough to get by with Bowen and Witherspoon at the 4, so I don't think Walker's defensive liabilities would cancel out his positives on offense. I didn't realise he was such a good rebounder, or so young. Hopefully, we can nab him.
Mcgrady plays the 2/3 position, which is generally much less restrictive offensively than the 1/4/5 positions. Plus, Mcgrady is on a completely different level than Walker and Francis. Van Gundy may be willing to change his system for a superstar player like Mcgrady but he’s much less likely to do so for players like Walker or Francis.
How do you know what JVG would do w/ Walker? JVG tried to coral Francis because Steve was an erratic player w/ high a TO rate...because he is not a smart player. I don't blame JVG for trying to install some restraint in Steve Francis! If Walker has the basketball IQ to adapt his game, then JVG can utilize him. With his assists at PF, he sounds pretty good. But if Walker is only capable of jacking up shots, then it won't work out. Worst case scenario, Walker is very tradable. If we pick up Marshall or Stro, they will be harder to trade...if they don't work out. Marshall will be older next summer and Stro's "potential" may never be realized...and everybody will know it. Look, we know Walker's upside. It's proven. He's good and in the prime of his career. I don't know how you DON'T sign him if he accepts the MLE. You'd be dumb, frankly, not to sign him at that price.
Look a frontcourt of Yao, Walker, McGrady is the best in the league. Mix in some guards that can board a little, Sura, Daniels? maybe and you will be fine. Walker is not a bad rebounder and I'm sure he will be rebound conscious this year.
Can’t find the actual link from Fox News but this was posted in the following thread. Right now Cleveland is aiming for bigger fish than SAR, Redd 1st, then maybe Allen or Johnson. I don’t think can sign a max (Redd/Allen/Johnson), resign Z, and pick up another expensive player. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=98427 I don’t know, post Bulls the NBA championship hasn’t been won by a dominant team except in 99 and 02. You don’t need a super great teams, just a very good one (e.g., Detroit, last 2 Spurs winners, last Lakers winner). 2 stars like Tmac and Yao plus excellent role players could well be enough. The question is would SAR or AW or Swift make a better role player around Tmac and Yao? Cases can be made for all. In truth, you give me any of the three PFs in a S&T plus an MLE swingman like Simmons or Cat (or Kittles or Spree for less than a full MLE as other options), I’ll be ready to take on anybody. BTW I think AW is a much smarter basketball player than Francis. Not any more disciplined most of the time, but still smarter. I think there is a greater chance AW adjusts his game to a role than SF. Walker did some of that in Dallas (fewer shots, more rebounds), but it was a mixed bag (still bad shooting efficiency). My concern with AW is his shooting %, which was also where we need the most improvement as a team. Yao is great in efficiency, JH is good, no other mainstay (unless you consider the specialist Barry)--including Tmac--is above average. That is why I think SAR plus a swingman who can knock down the open J with efficiency (and play good perimeter D) would set us up so well.
Just bear with me, but this is what's been puzzling me throughout the past day or so...do you really think Walker would even sign for the MLE, when he's still only 28, and a veritable NBA vet like Swift can sign for 9 million on potential? I am not sure of the exact figure on Walker's ending contract, but I'm positive he got paid at least 12 million this past year. I find it more realistic that Walker signs for 6.5-8 million per year, as he is still very productive and young. The discourse on his value to our team has been getting more interesting, and yes, I do NOT want to be stuck with Swift's potential if it came down to it. Walker isn't too different from Juwan, just better at every single aspect of his game, and yeah, I'd like that quite a bit to be honest. But I would still hold out on Walker signing for MLE, if MLE means only 5 a year
