Good lord, 4 pages of this junk? Rasheed Wallace is a headcase, a bad guy on and off the court, who the Jailblazers are desperate to unload. What's worse, he's a bad power forward. The Blazers play him at the 3, not the 4, in part because he's not willing to bang inside for rebounds. He's a rich man's Mo Taylor, except that Mo Taylor has the good sense to leave the refs alone. Why would you trade a guy like Mobley or Steve for this guy? Cat and Francis work hard on the court and are solid citizens off of it. Even Kelvin Cato knows his role and works hard when he's on the court. Trading for Rasheed would be a terrible move, creating more holes in the lineup without filling the ones we've got.
Sheed would be an excellent addition to this team.. he can play the 3 or the 4 and if motivated can be quite a player. Everything comes down to his attitude but I feel Houston would be a good fit for him. Not just the team but the lifestyle... I see Sheed settling down and wanting to raise his family in Houston this has got to be one of the best places to raise children. I think being in this type of atmosphere will bring out the best in most people. For some reason I cant get the EG / Sheed similarities out of my mind. Does anyone think they are mirror images of each other? Cept Sheed has had more playing time and years in the league.. Height/ Build/ Skills/ enjoying shooting outside. I think EG could become a Sheed sometime in the future but for now we need a scoring PF and Raheed would fit the build. He could also play some SF for us against teams like Dallas but I think we could keep alot of this team together. I would hate to part with Cato right now he has been great so far this year IMO but of course we could use the offensive firepower now. Well lets cross our fingers and see how things work out. J
How does a Trade Rumor thought up by Peter Vescey get 4 pages worth of replies? For those who have taken the rumor seriously you do realize that Vescey is about as believable as the former Iraqi Foreign Minister.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=bucher_ric&id=1671836 The Irrelevance of Rasheed Wallace I'd Rather Be Eddie Than 'Sheed Rasheed Wallace is free. He can get up in the morning and kiss his wife, play with his three sons or drive to a Portland radio station to host his Saturday night hip-hop show. Later, he can cruise to the Rose Garden to get in some NBA-style exercise. He can do all that, thanks to the Blazers' continuing CTC efficiency, knowing $17 million will come to him by season's end, rounding out an $80 million payoff over six years. No one is going to pay him anything like that again, but unless something dramatic happens between now and August, he's sure to find another team with CTC (Rasheed's shorthand for "cut the check") abilities that will let him continue his career next season. Eddie Griffin, conversely, is not free. No one other than his immediate circle knows where he is, but it has been reported that he was admitted into a Houston hospital for unspecified treatment since a preseason incident at his home that has since resulted in felony charges being filed against him. His NBA career is in jeopardy, since the Rockets opted not to extend the three-year, $9,422,965 contract he signed as the No. 7 pick. A near $9.5 million starter's kit no doubt sounds like a life's worth of financial stability to the average Joe, but said Joe isn't expected to keep up NBA appearances or take care of extended family and friends in perpetuity. Said Joe also isn't getting that bankroll as a early 20-something, when EF Hutton is little more than a cute commercial. I don't know about you, but fiscal prudence for me in my 20s was hitting dollar-draft night or returning the keg on time. So why, if forced to choose between 'Sheed's or Eddie's life, would I roll the dice with the 20-year-old's bleak prospects? It has to do with hope. Eddie still has one. For anyone who already filed away Wallace as a lost cause, my apologies. I've always had high regard for 'Sheed's combination of being able to run the floor, hold his spot in the post, shoot with range, defend both bigs and smalls and get teammates open shots. I saw someone who punished Kevin Garnett inside, took Tim Duncan outside, outmuscled Chris Webber and reminded Jermaine O'Neal who raised him. Debate all you want about who the best power forward in the game is. I always knew who it should be. Having seen Wallace with his family and teammates, I figured one day that generous, somewhat shy guy would consume the crazy-eyed dude collecting technicals and losing focus. One day, I thought, he'll realize what he has and that time doesn't stand still and make the most of it. It's hard to envision that day now. A guy saying he just cares about getting paid is a long way from the 'Sheed who wore practice shorts under his jeans just in case he saw a pick-up game. The CTC 'Sheed isn't the same one who told me, "Real ballers don't golf," when I asked if he'd ever swung a club. It's not that he doesn't still have all that talent and versatility. He continues to put together nice-looking boxscore lines without breaking a sweat. It's how irrelevant he has become, on every front. He's 29, in what should be the prime of his career. Instead, his last All-Star appearance is two years behind him and his days as a go-to guy at crunchtime are over. His 7.7 rebounds are misleading because he's also averaging 40-plus minutes and anything less than a rebound every four minutes is sub-par for a power forward. He's also only shooting a free throw every 10 minutes, which diminishes the value of his 17.8 scoring average. The Blazers, of course, know all this. They have a team of bad acts and no leadership, reflected by their winless road record and horrendous defense, which are usually the earmarks of young, inexperienced squads. They have wasted no time in trumpeting that Zach Randolph is their best player, their go-to guy and lone franchise cornerstone. Meanwhile, 'Sheed has been in several trade scenarios -- all of them legit -- and the Blazers are open to letting him walk this summer if they can't deal him. Wallace doesn't even register with the referees anymore. In a game last week against the Rockets, he chewed on the officials, particularly Bill Kennedy, the entire night. They listened, partly amused and partly puzzled, and didn't even bother to T him. When Wallace went off inexplicably in a previous game, cameras caught a player on the opposing bench glancing at a teammate and either holding an imaginary joint to his lips or playing the world's smallest kazoo. Even his beloved attachment to all things Philly has lost some of its luster. Qyntel Woods taunted Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley during the final minutes of the Rockets' loss, prompting Mobley to go looking for Woods after the final horn. Wallace bearhugged Mobley from behind and kept whispering in his ear, "It's me, Cat! It's me!" as Mobley struggled to break free. With Wallace and Mobley both being from Philadelphia, Wallace played the homeboy card. Mobley could have cared less, insisting Wallace get off him and refusing to acknowledge 'Sheed even as he walked off the court. Later, in the Blazers' locker room, Ruben Patterson cackled when Rasheed swept by a camera crew. "You should know better than to try to interview him," Patterson said. Wallace paused at the locker room door and, before walking out, shouted angrily, "No one (expletive) asked you, Ruben!" Patterson smiled and continued getting dressed. And that's just it -- no one really cares anymore what Rasheed does. He can squander his talent however he chooses. He can shoot 3s whenever the mood strikes him. He can loaf on D or pick up costly fouls. He's already had his share of off-the-court scrapes, but nothing his bankroll couldn't resolve. Griffin, though, has no such luxury -- or bankroll. If he wants to regain his freedom, much less resume his career, he's apparently going to have to make some changes. The good part is he has both legal and economic daggers at his back as motivation and he's only 20. He may never match 'Sheed's All-Star appearances or max contract, but he has something that Wallace doesn't -- a chance still to overcome his difficulties, rather than be marginalized by them. Some guys just have all the luck.
Great read. If the Rockets go after Wallace, you can just chalk it up as another bad move by CD and management.
Starting for the Houston Jailblazers, errr Rockets... However, if they leave their off court issues at home, this trade could work.
Probably 'cause we're bored and frustrated and because the Rockets have expressed interest in Sheed before.
I know fans love their players because they keep believing a particular player is good. For example, being a Kings fan, when J WILL got traded, fans were sooo upset because they know he's a good player, when they trade Corliss Williamson, they got upset too cuz he means so much to the fans through the year, when they traded Tony Delk who happened to play so well here, they were upset too, and when they trade Hedo, they were upset again. So, i can understand how fans feel when a player is traded but there is a point where if you want to seriously upgrade the rosters, you got to take the risk. No risk no gain! If Portland don't trade Wallace now, they're in risk of losing him anyway right??? At the end of the year?? He will be an unrestricted FA right??? But of course with Wallace's gone, it'll free up more $$ for them right??? Why didn't Rox and Portland make a deal to extend his contract and trade him to Houston for Mobley and Taylor or Cato!!!! Remember, Francis, Yao and Wallace is 10X better than Francis Mobley and Yao. So, I would do this trade cuz it will put the Rox as an elite team instead of a team that are trying to make the Playoffs. Do the trade OR fire Caroll Dawson!!! He needs to be active!! He's been too quiet.
If we can get Wallace without giving up Francis, Yao or Cat I am all for it. No questions asked even if we end up just renting him for 1/2 season. The West is loaded with great PFs. We simply can't match up with most of these teams. I don't care how we get it done (3 way with Clevelan, NY, Indiana or if we just send the Blazers some gift cards for free legal services lol). If there is a way to make this deal happen do it.
There's a WORLD of difference between Rasheed Wallace and Eddie Griffin. That's like comparing a pick pocket to a serial killer.
so in your scenario, who would be the serial killer? The man who shoots at a women, or the man who throw's basketballs at another man. Would it be the man who punches women and can't show up to his job, or the man who is an assh*le and doesn't give his all on the job. Everyone knows it would be a major risk to take on the likes of Rasheed. Whats more is that it is a very remote possibility if it even is one. But the fact remains that we have the weakest forward tandem in the west, and that the forwards are what rule the west. (outside of shaq). I myself would be willing to take that risk. Even if he does fly by night from here, we would at least free up salary, and imho be no worse off end the run for a championship. insert needlessly repeated user name here
I agree, thats true that sometimes they play bad but they are good players and i like them, and i like yao ming also, and i dont like r. wallace
Or just hop in the DeLorean and keep him instead of trading him away right after drafting him. I doubt the Rockets would trade for him now, seeing as how it would make them look like even stupider draft-workers.
i think rasheed wil go to the sixers. the only power forward who comes to mind that the rockets could attain is kurt thomas but i dont think he would be a good fit.
Sorry, but that was a broadbrush ruminating post. Details not important to me because I think the prospects of a deal working between Portland and Rox for 'sheed is so slim as to be NOT WORTH THESE FOUR PAGES ETC, however -- the broadbrush was an outline of the only way etc etc, which is still no way etc etc.
Instead of going after a player like Wallace, why not go after someone who is just as unselfish, scores more,rebounds better and is a couple yrs younger? For guys like Gater, he knows where I'm going with this. Whats wrong with the 26yr old SAR. To get him and play him at the 3, the Rockets could still keep Cato and move Jackson to the 2. To get Sar, the Rocket would probably have to part with Mobley and Taylor, but in return, the Rockets get a consistent player in SAR who can rebound and score from both the 3 or 4 spot. Jackson ould be moved up in the rotation to the 2 as well as pike and Nachbar. Ford, Padgett and the reigned Braggs can fill out the big man rotation. SAR is muh safer and would yeild the sme results.
SAR is 6-9 but only 230 pounds. He is also the 7th highest paid player in the NBA -- i.e., only six players make more than him. Can he stand the pounding in the West? I am not that familiar with his "game" so don't think I am disparaging him. However, these two facts bother me about his acquisition.
