Rockets have made a trade, pending league approval (UPDATE: Padgett for Tsakalidis)

JVG was just protecting the middle incase Deke or Yao goes down while we are in the playoff! but deep inside JVG, he wants to fill in the PG back up badly!!

 

I like it, we didn't give up much and got some insurance for the middle.

 

I think the trade is OK. It gives a little more depth to a Rockets inside that is not very strong with just Dikembe there and it gives the team insurance in case he or, please forbid, Yao goes down again especially around playoff time.

 

Exactly. The hysteria of such a minor deal is hilarious. JT is nothing more than insurance for Deke so that he doesn't have to play 38 minutes. His contract expires after this season so there is no downside to this. Padgett was doing nothing for this team. It's one of those that could be helpful but isn't going to hurt the team in any way.

 

I like it too, another BIG, even if it that BIG is Jake, I'm ok with it.


This trade has been stamped ACCEPTABLE

 

Clyde Drexier: this could be one of the top five trades in the NBA. Good for Rox.

 

It's a good trade. Tsakalidis will take some muinutes off Deke's shoulders and knees until Yao comes back. Novak will feel more comfortable since he'll get Padgett's little PT and Spanoulis will have some compatriot with nba experience and good work ethic help him make the cultural and bball adjustment.

 

Just FYI that Obese dude is the Owner of Niko's Niko's.. Probably the most famous Greek fast food restaurant in Houston..

 

I love this trade! We already have Wells, Snyder or Novak to play SF ... and with JT we get a backup center! If Deke retire after this season, JT could be our backup center for some years!

 

Yeah this is a good trade. We now have an extra big men and Padgett, well we don't need him to be honest. Anyway hopefully he'll get some playing time in Memphis.

 

Let's see how skinny you'd be if you were hanging out surrounded by baklava all day.

 

1st quotes from our new big man.
Memphis link

Grizzlies trade Tsakalidis to the Rockets

By Ronald Tillery
February 14, 2007
It wasn't a trade with the name that's been involved in rumors for about a month.
The Grizzlies still employ 7-footer Pau Gasol but they made a smaller deal Tuesday, sending center Jake Tsakalidis to the Houston Rockets for forward Scott Padgett.

Team president Jerry West pulled the trigger on the cost-saving transaction just before the Grizzlies hosted the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets. Tsakalidis and Padgett both become free agents this summer.
Padgett earns slightly more than $998,000 while Tsakalidis' salary is $2.9 million. The salaries didn't have to match because Houston had a trade exception worth around $3 million.

Essentially, the Rockets received Tsakalidis in the trade-exception slot on their payroll. The Grizzlies asked for Padgett to be included and also received a $3 million trade exception that will expire in a year.

The trade exception gives the Griz more flexibility should they get involved in a trade for Gasol because it can alleviate the need to match dollar for dollar with salaries. The Griz could also use the exception to acquire a player in a trade without involving anyone on their current roster.

That's basically what Houston did to shore up its frontline with its exception set to expire Tuesday.

For Tsakalidis, the trade sends him to a team where he'll likely play given the injuries centers Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo.

"I feel good," said Tsakalidis, who sat on the bench in a suit. "(Houston) is a good team. It's a good change for me. I was kind of frustrated with not playing and we lose so many games. I wasn't part of the team."

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies and Bulls have talked at least twice recently about a possible Gasol trade. But the teams appear no closer to consummating a deal.

Team insiders said Gasol likely would remain with the Griz barring an outstanding offer near the league's Feb. 22 trade deadline. There is a good chance, though, that the Griz could be involved in another trade that would net a backcourt player.

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Grizzlies.com

Grizzlies Acquire Scott Padgett from Houston for Jake Tsakalidis
Memphis, Tennessee, February 13, 2007 – Memphis Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West announced today the Grizzlies have acquired forward Scott Padgett from the Houston Rockets in exchange for center Jake Tsakalidis.

Tsakalidis, 7-2, 290 pounds, averaged 2.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 11.2 minutes in 23 games with the Grizzlies this season and 3.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 12.4 minutes over 145 total games (55 starts) with Memphis. He had his best season in a Grizzlies uniform in 2005-06, averaging 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 51 games. In 302 career games with Phoenix and Memphis, he has averaged 4.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 16.1 minutes. Tsakalidis was acquired by the Grizzlies from Phoenix on September 30, 2003 and re-signed Sept. 10, 2004 after the Grizzlies matched an offer sheet he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“This is a good opportunity for Jake to have more playing time,” said West. “He is a great person and a true professional, and we wish him well in the future.”

Padgett, 6-9, 240 pounds, averaged 1.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 8.3 minutes in 24 games with the Rockets this season. Last season, he played for the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 3.4 points, 2.7 rebounds in 62 games, before signing as a free agent with Houston on Oct 2. 2006. The eight-year veteran holds career averages of 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 12.7 minutes in 441 career games (18 starts) with Utah, Houston and New Jersey. He holds playoff career averages of 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 30 games.

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rockets.com

Rockets find another option in the middle
Rockets acquire Tsakalidis from Memphis by shipping Padgett to Grizzlies

Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer
HOUSTON -- Nearly eight weeks after losing star center Yao Ming to a fractured right tibia, the Rockets found some extra help in the middle.

Jake Tsakalidis.

The Rockets acquired the 7-foot-2 center from Memphis Tuesday in exchange for reserve forward Scott Padgett.

Tsakalidis, a 290-pound center, has played in 23 games this season for the struggling Grizzlies, averaging 2.3 points and 2.8 rebounds. He was averaging 11.2 minutes per game.

Tsakalidis is expected to provide the Rockets with some much-needed front court depth and will serve as Dikembe Mutombo's backup until Yao returns to the lineup. Yao is hoping to return in early March.

Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said he'll need time to figure out Tsakalidis' role.

"We'll find out," Van Gundy said. "It's hard to say because he hasn't played much this year, but he does have size. We obviously need to try to balance our roster a little bit."

Tsakalidis, a former first round pick of the Phoenix Suns in the 2000 NBA Draft, has averaged 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds over his seven-year career. He spent the past 3 1/2 seasons in Memphis, playing three years with current Rockets star Shane Battier before the forward was shipped to Houston this summer.

"He's big and strong," Van Gundy said. "Hopefully, he learns quickly and we'll see what he can do."

Padgett, who joined the Rockets shortly before training camp, was in the midst of his second stint with the team. He played in 24 games, averaging 1.8 points in 8.3 minutes.
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chron.com

Rockets acquire Tsakalidis
Grizzlies get little-used Padgett for 7-2 center

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Seeking another big man with Yao Ming out, the Rockets acquired Grizzlies center Jake Tsakalidis on Tuesday, hours before their trade exception was to expire, sending little-used forward Scott Padgett to Memphis to create a roster spot.

Tsakalidis, a 7-2, 260-pound center, has played in 23 games this season, averaging 2.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game.

A first-round pick by Phoenix in the 2000 draft, Tsakalidis averaged five points and 4.2 rebounds last season, the best of his four with the Grizzlies.

"We'll find out," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said of how Tsakalidis might fit in. "It's hard to say. He has not played much this year, but he does have size. We obviously need to balance our roster a little bit. We'll see what kind of shape he's in."

Asked what he knows about Tsakalidis, Van Gundy said: "He's big and strong, and he's supposed to be a good guy. ... Hopefully, he learns quickly, and we'll see what he can do. To get bigger is not a bad thing. It's a good thing, actually."

Padgett, signed as a free agent last summer, has played in 24 games, averaging 1.8 points in 8.3 minutes per game. Only rookie Steve Novak has played less for the Rockets.

Because the salaries do not match, the Rockets used $2.9 million of the trade exception acquired last season to get Tsakalidis, who is signed through the remainder of the season. Padgett was technically traded separately in a minimum-contract deal.

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Recap of possibly Jake's best game in the pros

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2006031429
Memphis 93, Boston 76

March 15, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Boston Celtics concentrated their defense on Memphis leading scorer Pau Gasol, and the Grizzlies' other 7-footer made them pay.

Jake Tsakalidis scored a season-high 19 points and matched his career high with 16 rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Grizzlies over the Celtics 93-76.


"We left Tsakalidis alone. That was a little bit by design, but it came back to bite us in the butt," Celtics center Raef LaFrentz said. "He really hurt us. He had a great game. We let him get off to a good start, and he kept it rolling."

Memphis led by as many as 22 in the second half, and even a 13-2 Boston run in the fourth quarter could not bring the deficit under double digits.

The 7-foot-2 Tsakalidis, who entered the game averaging 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in the last five games, shot 6-of-10 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free throw line. It was his third double-double in the last four games.

"Pau has double-teaming and triple-teaming every time," Tsakalidis said. "I just have to find a spot where he can find me, and I just have to finish.

"I can score, but when I go in the game, I have to play defense and help guys and grab rebounds. And if I score, I score."

Chucky Atkins added 18 points for Memphis, while Mike Miller finished with 14. Gasol and Eddie Jones added 13 points apiece.

Wally Szczerbiak led Boston with 18 points while Paul Pierce was limited to a season-low 15, more than 12 points under his 27.4 season average.

Pierce, the league's sixth-leading scorer, had topped 30 points in 14 of the previous 16 games, but scored only 12 through the first three periods. Shane Battier, relieved at times by Jones, helped hold Pierce to 12 shots before the fourth.

"A lot of the times, the ball came into my hands and everybody was watching," Pierce said. "Memphis did a great job. When I would put the ball on the ground and come off the pick-and-roll, they would corral, trap with two or three guys and made me make the extra pass."

There was a discrepancy at the foul line as Memphis made 27 of 34 free throws, while the Celtics went to the line only 13 times, hitting 10. Boston coach Doc Rivers wasn't complaining about the officiating. It was more about his offense.

"We were a jump-shooting team," Rivers said. "Our game plan was to attack the basket. (The Grizzlies) really don't have a lot of shot blockers in there. We settled the whole night.

"Memphis, who is an outside shooting team, drove the ball. We, who are more of a mid-post team, took jump shots. There was the difference."

Memphis took an early lead behind 12 first-quarter points from Tsakalidis, who missed only one of his five shots in the period. That was not the big man the Celtics were concentrating on. Gasol, Memphis' leading scorer, managed only six points on four shots in the half, but others, primarily Tsakalidis, made up the difference.

"You have to kind of pick your poison when you are playing against a player like Gasol," said LaFrentz, who finished with 10 points. "He's had a great year. The attitude was trying to make his looks difficult. We were giving him a lot of attention and that freed up people."

The Grizzlies extended their advantage to 50-34 at the half as Atkins' 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining gave Memphis its biggest lead up to that point. Atkins had 11 at the break.

The Memphis frontline, including reserves Hakim Warrick and Lorenzen Wright, hit 10 of 14 shots in the half as Memphis shot 53 percent and was 4-of-6 outside the arc.

"Maybe opponents will learn to stay home with Jake instead of coming at Pau with a second guy," Memphis coach Mike Fratello said.

Szczerbiak had 12 points at the half for Boston, and Pierce was limited to six shots and eight points.

"I thought we were outplayed, outcoached and out-everything," Rivers said.

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Sorry, one more tidbit. Spanoulis's respnose to Jake joing the team:

chron link

All Greek in Houston
With Tuesday's trade for Jake Tsakalidis, the Rockets have both Greek players in the NBA, Tsakalidis and guard Vassilis Spanoulis.

"It will give someone for Billy to (complain) to, so that will be good," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We'll just sit him right over there and Billy can (complain) to him about how he's getting (shafted). That will be good."

Told that will make him even more popular in Athens, Van Gundy said., "I like Billy a lot more than they like me."

Spanoulis said he was looking forward to having another Greek player on the team and introducing Tsakalidis to the Houston Greek community.

"I know him," Spanoulis said. "I never played with him. He can be very good guy for our team and good for me to have some company here, more. I can show him."

Asked who was the Rockets' best Greek player, Spanoulis said, "I don't know. Different positions."

 

That's because Tsaklidis was the Yao Ming of Greece! We have cornered the market on T-mac's and Yao Mings.

 

Now what will the Rockets do on the trading deadline to get a backup pg? Can the new TE be used or will they trade Sura?

 

Welcome to Houston Jake.

Things are getting better - bottomline wise.

 

That's like saying Michael Corleone is not Italian, think about it man.

 

Good move for CD

 

If Jake gets anything other than Novak-time minutes I'd be surprised. Still good insurance...but he probably won't be around next year.