Kidrock, I dunno where you get the assessment that Cassell isn't a top 5 point? The last time Jersey made it into the playoffs, Cassell was there. Once he got to Milw, the made it to the playoffs, this guy is a winner, he makes clutch shots after clutch shots. Always has and seem like always will. Other than the age difference, i put him pretty much neck and neck with Steve, period. Yes we know steve is a better rebounder, but last minutes of the game, is there any point you would want with the ball more than Sam? Has anyone noticed since playing for Karl his fg% has been over 45% every yr. Saying he gets his assisst because he plays with jumpshooters is not his fault or the true indication of his skills. What about Andre Miller? Look at his cast , and this guys is leading the league in assist. jason Williams in Memphis is avg 8 a game and look at his cast. The bottom line is the pg has to deliver the ball to the right people at the right time. Simple as that, but saying Cassell isn't a elite point is crazy bodering on stupid.
leebigez-I don't know how great a passer Sam really is, if all he has to do is make a simple pass to Big Dog or Ray, and they just fire up a shot and make it. Regardless, Cassell doesn't put in any effort at all defensively, and I refuse to think that he's one of the top 5 PG's in the league. #1-Kidd #2-Payton #3-Francis #4-Davis #5-Miller #6-Brandon #7-Cassell
Kidrock, what about when he was with New Jersey and avg 19 pt 8 asst, who did he have then. If we are suppose to be so "talented" shouldn't francis throw about 8 dimes too. Who does Baron Davis and Andre Miller have and they're throwing 8+. Cassel tries to play d as much as Francis and Mobley does, so i don't see why you say that. You have Miller 5th. He's no worse than tied with Steve and Baron. Sometimes people need to open their eyes and see other players. Steve is a top pg, but he, Davis and Miller are pretty much the same.
Leebig-For one thing, the Rockets offense DOES NOT promote any kind of player getting assists. Fact remains that if no one is moving to get open, you will not get many assists. That basically explains why some of the PGs you listed average 8-10 assists a game. One thing for sure is that Jason Kidd can get 10 assists a game no matter who he plays for because he's the best in the NBA at pushing the ball up and creating fast breaks.
If you think Cassell "tries" on defense, you must not have been watching him when he'd just stand flat footed away from the ball allowing his man to do whatever he wants away from the ball. Most of defense is positioning away from the ball. But don't tell that to Sam.
woodlands boy, are you serious you want that lineup over............... c-cato/willis pf-taylor/kt sf-griffin/rice/walt sg-mobley/torres/walt pg-francis/moochie or better yet c-griff/cato/willis-maybe pf-taylor/kt sf-torres/rice/morris sg-mobley/walt/langhi pg-francis/moochie/brown if this team wasnt entirely injured we would be practically a lock for a playoff spot, but next yr with a healthy team and griffin's maturity-yes i realize he isn't center size yet but we will be huge contenders
kid, How DARE you put Cassell below Andre Miller and Baron Davis?? Did you even WATCH the Bucks vs Hornets series last year? Yeah Baron Davis is more athletic, blah blah blah.. But faced with a Cassell with INJURED RIBS last year, Cassell put his ass on vacation!! What all of you are failing to include is BIG GAME performance. Cassell is #1 by far. This is almost as bad as the dominque wilkins vs Jordan. Yeah, who's games do you remember? What games do you remember out of Andre Miller and Baron Davis, and even Kidd? I just remeber Sam Cassell taking everyone to school in the playoffs. Against Indiana a couple years ago (bs foul call) against Orlando, against the Sixers (Posting up Iverson ALL DAY) and especially against the Hornets. If you guys care about Fantasy points, then maybe Kidd and Payton are a little better. But in truth, Cassell, when it counts has proven himself to be the ELITE BIG TIME POINT GUARD.
Cassell did little against a hobbled Darrell Armstrong, who had just come back from a stint on the IL. Ray Allen was Milwaukee in that series scoring-wise. It wasn't the guard play that beat the Magic (other than Allen), it was the frontcourt play. Cassell is more talk that substance. He's proved that ever since he left the Rockets. He'll be content to ride anyone's jockstrap but once it gets to the nitty-gritty, he's gone. Just look at the talent he's had around him and the lack of success he's had ever since he left the Rockets.
They went to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. I guess that's lack of success considering our beloved Rockets haven't made the playoffs in a couple of years. Oh, having talent on your team is part of having a good team. Cassell was surrounded by great talents such as Hakeem, Vernon, Otis, Horry (yeah!!), Clyde and even Kenny Smith. So argue all you want. I'd rather have Glen Robinson over Glen Rice any day. I'd rather have any guy on the street instead of Kelvin Cato. Tim Thomas is also a good player to have. Its not our fault that the Bucks made some better moves than the Rockets lately. But go ahead and diss Cassell. Say all you want, without Cassell, there would not be 2 rings that says HOUSTON ROCKETS on it. Hakeem has always been great with the Rockets, but he was surrounded with crap before we assembled Otis, Kenny, Vernon, etc.. And Cassell helped big time, since the Knicks were killing Kenny Smith. Also, many argue, the MOST IMPORTANT SHOT in ROCKETS HISTORY. 3 pointer against the Knicks by Sam. Hate all you want. We're not going to the Playoffs, and Sam is. Go Sam!
All I know is Nj hasn't even smelled the playoffs since he left. The Bucks hadn't smelled the playoffs until he got there. Whats the true sign of Cassell? Every where he goes, it seems his team makes it in the playoffs. Thats how I look at it. Anyone remeber how the Bucks struggles greatly when he's hurt? Check that out.
Cassell has a better chance of making the Finals than Hakeem does. Bucks vs Raptors would be a good series tho. hey kid, you see that the Bucks WHIPPED the Spurs WITHOUT Ray Allen?? Oh, Sam had 33 pts.
These Barkley lovers will demean anybody to justify our acquisition of Barkley. I don't know if Sam is elite but he sure does get major minutes on anybody's squad.
At the time, I absolutely HATED the Barkley trade. But when Barkley basically became our team, I turned into a Barkley fan, and have thought highly of that trade ever since. Barkley played with 3 teams, so any argument about "a guy who's played for X amount of teams" is just crazy talk. That said, Cassell is one of the best, but that's not necessarily why his teams end up being so good. True when he went to NJ they became a playoff team, and true when he went to the Bucks they became a playoff team, but I suspect that has as much to do with Cassell's play as it does his contract. Most people know that Cassell could quite possibly be the most underpaid player in the league. Not only does he bring a top 5 (Brandon, my @ss) PG caliber game, but he's a steal of a deal! So then the team can afford to surround him with decent players, and viola, you have a recipe for success. Now you wonder why Cassell's been traded a few times in the league? Well it's his contract. Who wouldn't want a guy like Cassell for what he costs?!? Poor guy's getting a little older every year, though, and he may never get that contract he's been making noise about lately ... but if anyone in the league deserves more $$$, it's Sam.
Uh, don't you think injuries may have played a small role in that? Don't look now, but Jason Kidd has the Nets doing better than what Cassell had them doing (.500).
I'd have to put Payton ahead of Cassell in the BIG GAME performance category. Seattle has not had much talent recently so he doesn't get to as much recognition. Miller and Davis are not there yet. Top 4 (not in order): Kidd, Payton, Francis, Cassell. The others fall in line somewhere below these four.
