I'm glad someone put this up. Now if you'd just put up his offensive stats out to 40 minutes even from last year.
For how much the dude costs, I sure as heck would bring him in and let him compete for minutes. At least ya got another piece with a lot of upside. If he doesn't pan out, you've really lost nothing. On the other hand, the potential payoff is enormous. It's basically another chip you can bring to the table in case of injury, suspension or he actually wins a starting role or substatial minutes from his play. Just like the Suns/Mavs/Spurs, we'd have a very deep roster that you could mix and match. Haven't you guys just gotten sick watching the Suns play either Boris Diaw Raja Bell Nash or Barbosa at Guard position without missing a step??? Now they can play Grant Hill as well? For crying out loud. You'd be an idiot not to bring in a Veteran Guard like Francis with nearly no downside and all upside in order to compete with the Suns.
What make you think James is better than Francis since you keep saying so?? From any statistic or anything, Francis is a better player than Mike James!
As much as I disagree with rofflesarus about Francis, I wouldn't say that Francis is better than James in every statistic. Francis averages 1.3 more turnovers per 40 minutes than James. However, Francis also averages about 2 more rebounds (0.5 offesnive rebounds) per 40 minutes and averages 3.5 more free throw attempts in 40 minutes.
Jerry Stackhouse is smarter than you. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...mavs/stories/071307dnspomavsdate.34eff75.html Stamp of approval: Stackhouse is confident in president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, owner Mark Cuban and coach Avery Johnson in assessing the free-agent market. But Stackhouse believes a couple of the names he's hearing – Chris Webber and Steve Francis – are worth exploring. "Whenever you have a chance to add that kind of talent, you do it," he said of Francis. "So there's a number of guys who have popped up that could help us. Chris Webber, I hear we're on his short list. To add players of that level, it could take us to another level and maybe that level is a championship."
everyone here said yao would dominate the playoffs, but i disagreed and said he'd disappear. i was right. everyone said aaron brooks was the worst draft pick, but i disagreed because i knew he was good. i was right. and now i know for a fact that adelman doesnt want Francis. his bball IQ is too low and he wont fit our system or any other system in the league. francis can't win. also i think bonzi will flourish and have a breakout year under adelman again. will i be right? most likely.
Good points- I believe Steve would thrive here with so much talent like we have now. Recall how Steve and Cuttino could break down a defense? He could be explosive off the bench. He was always under rated as a scorer-I recall in 2000-2001? he was our best 3 pt shooter IMHO. He would have to be guarded and keep the other team honest leaving opportunities for others. I have never seen Steve play with a team this talented- It would be really nice to see him get that opportunity. Believe me other teams are looking him over.
What are you basing Brooks being good on??Summer League. Lucas and Novak tore up Summer last year. Would you say they were a big help to us.Brooks has potential.that is all. Francis cant win is just dumb.He has never been on a good or even decent team. If he joins the Rox then you can say he cant win if he does nothing.
You guys are acting like the Francis of 2007-2008 is the Francis of old. First, those stats are based from 02-05. Second, you always have to consider them in context, e.g., Jason Collins is listed as #4 center, Dirk a top 10 PF, Carter a top 10 SF, Beno Udriah a top 5 PG (ahead of Francis). I'll believe these guys are top 10 in their positions during that period in real defensive skill/effort as soon as I believe Steve Francis was. I would fine taking Francis for the LLE, but it is questionable whether he could get PT over Alston, James or Head. The bottom line is NY and Portland would rather have payed 90% of his salary and be rid of him than take up a roster spot. That would have been ridiculous to do to the Francis of 3 years ago, and it would be ridiculous to do the James, Alston or Head of today, but it shows what teams think of Francis now. When players like Francis or Derek Anderson start losing their health and athleticism they just have little left to rely on. Sure we could take a cheap chance on Francis, LLE type money, but it is just as likely he will never break a good teams rotation as he is to earn a spot on one. Heck NY and Portland, not very good teams in big need for playmaking and veteran leadership, didn't even think he would help.
Francis is 30 years old. Hardly old by NBA standards. Francis "says" he has knee tendinities and last year claimed he might have to retire. I think that was a statement more about the Knicks. I even remember after he scored that game winning shot when he said, "I've been made the donkey around here. It's been that way ever since I've gotten here". Ya know what...I believe him. He played well in Orlando under Davis. Hill was a hardhead and Francis got bounced for refusing to enter the game in garbage time. Yeah ok, I'll give you that he's a handful but not worse than Artest, Steven Jackson, or Zach Randolf and most of you still want those guys. Dwaine Wade had a separated shoulder and tendinities in his knee too. Guess what Wade had surgery in the offseason to correct both. Francis has had zero surgeries. If his knee was acting up that bad then surgery would extend his career and any sane NBA player would explorer that option. The fact that Francis has never mentioned surgery as a possible solution to his knee problem indicates to me that this guy is completely healthy and can play right now. It's a matter of pride for Francis to be with the right teammates, the right coaches, and the right enviroment to thrive. He gets bent out of shape when he gets all the blame like he got in New York for the teams failures. Or when someone like Brian Hill makes stupid demands of him. Where's Brian Hill now? He's completely out of the NBA after coaching himself to two losing seasons. Maybe he'll show up as an assistant coach for the Nets but that's about it. Brian Hills/Jeff Van Gundy's are not coaches that Franchise works well with. These guys are both disciplinarians and very controlling. The guys Francis has worked well with in the past have been Rudy T and Johnny Davis. Both of these coaches are players coaches. Now that being said, Coach Adelman is every bit the player coach that it takes to win in the NBA. Francis would thrive under Adelman because with Stevie, it's a matter of respect and being treated like a man instead of behing heaped with criticism and as he said, "made to be the donkey around here".
And why did Nate McMillan and a Portland team with no financial concerns and in need of scoring and veteran tutalidge (sp?) to Roy, Oden and Aldrige and company decide they flat out didn't want him on the team. In fact they payed some 30 million of a mid 30 some million contract just to keep him away. They in effect didn't want to pay him about 6 mil over two years. They didn't even give him a try to fit in before buying him out. That is three teams that decided the best thing was to be rid of him, call it a coincidence if you want. Further, 30 may not be old by NBA standards, but for guards who got by almostly solely because of their athleticism and who went through injuries and long battered careers it is. See Derek Anderson, the last guy Portland bought out (at age 31) and who we signed hoping he had some tread left, which he didn't. Now that move/roll of the dice didn't really hurt us because it was only for the LLE, that is the limit I would try something with Francis. I think Francis will go to the Heat or the Clips. Those teams don't have Head + Alston/James (whoever dosen't start) (+ maybe Brooks) just to battle for back up guard minutes. Better situation for Francis, better risk for those teams. But is he comes here for the vet min to LLE and we move Alston or Head in a move for a PF, sure I'd take him
I think that's what it comes down to right? How much tread does the guy have left in him. Michael Jordan played till age 41
What is Stevie Good for? I want Stevie to come back, because I like him, and I love to see a story of reunion. It's against my better judgement I gotta be honest with you. So I m trying hard to dig things that he can bring along, work with me. 1. Team captain, Locker room guy. which was the role of Juwan, now we need a replacement. Tmac and Yao aint cut for that, they are just not very emotional persons. Shane is too smooth and diplomatic. Deke, I think he's very well respected, but the way he speaks, I doubt he can be that motivating. Scola sounds like a winner and leader, but he will be a rookie. NOBODY in the world suits this role better than Stevie. He's such a likable person, his presence itself is a great motivation. I have worries about the leadorship of our new team. JVG, love him or hate him, he has a strong personality. He had the team under total control. Adelman may be a better strategist, but he seems more passive and detached. We need a strong charactor presence, a pitbull if you will, from teamates or coaches, Steve can be that guy. 2. Steve can hit that pulled-up jumper coming out of a screen. Rafer and Luther couldnt do that if their lives depend on it, a little bump they would miss the board too. I reckon in Adelman offense system, the primeter game is more about p&r than catch&shoot. We need another shooter who can do that with Yao besides Tmac. 3. Story like this sells. From a strictly biz perspective, it will be a smart move. It will help the homecourt attendence. All said, I acknowledge that there's little Steve can do on the court which MJ can not. At this point Stevie is a not a better PG for us than Rafer, his decision making is more questionable down the stretch. And he's probably not as good a penertrator as Brooks already. And if he joins, Luther has to go. I know lots of folks here hate Rafer, but this is not the year we get rid of Rafer. Brooks has yet to prove he's NBA ready. If MJ goes down, his body or his huge ego, without Rafer we are fked. People easily forget how pathetic we were in the past 2 seasons when Rafer was injured. If Steve does come back, it's more for off-court reasons than on-court reasons. It has to be cheap, very cheap, LLE or 1 Mil Exception. He has to accept his limited role, very limited, probably 15 mins a game, and he will never start.
Now explain to me why Steve Francis would take 1 million dollars, 15 minutes per game and a LIMITED role, when he could just go with the clippers for 5 millino and a starting role, not to mention is lover is there with him
