From ESPN NBA Insider this morning. ### Ward on his way to the Spurs? Suns GM Bryan Colangelo confirmed that the Suns will waive Charlie Ward this week. Ward has a buyout clause in his contract that must be evoked by January 10th. The Suns will save roughly $3.5 million by waiving him and another $3.5 million in luxury tax penalties. Where will he end up? Sources claim that Thomas was working on a deal, before the Suns trade on Monday, that would've sent Ward to San Antonio as part of a three team deal that would sent Ron Mercer to Detroit and Bob Sura to New York. Now that Ward will be a free agent, he can choose where he wants to play. However, there are strong indications that he'll still land in San Antonio. The Spurs are desperate for a veteran point guard to back-up Tony Parker. Other teams including the Mavericks, Nets and Pacers have also shown interest in him. ### No mention of the Rockets in this article.
PRAISE THE LORD! You all REALLY don't want Charlie Ward in a Rockets Uniform. First of all, I wish they can show his stats against west teams because he will get EATEN UP in the West. Although he plays pretty decent defense, on transition D he is sloppy. He isn't going to be able to defend against teams that like to run a lot. His shot is about hot and cold as Vernon Maxwell's if not worse. When he's on..he's on...when he's off...he's wayyyyyyy off. I don't know why some of you think all of a sudden Charlie ward has a great jump shot and is an offensive secret weapon. He has thrived under the Knicks system because he never had to worry about scoring and just had to get the ball either to Patrick, Spree or Houston. The past two years, he's been getting criticized left and right by the media and the fans much like how you all loved to bash Moochie. Please SAY NO TO CHARLIE WARD!
We don't need a savior. We only want a 2nd string PG, someone to play solid defense, distribute the ball, minimal TO and knock down the occasion J. Mooch could not do those things! Wilks is too young. He is OK now but he might have problem in big games or the play-off. I hope Ward can?
Exactly. Ward's got good court leadership and excellent court vision. He knows JVG's half-court system, and he can knock down the 3. I say he's perfect for a back up pg. There's a reason he won the Heisman, and that's cause he has playmaking ability and accurate passing....hmmm, something we've lacked and need, perhaps???
Hey, Rocket Rich NYC, you make it looks like we will sign Ward a max contract for our franchise player. If he signed, he will play as our backup PG and be paid no more than 1.5 million for god's sake. What you want from a backup PG? Currently he is obviously a better choice than Wilks, if we make into the playoffs, his playoff experience is more valueable. I consider Ward an upgrade to Moochie or Wilks. That's all. Rox not gonna sign Ward to replace Steve Francis after all. So take it easy, especially it is far from a done deal.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=aldridge_david&id=1701518 check out David Aldridge's article he says this (Charlie Ward will be cut by Phoenix by pre-arrangement, and thus free to go to either the Rockets or Clippers, whoever gets to his agent first.)
Quick, tell me the last time you saw Charlie Ward play? Quick, quick, when.... And you want me to believe thay he's better than Wilks and Norris? If Ward were an upgrade over Moochie, why did Isiah bring in Moochie when he already had Ward? Trade fodder? They could have shipped Othella or Doleac. One of Wilks' roles is to dump the ball into the post or drive and kick. Ward does this how much better? The thing that all of you new Charlie Ward fans conveniently overlook...Ward is 33 years old and the Knicks are a horrible transition team. There is one thing I am absolutley positive Wilks does better than Ward...push tempo. And for this current Rockets team that averages 75 FGA's/g and is at the bottom of the league in FB Pts, Wilks 10 mpg of uptempo is more valuable than all of Ward's playoff experience dumping the ball into Ewing.
Would I like the player on the Rockets? Well to be honest, I thought yes before I was reminded of his comments. After recollecting his comments, my views kind of changed. Then I realized he didn't seem to have any trouble living in New York after making those comments, not saying that he was forgiven or anything. But I wouldn't like to seem him in Houston because he's well passed his prime. He's just not good anymore. Wilks is better and more deserving in my opnion.
Or your Houston Knickets! We just need Ewing to come out of retirement, Oakley to come play, hire Ray Castioldi to play the organ at our games, and get rid of the Rocket Power Dancers for the Knick City dancers.
Ugh, Gater, how about watching every knicks game on MSG over the last 5 years? Mmm, maybe not every game, some of those games were just boring and embarrassing. Second, Thomas took Moochie because he wanted to dump Weatherspoon and his horrible big fat contract desperately, Knicks fans are so sick of Spoon just like Rox fans towards Moochie. In fact, Thomas were busy talking about buyout of Spoon's contract a week before he was traded to Houston. Dumping Spoon was the main goal he agreed to acquire Moochie, not because Moochie is better than Ward. Another prove was the last game Ward played as Knicks, the game against Nets. Frank W. was hurt and Howard Eisley was out of the rotation. Only two guards left, Ward started for Knicks, if Knicks thought Moochie was better than Ward, why they didn't start Moochie? In fact, when Ward was on the court that night, Knicks were winning, but when he left because of foul trouble in fouth QT, Moochie was completely lighted up by kidds and knicks begun to collapse. Ward's defense were far better than Moochie. 3. Ward's 6 million expiring contract is horrible but another big factor so that Knicks were able to package him in the blockbuster deal. As I said before, we all agree Wilks doing good when he plays. But it is only 3 games so far and in every game he got no more than 10mins play time. His shooting touch is still a big question mark, and last night in 6mins playing time he got 4 fouls showing he is still a little inexperenced. If only based on those 3 games, Wilks exceed our expectation, actually we had no expectation on him originally, and then you made a conclusion that he will be our long term backup PG, you are making the same mistake Rudy made on Moochie several years ago. I thought I watched Ward's games many and long enough to make my judgement.
Oh, and he wanted Mooch's contract! Mooch just got there and he is going to go right in and run their plays and team? Ward has been there since dirt was discovered and he isn't? C'mon....
Perhaps he took on Moochie because he knew he was working on a trade with PHX that would send Ward out. Ward>Moochie and probably at less than 40% of the price.
uh! Bad thought and not enough jive if you asked me. Ward was never been a team player with that killer instinct and believe me, we will be better off with Wilks as a back up point.
People saying that we don't need Ward because we have Wilks are the same morons that were saying that we didn't need Rashard because we had Snackbar. It's ridiclous...
Maxwell in the Rockets championship years shot... 1994 38% FG 1995 39% FG Also, take into account that in these previous years NBA players shot collectively better than they do today. So if he does run hot and cold like Vernon, he's on way more than he's off. Isn't that exactly what he would be doing here? He will be thriving in a Knick style offense where he will not have to worry about scoring and just have to get the ball to Yao, Steve, or Mobley. I thought that is all we wanted from a backup PG, get the ball to our stars, hit the open shot, and play tough defense.
Charlie Ward 2003-4 Ranks #11 in the NBA in Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage (0.428) Ranks #14 in the NBA in Three-Point Field Goals Made (59.0) Ranks #4 in the NBA in Three-Point Field Goals Per 48 Minutes (3.42) Ranks #7 in the NBA in Assists Per 48 Minutes (9.9) Ranks #9 in the NBA in Steals Per 48 Minutes (2.73) Does anyone think PHX will just let this guy go for nothing? These stats make him look like Marbury....
