We need quality players, period. First of all Aaron Gray may be 7 foot, but he's not a shot blocker and he certainly is not a starting quality C. He's also not better than Chuck Hayes. We already have 14 players on our team. Do you want to use the 15th spot on Aaron Gray? Do you want to use (part of) however much cap space we're gonna have on Aaron Gray? Or do you go after a quality center, such as a Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan or Nene? Worst case scenario you miss out and have enough cap space for at least one max free agent next year.
Well, I would like to high standards, too. But Gray brings some useful qualities that this team currently lacks and that's worth at least $2.5 mil and a roster spot (yes, the team does have a lot of contracts, but there are some non-rotation guys I wouldn't mind giving away for very little in return).
I respect the news cause its gonna be a long off season......but this guy is another back up that well likely be holding hands with the rest of our bench. A 7 footer that plays below the rim....no thanks. I rather go with chuck. We need to sweeten the deal with golden state give em another draft pick.
Look, just give Thabeet enough minutes and see what happens. I still think he is a serviceable big who also can be used to get fouls.
We might or we might not. Nobody knows until there's a new CBA in place. If the latest propsosal from the owners went through we'd have more than $12mil in cap space if we renounce Chuck's rights. The Clippers GM keeps telling people that they'll have about $12.5mil in cap space. The Clippers have only $500k or so less on the books than we do.
NO! Aaron Gray dominates Dwight Howard: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/archive/index.php/t-183014.html Thabeets gets dunked on by Blake Lively: http://twitter.com/#!/TrueHoop/status/85423545001316352
Just because he's not a shot blocker doesn't mean he can't improve our defense. He's a big body that knows his role and has at least some basketball IQ, which we can't say for Thabeet and Hill. Shotblocking does you no good if you're not in position or on the bench in foul trouble. If nothing else, he can give us 20 mpg banging in the low post. He played well against Bynum and Gasol IIRC. He has height and some basketball savvy, which is a combination that you don't see in too many centers (and you certainly won't find on our roster).
Aaron needs to sell his soul for one of those pictures, where he stays slim while the picture get fatter and fatter.
If Thabeet could stay on the court long enough then he could become serviceable. I actually like our chances with a more serviceable Thabeet and Hill.
I see where you're coming from, but I disagree. If you replace Chuck Hayes with Aaron Gray, this team does not get to 43 wins last year.
1. It's not the question of Chuck vs. Gray. There is room for both. You can bring one off the bench for the other. In fact, you can even play them next to each other since Chuck is a natural PF. 2. There are certain situations where you'd rather have Gray on the Court than Chuck Hayes-- for example, when the opposing team is getting too many offensive boards from Houston's small frontline. Gray's 25.8% DREB% was significantly higher than that of any regular rotation player on the Rockets roster last season. 3. The real question is whether you would rather have Gray or one of those non-rotation guys collecting paycheck on the roster. If anyone is leaving to make room for Gray, it's not gonna be Chuck who is first in line to go. If need be, I'd trade Jordan Hill to any team with cap room or a trade exception for a 2nd round pick to make room for Gray.
Why? Both, Thabeet and Grey have career averages of 11 minutes and 2 fouls. You have 0 patience with young guys, Carl.