http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nuggets/article/0,1299,DRMN_20_975240,00.html Van Exel, in the third year of his deal, is willing to make the concession to a limited number of teams. He has given Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe that list in hopes something will be done soon. The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 21, two weeks from today. "He said he was willing to do that for a team of his choice," Vandeweghe said. "He has told me a few teams, but I'm not going to comment on who they are." One of those teams is believed to be Houston, where Van Exel has retreated this week for the All-Star break and where he makes his home in the off-season. Houston probably will not pursue Van Exel, though, because the Rockets don't need a point guard.
The fact that he is willing to forgoe $26.5M is a big deal and shows his committment to winning - which I wouldn't mind rubbing off on our guards, DD. Taking on Van Exel might also be a way to pry LaFrentz away as well in a pkg deal. *as always, IMHO - pls do your own due diligence*
We don't want Van Exel unless McDyess follows with him, I heard they are close friends, the reason he left phoenix was because Van Exel kept calling him to come back to Denver.
Nick the Quick. I remember when the rockets drafted Cassell, I was so peaved the rocks didn't take him. I hadn't seen Cassell mind you, but I thought Van Exel was an allstar waiting to happen. He was a gamer in college. Then the rockets had dallas draft Riley for them instead of Van Exel. My anger rose. The rockets had one pick left, but Van Exel fell a couple of picks before the rocks drafted Petruzka. He would be an interesting addition to three guard, but I just get the feeling that Rudy is getting sick of it. Wouldn't be upset to get him, but at what price?
problem at his current salary it would take alot to match it and at the same time giving a deal that in some way gives denver a reason to do it.
If he is really interested in winning, then he needs to grab his tethered sack, quit whining, and LEAD the Denver Nuggets. I am sick of players thinking the grass is always greener, if you are a leader...then LEAD for crying out loud. Van Excel is a headcase, and I don't want him on the Rockets. DaDakota
I guess your right abt Van Exel not fitting on the Rox, DD. I just feel for him b/c it did seem like he was trying to make the best of the Denver situation early in the season, but McDyess being out and Issel being the biggest ASS in the league have made winning near impossible. *as always, IMHO - pls do your own due diligence*
Please don't let the rockets sign Van Exel, He is selfish, he make's more boneheaded mistakes than Mobley Norris and Franics together. He is a whinning Kidd, if mcdyess and lafrentz follow him to houston, than maybe, but it is even better to get the 3 and than traded Nick. , please van exel stay away
I would take Van Exel in a heart beat if we needed him, but we really have no need for him. He is not the selfish player that people think he is, and he DID lead Denver at the beginning of the season. He was the ONLY Nugget doing anything, but just like Pippen said there is only so much one man can do without a supporting cast. Raef is one of the most overrated guys that has ever been mentioned on this BBs. Yes, he is a good player but not the kind that will make a bad team competitive. Anyhow just my thoughts.
I'm not sure if there is a point guard in the league I would want running my team any less than VE...I hate the way he runs an offense, I hate the way his teammates stagnate while he launches improbable prayer after prayer....I grant you that the guy can hit big shots, but I attribute that more to the laws of averages and gravity than any particular trait of Nick's...I hope we have no interst whatsoever in acquiring him, as I don't think you can be a real winner with a PG like that...
van exel is the same genre as our pickups of rice and moochie. we're paying too much for a guy who doesn't have room for improvement and wouldn't contribute to our team for a championship run i've been frustrated with the rockets organization because they don't treat it in one sense like a business. you build capital (players and staff) to try to get profit (championship) so with all the commodities out there, you look for bargains. instead, we find bad deals which leave us with production not able to contend for the championship and lack of funds to go after better options. in the short run we're ok, but in the long run.. we're wasting time and money. of course things are not so cut and dry.. but a prime example would be oscar torres. he's a type of gem that you can sign and would continuously shine in our organization (maybe even good enough to start??) - a complete bargain. why would we want to consider exel or odom... people that we'd have to replace eventually, are costly, can't win it for us now, and don't give good signs of improvement . it's simply a risk unneeded. go after the diops, quentin richardsons, torres', euro stars of the league which can produce or have huge potential. the kings continue to toast teams without webber and i'd easily go as far to say the wolves would without garnett. it's a team game and production comes in so many intangible forms on the stat sheet like the morale making plays, the extra pass , the defensive hustle, and the court smarts. we gotta stop looking at known basketball names like exel and start looking at real basketball team players
I've thought about adding Van E before. I would like to see Steve move to the two position ala Allan Iverson. Van Excel and Steve would be a lot of firepower. With Catman backing up both positions (Steve slides over to the point), Wow! Three guard offence - who do you guard - all are fast to get inside and shoot well outside. However there are some problems. One, the starting guards would be fairly short. While that can be overcome, it does make me nervous. Two, defence in general would be a concern - though I guess no worse than what we have with Moochie as the third guard. Third problem, is there enough ball to go around. One thing I like about Mooch is that he is a sub. Of course he wants more minutes, and the game ending shots, but the CBA is not far enough in his past to be forgetten. Van Excel, if not at first, will want and demand quality touches, and I guess quantity also. Lastly, Van Excell played with pretty good players on the Lakers and they were definately an underachieving team. They rolled up big numbers in the regular season and disapointed in the playoffs. The point guard has to take some of that blame. So, just in case my vote matters to those in power, I am really tempted as I see unbelievable offensive potential, however the intangible make me have to pass. I still like moving Steve to the two, but we are best served by a pass first point guard who can defend. Eric Snow comes to mind. Considering that person would get limited time - three guards, two positions - it will have to be an over the hill vet or a draft choice. I understand this year is deep in point guards, I could be tempted. Lastly, why do we want so many Nugget players. A package deal including McD or Raef concerns me. Those three players are the Denver team, and quite frankly that team sucks. I think all three of their stars are good players, but on the whole they don't work. Dont trade our core for theirs, in any portion.
We don't need another small guard, with a shoot first mentality...and you guys call Mobley a black hole...wait until you get aload of Nick the Quick. If we were lacking in the SG department and had some extra cap room to waste i would say go ahead, but we really don't need him...at least not now
It's a shame Van Exel went to Denver, where he's out of the spotlight. Nick was selfish as a Laker, earlier in his career. Nick was cancerous early in his career. But right now, I think he's honestly one of the premier point guards in the league, and he's done a total reversal from what he was early in his career when he earned that reputation. Yes, he's taken a lot of shots this year, and may not be shooting it well, but it's the Nuggets! Without McDyess! Who else is going to shoot? Nick is lightning quick. He can penetrate to the basket, create his own shot. He's one of the most competitive guys in the NBA, and has a burning desire to win. He's better at seeing the floor than anyone we have, and he's arguably the most clutch player in the league. I'm not sure how we'd fit him in, because a three guard lineup would be hard to consistently work, but I'll take Nick Van Exel on my team anytime.
Actually, I think we only need two more pieces. A SF who can shoot, and another back-up guard. I don't think NVE would be very happy as a back-up, however. There are some things he does very well as a PG, but as someone who hates some of Mobley's shot selections... I don't think Nick would suit my temperment . Still, if he could be had for cheap and had a clear understanding of his role coming in, he could be a useful member of the team. At the very least, he is a good ball handler, and that's something we're sorely lacking at times in games.
Just my opinion, but I think the Lakers used him as a scapegoat for their dissappoitments. Guys like Harris (no true leadership of the team IMO) and Eddie Jones (good role player, but cannot hit the big shot to save his life) were the problem. NVE was the only player with sac back then, pretty much let everyone else know it, and that is why he was shipped out. Before Kobe got better and/or Jackson arrived, NVE produced the only clutch playoff victories the Lakers had since the mid-90s.
