JVG made a comment that Head will receive time if he can guard PGs. I agree that we will see Head sub for Rafer but Tmac will be setting up the offense.
On the other hand, unless JVG is really on a PR leash from Les; I could see VSpan getting "Pop"ed by JVG as a motivational tool.
why is anyone giving a crap about this? All JVG said was that he wants one of the 2 guys to win the backup PG spot.. Guess what? If I'm running a team, I'd also hope that someone on my team would win all the spots on my team... as opposed to everyone sucking so bad that they just get put in a spot by default.
I agree, by Chistmas, I'm sure these guys wil show some improvement, you cant judge them by their first preseason game.
IMO, the overreaction here is by the people interpreting JVGs remarks as some kind of attack. He told the truth and did it forcefully, but not excessively so. He told the guys vieing for the backup PG spot that the job is open and that either one of them can reach out and grab it. One of them will or we will see a lot of the Head-Wells-TMac-Battier-Yao lineup. Either way, we will be fine.
i think JVG will allways tell you his honest opinion of a player...the good and the bad. why does everyone feel like they have to defend the rockets players from this? there has never been a player who VG coached that complained about not likeing jeff. infact, most of the players that have played for him, love him. go figure. it's like some people have nothing else to be upset about.
No reason to get all uptight about JVG's comments. He just wants one of the two to pick up their game and emerge as the clear backup. He knows the circumstances behind maybe why they haven't played well so far... ---------------- Great expectations: Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy expected rookie Vassilis Spanoulis to endure some growing pains in the preseason. He's just hoping Spanoulis will allow himself to do the same. "Billy has put undue pressure on himself to live up to expectations of others instead of just having high expectations for himself," Van Gundy said. "He has to understand there is a learning curve that can't be bypassed. We hope it's quick, but it may or may not be. I'm not going to be discouraged because he has a lot of good qualities." Spanoulis, whose expectations were high after having a solid summer with Greece in the FIBA World Championships, struggled in his preseason debut. He had five turnovers and didn't sink a three-pointer on four attempts, finishing with four points. "He has good attributes and he needs to get them harnessed into a disciplined game," Van Gundy said. http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Notes_Wellsrsquo_debut_rema-191621-34.html ---------------------- He's not completely bashing these guys nor making anyone a "whipping boy". He sees a lot of potential in both guys, and has said so on more than one occasion. They just need to learn to tone it down, not force things and not turn the ball over. It's a process all young PG's have to go through and one in which has taken many players years to figure out. Unfortunately, VSpan and Lucas are in a position where the team doesn't have the luxury to wait. JVG sees a lot in both guys and he is just trying to do whatever he can to get them to reach that potential.
I agree, at least to begin the season. After 10, 20, 30 games, either V-Span or JL3 will step up and push the other guy way down on the food chain. If Head somehow plays at least mediocre defense, is average distributing the ball and shoots at a decent clip, he could remain the backup PG.
i'm trying to figure out the point of having a whipping boy. i know Phil Jackson just about always had whipping boys, but they were always key members of the rotation and even starters sometimes (Glen Rice). i don't know how useful it would be to make someone not part of the main rotation a whipping boy ala Nachbar/Milicic. it didn't end up motivating anyone on the team and just made Boki/Darko mad until he was traded. i hope that's not the case with VSpan.
only thing is after about 30 games, those two will probably hit that wall that no rookies are immune to. of course, they have to play first. Head already did all those things last season, and supposedly he has worked hard on his game this offseason.
Rookies hit the wall because of physical and emotional fatigue. If JL3 & V-Span don't play a lot of minutes, they won't smack the wall like Head. If one of them quickly steps up big and plays a lot of minutes, the wall cometh. I don't see either one of them averaging a huge amount of minutes this season.
Indeed! if he can defense well and make some clutch shot. He coould get the minutes as the backup pg.
here i was thinking Head was on the trading block. then i come across this... why the hell would he be Gundy be talking about extending Snyder - after 1 average game in Rocks uniform - is beyond me! Maybe he's bluffing. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4256073.html
His contract expired and no one gave him a call. I guess he is going to retire unless he tries out for a team. I hope he enjoys his highly undeserved millions. Why wouldn't you want Snyder for another year? He has 1-2 years left on his rookie contract and he is an decent role player in the NBA. Lets see, Kirk Snyder's: Offense -he has an okay spot up 3 pointer, hes athletic, and takes it to the basket. Defense -outside of McGrady and Battier, he is the best perimeter defender we have. --- I am worried we are going to trade Head. Howard and Head didn't see any minutes during the first preseason game. I hope we hang on to him. A line up of: Yao Howard Battier Head T-Mac when Rafer sits is probably the best option we have until either Lucas or V-Span get it going. I have a feeling Lucas is going to get that backup PG spot until the ASB, or maybe even for the rest of the season. V-Span looks a little raw, give him one more season before we give him any significant minutes.
I agree with the first part you posted about Snyder...VG respects a good defender..and Kirk has that wrapped up...his offense seems to be decent to good...so why not extend him? Obviously the Rockets feel that whatever problems he had on other teams will be a non-factor here. I do not see a potential trade just cause Luther didnt play in the first game. VG knows what Luther brings to the table and wanted to see the unknown guys in action...nothing less, nothing more and I totally disagree about VSpan...I see some really good qualities in him. all he needs is to get used to the NBA rules and his teammates. I said it in another thread, adn I still believe it...VSpan will be the primary backup point off the bench by the end Dec...if not earlier. His long range shooting needs some help...but he is a good driver/slasher....good passer....pesky little ballhawk with good defensive tendencies. one last thing. Some around here really need to get a grip when it comes to how VG phrases things...this is his forth year and one would think yall would be used to how he says stuff. Hell....he's actively tryin to be less negative...I woulda thought that might help yall deal with him...but obviously it isnt enough....seems to me some just look for any excuse ( no matter how small) to bash him. Seems petty and childish to me.
Head really needs that extension. He was simply too short to guard most SGs last year. I hope he shows up 6'5'' for the season opener.
You are missing some key points. Extending a player contract makes them easier to trade not harder. The extended contract means that a team receiving the player in trade does not have to worry about "matching" them in free agency. Additionally, in general an extended rookie contract is much cheaper than open market value ($1.1M for Luther in 2007-08). This can make a big difference to teams hovering around the LTax level.
that's true, but i still don't see either of them being traded. not that you said they would be, but for others who are thinking that way.
