Von at 2-3 million a year does not sound like much, but these 2-3 million dollar a year contracts start to add up and can long term keep the Rockets from getting an elite player as a free agent or trade. Von can penetrate and score, two important traits.... but he does not pass, defend or play smart. Something in my gut says to let him walk and let the other guys absorb his minutes. He can be a black hole on offense..
Actually I don't mind the Rockets use their MLE to sign Allen Iverson, I mean who they can use the MLE who is able to really help this team. Ratiff?? Give me a break please, at least AI could still put up some points, and remember as the lineup as of today, the Rockets will have hard time scoring the basket. Let Shane Battier and Trevor Ariza worry about the Defense. If the Rockets are really going to wait for Yao to come back next year, and sign a superstar player like Bosh, then we will be a contender for next year. For a business point of view, they still need to try sell some tickets for this year, I believe AI could be the "Answer".
This is cute. I'll keep this short. Without Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady, the Rockets will need guys who can play. Those guys are called assets. The more of those you have, the faster it will be to replace the ginormongous holes Yao and McGrady have left in the roster. Von Wafer, for example, is what you have to think of as an asset. He proved he could be a bit of a difference-maker on a team with legitimate all-star threats...especially by winning over the illustrious DD with his efficiency and shooting percentages.... Wafer becoming all these other things that people say he isn't (decision-maker, playmaker, above-average defender) are the things that make all-stars and all-NBA players who they are. That's why those guys are rare. I'd be surprised if Wafer became more than a sixth man in the league, no matter how much playing time he gets. But he CAN get playing time on this team, especially now. You know what you're getting with him. And any way you slice it, he's going to come cheap enough that any risk you take with his personality doesn't come close to the potential reward of having Wafer on the roster for the immediate future. Relax, people. Von Wafer isn't here to save the world. Or the Rockets, for that matter. But he can help. It's just a question of how much.
I have no problem resigning Von to about 1.5 at most but what gets me is his stunt in Game 2 when things were falling apart. Imagine if Von hadn't gone nuts and stayed in the game, Ron gets thrown out but remember we are only down about 9 I believe...Von has a great finish to that game when we needed him most do you think this would even be a discussion?
Who is going to absorb his minutes? Brent Barry? Or Chase Budinger? Jermaine Taylor? These are not 20mpg guys.
Nope, I am saying pay Von for what he did 10ppg in 20mpg, shooting 44% and 40% from 3pt range. That is a $2 or $3 million dollar a year role player. DD
What's amused me about these discussions about Wafer's worth is that guys are coming in saying he's not worth 2 million, but more like 1.8 or 1.5. It's the rarest of circumstances in the NBA that $200,000 or a half mil. are even worth discussing on any level on a bbs. I want to go record stating that the right salary for Von would be $1,678,226 for two years with an agreement that we're not sure we like him and we know his feelings are hurt. But Les would sleep better regardless.
I love the athleticism and energy that Von brings to this team, he is not afraid to attack the rim and fly into the air with all of the 7'0 centers. Imagine the type of player he could be for us if he could improve some of the decisions he makes on the court. A lot of talent here, but he has to use it right.
...Yao's lastest injury announcement came JUST in time. The Rockets would have counted on Yao coming back, and under that assumption they possibly might already have resigned ARTEST to BIG guaranteed money. So Artest at 8-9 million a year going 1 on 5, or Wafer 1-2 million going 1 on 5 (but actually making his shots)? 20 shots per game would put him up with the league leaders. Also what else does Michael Redd do on his team than shoot? Wafer doesnt have to start
Right. I tried to evenly mention both positive and negative to see what aspect people focus on. No reason to overthink this. If I had to pick 1 player right now out of Wafer, White, Budinger who another team would want at the trade deadline I'd think its Wafer, warts and all. I know the Rockets arent gonna contend, but the likes of Jermaine Taylor having the inside track at a starting job is still a tad worrisome for the moment. Almost as much as Hayes and Dorsey currently being the lead centers. Taylor could be like Wafer or better, more than likely like Kirk Snyder, or like Maurice Ager. We dont know yet. I like the Ariza move, but I think the defense is gonna dip downward without Artest, Yao and possibly Battier anyways. Gonna need some offense, and Taylor and Budinger dont have defensive reputations? But we'll see how things play out in summer league I guess.
why are you guys in a hurry to sign wafer? let other teams take a look at him first and let them determine how much theyre willing to pay him. if they offer him the same deal we offered him (3.5m for an undetermined number of years), then let von decide if he wants to come back as a rocket. if other teams offer him more, then that's the only time to make a move and reconsider upping the offer or letting him walk and have taylor take his place or use part or the entire MLE to bring in another scoring wing. so far i havent heard squat of any team offering wafer anything. who knows, if the season starts and he's still not on any team, then we can offer him the minimum. it's a win situation for the rockets any way you look at it.
If James White and J.Taylor shows something in the summer league, it is over for Wafer. His agent overestimated his value, he probaly thought his Von Hawk would buy him more money, but his shaky playoffs really shrinked his wallet. I hope we do another Lakers swap Odom for the Kobe-lover.
If von come back he can help us alot.... We have no scoring at all except ariza.... no 1 can create their own shot and von can
There is no question what He brings to the game but the problem is that the team needs to fix the center position first. He was offered but He declined. Now, He has to wait until the more pressing issues are solved. If the rookies can produce or White then its bye bye Von. He should have accepted Morey's offer.
Morey should've been careful with his words. They were being way too frank. If I were Morey, I'd ask Von to keep with a lower salary because the Rockets are still trying to be a contender for the 2010 playoffs, not because he's not that great of a player. Realistically speaking, the Rockets are losing a huge piece of the team. Von Wafer didn't do much damage in the playoffs, but left a huge dent on big-time contenders (AKA, big night against Celts, Cavs, etc) during the regular season. No one on our roster at the SG position can do the same.
I thought that Fox 26 Sports said that the 3.5 million that Bob Allen said the Rockets offered was wrong, and since it was before July 1st, it was just alot of talk.
