Walton's Assesment

Hmm I think we're fine...it'd be nice to get like ..someone like Artest but not Artest lol.

But the team looks great so far.

 

Ward and Lue are not permanent solutions at PG. Especially Ward. And Lue is too small to be any long term factor. He's still be a good bench PG. But we still need to look for a younger, long-term solution at PG that will give us more outside shooting and passing and defense.

Hinrich is my pick. But I'm dreaming. There will be other options in the next few years for this upgrade.

 

I agree with Walton. We do need improvements at both the SF and PG spots but we are unlikely to make anymore changes unless we are lucky to get some players around the trading deadline during the season.
JJ can't be relied to play 35-40 minutes a night and the Ward/Lue combination isn't as strong as we would like.
Unfortunately Boki's struggles have made things harder for JJ and Sura's injury along with his time for recovery also cause problems at the point.

 

I agree. Sura is a nice guard (not a PG, not a SG). A tweener.

But we'll still need a PG to replace Ward. By the way, I like Ward. He has a soild game and plays smart. I just don't think he's a long term solution. We can do better.

 

As far as SF. Hmmmm? Outside shooter? Defensive SF? Artest? REbounder? A mix of all of those characteristic? Sure, lets find one...I'm game.

 

That's a good point. Lue does seem to play taller than he really is. I've noticed him guarding taller guards and he gets right in their face. Enough to give them trouble.

He's a scrapy "little" guy!

EDIT: Sign Bobby Jackson!

 

We need a long perimeter defender, to take care Dirk, Camby, Sheed and alike.

 

You have to think somewhere down the line we're going to get an offer to improve at pg or sf and we will. Players become available all the time, as if we didn't know that already from T-Mac. The teams just not done yet. I wouldn't mind it if a NVE or a Damon Stoudamire became available for a good deal. I think Ward's good enough for now though.

Taylor, Nachbar and Lue seem like the most likely trade bait. Mo's not going to get big minutes most games, but he could start for some East teams. His stocks only gone up since he's started playing consistantly. I'd like to get Gerald Wallace or Melvin Ely from Charlotte.

 

I think we're set for now or at least til we see how the big lineup in China plays out. If we can hit our outside shots with T-Mac at point, we should be ok.

 

The Bulls are soon going to be overtalented at PG and Hinrich will be overshadowed by Ben Gordon.

 

Maybe so, but what could we offer Chicago that would improve their team and justify them giving us Hinrich? I'd love for it to be so, but I just don't see it.

BJax the more likely solution next year with MLE.

 

I think he was talking more about long term changes - not 2004-05 season, b/c earlier made some other comments about Yao and T and the "rest of their careers" (or something future-esque)

 

Walton.. Ha! What does this guy know about basketball??

I dont ever listen to what this guy has to say, I'd perfer getting advice from people on this forum over BILL WALTON.

 

I do not think we can afford Bobby Jackson. He will want to get paid.

The Rockets do not have money to shop for a medium to elite point guard. Our options are very limited.

We continue to be weak at Power Forward, though maybe Howard will surprise me with physical play. Mo Taylor is our most physical big man at the 4( that seems crazy saying this). Remember the way a 40 yr old Karl Malone man handled us in last year's playoffs?

I really did not like the Ward aquisition and think we could have stuck with Mark Jackson-slow but effective. Ward has seriously surprised me in his play - he is 10x better than I thought he would be. Long term he is a definite liablity. I really like Tyron Lue - he is our best playing point guard now.

I wish we could have kept Posey - the 6 mil does not seem like much now-not prohibitive, but Bowen looks good. I do not see how Jim Jackson can continue to handle the minutes we put on him. He will break down I am afraid, and this will become a weak spot-though I think we are fine at the 3 now.

We are in much better shape than I thought we would be, and our weakest spot is the point guard....

We do not have money or much to trade with. I say we are set with the roster now unless we deficit spend over the cap...

 

Speaking of Hinrich looks like he is still on the Bulls roster with the season just around the corner. Who made that bet for a 100$ to the tipjar is hinrich was still on the Bulls roster?

 

Someone made a bet? As Kelly Dywer can attest, they will try with all their power to keep Hinrich. It's going to be very hard to aquire him (via trade or whatever). But I'm staying hopeful.

If not KH. Then, someone like Bibby or Arroyo.

The way I see it, I'd rather have a floor leaders like Hinrich, Bibby or Arroyo's, than a hybrid guard(s) like Jason Terry or Bobby Jackson. Although, I'd still take them if available. But what we don't need is a scoring PG. We need a floor leader that CAN, if need be, score 25 points (Hinrich, Arroyo's and Bibby are cabable of scoring 25pts once in a while). But their ablity to run the team will ALWAYS be their most important asset. And that's invaluable on the Rox when we already have McGrady/Yao, JJ and Howard to put up points.

Think of Hinrich, Bibby or Arroyo as true point guards + insurance (run the team + can score when needed).

Guys like Jackson and Terry are more scoring type PGs, and their floor management is not their strong point. While guys like Hinrich, Bibby or Arroyo can score an efficent 12pts, but also get 7-9 assist per game with very low TOs. They just seem to get easy baskets for *everyone* else. (Hint, hint: Yao, McGrady, JJ...).