That is interesting the Rockets have an advantage in that they can hook players up with Chinese shoe deals...but has that ship sailed due to the economy? DD
the same thing wafer did with us for preseason? they just use the i guess the college and d league vids? idk, I like wafer but his defense altogether doesnt need a mle.
As much as Von loves this game, i imagine he is salivating for his chance to shine in the spotlight of the playoffs.
I never said he would be v2.0, but I will guarantee he is already better than notable DD hater v3.0 But seriously, Morey brought him in for the same reason he brought in Von, Strawberry, Green, etc. - project-grade talent on the cheap. They won't all work out like Von, but that won't stop Daryl from trying.
Gerald Green is also available, but to me, Von has proven he can play and play well with Yao, and we need that...badly. Good post too, you get some green..... DD
Full MLE would be over paying BIG time. I wouldn't think any other team in the league would pay him that much so there is no reason the Rockets would, IMO.
I agree. If McGrady returns (and Artest is re-signed), there won't be a lot of minutes for Wafer. If McGrady's traded, Morey will probably bring in a top-tier guard forward to replace McGrady, and so again no minutes for Wafer. Given this situation, Wafer may decide there just isn't a future for him here and look for a team willing to give him the money and the minutes. Morey, on the other hand, will probably be willing to slightly overpay to keep Wafer. Not MLE money but something more reasonable.
I would rather keep Wafer over both Tmac and Ron......I see them as declining, and him as improving......and Von plays within the system more than either of those two do.... But, I am sure I am in the minority.....on that one. DD
I know right.....lol... I just think Artest, while awesome on D, is too "out there" on O, for my tastes, and he is slowing down and will not be worth a long term deal IMO. And Tmac, well, he has a lot to prove...he could still be ok, but betting on a 30 year old coming off of Microfracture is really risky. I would keep Von as my top priority and trade either or both of them... DD
Considering he is still young and wants more playing time, I think he might jump on with someone who is willing to pay top dollar and give him a starter position, IMO.
Has there ever been a player that came in as a free agent that bounced around and then exploded for 10ppg on a playoff team before becomming a free agent? I can not think of any off the top of my head. We may be breaking new ground here. DD
we better be able to keep him. we can't let our 1st round pick of this season go bye-bye. If we aren't able to keep him somehow then we better get White ready for next season now.
Thy will not use thou holy name in vain... Jason Kapono was a no name free agent when he helped the Heat win the NBA title (and averaged 10.9 pts the next year), then signed a fat contract with the Raptors afterward.
After seeing the Rockets finally get some cap flexibility, guaranteed contracts scare the #### out of me, so I hope the Rockets don't repeat some of the mistakes that doomed this franchise for years, by giving this guy a long term deal that he might never live up to.
It is still too early to tell. I think Von has put up a solid body of work this season considering the situation this team has been in, and I think that could warrant him a pretty decent contract (I'm not going to throw out any numbers like I know what I'm talking about with contracts lol). The breaking point, like others have already said, will be how he does in the playoffs. The problem I have with this whole Von/Tracy thing, is that we won't really know what to expect from Tracy (in terms of a return if they want to keep him) probably until late in the offseason... so the Rockets can't really wait that long to decide on Wafer. And honestly, I think that could end up being a problem. If Von doesn't feel certain that he is going to get substantial playing time then he probably won't (and I wouldn't blame him for it) re-sign with the Rockets.
Personally, I don't think any of the three players is our long-term solution for starting shooting guard. We still need to find a wing player who can be our primary scorer on the perimeter. Basically, an upgrade for Wafer/McGrady. I'd keep Artest because his size, defensive tenacity and above average shooting touch is matchup hell for opposing teams. But he's better coming off the bench, and needs to be played in tandem with a starting shooting guard who is more of a scorer. Unless the McGrady situation is resolved over the summer, I'd still like to see Morey re-sign Wafer, because he's an excellent temporary solution and will probably be a valuable trade asset later on.
If they throw the full MLE at a player I'd rather they went after Ariza. If they pay $3M I'd rather they try to trade for Azubuike (FG% 47.3, 3P% 45.1) Wafer's numbers are good (FG% 44.4, 3P% 40.0) but they look better than they are because the Rockets are a poor shooting team. Shooters need to be hitting closer to 50% before they even start sniffing at the full MLE, eg Kapono, Carroll.
