The point was that Cuttino saw himself as a better player than what he really is. I think we have much better options than to spend the entire MLE on a roleplayer who thinks hes a star. Walker would most likely be had via S&T, which leaves us with our MLE. Talent wise, Walker is a better player than Cuttino. If we were forced to spend our MLE on one of them, I pray it's Walker. Cuttino never complained while playing for JVG.. he just complained afterwards. He also never said anything positive about JVG like Tmac, Barry, etc. have done this year. Cuttino played well for the team we had -- a team that hadn't sniffed the playoffs in several years. We have a completely different make up now, and I think our roster is more suited for a championship run. With that said, signing Cat to the MLE isn't going to get you over the hump. And I know some will say, "well neither will Walker". Walker is the bigger risk/reward when comparing the two. The risk is if he can become a team player -- the reward could potentially be the team that overthrows San Antonio. I don't think adding Cat would get us anywhere near that level.
If he becomes a Rocket, I'll reluctanly trust the Rocket's judgement. Even after reading everything here, my opinion still hasn't changed of him. For an allstar, home team fans he has played for sure don't want him on thier teams. Hell, there is 11+ pages on Boston's realgm board of nothing but Walker bashing. For example... "He will drive a fan nuts. He will make the critical shot, or make the big steal. He will have some truly excellent ballgames. On the other hand, he is a terrible, terrible shooter everywhere on the floor. He is more worse, it seems, the closer he is to the hoop. He will miss several bunnies a night. He can handle the ball, but is very turnover prone. He is an excellent passer, yet he refuses to pass when he mostly should,i.e. preferring to take it all the way himself and blowing the layup. He is a ballhog and a 3pt. chucker(640 plus one year) at less than 30%.<b>You will see, Houston. You will learn to hate him as much as we do. I hope he leaves Boston. I never cared much for his game. He drove me nuts. I wish he would just go away, that's all.</b>" Just gets me all giddy inside at the prospect of him in a Rocket's uni next year.
Very interesting post. You make a lot of good points. But we still need a 2 as well as a 4. Who else is available that would be significantly better than a seasoned 6-4 Cuttino at the 2, who has proven he can defend in the Van Gundy system, and he has the ability to hit the open jumper as well as drive the ball to the basket? Is Simmons really going to sign for the MLE, and if so, does he really represent an upgrade from Mobley?????? Bonzi??? He comes with hair also, attitude etc. I just don't see any 2's that are significantly better that can be had. They're not significantly worse either. I'd be happy with any of them, Simmons, Cat, or Bonzi, to play the swing position with TMac. Cat has proven he will D it up under Van Gundy and if he signed here, it would be with the understanding that he was at best the 3rd option.
Walker is a really bad player. When he played with Dallas, he showed he couldn't play in the Western Conference. In fact, at the time, he wanted a trade out of Dallas to an Eastern Conference team, so he could improve his numbers and make the All Star team again. Not for any reason like pride, but he knew that was the only way he was going to get paid. He knew that only in the Eastern Conference could he improve his stats and give the illusion that he was a good player. I am not exactly sure what CD or JVG are thinking with Walker or Swift. Bobby Simmons makes perfect sense. A hard-nose player who works hard and doesn't demand the ball. There's no way Yao will develop on a team with Mobley or Walker on it. They'll just shoot... and never defer to Yao in the post. Yao can't develop into an offensive threat if the ball isn't given to him. Cuturally, he won't ever demand the ball. He probably thinks that he has to earn it, and when he does his team mates then will defer to him. In my opinion, our FA wish list should include the following: 1. Bobby Simmons 2. Tyson Chandler then... a distant 3. Michael Finley 4. SAR.
This is a very important point that people have not considered. Yao is not the type of player that is going to demand the ball. The more proven “star” teammates he has, the less aggressive Yao tends to be and the more he tends to defer to those “stars”. Antoine Walker has a very overbearing personality and a very aggressive style. I could totally see Yao deferring to Walker all of next season. If Walker joins this team, don’t be surprised if Yao’s ppg take a significant drop.
Maybe I'm living in dreamland, but the trio of T-Mac/Yao/JVG seems pretty solid to me. I don't think T-Mac & JVG will allow a new player to come and take away from Yao's game. If AW or anyone else tried, they would eventually be "Motayed" by JVG.
With Walker, I've been back and forth. I've got some questions regarding him. 1. Can Walker play small forward? If so, we can move T-mac to the 2 sometimes to cover up weakness in that position. Probably a good idea. 2. Is walker a better rebounder and defender and a tougher guy than J. Howard? I think this is the single most important question to answer before we pull the trigger. After all, J. Howard was also known to be a very good offensive player.
Walker can play small forward but probably will struggle defensively against quicker ones but I think he does have length and is quick enough to defend players like Dirk. He is a better rebounder than Howard but isn't a tougher defender than him.
I do not want Walker, he is one of my least favorite player. Why isn't he going to the lakers . i hope we get Swift, or anything else but walker, BTW Cat for the MLE is a steal. But i do not think he is coming back.
That was based on T-mac's one year disillusioned, self admitted slack off. Those criticisms however, are on Mr. year round relentless "All heart" and attitude. You know? Some of the very reasons why some posters here think he'll be good for the team? To light a fire under T-mac and Yao's ass? When a player tries his hardest, deferring to no other course of action and still comes out a bonehead, could be relied more to stubborness than grit. Remind you all of someone?
Antoine Walker at this point and time in his career has to understand he is not the man. He failed miserably in Boston trying to be the man. And if he comes to Houston he has to accept a role and by doing so he would be a valueable asset to this team.
I look at two threads and two different posters, I suppose they are over the age of 16, talk about doo doo. Please consider how YOU look when you talk about others this way. Walker may not be your favortie player, he may have some problems, ( who doesn't?), but he IS a legitimate NBA player and it's real possible the Roxs get him. maybe then you can tell him your opinion to his face, but I doubt that would happen would it?
And why should he do that? Because YOU want him to do so? Because JVG will want him to do so? Don Nelson tried to get him to "accept a role" in Dallas and 'Toine blew him off and then openly sulked about his "role" on the team because in his mind, he still IS the man (who never met a 3 point shot he didn't like I might add). It's funny. I wonder how fast all of the folks who believe this to be a good pickup will turn on 'Toine once he starts shooting the Rockets out of games.
Okay, he don't have to accept a role. If JVG can get mobley to toned down and fit into his system. I'm quite sure he can get Antoine Walker who wants to win to toned down and fit into his system.
If AW is spotted up at the arc, and TMac has the ball and is running the pick and roll with Yao, AW won't have to stay at the arc. The weakside defender has to respond to help on the pick and roll or TMac and Yao will have a field day. When that defender responds, you have a wide open AW, not necessarily at the 3 point line, but that wouldn't be bad either. Walker shoots that set shot out there very well when there is not a defender around him. His "chucking" is when he throws that shot up with the defender on him. That's where his shooting percentages go into the toilet. He does have skills. With the defense jammed into the paint, trying to stop the pick and roll, he will have plenty of room to operate, even take a couple dribbles to get in better rhythm and nail the 16 footer instead of the 3 ball. Once again, he's not going to be allowed to stand at the arc with the ball in his hands, dribbling down the shot clock or jacking up 3 balls with 22 seconds left in the shot clock on this team with TMac and Yao in the game.
