Poor use of $$$$$

SamBone · Post #1 » by **SamBone** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 8:32 pm

can you explain why you trade for a 12 million dollar a year SG and play him at the 3, You resign your backup SG for 5.5 million and don't use him correctly, You resign a 11 million dollar SF and play him at the 4 and then move your young PG to another position instead of coaching him to be a leader and you start a journeyman cancer at the lead PG position. Not to mention that you you trade 2 expiring contract to bring in a huge long capkiller contract to start at the C position and you demote him to the bench so you can start the cancer?

SAM MUST BE FIRED!

Post #2 » by **fatlever** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 8:44 pm

my biggest beef about the money was that we did nothing this summer to address our lack of pg depth or pf/c depth. our lack of addressing these problems this summer directly led to us bringing back mcinnis as the sole pg to back up felton and trading for nazr's contract.

the list of available backup pgs and backup pf/c's that we passed over this summer in favor of signing mcinnis and trading walter makes me sick. (no disrespect to nazr who has been a pleasant surprise).

Dav7z · Post #3 » by **Dav7z** » Mon Jan 7, 2008 9:04 pm

Agreed on both post Sam and Fat. Fat seeing and knowing the problem from the start. Had we addrested the problem befor our roster was set . We would be playing at least 500 ball.
Sam I agree about Vincent . H e seems to be in way over his head and the fact he don't realize that makes it even worse . This team is to the point to where we going to start hearing the moaning and bitching . And blaming each other for the loses and coach V isn't doing a thing to prevent it from happning.

therebirth · Post #4 » by **therebirth** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:21 am

I don't think management and sam vincent are seeing eye to eye. I think vincent is messing with the ineup so much to make excuses for himself. As in see it is not my fault, these players are not good.

This coach was whinning everyday to the media about how management needs to bring in a low post scorer so that okafor won't have to play center then immediately bench that same player that was playing well.

Rich4114 · Post #5 » by **Rich4114** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 5:28 am

Funny part about Okafor not having to play center is that Okafor is a center, he was a center in college, he's played both center and PF in the NBA and he's A LOT better at Center on this team as has been proven in the past. Why do we keep trying to force him into a PF? Why do we keep trying to force Felton into a SG?

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #6 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 3:45 pm

Okafor as center ... outmoded thinking about big men IMHO. Back in the day Okafor wouldn't have been a good center. He would have been too small. Times have changed though. Look around the league. Only a very few teams have true old style centers big enough to give him problems. Still I think that ex-players and guys who have been around for a long time (Vice, BB, Jordan, etc.) can't help but to think about the way things were and base their decisions on personal experience. A more forward looking team would not have this problem IMHO.

It's pretty much ditto for Felton as SG. Combo guards are pretty common these days and plenty of teams use them as PGs. Still I think that some can't get past the idea of PG as assist machine who's only job is to create shots for others. It just doesn't work that way on every team anymore and that old style just doesn't fit Felton's strengths.

Post #7 » by **fatlever** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 5:31 pm

good points vandy.

okafor has always been a center in my eyes. but, hasnt okafor said he prefers to play pf? just like wallace says he prefers to play sf?

Bowens · Post #8 » by **Bowens** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 6:15 pm

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:Okafor as center ... outmoded thinking about big men IMHO. Back in the day Okafor wouldn't have been a good center. He would have been too small. Times have changed though. Look around the league. Only a very few teams have true old style centers big enough to give him problems. Still I think that ex-players and guys who have been around for a long time (Vice, BB, Jordan, etc.) can't help but to think about the way things were and base their decisions on personal experience. A more forward looking team would not have this problem IMHO.

It's pretty much ditto for Felton as SG. Combo guards are pretty common these days and plenty of teams use them as PGs. Still I think that some can't get past the idea of PG as assist machine who's only job is to create shots for others. It just doesn't work that way on every team anymore and that old style just doesn't fit Felton's strengths.

I don't think height has anything to do with it. Just like the label of he's too slow to do well in the pros. The great ones are all born with the determination and willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Okafor has had problems with the crappy centers this season. He was eaten up by Bogut and got posterized by Joakim Noah. Back in the day Okafor wouldn't be good because he isn't very good.

As for Felton, nobody is asking him to be an "assist machine," we're asking him to be a leader and be able to understand/read defenses and keep the flow of the offense moving along. We're pleading for him to become more aggressive, get into the paint, bring the ball up at a quicker pace, make quicker passes, and take better shots. Everything a good point guard should be able to do. What we don't want is him holding the ball too long then making one pass and shoot. Thats how crappy point guards jack up their assist totals.

chrbal · Post #9 » by **chrbal** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 6:23 pm

While it frustrates me that Jeff was resigned and is starting, while Matt is constantly misused. Not to mention this team constantly plays guys out of posistion....

With all that, it seems like it has been this way since day one. Whether its not doing enough or not making an obvious move.

Rich4114 · Post #10 » by **Rich4114** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 6:34 pm

Just out of curiosity, when have we played Felton just as a PG in his NBA career? The only times I can think of were when it was just him and Knight, and Knight was hurt. Other than that, he's always played PG/SG... yet people complain about him shooting too much... so what is he supposed to do? Play SG but really look like a PG? This organization from top to bottom has no clue what to do with what they've got.

spectre_ · Post #11 » by **spectre_** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 7:02 pm

I totally agree with the opening post (as well as Fats' comment about not addressing backup PG & PF/C in the offseason).

The pieces we picked up ARE worth the cost, but only if we use them as was intended...something Vincent refuses to do.

I don't think management and sam vincent are seeing eye to eye.

I agree with that to some extent, but the longer this is allowed to go on the more management is agreeing with the moves...least IMO.

You'd think they wouldn't like the reduced PT for Nazr tho...in that type of role he's not worth the contract (Jake took half) and it makes them look stupid.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #12 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 7:04 pm

Okafor clearly thinks too much and doesn't always play with passion. He a smart player not a warrior who will do anything it takes to win. But that doesn't have a lot to do with him playing out of position. When I said that size was an issue I meant the combination of raw height and strength. Remember when Okafor bulked up and how much that slowed him down?