Crowded Rocket Roster

[azirish]

Baring some many for one trades, it seems likely they will have to buy out contracts.

McGrady
Ming
Battier
Mike James
Hays
Alston
Sura
Scola
Francis
Butler
Snyder
Wells
Read
Head
Brooks
Lucas
Novak
Mike Harris

That's 18

It is no secret that I think that Mutombo would be a good addition for the Suns, even though I'm the first to admit he's the least "Sun-Like" player I can imagine. However slow he is and limited his offense is, he is still a solid defender (being 7'2") and an amazing rebounder at 0.38 per minute.

He's not being included in the free agency lists most reporters mention because of his expressed desire to return to the Rockets. But it seems unlikely they will have a roster slot available.

My main interest in Mutombo is to have someone who could give some low post minutes against the Spurs. But I think he might let the Suns go into a "wolf pack" defense with four in your face defenders with a shot blocker inside.

We've talked a lot about how much easier it is to trigger the fast break if you get the rebound, particularly if everybody can get out and run. I'm not suggesting this as a major tactic, but it might not be as hard on the offense as having a 3.1 ppg guy might suggest. KT averaged only 4.6 ppg during the regular season 18.0 minutes although he did spread the floor more.

Can Mutombo still play? Last season he had 1289 minutes (17.2 per game) on the top defensive team in the NBA. His 6.5 rebounds in just 17.2 minutes is unbelievablely efficient. His 488 rebounds was substantially ahead of KT's 379 in 1208 minutes: 0.378 rebounds per minute compared to 0.314. BTW, PJ was not even close (however, PJ played with Ben Wallace so his stats were lower than his career stats).

I know all the reasons why the Suns shouldn't do it, but none are all that compelling if you assume that they have been considering PJ Brown who not terribly quick nor much of a shooter either.

P.J. Brown
Chicago Bulls
Position: C-F
Height: 6-11 Weight: 239
College : Louisiana Tech
Player file | Team stats
2006-07 Statistics

PPG 6.1
RPG 4.8
APG 0.7
SPG 0.3
BPG 0.7
FG% 0.407
FT% 0.787
3P% 0.000
MPG 20.2

Dikembe Mutombo
Houston Rockets
Position: C
Height: 7-2 Weight: 260
College : Georgetown
Player file | Team stats
2006-07 Statistics

PPG 3.1
RPG 6.5
APG 0.2
SPG 0.3
BPG 1.0
FG% 0.556
FT% 0.690
3P% 0.000
MPG 17.2

 

[Sunsman44]

Numbers don't mean a thing once u step on D'Antoni's court.

All that matters is how fast u can think, react, and eventually how fast u can move.

Both Mutumbo and PJ Brown are exactly the opposite of what I just mentioned and hence are a very poor downgrade from Kurt Thomas.

And I'm not even saying Kurt Thomas was great. He slowed the Suns and made them look like a "mock-Spurs" team.

Suns want to go fast. Ultra-fast.

The best big right now is Brian Skinner and high-flying James Singleton.

Nothing else.....unless u do a trade.

 

[dodie53]

Numbers don't mean a thing once u step on D'Antoni's court.

All that matters is how fast u can think, react, and eventually how fast u can move.

Both Mutumbo and PJ Brown are exactly the opposite of what I just mentioned and hence are a very poor downgrade from Kurt Thomas.

And I'm not even saying Kurt Thomas was great. He slowed the Suns and made them look like a "mock-Spurs" team.

Suns want to go fast. Ultra-fast.

The best big right now is Brian Skinner and high-flying James Singleton.

Nothing else.....unless u do a trade.

agree

 

[Joe Mama]

Numbers don't mean a thing once u step on D'Antoni's court.

All that matters is how fast u can think, react, and eventually how fast u can move.

Both Mutumbo and PJ Brown are exactly the opposite of what I just mentioned and hence are a very poor downgrade from Kurt Thomas.

And I'm not even saying Kurt Thomas was great. He slowed the Suns and made them look like a "mock-Spurs" team.

Suns want to go fast. Ultra-fast.

The best big right now is Brian Skinner and high-flying James Singleton.

Nothing else.....unless u do a trade.

I'm sorry, but you are just flat out wrong when you keep saying that guys like P.J. Brown and Kurt Thomas are too slow for the Phoenix Suns. You just keep eating up the BS. Kurt Thomas was a flat-out salary dump. The Phoenix Suns can try and spin it some other way, but it's BS.

You simply do not need all five players flying down the court to play fast. Furthermore, you can play faster when you are actually able to get stops on defense and secure the rebounds regularly. Besides, in the playoffs the games slow down.

If Mike D'Antoni still believes that the best way to win in the playoffs is to go small all the time and keep pushing the ball then I'm with the people who think it might be time to make a coaching change at the end of the year. I don't think he believes that though. I think he knows he needs a guy like Kurt Thomas or P.J. Brown to win a championship.

I'm also not sure why you keep saying that P.J. Brown is a big downgrade from Kurt Thomas. Replacing Kt with P.J. Brown for next season is a lateral move at worst and might even make the team better because his reputation is as somebody who defends Tim Duncan very well.

If the Phoenix Suns can get P.J. Brown I think we'll all see that he shoots just about the same consistency jump shot as Kurt Thomas, especially when he'll be wide open like Kt was on 95% of his jump shots last season.

The problem with Mutombo is that he has no jump shot. He'd still be a very good addition on the defensive end, but on offense he allows defenses to sag into the middle of the floor. While I don't believe it's important that all five players be fast and athletic I do believe they need to be able to stretch the offense. That's especially true at the 5.

Joe

 

[azirish]

Overall, I agree with Joe. I'm not sure any classic big can make the Suns rotation, but that does not mean there isn't a place for one. If nothing else, a guy like Mutombo would force the Suns to practice against a strong defender.

BTW, Just as I thought Mutombo was being ignroed, he's listed as somebody the Celtics are looking in a Boston Herald article.

The Hoopshype profile of Mutombo includes an interesting.

http://www.hoopshype.com/players/dikembe_mutombo.htm

One of the best defensive players in history... Long, long arms... A shot blocking machine... Averages more than 12 boards per game in his career... Sometimes effective hook shot... Not a bad 10-foot baseline jumper if he has a clean look... Poor footwork... Very slow in the open court... Mediocre on the offensive end... Makes the difference on defense... Currently on the twilight of his career.

 

[nowagimp]

Baring some many for one trades, it seems likely they will have to buy out contracts.

McGrady
Ming
Battier
Mike James
Hays
Alston
Sura
Scola
Francis
Butler
Snyder
Wells
Read
Head
Brooks
Lucas
Novak
Mike Harris

That's 18

It is no secret that I think that Mutombo would be a good addition for the Suns, even though I'm the first to admit he's the least "Sun-Like" player I can imagine. However slow he is and limited his offense is, he is still a solid defender (being 7'2") and an amazing rebounder at 0.38 per minute.

He's not being included in the free agency lists most reporters mention because of his expressed desire to return to the Rockets. But it seems unlikely they will have a roster slot available.

My main interest in Mutombo is to have someone who could give some low post minutes against the Spurs. But I think he might let the Suns go into a "wolf pack" defense with four in your face defenders with a shot blocker inside.

We've talked a lot about how much easier it is to trigger the fast break if you get the rebound, particularly if everybody can get out and run. I'm not suggesting this as a major tactic, but it might not be as hard on the offense as having a 3.1 ppg guy might suggest. KT averaged only 4.6 ppg during the regular season 18.0 minutes although he did spread the floor more.

Can Mutombo still play? Last season he had 1289 minutes (17.2 per game) on the top defensive team in the NBA. His 6.5 rebounds in just 17.2 minutes is unbelievablely efficient. His 488 rebounds was substantially ahead of KT's 379 in 1208 minutes: 0.378 rebounds per minute compared to 0.314. BTW, PJ was not even close (however, PJ played with Ben Wallace so his stats were lower than his career stats).

I know all the reasons why the Suns shouldn't do it, but none are all that compelling if you assume that they have been considering PJ Brown who not terribly quick nor much of a shooter either.

P.J. Brown
Chicago Bulls
Position: C-F
Height: 6-11 Weight: 239
College : Louisiana Tech
Player file | Team stats
2006-07 Statistics

PPG 6.1
RPG 4.8
APG 0.7
SPG 0.3
BPG 0.7
FG% 0.407
FT% 0.787
3P% 0.000
MPG 20.2

Dikembe Mutombo
Houston Rockets
Position: C
Height: 7-2 Weight: 260
College : Georgetown
Player file | Team stats
2006-07 Statistics

PPG 3.1
RPG 6.5
APG 0.2
SPG 0.3
BPG 1.0
FG% 0.556
FT% 0.690
3P% 0.000
MPG 17.2

Only one problem, mutombo is a terrible outlet passer! He usually fakes 3-4 times before he's comfortable giving the ball up.

 

[azirish]

Only one problem, mutombo is a terrible outlet passer! He usually fakes 3-4 times before he's comfortable giving the ball up.

You may be right, although I'd think that's something that could be worked on. He has not played on a running team for a long time where quick outlet passes are required. One thing about slow teams is that it is easier to defense the outlet pass because there is less pressure to get back on defense.