Gambo and Ash - Suns almost signed Olowokandi.

[JS22]

Just a short little post, as they didn't talk much about it, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

Apparently the Suns almost signed Olowokandi to a 1 year vet minimum deal but backed out because of his knees. They didn't want another Brian Grant situation, but were very interested in "catching lightning in a bottle" by bringing him in. They also said that Olowokandi very much wanted to come and play in Phoenix.

He would have been a decent guy off of the bench. If I recall he is an average rebounder /shot blocker, which is something that the Suns could definitely use. Having Sean Marks and Pat Burke as the main backup bigs still scares the hell out of me.

 

[slinslin]

How could they get in another Grant situation if they signed him for ONE year?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

How could they get in another Grant situation if they signed him for ONE year?

Good question

 

[arthurracoon]

argh

shouldda signed him!!!!

 

[basketballfan]

They also said that Olowokandi very much wanted to come and play in Phoenix.


He wanted to play here so that he couldn't get postered by Amare anymore. Exept for everday in practice, that is.

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[JS22]

How could they get in another Grant situation if they signed him for ONE year?

I'm assuming because of his bum knees. They didn't want him to be injured for most of the season.

 

[fordronken]

Anybody remember Jack McCallum's SI article about the Suns training camp? If I remember correctly, Alvin Gentry(his former coach with the Clippers) is not a very big Olowokandi fan. Of course, that didn't keep him from running the entire offense through him for a whole season.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm assuming because of his bum knees. They didn't want him to be injured for most of the season.

But if he passed a physical, how much risk is there on a vet minimum one year deal?

 

[Folster]

We can't have any semblance of a true center on our team. We can give Eric frickin' Piatkowski a guaranteed two year deal, but not Olowokandi. If this report is true then I don't know what D'Antoni was thinking unless Olowokandi's knees are just shot.

I'm surprised the Spurs haven't picked him up. He would be a good replacement for Nazr.

 

[fordronken]

Olowokandi is the most depressing person I've ever seen in my life. If I was in the NBA and he was sitting on the bench, I'd just say "Screw it. Let's go to Chilli's."

 

[Chaplin]

Olowokandi is the most depressing person I've ever seen in my life. If I was in the NBA and he was sitting on the bench, I'd just say "Screw it. Let's go to Chilli's."

Apparently, you'd have to drive since he can't possibly walk there, not with bad knees.

 

[sly fly]

Cotton has to be turning in his grave, hearing about this.

 

[George O'Brien]

Isn't his picture in the dictionary next to the word "underachiever"?

Olowokandi had a couple of "OK" seasons with the Clippers:

2001-02 11.1 ppg 8.9 rpg
2002-03 12.3 ppg 9.1 rpg

His time with the Wolves was not very impressive statistically, but mostly because he didn't play as much. Last year he averaged 5.6 rpg in 23.5 minutes with the Wolves.

However, I think his problem is attitude more than anything else. I never realized how valuable attitude is until I read that Jake Voskuhl was re-signed for $2 million a year.

Michael Olowokandi
Boston Celtics
Position: C
Height: 7-0 Weight: 270
College : U. of Pacific
Player file | Team stats

2005-06 Statistics
PPG 5.0
RPG 4.6
APG .5
SPG .46
BPG .69
FG% .446
FT% .511
3P% .000
MPG 19.1

Jake Voskuhl
Charlotte Bobcats
Position: C
Height: 6-11 Weight: 255
College : Connecticut
Player file | Team stats

2005-06 Statistics
PPG 5.3
RPG 3.6
APG .8
SPG .51
BPG .45
FG% .437
FT% .683
3P% .333
MPG 16.0