Is it too late to get Jahidi back?

[F-Dog]

So, here's the updated center scorecard:

--Dampier is looking at $9m+, possibly in a S&T
--Camby was re-signed, for more than the Suns could afford
--Okur was signed by Utah, presumably for more than the Suns could afford
--Foyle re-signed with Golden State, almost certainly for the MLE or better
--Washington owns Etan Thomas' Bird Rights, and I've cooled on him anyway (I visited a Wizards message board, where he was described as 'Brian Grant without the jumpshot')
--Divac is re-signing with Sacramento, unless they S&T him to the Lakers
--Mark Blount seems to have no interest in signing anywhere in the Western Conference (just as well, frankly)
--McDyess is supposed to get an MLE offer from Detroit now that they've lost Okur--possibly for several years
--Ostertag sucks, and he seems to be chortling over the prospect of getting big-money offers from teams where they won't yell at him when he stops trying hard.

The Suns have just enough money to fit Jahidi White's contract under the cap, too. I wonder whether the Bobcats would give us Cleveland's pick back...


Seriously, though, I've reached the point where I hope the Suns bank their cap room and look to move Eisley or add a draft pick at the trade deadline.

 

[Dave64]

I agree that the center position possibilities look extremely bleak.

 

[elindholm]

Hadn't heard that about McDyess and Detroit. Interesting...

The Etan Thomas/Brian Grant comparison is legitimate, but Thomas is bigger, a better shot-blocker, and less injury-prone. If you think of Grant back when he looked like someone who was conceivably worth a max contract, however, that's not too bad.

 

[F-Dog]

Hadn't heard that about McDyess and Detroit. Interesting...

The Etan Thomas/Brian Grant comparison is legitimate, but Thomas is bigger, a better shot-blocker, and less injury-prone. If you think of Grant back when he looked like someone who was conceivably worth a max contract, however, that's not too bad.

The problem with Grant is that he's barely big enough to play PF, and Grant playing center is exactly why guys like Blount are so eager to stay on the East Coast.

The prevailing opinion on the board I visited was that Brendan Haywood was the better option, and that Thomas wasn't really a center...


Here's the scoop on McDyess:

Link

A possible replacement for Okur could be in the wings: Antonio McDyess, a former All-Star power forward with a recent history of knee problems. McDyess met with the Pistons last week, according to a league source close to the situation, and the two sides eventually could discuss a contract that would be filled with incentives and bonuses.

 

[elindholm]

No, Thomas isn't really a center, but he's more of a center than McDyess or Stoudemire.

There's a rule in the CBA about how incentives count against the cap when they are "likely to be met." It could be very interesting what kind of contract the Pistons and McDyess are able to push past the league, if they decide to try.

 

[George O'Brien]

McDyess's agent has been shopping him hard for months. I think knows what he can get in Phoenix and is trying despirately to get a substantially bigger deal elsewhere. However, every report says the same thing - they want him only if he is really cheap.

I'm sure the Suns would be glad to give Dice an incentive heavy contract. If it related to getting minutes, he gets more minutes in Phoenix.

 

[Mainstreet]

I always wanted to keep Jahidi. I know Phoenix wanted the cap room but seriously Jahidi is good, if not better, as most of the centers out there. If Phoenix had kept Jahidi and acquired the cap room somehow for Nash, the Suns would be in pretty good shape.

 

[Dave64]

White almost averaged more fouls (3.9) than points (4.4) or rebounds (4.5). That is terrible! Having 6M in caps space is much more valauble than White's sorry game.

 

[Mainstreet]

White almost averaged more fouls (3.9) than points (4.4) or rebounds (4.5). That is terrible! Having 6M in caps space is much more valauble than White's sorry game.

Maybe we can get Daniel Santiago back.

 

[George O'Brien]

I always figured White was worth about $2.5 to $3 million as a strong man role player. As it is, the amount he was being paid, $5.8 million, is enough to get a much more complete player. I'm just not sure there is anyone worth that much for four years.

 

[Yuma]

If you guys are so bleak on the center prospects out there in free agency then Vroman looks even better in comparason. Seriously:

Dampier - too costly. we were not going to sign him.
Divacs - Sac will offer him way more than any team out there.
Okur - good riddance!
Camby - everyone knew he was going to resign.
Foyle - Intriguing, but there's a reason he's at Golden State.
Etan Thomas - paying for potential.
McDyess - Half the guys on the board want him as a first option. He's still in play.
Ostertag - Better than most the guys on this list. Still available.
Blount - We will see where he ends up. Not everyone plays for the team they want.

The Suns have also been hinting at trades. Better centers are available via trade. If not, like I joked, Vroman ain't looking half bad now. I was impatient earlier, but the guys that were listed here, most of them I am NOT sad we don't have.

 

[Mainstreet]

I always figured White was worth about $2.5 to $3 million as a strong man role player. As it is, the amount he was being paid, $5.8 million, is enough to get a much more complete player. I'm just not sure there is anyone worth that much for four years.

I agree, but this was White's last year so the Suns would not have been tied up in a long term contract.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not all that sure there are better centers available though trade, at least a trade the Suns can afford. No one is going to give up a solid center for a wing man and a draft pick. What is available is either too old, too slow, too overpaid, or too inconsistent to be interesting in a trade.

The problem is that the Suns don't have a lot of expendible players other teams want. They all want Amare and JJ. There are few that would be happy to steal Lampe or Barbosa, but none will give a starting center for them. Zarko remains a question mark, Casey has not shown enough to be interesting, and Jake may the Suns center by default. Marion is talented, but overpaid and we'd have to pay to get rid of Eisley.

It is frustrating. At this point I hate to give away the Chicago pick because maybe there will be a center available in the draft.

 

[Dave64]

The Chicago pick may be our best chance at getting a center, especially if the Bulls finish really poorly in the next two seasons. We could get the top pick in the 2007 draft or the 2nd pick in the 2006 draft. Either a quality center will available, or we can trade the high pick for an established center. Just a thought! Dave

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

According to an article in the Charlotte Observer (Hoopshype's link is broken).

Bickerstaff said anyone under contract is likely to remain. The list included Jahadi. Makes sense to me. If they can't get any FAs to come, why waive White? Let his deal come off next summer, and see if he can play for you this year. Or always move him near the trade deadline.

 

[George O'Brien]

According to an article in the Charlotte Observer (Hoopshype's link is broken).

Bickerstaff said anyone under contract is likely to remain. The list included Jahadi. Makes sense to me. If they can't get any FAs to come, why waive White? Let his deal come off next summer, and see if he can play for you this year. Or always move him near the trade deadline.

My undestanding is that the original team is restricted on trading for the player they lost in the expansion draft.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

My undestanding is that the original team is restricted on trading for the player they lost in the expansion draft.

That is true. You cannot trade for them for 1 year I think.

Just to clarify, I didn't mean the suns trading for him. I just meant he could be used to get another team under the cap later in the year.