Tractor Traylor?

[mark1]

Start the tractor


First, Robert "Tractor" Traylor was sitting courtside with his beau watching the Suns game Friday. Then, he had Suns owner Robert Sarver on a wing. Later, he had President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo and two other Suns investors next to him.

It was not quite the blue-chip recruiting treatment Steve Nash got, but the message was sent that Phoenix's search for a big man includes Traylor, an unrestricted free agent.

"It's a mutual interest," Traylor said. "They've got some time (playing minutes) that I want. Hopefully, I bring some things to the table they like. It's a great opportunity with a young team that's going to be a good team."

Traylor would add bulk to the roster at 6-8 and 284 pounds. Last season, the six-year pro averaged 5.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 13.3 minutes with New Orleans.

He may sign for his veteran minimum level of $870,046.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0717sunsnb0717.html

 

[slinslin]

Looks like a pretty much done deal. Tractor is a decent bench player. Needless to say he is huge.

Voshkul/Traylor/Przybilla or someone else
Amare/Lampe
Marion/Zarko
JJ/Q/CJ
Nash/Starbosa

 

[Mainstreet]

I've never really watched Robert Traylor play much, but he would appear a nice pick-up for near the minimum. His stats appear decent enough for his playing time. I understand he is a F/C.

I would still like to add another big somehow, but not at the expense of Q (hope the Clips don't match). If things did not work out with Q, Skita is a player I feel has a lot of upside and eventually could turn into a decent center. However, I don't think Denver would let us have him.

I still want the Suns to keep their core players.

 

[slinslin]

Skita is a SF not a center.

 

[Mainstreet]

Perhaps not yet.

I think he has the ability to play center with further development. I would agree with you if we were talking about Zarko.

I guess it's just how I view the potential development of this player. I think he's pretty close to being able to play center if he were given some time at this position.

 

[Joe Mama]

Perhaps not yet.

I think he has the ability to play center with further development. I would agree with you if we were talking about Zarko.

I guess it's just how I view the potential development of this player. I think he's pretty close to being able to play center if he were given some time at this position.

offensively Skita might someday be able to play a high post center position. Defensively there's just not a chance in hell is going to be an effective center. It's debatable whether he will even be able to defend power forwards effectively.

Do you all think if the Phoenix Suns signed Tractor Traylor they would be able to trade him back to Dallas for Dirk Nowitzki?

Joe Mama

 

[Kolo]

Traylor's exactly what we need. His rebounding and blocked shot totals per 48 minutes are pretty decent. If he can give us 15 minutes a night and Voskuhl 20, work Lampe and Amare in the other 13 depending on match-ups, that'd be a decent rotation, better than what several teams last year threw out (Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle). I'd much rather have Traylor for one year and less than a million bucks than Foyle for $41 million or Etan Thomas for $38 million or even Okur for $50 million.

 

[sly fly]

Good signing. We have to remember that the West got small all of a sudden, so adding an athletic banger will be gravy.

Everytime Tractor gets minutes, it seems he produces. Not sure why he hasn't flourished or been on the floor more. Admittedly, have not seen him play much since college or while against PHX.

I'm hoping that this is the place he starts to define his career.

 

[elindholm]

He is basically a cousin of Oliver Miller, stronger but without the shooting. He is definitely over 300 pounds. He's not much of an interior presence on defense because he can't get off the ground. He does take up plenty of space under the boards, however.

For the minimum, you can't go wrong. He'll help a little, but I wouldn't expect much of him.

 

[Joe Mama]

Good signing. We have to remember that the West got small all of a sudden, so adding an athletic banger will be gravy.

Everytime Tractor gets minutes, it seems he produces. Not sure why he hasn't flourished or been on the floor more. Admittedly, have not seen him play much since college or while against PHX.

I'm hoping that this is the place he starts to define his career.

It's because it's difficult to play effectively when you have turkey leg in one hand and a triple cheeseburger and the other. My guess is this is far from a done deal. According to a few articles on HoopsHype there are several teams interested in Traylor including the Hornets and Cavaliers.

I think it's been a combination of fouls and conditioning.

I would still love to see Kevin Willis, but he is probably wanting to play for a championship contender like San Antonio. Eric will give me flak for this, but I think they should also add another veteran minimum big man even if it's only Scott Williams.

Joe

 

[elindholm]

Eric will give me flak for this, but I think they should also add another veteran minimum big man even if it's only Scott Williams.

I think the Suns should add as many big men for the minimum as they can, including Williams if they feel like it. Just don't expect him to be an asset on the court.

 

[fordronken]

Maybe we can trade him for Nowitzki.

 

[cepstrum]

If we can get Joel Pryzbilla, I say we go for him. Tractor Trayler is a poor man's jihadi white. A rich man's jihadi white isn't too useful, but a poor man's is even worse. Better yet sign em both

 

[NJYAJ09]

ok, get Q, then get pryzb and traylor. sounds fine to me.

 

[F-Dog]

Tractor Traylor was most definitely an asset for New Orleans last year. For about 15 mpg, he went out and threw his body around, hustled, and scored around the basket. He's like an offense-oriented version of Jahidi, which is absolute gold for the vet's minimum.


Nash, Q and Traylor is a better outcome in FA than anything I would have predicted, even before teams started to throw around crazy money. It's up to the Clippers to make it happen, though.

 

[Dave64]

I remember how much of as stud Traylor was at Michigan. His pro career has basically been awful. If we sign Traylor, I hope this is not the "shocking" news! He will do little to help. I would rather have Joel.

 

[Mainstreet]

Originally posted by Joe Mama

offensively Skita might someday be able to play a high post center position. Defensively there's just not a chance in hell is going to be an effective center. It's debatable whether he will even be able to defend power forwards effectively.

I don't think Denver would trade Skita to Phoenix anyway because of his upside. However, I disagree that at age 21, it is a lock he would not be able to learn to play center defensively. As he continues to mature and bulk up, I still think he might be able to play center as he has a lot of untapped athletic ability. Also, there are very few good centers in the NBA anyway.

To obtain a quality center in the NBA a team has to get lucky or gamble a bit on a young player. I can see your point, but I hope you can see my perspective as well.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by Joe Mama



I don't think Denver would trade Skita to Phoenix anyway because of his upside. However, I disagree that at age 21, it is a lock he would not be able to learn to play center defensively. As he continues to mature and bulk up, I still think he might be able to play center as he has a lot of untapped athletic ability. Also, there are very few good centers in the NBA anyway.

To obtain a quality center in the NBA a team has to get lucky or gamble a bit on a young player. I can see your point, but I hope you can see my perspective as well.

I see your point. I just disagree with it. Skita is 7 feet tall, but otherwise he isn't close to being a center. I mean anything is possible, but you may be picking the softest seven footer in the league and asking him to become a center. At this point he isn't even a power forward.

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Joe Mama

 

[sunsfn]

Lampe has a better chance to be a center in the NBA.

I do not think Skita has a very good chance to ever play center. Maybe in another 3-4 years he will put on some weight and play it for a few minutes a game.

The announcer on the game the other day (Snapper Jones) said that they keep trying to make an inside player out of this guy and his strength is shooting from the outside. He insinuated that they should play to the guys strength and quit trying to change him and they may come away with a very good player. Now I realize that Jones is not a coach but he is a very good announcer that does understand the game and how it is played.

 

[Dave64]

I have problem with Traylor, as long as they put it in cement that he is the back-up center. He is not a starter in this league!

 

[elindholm]

I like Snapper Jones. Anyone who can get teamed with Bill Walton for year after year and still sound sane -- never mind coherent -- has accomplished something impressive in my book.

 

[George O'Brien]

Traylor for the minimum, why not? The Suns need some one who can bang and thr Tractor is a lot of bang for the bucks

If he has a choice between Phoenix and say Cleveland (for the same money), it may be tough a call. He might actually start in Cleveland, whereas he will be strictly a backup in Phoenix. However, I think he would see what we see - he would get over 20 minutes playing for better team than he left. Cleveland will simply not be a very good team this year.

BTW, do you think Charlotte will EVER get to use the Cleveland pick they got on the White deal?