we all love Billups as a player and leader. Unfortunately for this team we have way more holes to fill if we want to be true contenders. We don't have the luxury of having CB, I am sure he would do wonders on a contending team and could eventually even hurt us in a playoff match. But on our team, lets be realistic, JJ is our starting center and our intimidator.
If we can add a player like Dalmembert with the MLE, and Kris Humphries/ Prizbilla with the bi annual exception you might have an arguement. We don't have a 6th man role that Shawne William is somewhat playing right now. And even he is due for a raise.
We are built to win now, Billups takes up 14m of the cap room. We have to add depth, fill holes, and he is just the odd man out.
Point is with 15m cap room, we can fill all of these needs. We need a core like the Lakers, Boston, where they have roles for players. We can't sign a player for 1 year deal for the next summer and then let him bail on us the following year, like how Shawn Williams probably will.
We need a core with consistency, set roles, and set contracts so they can look to WIN, not achieve individual stats so they can earn themselves a contract.
Some roles can be filled with 1 year min deals but NOT ALL OF THEM.
In 2012, Fields will need a new contract, none of us mind in going over the cap to sign him.
But if we are looking to sign a 3rd "star" that year, we have to let him walk for nothing.
If we go all in this summer, we can keep Fields and just go over the cap.
We need
a CENTER
back up center
6th man player that can play the 2-3
a starting PG(can be TD)or a backup PG
we have
/ Jerome Jordan(which probably is a 3rd string center till he improves in a couple years)
Amare / JJ (assuming he will sign the vet min)
Melo
Fields (who could walk in 2012)
TD (showing flashes that he can be the starting PG right now and has a great deal locked him for 3 more years or can be back up)
Turiaf *can opt out for longer deal*
Walker
Rautins
Balkman
So we need a starting Center, another back up Center, a 6th man player like Wilson Chandler/Odom, another PG(starting or back up)
We can't fill these roles with min deals. That is why so many of us didn't like this Melo trade, cause we gave up too much. Now we have too many holes to fill.
We have to fill these holes and Billups and Turiaf's contract can do it.
I believe, the point in a player like
Tyson Chandler in teaming up defensively
TD
Fields
even Amare's help D
Chandler will allow TD and the rest of the players to playing better team defense.
When TD cheats, his guy drives pass him and goes straight in to Tyson Chandler.
He would be our anchor on our team defense.
Would allow us to conserve energy + stamina, have a defensive state of mind and presence, and allow some players to focus more on OFFENSE.
Most importantly he will give us stops when needed most.
Instead of being up 10 and losing our lead, not being able to close out games, we can play defense.
We have to stop trying to outscore our opponents to win games, we HAVE TO MAKE STOPS!
I believe TD will become a great defender. He is playing without a STARTING CALIBER DEFENSIVE C, he will improve.
Chandler will allow TD to playing better defense, I believe he will have a multiple effect on this team.
Amare will become a better defender as well, cause he wont be our best shot blocker, Chandler will be his anchor too.
Look at what he has done to Dallas's defense, and they still have 2 legit big men in Haywood too.
He does many things STATS dont show.
He is a veteran big, knows his role.
He DOESNT NEED the ball to be effective, in fact, he can get OFFENSIVE BOARDS, RB, STOPS that can change our momentum.
a player like Kris Humphries and Joel Prizbilla can put up similar numbers but their game is no where like what Chandler brings.
Even if we pick up Tyson Chandler, I would mimic Dallas and try to pick another good defensive big as well.
examples of some min deals we can get and how they would look
When Melo or Amare sit
Tyson Chandler
Amare
Barnes
Fields
Delone West
Tyson Chandler
Melo
Barnes
Fields
TD
JJ
Amare
Barnes
West
TD
A starting caliber defensive big Center can allow us to play many different styles.
Deandre Jordan can fill this role too and he is still young. He will have a higher ceiling but he will lack the veteran leadership of Chandler.
3/10/2011 3:44 PM