Rolling the dice on McDyess
'Sheed is gone to Boston.
All the dreams (and nightmares) of Wallace wearing the Silver and Black can now be put to rest. I was really high on 'Sheed, and I think that this is a great pick up for the Celtics. And one way or another, we still need to find a veteran big man to play alongside Duncan and our suddenly youthful and athletic frontline.
A lot of speculation and attention has been paid to Antonio McDyess in recent days, which seems a bit ironic since he was Wallace's teammate last year. We are reportedly set to offer him a contract with our mid-level exception. Is this a wise move?
I would argue yes. I would also argue that the difference between McDyess and Wallace is much slimmer than many imagine. McDyess' stats for last season compare favorably to Wallace's. Wallace was a slightly better scorer; McDyess a better rebounder (a trait I find more favorable for a Spur, especially with 4 great scoring options on the roster right now). Look at the 4 playoff games against Cleveland, especially the deciding Game 4; McDyess had a monster 26-10 in almost 40 minutes, while 'Sheed had 0 points and 5 boards in 29 minutes. ZERO points in an elimination game!? This speaks to one of the knocks on Wallace--he'll check out when all hope is lost. McDyess on the other hand played his best game of a rather abbreviated postseason with his back up against the wall.
Ultimately, I think Rasheed gives a team a better chance at greatness. With his combination of skills, size, and intelligence, he has the chance in almost every game to be the best player on the court. Unfortunately, he seldom is. He is higher risk, higher reward.
McDyess, on the other hand, provides a team with much more consistency and reliability. His days of being the best player on the floor are long over. But you'll never doubt his commitment, his heart, his energy, and his devotion to the game and the team. He's a lot like Kurt Thomas--a player whom I loved on the Spurs--but with more talent and athletic ability, which would make him an upgrade for us. He'll never blow you away, but he'll never make a costly mistake in crunch time. And you can always count on him to get an important board, or take a charge, or hit the 15 foot jumper.
Ultimately, I think McDyess would be an outstanding addition to the Spurs. He fits our 'culture' like a glove. He has an intense desire to win--remember, he gave up money to leave Denver and re-sign with Detroit. In hindsight, that was a poor choice. But he did it to win. He's a high character guy. He'll fit seamlessly into the team and the system, and will be happy playing whatever role is asked of him.
If Rasheed was Option 1, I think McDyess is ultimately Option 1A. It may look like we're settling for the leftovers; but in the long run, I think McDyess has the potential to be as good of a signing as (if not better than) Rasheed Wallace would have been. I hope we get him.
All the dreams (and nightmares) of Wallace wearing the Silver and Black can now be put to rest. I was really high on 'Sheed, and I think that this is a great pick up for the Celtics. And one way or another, we still need to find a veteran big man to play alongside Duncan and our suddenly youthful and athletic frontline.
A lot of speculation and attention has been paid to Antonio McDyess in recent days, which seems a bit ironic since he was Wallace's teammate last year. We are reportedly set to offer him a contract with our mid-level exception. Is this a wise move?
I would argue yes. I would also argue that the difference between McDyess and Wallace is much slimmer than many imagine. McDyess' stats for last season compare favorably to Wallace's. Wallace was a slightly better scorer; McDyess a better rebounder (a trait I find more favorable for a Spur, especially with 4 great scoring options on the roster right now). Look at the 4 playoff games against Cleveland, especially the deciding Game 4; McDyess had a monster 26-10 in almost 40 minutes, while 'Sheed had 0 points and 5 boards in 29 minutes. ZERO points in an elimination game!? This speaks to one of the knocks on Wallace--he'll check out when all hope is lost. McDyess on the other hand played his best game of a rather abbreviated postseason with his back up against the wall.
Ultimately, I think Rasheed gives a team a better chance at greatness. With his combination of skills, size, and intelligence, he has the chance in almost every game to be the best player on the court. Unfortunately, he seldom is. He is higher risk, higher reward.
McDyess, on the other hand, provides a team with much more consistency and reliability. His days of being the best player on the floor are long over. But you'll never doubt his commitment, his heart, his energy, and his devotion to the game and the team. He's a lot like Kurt Thomas--a player whom I loved on the Spurs--but with more talent and athletic ability, which would make him an upgrade for us. He'll never blow you away, but he'll never make a costly mistake in crunch time. And you can always count on him to get an important board, or take a charge, or hit the 15 foot jumper.
Ultimately, I think McDyess would be an outstanding addition to the Spurs. He fits our 'culture' like a glove. He has an intense desire to win--remember, he gave up money to leave Denver and re-sign with Detroit. In hindsight, that was a poor choice. But he did it to win. He's a high character guy. He'll fit seamlessly into the team and the system, and will be happy playing whatever role is asked of him.
If Rasheed was Option 1, I think McDyess is ultimately Option 1A. It may look like we're settling for the leftovers; but in the long run, I think McDyess has the potential to be as good of a signing as (if not better than) Rasheed Wallace would have been. I hope we get him.
posted by secretchord53 at 9:15 PM
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