Premier

Would you trade Raef LaFrentz in a deal, only to rid ourselves of his salary if it meant trading for a player of lesser ability? LaFrentz is due about ten million dollars next season, and about 44.4 million dollars in all (over the next four seasons). By trading LaFrentz (and with the cap supposedly increasing), we could clear enough space to sign a more useful free agent either this year or next year. For example, we could deal Raef LaFrentz and Delonte West for two of Houston's expiring contracts (David Wesley and Clarence Weatherspoon).

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Key: Player Option/ Team Option / Qualifying Offer / 80% Scale Offer

<table align="left" border="0" bordercolor="#ffffff" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#003366"><td valign="top" width="20%">Player</td> <td valign="top" width="11%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="11%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="11%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="13%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="13%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="13%"> </td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#ffffff"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" width="0"> </td></tr></tbody> </table>



<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="772"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#006532"><td colspan="14" class="statshead"> SEASON STATS: PER GAME </td><td colspan="3" class="statshead" align="center">REBOUNDS</td> <td colspan="2" class="statshead" align="center">
</td> </tr> <tr align="right" bgcolor="#aaaaa4"> <td align="left">YEAR</td> <td>G</td> <td>GS</td> <td>MIN</td> <td>FG</td> <td>FG%</td> <td>3P</td> <td>3P%</td> <td>FT</td> <td>FT%</td> <td>STL</td> <td>BLK</td> <td>TO</td> <td>PF</td> <td>OFF</td> <td>DEF</td> <td>TOT</td> <td>AST</td> <td>PTS</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#ecece4"><td align="left"> 2004-2005</td><td align="right">80</td><td align="right">80</td><td align="right">27.5</td><td align="right">4.3-8.6</td><td align="right">.496</td><td align="right">1.0-2.8</td><td align="right">.364</td><td align="right">1.5-1.9</td><td align="right">.811</td><td align="right">0.53</td><td align="right">1.2</td><td align="right">0.9</td><td align="right">3.3</td><td align="right">1.9</td><td align="right">5.0</td><td align="right">6.9</td><td align="right">1.2</td><td align="right">11.1
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__________________

aquaitious

He's not a bad player, but we're not going to get a good player for him. The best we can pray for is for a cap-clearing deal.

P-Dub34

LaFrentz's salary is handcuffing the franchise and will continue to do so as long as he's on the books. I don't like the idea of giving away young talent just to clear his deal. I honestly haven't the slightest clue what DA was thinking on this one. It's gonna be tough to get rid of him, too, because of his contract. Definitely gonna have to be some other form of enticement in there for another team to give up their expirers. Was there every any indications Raef would ever perform up to his salary?

Well, I guess when he was a 15/7/3 guy he was playing well, but his injuries have really limited him. I was pleasantly surprised by Raef's season, though...although I'd like to see him learn a post move or two and hit the boards a little more.

Delontes Herpes

No, I would not trade Raef in a cap clearing deal and here's why:

It will not put us under the cap anytime in the next 2 years, with Vin Baker's compensation lingering, as well as Pierce's max deal. After 2 years, he may be injured for the rest of his career, but he will be tradeable because he'll only have 2 years left. Right now, he is the best big man (not counting 'Toine) that the franchise has and we need his minutes.

Delontes Herpes

It's amazing that Raef rebounded as well as he did this year without any knees.

P-Dub34

I suppose that's true. LaFrentz was never a great rebounder, and he's in the neighborhood of his career avg. this year. If he mixed it up inside a little more instead of wandering the perimeter he'd collect more rebounds, and that's what I was saying. Unfortunately, that takes away the threat of his perimeter shooting. It's really a shame that Raef is so injury-prone. Call me crazy, but to this day I contend that without his injury problems he could've been a 15/9/2 kinda guy and a legitimate double-double threat every night out if he woulda stayed healthy. There's a reason he was picked before Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, et al.

Delontes Herpes

I agree with you. Injuries definitely hurt his career. However, his perimeter play is a strength in his game and we're just going to have to live with it until we find better options at the 4/5 positions.

Also another reason why he was drafted ahead of those guys is because everyone's always looking for the next great big man and will take risks on borderline players with high draft picks.

P-Dub34

Raef LaFrentz wasn't a borderline player coming out of college, though. He finished 2nd in school history in points and rebounds (at a prestigous college in Kansas, no less), and was a two time All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year. Raef LaFrentz was not a borderline player coming outta college. Almost every draft prediction had him going Top 5, as I recall.

Funny because he wasn't a perimeter player at all in college. NBA defense and injuries can really change your game, huh?

Anima

NBA defenses? No. Dan Issel? Yes.

Issel ruined Raef by forcing him to play center and on the perimeter early in his career. Now every where he plays thats what people expect of him.

IMO, if Issel never coached Raef he would be a much better, and different, player then he is now.

Delontes Herpes

LaFrentz was a phenomenal college player, but let's face it, if he was going to be the next tim duncan, or even the next elton brand, he would have gone #1 overall. He probably would have shaped up to be as good as anyone had hoped if he wasn't derailed by issel and injuries.

A better example of a borderline player going before bibby, VC, dirk, and pierce is kandi man. another one was traylor going 6th while pierce and dirk were still around.

Attila

There was also a reason why Joe Smith was picked #1 in '95 draft, but it must have not been a very good one. The next four selections were Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett.

P-Dub34

I think you missed my point. I wasn't saying they picked him because he's a better player, but teams don't just waste picks. It's like the Darko Milicic situation. Obviously the team saw something that made them think that he would be better than guys like PP, Carter, Dirk, etc., and that's why they took him at No. 3.