Minstrel

This wasn't a bad deal, at all. Cardinal's numbers are actually good extrapolated to 40 minutes (and he played a significant enough number of minutes for an extrapolation to be reasonable...this isn't extrapolating 2 minutes per game).

Also, consider that even at the number of minutes he did play, he played virtually the same number of minutes as Okur, put up very similar numbers to Okur and is being paid significantly less. And Okur's deal is considered an important move by Utah.

West essentially got someone who produced like Okur, was undervalued and got him for less than Okur. Though, he is older, granted.

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

Ed O

And 3 inches taller. The 6'11" Okur can play center, while Cardinal is lucky to be able to play the 4.

You're right, though, that many of their per-48's are similar...

Ed O.

__________________
"In the end, it all comes down to talent. You can talk all you want about intangibles, I just don't know what that means. Talent makes winners, not intangibles. Can nice guys win? Sure, nice guys can win -- if they're nice guys with a lot of talent. Nice guys with a little talent finish fourth, and nice guys with no talent finish last."

-- Sandy Koufax

Minstrel

Well, Cardinal is a 3/4, while Okur is a 4/5. Both can give you some positional versatility, though I agree taller is better.

But check out Cardinal's three-point shooting. 44.4%. That's quite a weapon. (Okur shot 37.5%.)

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

Storyteller

Or maybe Hubie wants to run an 11 man rotation instead of the 10 man rotation he ran this past year....

Seriously, though, I think you're probably right, thylo. I think West would love to trade depth for superior talent.

Schilly

You mean like trading Gasol, Wells and Battier for Kobe?

Memphis lineup
PG Williams
SG Kobe
SF Posey/Miller
PF Swift
C Wright

Lakers Lineup
PG Payton
SG Wells
SF Odom
PF Gasol
C Grant

el_Diablo

no way, with a starting lineup like that, I might end up liking the lakers...

STOMP

27 actually... since the prime years for a Bball player are usually thought to be 28-32, and he'll be 33 when the deal is done, I really don't think it was that bad of a signing. Maybe a little long

Living in the Bay Area most of the year, I catch a lot of Warriors games, and dude really impressed me last year. His ability to hit open jumpers from everywhere (not just 3), as well as all around solid team play and unmatched hustle make him a great asset IMO. I wish someone on the Blazers could hit 3's at a mid 40% clip and D-up on the other end.

http://www.thecustodian.net/

STOMP

Attached Images

brian_cardinal_a_33.jpg (14.8 KB, 5 views)

STOMP

In retrospect, isn't it interesting how off posters were in guessing where the market for FA bigs would be? Rasheed's backup (Okur) signed for millions more per year then most here speculated Wallace would command.

Just my guess, but I think Darius will eventually sign for around the same figures that Cardinal commanded. I think Darius's agent might opt for a shorter deal or a player opt out in 3-4 years in hopes that he improves and can sign a max type deal.

The one team I fear might make a max type run at him right now is the Clips. I know their cheap history and all, but just call it my NBA Outsider gut feeling that they allow Q to go to the Suns, and try to replace him with DM. That move would bump Maggette to the 2... all they would need is Livingston to develope and they could field a complete team. Just speculating

STOMP