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NorthEast Wiz · 10-09-2002, 07:36 PM

Here is the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2002Oct9.html

I know some will not like this but I don't see many negatives considering our inexperience in the front court and the people Ock has around to keep him in check, i.e. MJ and Patrick.

What does this mean for our roster spots. I'm hoping for a trade partner for L8.

local_sportsfan · 10-09-2002, 07:39 PM

I hope they keep his old *** on IR for the entire season.

**BCH** · 10-09-2002, 08:53 PM

What a crying shame.

I am definitely 100% against this move.

This day shall be forever known as Black Thursday.

MikeDC · 10-09-2002, 09:29 PM

Man, didn't they watch any tape of his sorry *** last year? He really wasn't good. At all.

NorthEast Wiz · 10-10-2002, 08:40 AM

I am defintely not is agreement with my Wizard fans here. I have seen a few arguments on this board and the others (Bulls board).

1. Oak played awful last year (and so-so the year before), so what should change.

Ans: Oak did play awful last year but for a very different team going in a different direction. Chicago was a very young team sorting through injuries and identifying talent. Oak was asked to do more than we will ask him to do. We have established playoff contending team. From every indication Oak is in great shape. We will only ask him to rebound, hustle (he always does this) and hit the open jumper.

2. Oak is a locker room nightmare.

Ans: There is no way MJ and Patrick will let him become a disease. Some say that Rodman and Pippen have done it under the Jordan watch. Pippen would never refuse to enter a game with MJ there and Rodman's antics in Dallas would not have happended under MJ.

3. Oak will take time from the young players

Ans: I think we all agree we need productive veteran minutes in the front court (Popeye sentiment). More than anything else, his signing will be an indication of the confidence level in L8. I think he will be taking L8 minutes rather than the young guys. This will be especially good for Kwame since I think he is still putting way too much pressure on himself. Let's give him (Kwame) time so that when he truly blossoms it will be for us. Every indication is that Kwame is still full of talent but needs work in the fundamentals. The young guys will learn from the way Oakley hustles and dives for loose balls.

Also the price is right.

The outrage we should have is at the L8 signing. Still makes me mad to this day.

**BCH** · 10-10-2002, 08:48 AM

I would take Laettner 10 times out of 10 over Oakley.

What is sad is that if there is any sort of success this season for Haywood, Etan, or Kwame, someone out there is going to give some credit to Oakley.

I wish we could have kept Popeye, but he was obviously the better player, and got the better deal with Dallas.

NorthEast Wiz · 10-10-2002, 09:40 AM

BCH

Let me know your opposition to the Oak Tree if you can?

**BCH** · 10-10-2002, 10:19 AM

His play is horrible.
His attitude is horrible.

What does he have to offer? He can hardly play and he has attacked his past two teams. Don't believe the hype that MJ is going to miraculously control him. take a look at how he played last season, and don't buy into the Bulls rebuilding affecting him. When he was on the floor he was horrible. He did not help them one bit, and would be a liability to have on this team. If you think he can hit the open jumper, then I contest that you did not watch him play last season. Popeye could hit the open J. Laettner can hit the open J. Oakley can slap Jeff McInnis during a shootaround and that is about all he can do.

MikeDC · 10-10-2002, 10:28 AM

Oak at some point over the last few years got it into his head that he was supposed to be some sort of Sam Perkins outside shooter. I don't think he ever was, but for a couple years he was at least OK at shooting. His last year in Toronto and in Chicago, he couldn't stick that shot to save his life. Of course, that didn't convince him that he should maybe alter his approach to things.

I will admit that he's still a capable rebounder, and if he feels like playing, is probably still a capable defender. I tend to think that playing for a better team might keep him from loafing, but if the Wiz' fortunes go south, so will his effort.

jazzy1 · 10-10-2002, 10:29 AM

I'm with Northeast on this one Oakley will be fine ,He can get the big rebounds and hustle plays and his experience will allow the Wizards to be more flexable with their Frontcourt. Yes Oakley can be trouble in the Lockeroom but on MJ's team no problem at all, he'll be called on at times to bail out Kwame and Etan with their inexperience and Stackhouse has already talked about some of the Vets enthusiasm about him being there.

Kwame is not a garbage man type player never has been ,never will be, he has skill the Wizards want their bigs to be rebounders and Defenders which doesn't play to the strength's of either Kwame or Laetner. Kwame in the league will be a scorer and rebounder with an occassional shot block but thats all, so Oaks function on this team is needed.

Etan is hurting and nobody has faith in the money stealing Laetner, he's been a total disappointment since he's been here. He won't do the dirty work because thats not how he plays he needs the ball which won't happen here.

Popeye Jones as Adrian Dantley says had a hell of a year last year in his contract year but has no durability, he's already hurt down in Dallas so it was probably a good move letting him go he was asking for a bigger salary than the Wizards were willing to give him which is smart, he wouldn't have signed here for the 1 mill minimum.

MJ will keep Oak straight or will get rid of him simple as that ,I give MJ enough credit to know that he can keep Oak under control . Not that big a deal when he plays well which will happen we will all revisit this topic again.

mambo47 · 10-10-2002, 10:38 AM

The present Wiz frontcourt, while talented, are generally too "soft". The possible exception is J white.

Plain and simple, the Wiz need a tough guy who will come off the bench an tame some upstarts. That is all we need him for,
if he puts up a couple of points in the meantime - great!

**BCH** · 10-10-2002, 11:03 AM

Why do people feel MJ is the magic elixer to people with issues?

Oakley is a headcase. MJ is not going to fix that.

**johnston797** · 10-10-2002, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BCH!
Why do people feel MJ is the magic elixer to people with issues?

The vets in this league know that you don't f*ck with MJ.

Great story here ->

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/rosen/021009.html

Oakley did not respect Floyd. He respects Ewing and Jordan. I would expect his attitude to be 100% better. However, he still may not have anything left in the tank.

NorthEast Wiz · 10-10-2002, 11:39 AM

We will revisit this thread during the year. I liked Popeye but think that last year was an exception healthwise rather than the rule. Popeye played 14 games in 97/98, 18 games 98/99, 40 games 99/00, 45 games 00/01 before playing in 79 last year. He may stay healthy for Dallas but it may be because of limited paying time.

I'm not totally against L8 if he was our 1 million exemption but at 5 million plus I hate him being here.

Oak at 1 million I will take. I did see him miss all of those shots last year but think that he can still hit it on occasion and hopefully we won't ask him to shoot much

I truly think MJ and Oak are 'boys'. They go way back and I think he will defintely have some influence.

As talkative as Barkley is if anyone remembers the Draft show two years ago when MJ and Barkley had an exchange MJ just shut him up quick which is not easy to do. I think MJ has tremendous influence on his old buddies.

transplant · 10-10-2002, 12:08 PM

I think this is my first time on your board (occasionally post on the Bulls' board). Does this make me a troll?

For what it's worth, I was happy when the Bulls' signed Oakley last season. He definitely was a needed veteran presence, has a great work ethic and had a solid season in 2000-01 for the Raptors.

On the court last season Oakley was a big disappointment. He grabbed some boards, but couldn't shoot a lick (that didn't stop him from tryin'), couldn't run the court and couldn't play defense outside the lane. Off the court, he not only popped off on Floyd, but also on Cartwright. He says what comes into his head, and sometimes it's not good for the team. If things go bad for the Wiz this season, Jordan and Ewing won't be able to do a dang thing about Oakley speaking his mind. On the plus side, the Bulls' young kids liked him.

IMO, he's done as a player...no legs left. He may give you guys a few decent minutes, but don't expect much. On a one-year minimum deal, you're not taking any sort of risk. Not being familiar with your roster, my only question is whether Oakley will be taking a roster spot from anyone who may be a player down the road.

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