Rate your Texas(I mean TEXAS, like Dallas,SA and H-town) draft and off-season trades.

[SintonFan]

Who has had the best draft and off-season trades(2009)?
San Antonio?
Dallas?
Houston?
.
Why?
Did any of the other two Texas teams improve their teams, too?:)
.
There is a poll to vote on the best team to make improvements in your opinion. That doesn't mean you can't rate(on a scale of 1-10) the off-season of any team.
Opinions please?
.
Football starts real soon so this is kinda a last call for Pro Basketball?:D

[Farmersfan]

With the recent pickups of Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas I think the Mavs have moved considerable ahead of both SA and Houston. The addition of "the matrix" puts the Mavs starting 5 equal to or better than either other team and now they are addressing the weaknesses of the bench. If Duncan and Manu find their good game again they might have the edge but I think both are on the down slide.

[JasperDog94]

While I don't dislike what the Rockets have done, it really doesn't matter what they do because they will take at least a few steps back this year because of the injury to Yao.

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Mavs roster would be amazing if it were five years ago. Solid, Decent, and a fighter's chance of being the best team in state, but I don't see them competing for the whole 'ship. And I'm a Mavs fan.

SA wins offseason hands down. They get Richard Jefferson for not much, convince McDyess to come over, and somehow let DeJuan Blair fall in their laps in the draft. Remember, this guy was at one point a lottery pick. Those three can protect Duncan, and with Manu & Balance Toi healthy, and a trade chip with Theo Ratliff on a 1year contract, darkhorse to win conference.


Houston has been making some great moves (loved letting Artest go and grabbing Ariza), but with Yao out and T-Mac quitting when he feels sad, we're looking at 2010-11 before they contend.

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by BreckTxLonghorn
Mavs roster would be amazing if it were five years ago. Solid, Decent, and a fighter's chance of being the best team in state, but I don't see them competing for the whole 'ship. And I'm a Mavs fan.

SA wins offseason hands down. They get Richard Jefferson for not much, convince McDyess to come over, and somehow let DeJuan Blair fall in their laps in the draft. Remember, this guy was at one point a lottery pick. Those three can protect Duncan, and with Manu & Balance Toi healthy, and a trade chip with Theo Ratliff on a 1year contract, darkhorse to win conference.


Houston has been making some great moves (loved letting Artest go and grabbing Ariza), but with Yao out and T-Mac quitting when he feels sad, we're looking at 2010-11 before they contend.



See I'm thinking the exact same thing except in reverse. 5 years ago SA would be the hoss in this thing. I think we have seen the best from Duncan and Manu and it will only get worse from this point forward. The Spurs got Richard Jefferson for "not much" for a reason and Mcdyess never was much. DeJuan Blair is several seasons away from any help and Theo Ratliff......need I say more?

The Mavs were second round worthy last season and have only added to that with "The Matrix". Their starting five has improved considerably with that trade and they have greatly improved the bench with Gooden and Thomas. Not to mention the 1st round pick at point guard that might get a lot more playing time than most people think. JJ Barea was nice to watch but not very effective in the overall scheme of things..... could be a very interesting year.

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
See I'm thinking the exact same thing except in reverse. 5 years ago SA would be the hoss in this thing. I think we have seen the best from Duncan and Manu and it will only get worse from this point forward. The Spurs got Richard Jefferson for "not much" for a reason and Mcdyess never was much. DeJuan Blair is several seasons away from any help and Theo Ratliff......need I say more?

The Mavs were second round worthy last season and have only added to that with "The Matrix". Their starting five has improved considerably with that trade and they have greatly improved the bench with Gooden and Thomas. Not to mention the 1st round pick at point guard that might get a lot more playing time than most people think. JJ Barea was nice to watch but not very effective in the overall scheme of things..... could be a very interesting year.

I think you underestimate Jefferson. He's still under 30 and is a career 18/5/3 guy who can pull defenses away from the post. McDyess is nothing but a bench guy who can spell Duncan at the PF or take time at C, plays solid Defense, and is dirt cheap. Theo Ratliff isn't great, but a 1yr deal=expiring contract to use as a trade chip for teams wanting to salary dump. The spurs will have the people/money to make a move for somebody at the trade deadline if McDyess doesn't work out or if there's too many people on the bench.

Drew Gooden couldn't hack it as a C for the CAVS, Tim Thomas is solid if unspectacular but he's numbers have declined the past few years, and he's getting paid 6 mil to be an off the bench guy, unless we expect him to pay C (which he's not). Marion is good, really good, but an emotional wreck. Read '7 Seconds or Less' and it gets painfully noticed throughout the book that doesn't like being anything other than the #1 guy on a team. He got pissed that everyone liked Steve Nash (seriously?!!). If he's not getting enough touches mid-season - hopefully Kidd can cover that - Mavs will combust from inside out. It's painful, but it's viable.

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by BreckTxLonghorn
I think you underestimate Jefferson. He's still under 30 and is a career 18/5/3 guy who can pull defenses away from the post. McDyess is nothing but a bench guy who can spell Duncan at the PF or take time at C, plays solid Defense, and is dirt cheap. Theo Ratliff isn't great, but a 1yr deal=expiring contract to use as a trade chip for teams wanting to salary dump. The spurs will have the people/money to make a move for somebody at the trade deadline if McDyess doesn't work out or if there's too many people on the bench.

Drew Gooden couldn't hack it as a C for the CAVS, Tim Thomas is solid if unspectacular but he's numbers have declined the past few years, and he's getting paid 6 mil to be an off the bench guy, unless we expect him to pay C (which he's not). Marion is good, really good, but an emotional wreck. Read '7 Seconds or Less' and it gets painfully noticed throughout the book that doesn't like being anything other than the #1 guy on a team. He got pissed that everyone liked Steve Nash (seriously?!!). If he's not getting enough touches mid-season - hopefully Kidd can cover that - Mavs will combust from inside out. It's painful, but it's viable.



We will just have to wait and see. Other than Matrix none of the Mavs pickups will start anyway. They are simply bench players which is a big improvement over Stackhouse and George. Brandon Bass will be missed but Gooden is quit a bit better than Bass was at this point in his career.
But truthfully if Duncan and Manu can play good ball the Spurs have to be the favorites. Those guys are (or were) awesome. For the Mavs sakes I hope they have declined a lot....

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
We will just have to wait and see. Other than Matrix none of the Mavs pickups will start anyway. They are simply bench players which is a big improvement over Stackhouse and George. Brandon Bass will be missed but Gooden is quit a bit better than Bass was at this point in his career.
But truthfully if Duncan and Manu can play good ball the Spurs have to be the favorites. Those guys are (or were) awesome. For the Mavs sakes I hope they have declined a lot....

True, sometimes I think I overvalue the Spurs so that if the do well, it doesn't bother as much, and we (Mavs - fanism sorry) do better, its like icing on the cake.

I'll miss Stack, but he has been declining a lot in the past few years. And I'll give you that - I'd rather have Gooden than Bass, if only because I've never been terribly impressed with Bass.

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by BreckTxLonghorn

Drew Gooden couldn't hack it as a C for the CAVS, Tim Thomas is solid if unspectacular but he's numbers have declined the past few years, and he's getting paid 6 mil to be an off the bench guy, unless we expect him to pay C (which he's not).
Gooden was good enough to average 11/8 in 20 games in the Cavs finals run and has averaged 10ppg every year of his career.

Thomas shot the 3 better then he has his entire career last season except for his stint at the suns. He isn't making 6m, Gooden got 4.5 of the MLE and Thomas was signed for the veteran minimun.

Gooden is a huge upgrade from Bass, and Thomas is a huge upgrade from Matt Carroll...

[Farmersfan]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Gooden was good enough to average 11/8 in 20 games in the Cavs finals run and has averaged 10ppg every year of his career.

Thomas shot the 3 better then he has his entire career last season except for his stint at the suns. He isn't making 6m, Gooden got 4.5 of the MLE and Thomas was signed for the veteran minimun.

Gooden is a huge upgrade from Bass, and Thomas is a huge upgrade from Matt Carroll...




Exactamondo!!!!!!!!!

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Gooden was good enough to average 11/8 in 20 games in the Cavs finals run and has averaged 10ppg every year of his career.

Thomas shot the 3 better then he has his entire career last season except for his stint at the suns. He isn't making 6m, Gooden got 4.5 of the MLE and Thomas was signed for the veteran minimun.

Gooden is a huge upgrade from Bass, and Thomas is a huge upgrade from Matt Carroll...

Whoops - looks like I either misread some things or misunderstood them completely and was just flat out wrong. I hate being wrong - apologies for misinformation.

The last part makes a very good point; I'd rather have gooden than Bass, and rather Thomas than Carroll.


I still say SA had the better offseason overall, though. JMO.