I disagree. Because you said "key" free agents. All the guys you mentioned are dime a dozen veterans IMO. What's next is Michael Finley at 36 years old a "key" free agent? I view a key free agent as a guy who they get who put's them over the top. I don't view any of the players you mentioned, as "key".
You make far too much out of the importance of acquiring a better PG anyway. Derek Fisher? Steve Kerr? Rajon Rondo? Not exactly terrific PG's on championship teams imo.
Then we will have to differ on that. I think adding any top 6 or 7 rotation player is key. All of the guys I mentioned were that.
Big deal...Anthony Parker was a big time euroleague player as well, and how did he work out for TOR? He is about to be waived by them....
Kobe Bryant Jordan Rondo is light years better than Blake, but also had three more than likely HOFers on his team
I really hope you're right. It would kill me if Bayless didn't get at least 20-25 minutes a game this year.
Well, Parker hasn't been HORRIBLE... he's been a starting-level (or near-starting-level) player. And he's being waived for salary cap/Hedo reasons. BUT... your point is a good one. Some posters (*coughProfCcoughcough*) has a tendency to overstate the prospects of the international players. As far as I know, international free agents never pan out. They never become stars in the NBA. The international NBA stars or near-stars have been like Kukoc and Dirk and Manu: guys that were drafted and came over either right away or while the drafting team still retained their rights. The players that bombed out of the NBA, found success internationally and came back have NOT succeeded, as far as I can tell... neither have the mature international players who came over as free agents. Sarunas Jasikevicius. Sasha Danilovic. Aleksandar Djordjevic. The list goes on and of of players that had success internationally and just didn't fit into the NBA. There will be a first time that a player emerges from the international scene as a free agent and succeeds in the NBA, but the odds are stacked against it happening this year. Ed O.
Of course, he was a lot better AFTER being in Europe than he was BEFORE. Remember, he was one of the three first round picks traded for Eddie Griffin. The others were Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins, I believe. I have no idea who that poster is, but he sounds like an intelligent fellow. Well that's just silly. Just because a team happened to draft them doesn't make them good. And you're completely forgetting Jose Calderon. Also Jorge Gabajosa, who looked very good until he played on a bad leg injury (a la Martell). So maybe you should listen to this "ProfC" person. And Navarro was second team all-NBA, but decided it wasn't for him. If he'd stayed longer, who knows, he might've got a lot better. Depends what you mean. If by "bombed out" you mean "never drafted", then players like Anthony Mason and PJ Brown would have to be included. ...except where they have (Calderon). All slow guards. With zone defense, a very skilled guard can find success in Europe even if he is slow-of-foot. (Navarro is another one.) Of course, now zone is allowed in the NBA (unlike in Danilovic/Djordjevic and that "other" Arvydas (M something - got no time for the Hornets)'s time, there's more hope for them. After all, Bibby's still playing... Don't make me bring up Calderon AGAIN.
Well... he was a first round pick. Even as well as he's played for Toronto, he's not been a very good first round pick. It is true, though, that he improved. Players often do between the ages of 24 and 31, irrespective of where they play. Actually, if a player goes undrafted the likelihood of him being not very good are much higher. Because NBA teams are kind of smart that way. You are correct. I did forget about him. He is a near-star who was undrafted. Garbajosa had a PER of 12.1 as a 29 year-old rookie. I don't think that he looked "very good" at all. I listen to him. I just shake my head at most of what I hear. *shakes head* Navarro was drafted. And he never made second team all-NBA. Hm. PJ Brown played A season in Greece after being a second round pick. I don't think that I would consider that "bombing out" or really "finding success"... I mean, he succeeded but a single year was clearly a placeholder until he got back to the states... rather than Tony Parker or Haislip or other guys who have spent more time internationally. Anthony Mason was drafted in the third round and never really found success overseas... he split a season between Turkey and Venezuela. Well, I don't think that Calderon, at 23, was a mature player. You might disagree with that. You are right, though, that ONE international free agent has come to the NBA and made an impact. So it's just a question of how long the league needs to wait until a second does. Ed O.
He "bombed out" of the NBA. Now he's a solid rotation player. Cleveland want him. Cleveland has championship pretensions. Ginobili was one pick away from being undrafted. As you say, players improve. And conversely, some players are wild reaches (Kwame Brown). NBA teams are kind of dumb that way. That fact alone should cause you to retreat into abject surrender. That's because you're only "looking" at his per. He was a Battier-type player. I know how you hate those because their skills are not easily quantifiable and therefore you insist that they don't have any. One of those "how could any human be so wise!" kind of shakes, no doubt. That was mis-typing. I meant all-Rookie. He would never make second team all-NBA, for sure. But he could score at will against the "Redeem Team". You're quibbling. Those are two perfectly decent counterexamples. Andres Nocioni makes two. That didn't take long, did it? Perhaps a little research would help?
