<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Agent: Songaila signs 5-year, $23M deal with Wizards By Chad Ford2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 62 9.2 4.0 1.4 .481 .817 The Washington Wizards signed free agent forward Darius Songaila to a five-year, $23 million dollar deal, Songaila's agent, Mark Bartlestein, told ESPN.com. Songaila's deal includes a player option for the fifth year of the contract. Songaila is a skilled four man with a sweet outside shot and the ability to go inside and bang. The move means that it's now very likely that the Wizards' first-round pick, Olexsiy Pecherov, will return to Europe for another season, a source close to the Wizards confirmed to ESPN.com. The moves use the up the majority of the Wizards' mid-level exception, with Songaila's deal taking up around $4 million of Washington's $5.135 million mid-level exception.</div>Already posted in the Wiz board, but I want you guys to tell me what you think about this signing by the Wizards. I think its a good signing, he's a good shooter, has underrated passing skills, and provides more depth off the bench. What do you guys think? (Bulls/Kings fans provide some good input because you guys have seen him play)
A poor man's Keith Van Horn. He's not a bad signing, he hustles, has a decent mid range shot, I don't think he's a banger and his defense ain't good. But he'll battle for rebounds and doesn't mind putting his body on the line. All and all, he'll provide what Etan Thomas has provided you in the past. A hustle guy off the bench.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Jul 17 2006, 11:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>A poor man's Keith Van Horn.</div> He'll be Michael Ruffin for us with an actual jumpshot, but he wont bang inside like Ruffin does. He's just a hustle guy like Ruffin, but he can make shots.
I think that this is a good signing for Washington. I think this guy is very underrated. He didnt get consistent minutes in Chicago but when he did, it seemed that he always took full advantage of his minutes. And i really dont see the comparison to Keith Van Horn. He doesnt shoot threes that much and he can actually rebound the basketball.
I like Songaila, and he is a better version of Brian Scalabrine in my opinion. He will hustle and do the dirty work like Scal, but has a better shot. I like him, but that contract was pretty hideous. I think that contract was way too big for a guy like Songaila.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>And i really dont see the comparison to Keith Van Horn. He doesnt shoot threes that much and he can actually rebound the basketball.</div> Doesn't matter if Songalia doesn't shoot threes, most of his shots are perimeter oriented from 15-20 feet out. He doesn't bang downlow, average rebounder, set up shooter. He hustles more then Keith but Keith is a better post up player when he does post up. Defenses suck.
Decent signings. Maybe a little high/long of a contract, but not outrageous. I am not sure KVH is a great comparison, though. He has a decent jumpshot, but not three point range like KVH. He is tough and a hardworker.I was bummed about the C's trading his rights away to the Kings until one of the 2nd round picks they got for him turned out to be Ryan Gomes.Solid move.
Solid signing by Washington.Songalia is a good rebounder who doesn't miss that much in the pain.He can hit mid range jumpshots from time to time as well.Overall is a nice move by Washington.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ Jul 17 2006, 09:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Solid signing by Washington.Songalia is a good rebounder who doesn't miss that much in the pain.He can hit mid range jumpshots from time to time as well.Overall is a nice move by Washington.</div>I wouldn't call 4rpg in 21 mpg good, I would say he is an average rebounder.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Jul 17 2006, 11:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Doesn't matter if Songalia doesn't shoot threes, most of his shots are perimeter oriented from 15-20 feet out. He doesn't bang downlow, average rebounder, set up shooter. He hustles more then Keith but Keith is a better post up player when he does post up. Defenses suck.</div>keith van horn doesnt even post up and u know that. Im not saying that Songaila does but he isnt a three point shooter and that is what Keith Van Horn's specialty is...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>keith van horn doesnt even post up and u know that.</div> No I don't know that, I think that's just your stigma as you labeled him a three point shooter only. He has a decent post up game as seen earlier in his career and occassionally has posted up in his time with Dallas. Keith Van Horn has skills, it's just his mentality is terrible and that makes him a mediocre player.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Jul 18 2006, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No I don't know that, I think that's just your stigma as you labeled him a three point shooter only. He has a decent post up game as seen earlier in his career and occassionally has posted up in his time with Dallas. Keith Van Horn has skills, it's just his mentality is terrible and that makes him a mediocre player.</div>I never said that he was a three point shooter only, but if you watched the playoffs(which i know u did), you would know that 80 percent of his shots came from behind the arch. I rarley saw him go downlow if ever. Also, your mentality is part of your game so you really cant say that...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DRob-50-Forever @ Jul 18 2006, 12:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wouldn't call 4rpg in 21 mpg good, I would say he is an average rebounder.</div>And I would call that looking into stats too much.Don't pay so much attention to the stats. Go ahead, look at the stat sheet on NBA.com, but that doesn't tell you Songaila boxes out well and gets good position on the boards. It also doesn't tell you he has a solid jumper.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Jul 18 2006, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It also doesn't tell you he has a solid jumper.</div>.481 FG % for a PF.I'm not looking into stats, I'm just letting you know. This signing also helps us in crunch time because Songaila is pretty damn good at knocking down free throws for his size.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I never said that he was a three point shooter only, but if you watched the playoffs(which i know u did), you would know that 80 percent of his shots came from behind the arch. I rarley saw him go downlow if ever. Also, your mentality is part of your game so you really cant say that...</div> Your acting like I said Van Horn is a post player. If you read correctly I said this: He hustles more then Keith but Keith is a better post up player when he does post up. Hence the when he does post up, he's not a bad post up player. You said he doesn't post up, which is a lie. I watched every single game this year, and I saw him go downlow. I'm not blind. Here, that's his job to shoot the set up jumper, rather then setting a play to post him up. But that doesn't take away the times he has posted up before. Also, you say you don't think of him as only a three pointer but you state he shoots 80% from the arc, so what are you implying with that?And also I don't understand what you meant with the mentality part. If he were more strong minded, he would be a pretty damn good player.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Jul 18 2006, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What's the big deal if it went a little off topic. It's a Darius Songalia thread.</div>Hey now.. :ranting:
