Mutumbo narrows choice down to Boston and Denver

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

I can't give you a link yet but i read this somewhere. Ill get on it :lol

[Matchman]

i thought he only wants to play with the rockets:depressed

[Indazone]

Any team but the Celtics!

[Roxsfan]

link or shut your mother fucking face, bitch:toast


I mean that in a nice way, though.:downspin:

[Bob Lanier]

Dikembe Mutombo guarantees you a singgle three every night.

[Allanon]

Any team but the Celtics!

[vy65]

Link: http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_11235839

The 7-foot-2-inch, 260-pound center said last week he hopes to sign with a team after spending Christmas with his family in Atlanta. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year said among the teams that have shown interest are Boston, San Antonio and Miami. The former Rocket also said Houston has ''not answered me.'' The 42-year-old, who has blocked 3,278 shots during his 17-year career, said he is in ''good shape'' from working out three hours a day with spinning classes, yoga, and weightlifting.

No mention of the Nug. I'm thinking your source is full of shit.

[024]

when was denver part of the teams that wanted mutombo? mutombo should just join spurs, that way he doesn't have to move.

[Bob Lanier]

What, is he going to commute?

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

yeh this is probably made up. He did mention about wanting to retire as a Nugget, but that was a while ago. African people change their mind alot, i have noticed that at least here in Lesotho :lol

[xtremesteven33]

Celtics would be the best choice.

The Spurs would be the 2nd best choice. Hopefully he sees that if the Spurs are healthy they have a great shot at the Finals again this year.

[Indazone]

Boston lacks a true center that's a good defensive presence. Celtics got Scalabine, O'Bryant, and Perkins. Hardly anything to be intimidated about. Likewise, the Spurs got Oberto, and Thomas. Deke fits well in either place. But I actually like him better fitting in with the Spurs. He's gotta be thinking ring and who gives him the best chance for that.

[Allanon]

He's what the Celtics need, a good sizeable presence in the paint.

Big Baby, Scalabrine, are under-sized scrubs. Patrick O' Bryant is 7'0 but he suck.

Mutumbo should go anywhere other than the Celtics.

[Red Hawk #21]

Man I would love to see Deke win a ring...

[Spur-Addict]

Come on to S.A Deke, come on. People can keep sleeping on us, but solidarity in regards to defending at the C spot, and some interior finishing is all we really need.

You'd get that from Deke and Ian. Oberto and KT are the annoying crafty vets, and Bonner stretches the floor. That's diversity, and you can't ask for much more with what the salary cap permits.

Sure he'd probably be a nice fit in Boston, but what about P.J Brown? Has anyone heard any word about him coming back for another late stretch run at a title? There could be some conflict there in minutes although he simply wants a ring.

[T Park]

I don't the Spurs want Mutombo.

that being said, I wasn't impressed with what I saw last year in Houston.

[Spur-Addict]

I don't the Spurs want Mutombo.

that being said, I wasn't impressed with what I saw last year in Houston.

Is that supposed to be doubt?

And if he plays small stretches there isn't much to complain about. Or, you can leave the gaping door, with a plush doormat of a paint there if you'd like, or attempt to put a doggy door there, your choice. Or rather, thank goodness it isn't.

[I. Hustle]

A contract for the rest of the season couldn't hurt. Can nobody here photoshop him in a Spurs uni?

[JamStone]

Boston would appear to be a decent fit and where he'd probably make the most impact, but that's not saying much. I guess Denver just needs some big bodies, but I don't think he helps any team considerably.

[Allanon]

Come on to S.A Deke, come on. People can keep sleeping on us, but solidarity in regards to defending at the C spot, and some interior finishing is all we really need.

I think Deke or a well-playing Ian would make the Spurs legit contenders. They don't have to be great, just good enough. Don't get mad at me but I don't think the Spurs have enough size. Even the Celtics realize they need 1 more big, they also have a bad big man rotation.



but what about P.J Brown? Has anyone heard any word about him coming back for another late stretch run at a title? There could be some conflict there in minutes although he simply wants a ring.

PJ Brown is in "retirement"...he has no desire to play in the regular season. But, the Celtics are trying to talk him out of it from what I've heard.

[Spurtacus]

He'll latch onto Boston for an easy ring. Damnit.

[Banzai]

Boston...without a doubt.

[Indazone]

Crap!! Deke is gone for sure :(

See highlighted in red below. Damn like I said before. Anybody but the Celtics!!!


http://www.chron.com/photos/2007/05/03/14437878/260xStory.jpg
James Nielsen Chronicle
Owner still likes 1-2 punch of Yao, T-Mac Rockets owner says he is confident his strategy is working

By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Dec. 17, 2008, 5:53PM

Owner Les Alexander is still casting his vote for the Yao-McGrady ticket.

After 25 games marked by injuries, rapidly changing lineups and wildly inconsistent results on the court, the position of the Rockets owner has remained constant.

Determined after last season and heading into this season to build around Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said Wednesday he remains firmly behind that plan.

"I am committed to them being healthy and building a team around Yao and Tracy," Alexander said Wednesday. "Nothing's changed.
"The plan really depends on Yao and Tracy's health. Yao looks like he's gotten healthy and is playing well. Tracy had the leg problem which he seems to be overcoming. You can see how great he is. I mean, the guy isn't playing at his full capacity and he gets 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists (Tuesday against the Nuggets). Try to replace that with somebody at one position."

Alexander spoke Wednesday at the naming of the Yao Ming Foundation and the Bush-Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund as the beneficiaries of the 13th Tux and Tennies Charity Gala Feb. 18 at Toyota Center. He said he would not have reason to change his plan based on McGrady's injury because McGrady's injury is not new since Alexander determined the plan. He added that he agreed with McGrady's decision to sit out seven games to strengthen the leg.

Alexander said there have been no efforts to even test the market on a trade involving one his stars and that the Rockets have received no inquiries.

"Nobody's called," he said. "I'm trying to think — no, nobody's called."
As steadfast as he was in support of the current course, he said the happy accident of having so many contracts coming off the Rockets' books in time for the celebrated free agency class of 2010 would make the team a significant player that summer.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Manu Ginobili, Steve Nash and McGrady are scheduled to be free agents that summer. Yao has the option to become a free agent.
"That's the way things worked out; it wasn't carefully done," Alexander said. "That will be one of the most interesting summers in the history of the game. You can't predict the future. I think we'll be in that game. We'll be in that hunt in some way."

Until then, the Rockets would look to improve but are determined to move under the luxury tax threshold, he said.

He said the Rockets would still like to bring back Dikembe Mutombo but will not unless they can first move enough salary to avoid paying a luxury tax. They would have to cut slightly in excess of $2.5 million to sign Mutombo without incurring the tax.

Alexander said the luxury tax threshold of $71.15 million is in effect a hard cap for the Rockets with the exception of any opportunity to land "a great, great player."

"I'm firm," Alexander said. "I always say unless you can show me a great, great player that I definitely think will change the course of the team.
"I love Dikembe. I love him as a player and as a person. I said a 'great, great player.' He's a terrific guy and a good player, but he's not a great, great player, anymore."

Mutombo took over at center when Yao was hurt last season, but the centers played in the same game only 14 times. In the 55 games both were active, Mutombo averaged fewer than two minutes per game.
Alexander said he is still trying to learn more about his 16-9 team with information so limited by injuries that disrupted the rotation.

"Ron (Artest) has always been a pretty healthy player," Alexander said. "Shane (Battier) has been a healthy player. With Rafer (Alston), thank God right now we have a really good backup (Aaron Brooks). And Rafer, for the salary he makes ($4.9 million this season) in this league to have a starting point guard as good as him is a terrific value. Point guard and center are the two hardest positions to find. I'm not going to get a better point guard than him.

"I need to see the team play at least 10 consecutive games with the whole team. How can you judge? You don't know. There is no way of knowing. You have to see Tracy healthy. You have to see Yao healthy. Ron has played the whole season with a bum ankle.
He liked the showing at home on Tuesday night.

"We didn't have our starting point guard. Give me a chance to see my team in full over a span of a few games to see what they'll do," he said.
For all his determination to stay the course, the owner said he would change direction if the Rockets found the right opportunity.

"As an organization for 16 years, I and we have always tried to improve this team at all times," Alexander said. "We never stop looking. We never stop working. No matter who the players are here, no matter who the players will be, that will always be our philosophy. It's not as if we're not looking. We're never standing still and we'll never stand still. If we won 20 games in a row and everything looked great as was perfect, we would stand still. Until that happens, we're searching."

[bostonguy]

Crap!! Deke is gone for sure :(

See highlighted in red below. Damn like I said before. Anybody but the Celtics!!!


http://www.chron.com/photos/2007/05/03/14437878/260xStory.jpg
James Nielsen Chronicle
Owner still likes 1-2 punch of Yao, T-Mac Rockets owner says he is confident his strategy is working

By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Dec. 17, 2008, 5:53PM

Owner Les Alexander is still casting his vote for the Yao-McGrady ticket.

After 25 games marked by injuries, rapidly changing lineups and wildly inconsistent results on the court, the position of the Rockets owner has remained constant.

Determined after last season and heading into this season to build around Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said Wednesday he remains firmly behind that plan.

"I am committed to them being healthy and building a team around Yao and Tracy," Alexander said Wednesday. "Nothing's changed.
"The plan really depends on Yao and Tracy's health. Yao looks like he's gotten healthy and is playing well. Tracy had the leg problem which he seems to be overcoming. You can see how great he is. I mean, the guy isn't playing at his full capacity and he gets 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists (Tuesday against the Nuggets). Try to replace that with somebody at one position."

Alexander spoke Wednesday at the naming of the Yao Ming Foundation and the Bush-Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund as the beneficiaries of the 13th Tux and Tennies Charity Gala Feb. 18 at Toyota Center. He said he would not have reason to change his plan based on McGrady's injury because McGrady's injury is not new since Alexander determined the plan. He added that he agreed with McGrady's decision to sit out seven games to strengthen the leg.

Alexander said there have been no efforts to even test the market on a trade involving one his stars and that the Rockets have received no inquiries.

"Nobody's called," he said. "I'm trying to think — no, nobody's called."
As steadfast as he was in support of the current course, he said the happy accident of having so many contracts coming off the Rockets' books in time for the celebrated free agency class of 2010 would make the team a significant player that summer.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Manu Ginobili, Steve Nash and McGrady are scheduled to be free agents that summer. Yao has the option to become a free agent.
"That's the way things worked out; it wasn't carefully done," Alexander said. "That will be one of the most interesting summers in the history of the game. You can't predict the future. I think we'll be in that game. We'll be in that hunt in some way."

Until then, the Rockets would look to improve but are determined to move under the luxury tax threshold, he said.

He said the Rockets would still like to bring back Dikembe Mutombo but will not unless they can first move enough salary to avoid paying a luxury tax. They would have to cut slightly in excess of $2.5 million to sign Mutombo without incurring the tax.

Alexander said the luxury tax threshold of $71.15 million is in effect a hard cap for the Rockets with the exception of any opportunity to land "a great, great player."

"I'm firm," Alexander said. "I always say unless you can show me a great, great player that I definitely think will change the course of the team.
"I love Dikembe. I love him as a player and as a person. I said a 'great, great player.' He's a terrific guy and a good player, but he's not a great, great player, anymore."

Mutombo took over at center when Yao was hurt last season, but the centers played in the same game only 14 times. In the 55 games both were active, Mutombo averaged fewer than two minutes per game.
Alexander said he is still trying to learn more about his 16-9 team with information so limited by injuries that disrupted the rotation.

"Ron (Artest) has always been a pretty healthy player," Alexander said. "Shane (Battier) has been a healthy player. With Rafer (Alston), thank God right now we have a really good backup (Aaron Brooks). And Rafer, for the salary he makes ($4.9 million this season) in this league to have a starting point guard as good as him is a terrific value. Point guard and center are the two hardest positions to find. I'm not going to get a better point guard than him.

"I need to see the team play at least 10 consecutive games with the whole team. How can you judge? You don't know. There is no way of knowing. You have to see Tracy healthy. You have to see Yao healthy. Ron has played the whole season with a bum ankle.
He liked the showing at home on Tuesday night.

"We didn't have our starting point guard. Give me a chance to see my team in full over a span of a few games to see what they'll do," he said.
For all his determination to stay the course, the owner said he would change direction if the Rockets found the right opportunity.

"As an organization for 16 years, I and we have always tried to improve this team at all times," Alexander said. "We never stop looking. We never stop working. No matter who the players are here, no matter who the players will be, that will always be our philosophy. It's not as if we're not looking. We're never standing still and we'll never stand still. If we won 20 games in a row and everything looked great as was perfect, we would stand still. Until that happens, we're searching."


I highly doubt the Celts land Deke unless it's on a game console.I just dont see him signing with us. I wouldnt mind him tho. O'Bryant is a project who can either be cut or sent to IR. He could serve that PJ Brown role I guess.

[Indazone]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basket...est_in_mutombo/ (http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/12/18/rivers_confirms_teams_interest_in_mutombo/)

ATLANTA - Coach Doc Rivers confirmed yesterday the Celtics were interested in free agent center Dikembe Mutombo.

But he predicted Mutombo would return to Houston.

Asked if he had talked with Mutombo, Rivers replied, "Always. He's a good friend. He's going to come back. I talked to him last week - he will come back.

"We're over the [salary] cap so it's tough for us to do a lot of stuff, but we're looking at everybody."

Yesterday, Mutombo attended a United Nations presentation of a Ben Affleck-directed film about refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo's home country.

"I told [Affleck] that I might play in his hometown," Mutombo said in a telephone interview. "He said, 'Come, we'd love to have you.' He's a really nice guy."

Mutombo said he plans to sign with a team after Christmas.

"My agent, David Falk, has talked to the Celtics," he said. "I'm also getting interest from other teams to contribute on [the floor] and on the bench as a mentor."

This is worse than trying to get some hot chick to go out with you.

[I. Hustle]

[
"My agent, David Falk, has talked to the Celtics," he said. "I'm also getting interest from other teams to contribute on [the floor] and on the bench as a mentor."



HHHMMMMMM

[Indazone]

HHHMMMMMM

yes..I know what you're thinking. It makes the Spurs the most likely candidate.

[I. Hustle]

It would make sense but no way it happens. I don't see him as one of those Karl Malone or Gary Payton guys but you never know. He is a bit long in the tooth and might look for the easiest way to get a ring.

[Indazone]

There are no gimme's in the NBA. The Celtics are not repeating.

[I. Hustle]

Yeah I hope not. I would hate to see Bostn Vs Lakers again. I would rather see Cavs vs any WC team or even Orlando

[sook]

Our owner is so fucking cheap. You sign barry and you don't sign Deke....that tells me that you're completely fine with a 6'6" backup C

[I. Hustle]

:lol @ cheap owners. we got one of those

[eisfeld]

It's Denver or Boston I think. I'd like to see him ending up in Denver where he started. I actually liked the Nuggets back in the days when they had him. Will never forget him celebrating after they knocked off the Sonics as an 8th seed.

On second thought, he would be a nice mentor for Mahinmi.

[Spur-Addict]

It's Denver or Boston I think. I'd like to see him ending up in Denver where he started. I actually liked the Nuggets back in the days when they had him. Will never forget him celebrating after they knocked off the Sonics as an 8th seed.

On 1st thought, he would be a nice mentor for Mahinmi.