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let me get Pop and R.C. on the phone
This guy has franchise player talent and was the Preseason pick to be the #1 pick in the 2005 Draft.
He is an extremely talented bigman who has a complete offensive game, can rebound and is an excellent shot blocker.
His problem is that he has a major at ude problem but it's not like he's Ron Artest or even Stephen Jackson...
I cannot believe this guy has been waived...he is definitely a worthy reclamation project and has the talent to where if he was paired with Duncan it would easily give the Spurs the best frontcourt in the NBA.
I say bring him in.
Discuss...
let me get Pop and R.C. on the phone
I like Taft as well. As Whottt said, he was slated to be the #1 overall pick before he started having problems.
He has a lot of talent but is definately a reclamation project. He hasn't been motivated since early on in his college career.
I know the Spurs have a lot of big men as it is and ChumpDumper will likely point that out, but as a 15th man Taft would be a very good project. He wouldn't even have to play this year ... just put him in the Stephen Jackson program.
Christ Taft in action...
College:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8QCqv7LG2...elated&search=
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ovAfGGNAu...elated&search=
If you look around you can also find video of him in the NBA last season where his NBA ready game is on full display.
I am reading now that he had some kind of back injury last year(I just thought he had problems with the coach)and had sugery on it and evidentally can't play right now. Still waiving him seems extreme...then again, the Warriors are a lottery team with a huge payroll and this wouldn't be the first time Nelly has had problems with a bigman.
But he's still worth showing some interest in...he's too talented to overlook when you are a team always drafting late like the Spurs.
You want Greg Oden? This guy could be him.
His problem is too that he has a severe back injury.
I like Taft, but I'm not sure if he'll get any better without alot of playing time the way I think Butler could. I guess I'm overly cautious about young big men who are initial busts because they seem to pan out less often than smaller guys like Jack -- I'm thinking about Loren Woods, Jamal Sampson, Skita, Kandi, etc. Someone will probably take him up off waivers before us, but yeah, I would want to thin the herd a bit before taking this guy on. Some D-League/CBA humble pie (and PT) may be just what this guy needs.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_4566794
Warriors' Taft is odd man out
Barnes, Roberson may earn spots after waiving of second-year forward
By Geoff LepperMEDIANEWS STAFF
Article Last Updated:10/28/2006 02:42:41 AM PDT
OAKLAND — That tough decision the Warriors' brass was facing on whether to keep Matt Barnes or Anthony Roberson in the 15th and final roster spot?
Turns out it was most difficult for second-year forward Chris Taft.
Rather than choosing between Barnes, who fills a specific need as a backup small forward, or Roberson, who stood out from a pack of smaller combo guards with his marksmanship, Golden State went in another direction Friday.
Instead, the Warriors waived Taft, who could have been a steal as the No. 42 pick in the 2005 draft but was limited to just 17 games last season due to a herniated disc in his back that eventually required surgery to fix. This season, he has been sitting out with what the team has called "muscular inflammation."
There has been no official word that Barnes and Roberson will make the squad. Golden State could choose to go only 14 or 13 deep, if it wished. But if not to keep Barnes and Roberson, there's no compelling reason to dump Taft. In addition to eating his $664,209 salary for this season, the Warriors held an option on Taft for next year, which might have been worth exercising if he manages to get healthy in the meantime.
The Warriors are running the risk of incurring more than $400,000 in luxury tax costs if they keep Barnes and Roberson for the entire season. But Barnes and Roberson could also be offered nonguaranteed deals, meaning that they would make 1/90th of their annual salary for each game they stick
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on the roster.
As a fourth-year player, Barnes' annual rate must be at least $771,331, although the Warriors may be en led to a slight rebate from the league. The second-year Roberson commands the same $664,209 minimum rate as Taft.
"I've put it all out there, every day, from day one," Roberson said Thursday after the Warriors' 111-107 overtime loss to the Seattle SuperSonics in Spokane, Wash.
"It would mean a lot (to earn a roster spot). It would mean all that hard work had paid off and a lot of prayers have been answered."
Kings 84, Trail Blazers 78
SACRAMENTO — Kevin Martin scored 26 points to help Sacramento beat Portland in the final preseason game for both teams.
Ron Artest added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Kings. Brad Miller had 11 points and eight rebounds after missing two games with an injured finger.
Blazers rookie Brandon Roy scored 16 points — all in the second half. Travis Outlaw added 12 points and Stephen Graham 10.
Exhibition highlights
DerMarr Johnson scored 17 points to help Denver beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-86. Andre Miller had 15 points and nine assists, and Reggie Evans had 13 rebounds for the defending Northwest Division champions. ... Tony Parker scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half to lead San Antonio to a 100-79 win over Dallas in their exhibition finale. ... Richard Jefferson scored 32 points to lead New Jersey to a 138-121 victory over New York. ... Ben Gordon scored 38 points, and Chicago romped past Toronto. ... Josh Childress scored 16 points, and Zaza Pachulia added 15 to lead Atlanta past Charlotte 105-94. ... Kevin Garnett scored 23 points, including 13 in the decisive third quarter, and Minnesota beat Milwaukee 101-76.
Notes
-Brian Grant retired from the NBA because of chronic knee problems. Grant spent 12 seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
-The Houston Rockets waived former Stanford star Casey Jacobsen.
The 6-6 Jacobsen, signed by the Rockets as a free agent in September, averaged 1.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four preseason games. The former Stanford star averaged 16 points, 4.2 rebounds and two assists in five summer league games.
-Sonics center Robert Swift, who won the starting job with his defense and hustle in the preseason, will miss the entire regular season after tearing the ACL in his right knee in a preseason game against Sacramento on Wednesday.
Johan Petro is expected to be the Sonics starting center.
-Sonics forward Danny Fortson, meanwhile, was suspended for a game by the NBA for his flagrant foul on Ron Artest in a game against Sacramento.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I don't think the Spurs look at him with his back issue. More likely they'd look at Casey Jacobsen, who is mentioned in that article. (By the way, Sene was named starter in Seattle, not Petro).
If we are looking at Rocket rejects, Ryan Bowen has guarded Dirk pretty well in the past . . .
he has been sitting out with what the team has called "muscular inflammation
This is his severe injury? Muscular inflamation?
I know he has tude problems...but it's not like he doesn't play hard or agressive, he does, he just doesn't do it all the time.
The Spurs will never be able to just pick up some guy with this kind of talent while Tim Duncan is on this team...he's definitely worth taking a look at.
It's not like the Warriors are geniuses...there is a reason they are the Warriors...
And honestly, if I have to choose between Chris Mullin and Isiah? I'm taking Isiah...at least Isiah can judge talent...Mullin can't even do that.
Who knows....this could just be his way of getting out of a situation he wants out of...
He wouldn't first one to pull something like this even with the Warriors...Chris Webber did it.
Danny Ferry has done it..
Kobe did it....
Alonzo Mourning did it...
And hey...we need an anti-spur...
The Spurs have made overtures towards lowlifes like Qyntel Woods...
Taft's issues aren't near that extreme.
The option year does make things much more interesting and opens up alot of possibilities for the next "cap space" summer. It also makes him more attractive to some other team to pick him up off the waiver wire before us.
Yeah, his was the only name that jumped out at me for actually doing anything for the Spurs this season.
True. And he still fills the role of really white guy that was vacated when they cut Reiner.
He was taken in the second round...how much cap relief can he give?
I am glad that he can give cap relief...that means the Spurs probably will bring him in if they can.
I'd give ole Chris a call and tell him to just keep coppin' that at ude a while longer.
If you were talking about the "cap space summer" comment, it wasn't exactly about cap relief. It's just that his contract does fit in perfectly with the Spurs' present cap strategy. If the Spurs got him off waivers they could either dump him next summer for nothing or, if he works out, keep him for that third contract season and have him be a full Bird rights restricted free agent the summer the Spurs happen to have alot of potential cap space. If he's a great player by that point, that's where the cap space will go, but all the options will still be open that summer.
The only other waived guys I'd be halfway interested in bringing in would be the guys the Kings let go, Louis Amundson and Justin Williams.
Last time Dirk faced the Rockets in the playoffs, he averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds and shot 35%. Ryan Bowen was one of the main defenders on him. If the Spurs want a 15th man specialist who can be brought in just to guard mobile fours like Dirk, he's a plug and play option.
I like Amundson. He's like a young Bo Outlaw.
Justin Williams getting waived is devastating news for whottt's fantasy team
Kinda sounds like Benoit Benjamin or M. Olawakandi.....who I think we could have had (Candy Man)instead of Rasho but the Spurs seemed to decline because of these very problems.
The reason they call him candy man?......he seems to melt when the heat is on.
I gotta admit...I am on the Justin Williams bandwagon with Chump...not really interested in Amundson as I feel he is pretty typical NBA bigman fodder...
Williams OTOH...
He avged 5 and a half something blocks his senior year in college...that's nearly Drob territory, and his defensive game is pretty polished, he just has virtually no offensive game, but he does have a tremendous work ethic...
The Kings fans were in love with this guy...
I saw him on a mock draft and saw his college stats and point blank drafted him on my fantasy league team(which was pretty stupid of me actually), well it didn't hurt that the CBS Sportsline ranking had him rated as the second best FA available either...I just assumed anyone with that kind of shot blocking he had to have been drafted...was my bad, but he's definitely someone who could help the Spurs...I think he could even help this season if his D skills and hustle are as good as the Kingsfans say.
Then again, that's almost like relying on a defensive scouting reports from Suns fans...still, over 5 blocks a game should never be overlooked, that is elite level shotblocking.
Taft is more talented than Kandi...much better offensive game, much higher skill level.
He might suck, then again, he might not...what have we got to lose?
He has had a surgery in March and hasn't played since it.This is his severe injury? Muscular inflamation?
Yes, it's a severe injury.
Next time, get a clue before writting things like
Right, the shotblocking is what sold me on Williams -- it's something this team is lacking with its present lineup. I don't know if Amundson would do much more than Jamar Smith would for the Spurs except block a few shots, but I do appreciate that he does the most with what he has. That's also why I wouldn't mind having another Bowen on the team.
Maybe, but his mental drive seems to be alot like Kandi's and Banjamin. Both had/have the skills to be solid big men but for whatever reason they never come out on a very consistent basis.
He has had a surgery in March and hasn't played since it.
Yes, it's a severe injury.
Next time, get a clue before writting things like
Muscular inflamation is muscular inflamation....that's not a severe injury. Warriors gave up on him plain and simple and Mullin is exactly the type of GM that would do something like this.
His initial injury was a herniated disk which is not necessarily a career ending injury...
Hey weren't you the guy who once told me Lance Armstrong failed a hair sample test then provided me a link(in french) proving your ownself wrong?
Pretty bad when an American can read French better than a Frenchman.
Muscular inflamation is muscular inflamation, and a herniated disk is hardly a reason to pass on a guy...
So you get a clue...and learn to read French.
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