But we probably have enough projects, we need a veteran big man.
I don't think a big man has to be a veteran, it just has to be someone that Doc will give minutes to. As Stiemsma showed, that doesn't necessarily have to be a veteran. The best choice, given salary constraints, really may be a young guy with a good motor who will step in and focus on playing defense, someone whose upside is more immediate but probably limited to solid, non-starting rotational big rather than someone with a bit more longshot potential to lock down the center position as a starter a few years from now.
I hope Melo fits that description soon. He's got Stiemsma's spot, as in a big guy who can defend the paint and give you some 8-10 minutes a game when needed.
Stiemsma got more minutes because of the Wilcox/JO debacle. This year we have healthy Wilcox back (please), and Sullinger seems like a great PF who can give you, at least, what BBD did. Melo is our 5th big, and you need someone who can step in and somehow contribute. Birdman, Blatche, K-Mart can contribute in different ways, and any of them would be ok for this team. But Blatche is the more talented of the three, and he's 25 years old (turns 26 next august). He's just a better Sean Williams, less athletic but who has shown he can ball in the NBA. He may not play that good again, but you have to give him a chance for the vet min.
Out of those three, Haddadi/Gray/Fessenko are big bodies who could be the Ryan Hollins experiment for this year.
Then, the younger UFAs(Orton/Whiteside)and undrafted FAs (Gates/Sims/Sidney), who could end helping a bit, but they're projects in the making. I wouldn't mind Whiteside. Gates and Renardo Sidney are intriguing, but they're labelled as not the harder workers.
In Danny & Saunders we trust.
Topic: remaining free agent centers (Read 23641 times)