[Chron.com] Rockets to bring in former King Williams

[bmac423]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5596815.html

March 6, 2008, 12:33AM
Rockets to bring in former King Williams
Center to bring much-needed front-court depth

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets are expected to sign free-agent center Justin Williams to a 10-day contract to add front-court depth after the injury to Yao Ming.

Guard/forward Bobby Jones' 10-day contract ends after today's game in Dallas.

Williams, a former Sacramento King, is due in Houston tonight, in time to be on the roster before the Rockets play the Hornets on Saturday night.

"The Rockets are definitely interested in Justin," Williams' agent, Byron Irvin, said. "We'll see what happens in the next few days.

"He has a couple teams interested in him. We like the Rockets. He likes the Rockets. They've liked Justin in the past. They brought him in last year and have been watching him the past year or so. They have followed his progress."

Williams, 6-10, 240, is considered a prolific rebounder and had 12 in 23 minutes against the Rockets last month. In 48 career games, he has averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.

"He's an energy, athletic, shot-blocking kind of guy," Irvin said. "He will learn from someone like Dikembe (Mutombo). He is like a shorter Dikembe."

I guess the Kings weren't interested in bringing him back. I figured they would re-sign him after the Lue buyout.

 

[Bricklayer]

The Rockets are just flat out better at this stuff than we are any more.

 

[VF21]

Since we had to get rid of him to move Bibby and get Shelden, I can live with it. I wish him well.

 

[supamari0]

Rockets to sign Justin Williams

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5596815.html

Rockets to bring in former King Williams
Center to bring much-needed front-court depth


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets are expected to sign free-agent center Justin Williams to a 10-day contract to add front-court depth after the injury to Yao Ming.

Guard/forward Bobby Jones' 10-day contract ends after today's game in Dallas.

Williams, a former Sacramento King, is due in Houston tonight, in time to be on the roster before the Rockets play the Hornets on Saturday night.

"The Rockets are definitely interested in Justin," Williams' agent, Byron Irvin, said. "We'll see what happens in the next few days.

"He has a couple teams interested in him. We like the Rockets. He likes the Rockets. They've liked Justin in the past. They brought him in last year and have been watching him the past year or so. They have followed his progress."

Williams, 6-10, 240, is considered a prolific rebounder and had 12 in 23 minutes against the Rockets last month. In 48 career games, he has averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.

"He's an energy, athletic, shot-blocking kind of guy," Irvin said. "He will learn from someone like Dikembe (Mutombo). He is like a shorter Dikembe."

 

[bmac423]

Sorry about putting this in the wrong forum. I figured it would be ok with him being with the Kings so recently.

Anyway, what are the holdups with this guy? He's seems pretty impressive physically. What kept him from getting more PT?

 

[VF21]

No problem about the placement.

As far as Justin goes, he has a couple of shortcomings. He has heart and he has hustle but he has the basketball acumen of rutabaga. He has no offense to speak of. He can rebound, though, as though it's what he was put on earth to do.

We used to say to keep it simple for him:

1. If ball is heading towards the rim, swat it.

2. If ball is coming away from the rim, grab it.

Anything more complex and you're pressing your luck.

 

[Bricklayer]

Sorry about putting this in the wrong forum. I figured it would be ok with him being with the Kings so recently.

Anyway, what are the holdups with this guy? He's seems pretty impressive physically. What kept him from getting more PT?

a) he cannot drift outside and can an 18ft jumper, which is tantamount to basketball heresy in these parts

b)he was a constant threat to our ability to allow teams to score 100+ points against us every night, which is again considered bad form and a threat to "entertaining" basketball.

c) he seems to have a colorful personal life, which we obviously only consider apprpriate in our owners and coaches, not our players

 

[kyo2002]

I would've waived all the expiring to keep him. Kings are a donut without him.

 

[Warhawk]

I wonder if a small part of this might be the game he played there before he got cut - must have made a good impression....

 

[GoGoGadget]

c) he seems to have a colorful personal life, which we obviously only consider apprpriate in our owners and coaches, not our players

Or our dancers.






Just a slight addendum.

 

[HndsmCelt]

a) he cannot drift outside and can an 18ft jumper, which is tantamount to basketball heresy in these parts

b)he was a constant threat to our ability to allow teams to score 100+ points against us every night, which is again considered bad form and a threat to "entertaining" basketball.

c) he seems to have a colorful personal life, which we obviously only consider apprpriate in our owners and coaches, not our players

Ouch!









Man the truth hurts!

 

[kennadog]

I would've waived all the expiring to keep him. Kings are a donut without him.

I believe it was pointed out that we couldn't waive the expirings until we actually had them on the roster. We had no room on the roster to accept them as part of the trade without letting go of two players. They got rid of the two cheapest players to make that room. Once Lue was gone, tho, I would have liked bringing Williams back.

 

[NewMonkey]

a) he cannot drift outside and can an 18ft jumper, which is tantamount to basketball heresy in these parts

b)he was a constant threat to our ability to allow teams to score 100+ points against us every night, which is again considered bad form and a threat to "entertaining" basketball.

c) he seems to have a colorful personal life, which we obviously only consider apprpriate in our owners and coaches, not our players

Funny, and sadly, also true.

 

[Heuge]

Looks like th Rockets didnt want him and let the 10 day contract expire.

 

[kings4lyfe32]

I wonder if a small part of this might be the game he played there before he got cut - must have made a good impression....

Just found a quote from Adelman about this,

Rockets head coach Rick Adelman said his team was about to sign C Justin Williams to help fill the void created by Yao Ming's (foot) absence. "I know one game he had, because he had it against us, he had something like 12 rebounds in a half," Adelman said.
http://www.sportsline.com/nba/players/playerpage/1114967

so yeah, i guess it did