What forum was it on?

is this the farley replacement?

Oh my goodness.. please no!!!!!!

I was a sonics fan (still am) through the Vin Baker days.. and Im not sure I could handle it all over again.

Dusty replacement more likely

Vin Baker to sixers link:
http://forum.sportal.com.au/viewthread.aspx?t=54858&p=904990

If that doesnt work.. try this link: http://forum.sportal.com.au/viewthread.aspx?t=54858

First I've heard of this. Probably a bit of a sneaky joke to try and encourage Dusty to take their low offer!

Some guy posted -
'baker would replace paul rees whos gotta retire soon..or better yet maybe replace holmes cos hes useless..all he does is persist with flat turnaround fadeways.'
Hmm... have they not heard of imports?

What about Shawn Kemp as the second import?

Yes, you heard it first here. Tell your friends!

Shawn Kemp and Vin Baker as the Sixers 2 imports.. god.. the impregnator and the pilsbury dough boy - Adelaide wouldnt know what hit it.

What is it about Seattle that turns great players into tragic wrecks?

Vin baker would still only average 4ppg and 2rpg.

There's no way hes getting a gig in the NBA again.. he's burned too many bridges. Theres a good chance a deal is in the works with Sixers IMO.

Vin suffers has suffered from depression and alcohol problems - it wouldnt surprise me if he wanted to come down under as a change of scenery - and to perhaps finish his playing career on a good note.

Hes got a good heart, and is a gentle giant - but he definately used to have quite a few issues.

Sedale Threatt was supposed to be a legit option a few years back, maybe some one has their wires crossed?

Sedale lives in Melbourne last i heard.

4ppg & 2rpg & replace Dusty? Hello.......... what's this world coming to?

Update me on his past? Why is he hated and shit?

i missed it but on the game tonight kings v bullets carfino mentioned the 36ers had almost penned a signature of a former nba player for the next 2 seasons ???

can anyone confirm

EC, Dusty's NBA stats: 0 PPG, 0 RPG! Apples and apples please.

That's funny Isaac, they're my stats also. And everyone else who hasn't played in the NBA.

The stock price of Coopers took a spike upwards with the rumour of Vin Baker coming to Adelaide.

Just posted this on OzHoops and thought I'd dupe it here. Plus it's been months since I put a potential roster on paper for a bit of pre-06/07 guessing!

---

Here's why I think, as much as I am a skeptic, that this Vin Baker deal is remotely plausible (not likely, but remotely plausible!) - the Sixers need a centre of sorts, and Dusty is the only way they can free up money. Maher, Farley, Holmes and Hill are signed. They have offered Forman a two-year deal - young, room to improve, capped at 5 pts. They have offered Dusty a multi-year deal also, but from all reports, he's not impressed. And to be fair to the club, they have to try a low offer because otherwise they're going to be left with scraps to spend again.

Apart from Dusty, the other four are budget players. They'll go for Nash again from what I'm hearing because he's doing well for what they're spending. I'd imagine that they'd look to retain Cooper, but potentially as a backup. That leaves Rees and Hambour who are on the minimum or not far from it. If you want to get a centre upgrade, it's not going to come from what those boys are on.

So, as good as Dusty has been, the only opportunity the team will get to upgrade at the C if that's what they want to do, is going to come from that import spot and that salary. That's the brutal truth from the salaries and roster.

Maher/Gerlach
Farley/Hill
Nash/Ingles
Holmes/Forman
Import/Cooper

Gerlach and Ingles on minimum. Can either start Nash or Forman, or Cooper if you wanted.

All of that said, they've put an offer to Dusty, Smyth and Breheny are not known as big recruiters, and I just can't picture the club tracking down Vin Baker at a bar and him liking their cheque book. I can imagine Paul Bell, who was in the US recently, being proactive about it, but he's Dusty's agent, so I don't know how that would all work.

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If they can keep Dusty, what prospects are there at the C in our price range? The only alternative I can see is that they pitch to an Eversteyn or similar with a promise of future opportunities. But is he going to give you enough output down the track?

Is there any word of the cap increasing for next season? In every other industry you can expect a pay rise each year to atleast help compensate for inflation. In the NBL it seems players are continuously being asked to take pay cuts.

I can just imagine them applying for a housing loan and saying to the Bank Manager "I need a loan that will allow me to reduce my repayments each year because my salary is going to decrease".

If it did, I couldn't see it going up by more than 5% which won't really help our situation enough on its own IMO.

I think Dusty would be the only player marked for a cut first up because that's their only real chance to save money for other positions. Cooper and Nash would've taken low offers as it was. And Rees might be on his last year or if he took a cut it would be because he's finishing off his career. That's just how it is.

"Update me on his past? Why is he hated and shit?"

-- Once he signed his big contract with Seattle, he seemed to lose motivation. He hit the booze big time, had depression problems and battled with his weight. At the start of every year he would say the same things: that this season would be different and how much work he had put in the off season, and how he was going to come ready to play - and then he'd just lug his overweight frame around court all season, never hustling or showing any real heart or effort. It drove th fans crazy, and it was party time in Seattle when he got traded to Boston.

I have heard from someone in Seattle however that he just opened a seafood restaurant in Connecticut. Apparantly he looks pretty trim at the moment also.

Maybe hes been working out, and really is keen to have a fresh start?

Why look at Vin Baker when Luc Longley wouldnt need us to burn an import spot. Tis would then let us go for another guard to help develop Brad Hill and give Brett a bit more rest - John Stockton is probably still in resonable shape!

Seafood restaurant. Phil Smyth. Sammy's on the Marina. Hmmm...!

Statman, I think Luc Longley retired from the NBA and received pension because of a back injury, so he might not be physically able to play.

He receives a veteran's pension which would be worth a couple of mil a year to him...he's definitely not playing!

It would be a shame to lose Dusty Rychart, who manages to post 20 and 10 even when he's playing like crap, especially for a guy who is a hundred years old, overweight, and NOT A CENTRE, as is the case with Vin Baker.

Isaac is right about someone like Eversteyn. Though I still don't see why we don't chase Jason Dix. Who cares if he hardly trains? It never used to bother the club when Darren Ng was on the roster. They should be able to work something out for Dix where by he can keep the job he has PLUS play NBL.

Giving up Dusty to get a centre would probably mean Jacob or Oscar moving to the 4 and that won't work either. It will just create a hole at a different part of the key.

The problem is Farley's two year deal. If they could cut him to get a centre then they could move Maher to the point, Jacob to the 2, bring Oscar in as the 3, Dusty the 4, then whoever after that.

All that said, if Hunter is in financial trouble, then Adelaide should be all over Gordie Cullen. Larry Davidson would also be a good fit in Adelaide.

Mutley, you don't think Jacob can play the four? I think that's where he'd be best.

I too agree about hunting down Gordie Cullen, only took about 2 minutes into the Hunter game before I liked him. Pity he looks like a backstreet boy tho.

Apparantly Cullen is a bit of a headcase. Although he always seems to play well against us.

My comments re Longley and Stockton were said with tongue planted firmly in cheek......I mean why would we go for Longley when Manute Bol is possibly available (although hasnt been seen on the forum for a while)

I am available.

Anon, would you stop replying to yourself? It's ridiculous.

c Rychart/Cooper
f Forman/Cullen
f Holmes/ Nash
g Farley/Gerlach
g Maher/ Hill

I don't see Forman's future in any other spot other than 3 or sometimes a 4.

I know Rychart isn't the ideal 5 but Cullen, if he price is right(doubtful) would probably be the most ideal player to seriously look to get.

Gerlach obviously minimum, nash not much above minimum and Hill, you'd think would be inline for some incentive to remain long term sixer knowing in a couple of season Maher may wind down.

A team like this is young enough to stay together for a few years and build towrds more success. I think the Adelaide fans appreciate this style of team more than those that are together for one season and never seen again.

Does anyone actually know how long Cullen is contracted with Hunter for?

Isaac, yes I think Holmes can play the four, but I think he's more damaging elsewhere. Oscar is the same: he can play the four but causes more match up difficulties for other teams at the three, where he has the pace to defend a small forward, and at the same time causes a problem for most small forwards in the league who can't prevent him from getting his jumper off. Also, I think Holmes is too good a passer to be playing the four. All of the suggestions on my previous post follow the theme of us getting bigger, not smaller, which moving Holmes to the 4 would do. It's one of the things that makes it difficult for us when playing Melbourne or Sydney, in that we start those games down 15 on the rebound count. To me though, it isn't at the 3 or the 4 that we are getting beaten. We are weak in the middle, and that has been shown up more than in the past because Farley has played little perimeter defence.

I suggested the signing of former genuine NBA talent on the Andrew Gaze message boards about...hmmmmm....5 years ago. Guess it took a while for people to catch on.

MrB

Mr Black congratulations you have won the choice of a medal or a showbag?

Well it seems like he hasnt changed much! Willie's form slump would be welcome compared to what this guy would bring. This was from a Boston Newspsper recently:

While there have been some teams interested in bringing Baker in for a look, he has opened a restaurant in Connecticut and is, according to NBA sources, in no condition to play at that level.
Two sources say that in the latter stages of his career, Baker had taken to get part of his alcohol fix by drinking mouthwash.
"He thought he was fooling people because they couldn't smell the alcohol on his breath, just the mouthwash," said one.
Celtics personnel also reported Baker coming to practice smelling of mouthwash and unable to perform properly.
"When Houston let him go, there were some teams that checked to see how he was doing and if maybe he had gotten by his problems," said a league source. "But you could just look at his body and see how the alcohol had affected it. And Vin still hasn't really dealt with the emotional problems that are behind all this."

the showbag!!!!!!!

I dont think we should get rid of Dusty but if we need a new center maybe we should go for someone like Wade Helliwell