# How's Antoine Walker sound?



## 23 (Apr 23, 2005)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3250157

Rockets drawing interest
High-priced free agents may visit with team

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Beginning with the stroke of midnight, the Rockets found the offer of playing time in a frontcourt between Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady really would be viewed as attractive to free agents capable of earning more tangible rewards.

Forwards Antoine Walker, Stromile Swift and Bobby Simmons were interested in Houston as a possible free-agent destination, their agents said Friday, with each considering setting up visits to meet with Rockets officials next week.

Donyell Marshall also could be interested, but his agent Andy Miller said he had not discussed with Marshall the initial conversation with Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson and that as an 11-year veteran Marshall would likely not be making trips to visit interested teams.

Because the Rockets are over the salary cap, they can only offer the mid-level exception, expected to be worth roughly $5 million for the first season, barring a sign-and-trade arrangement. The free agents they initially reached out to could receive much larger offers, but each seemed open to considering the Rockets.

"Houston is a viable option," Miller said when asked about Marshall's and Swift's options. "Anytime you have a chance to be vying for a championship, you compare that to what the marketplace might bear."

Marshall plan

In 11 seasons, Marshall, 32, has averaged 12.4 points per game on 44-percent shooting, 35.4 percent from the 3-point arc. A 6-9 forward, he averaged 7.3 rebounds.

Swift, 25, has spent most of his five seasons with the Grizzlies playing behind Pau Gasol. He has averaged nine points on 46.8-percent shooting, and five rebounds in an average of 21 minutes per game.

Walker, 28, also seems likely to receive offers greater than the trade exception. He earned $14.6 million last season with the Hawks and Celtics.

Like Marshall, he would bring the shooting range to power forward that the Rockets have sought. In nine seasons, he has averaged 19.8 points on 41.5-percent shooting, 32.5 percent from the 3-point arc. He has averaged 8.6 rebounds.

"We talked in the middle of the night about Antoine," his agent Mark Bartelstein said.

"They could do a sign-and-trade. But I will say this, the Rockets are a great organization. They have a lot of great pieces. He sees Houston as a terrific young team with two great players. Antoine sees them as a championship-contending team, and he is looking for a chance to contend for championships. We may set something up next week."

Simmons improved

Though he is a small forward/shooting guard, the Rockets have shown interest in Simmons, voted the league's most improved player last season after averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Clippers. Simmons made 46.6 percent of his shots and 43.5 percent of his 3-pointers. But he is a restricted free agent, allowing the Clippers to match offers and making a mid-level exception unlikely to be sufficient.

"We talked a couple times today, but there is a lot of interest in Bobby," Bartelstein said. "It would be tough (to get Simmons for the mid-level exception)."



http://celtics.bostonherald.com/cel...articleid=92385

Rockets show interest in Walker
By Steve Bulpett
Saturday, July 2, 2005 - Updated: 12:42 AM EST

On the first day of the NBA's free agent negotiating period, Houston emerged as a potential landing site for Antoine Walker [news].

According to sources, the Rockets contacted Walker's agent, Mark Bartelstein, and expressed interest in the power forward who returned to the Celtics in a trade this past February. Walker, in turn, showed interest in the Rockets and reportedly could be visiting Houston as early as next week.

Director of basketball operations Danny Ainge also contacted Bartelstein to reiterate the Celtics' interest in bringing back Walker. But assuming the Rockets are willing to spend their entire mid-level exception (approximately $5 million for one season), Walker could find Houston a more inviting option than the Celtics because of the Western Conference team's proximity to contending for a title.


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## thegza (Feb 18, 2003)

Horrible.

He may have better basketball IQ, and may not chuck up as many three pointers as he used to, but he isn't the consistent compliment to Yao Ming and is another "soft" PF with a large contract IMO. Never been a winner, and it isn't going to change now.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

i don't walker at all for the rockets. swift wouldn't be bad. i'm not so sure about marshall.

i wouldn't mind the rockets looking into trying to bring eddie griffin back. he'd probably come cheaper while other teams are looking at the bigger name guys and he was solid last year for the twolves. i still think he would be a great compliment to yao with his shot blocking and rebounding and his ability to step outside and help spread the floor for yao to have more room to work with.


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## 23 (Apr 23, 2005)

Toine is a very good point forward. He's a great team vocal leader, he doesnt and probably wont chuck up a ton of 3's like Obrien had them doing


HE is a good rebounder, not soft, sorry, the guy is known to grab rebounds just not shot block. I think his D is suspect, so Im not sure of that.


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

i think either stro or donyell would be the best to sign becasue donyell can add range to the 4 and stro would add alot of strength, rebounding power and youth, something we are lacking


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

WHAT IS DAWSON THINKING? Yes, it would be nice to have a mobile PF that can create his own shot and is a relatively good ball handler. But Walker's advantages for the Rockets end right there. Career 41.5% FG shooter, poor shot selection, horrible FT shooter and has LOSER written all over him. Hopefully this is some kind of a ploy to show the league we are interested in "top" notch PF's.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

God, I'd honestly vomit if we signed that loser. I can't STAND him. Carroll Dawson is such a fool, JVG better slap some sense into him.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

Walker? No No NO :naughty: 
Imagine Juwan Howard, execpt he stands even farther from the basket
Get a big defensive PF for the Rox
How's Walker defense? I've never seen that guy play too much


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

Could a sign and trade for Walker possibly result in another deal that Houston may be thinking about?


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## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

jdiggidy said:


> Could a sign and trade for Walker possibly result in another deal that Houston may be thinking about?


 I was wondering the same thing...


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## 05OffSeason (Jun 1, 2005)

I am fine with him at the MLE.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

I've always thought Walker was bashed a little too much on this site, so in reality he'd be a great 3rd option player, but who knows how well he'd take to that role. He is another ball handler though and another shooter, so maybe he'd fit in well.


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## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

Walker's game doesn't compliment McGrady or Yao......thats the end of this discussion....I say think small....forget SAR or Swift....think about Howard's backup and move on to PG


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## Gambino (Feb 11, 2004)

jdiggidy said:


> Could a sign and trade for Walker possibly result in another deal that Houston may be thinking about?


You know when we(Dallas) got Walker the other year we were thinking the exact same thing you are thinking. We said when the trade happened that surely there would be another trade only to find out that there wouldnt be until the season ended.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

I don't go in for calling a player a "loser", and I think Walker's D is underrated, but he wouldn't be a good fit. It's been said a thousand times on this forum, but we really do need a power forward who can not only play defense, but rebound well, too. A old guy who can step out and shoot but who is a little too eager to do so shouldn't be a high priority.


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## houst-mac (Aug 7, 2004)

We have no use to PF like Antoine Walker, we have enough scorers in this team


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