Eduardo Najera-San Antonio bound? - Page 2 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 05:41 PM

<< i just don't know if najera really has the combination of size and quickness to be what the mavs need as a starter at the 4 spot.. >>

Yeah najera is a real quandry to me. If he had two more inches he would probably be fine at the 4. He's a strange player, his hustle and desire make up for a lot (like any player who is defensively minded ). He's pretty bulky but not tall enough and not exactly quick enough for sg's.

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 05:46 PM

He is a role player at this stage in his career. He provides solid relief when needed. I really like the guy.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 05:47 PM

i like najera but i think alot of people look at him and think he's more than what he actually is...

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 05:51 PM

He is a great substitute/spot starter with tons of hustle, huge heart, and great intensity. I don't think that is an overestimate at all.

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 05:53 PM

<< i like najera but i think alot of people look at him and think he's more than what he actually is... >>

He doesn't have normally evaluatable talent level. He bulled his way into the starting lineup pushing out griffin, jnewman. He also somehow managed to get on the floor at the end of games which is some deal,, unfortunately it was when Nellie was playing that durn small ball.

I really like both Najera and Griffin.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 05:55 PM

injuries pushed out griffin... age pushed newman out

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 05:57 PM

I think Nellie loves his hustle. That's wh yhe got minutes. I think Eddie will be back.

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 05:58 PM

Murph so where do you put him. 9-10th on the team? If so then we definitely need a couple of bench players (which I think we do by the way).

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 06:00 PM

dude- the bench will be different next season so its hard to put him in an order. I think he falls in around 6-8 but I am a big fan of his so it might be lower.

mick · 05-31-2002, 06:05 PM

<<

<< Yeah najera is a real quandry to me. If he had two more inches he would probably be fine at the 4. He's a strange player, his hustle and desire make up for a lot (like any player who is defensively minded ). He's pretty bulky but not tall enough and not exactly quick enough for sg's. >>

>>

If he was a couple inches taller, he would be our answer at 5!

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 06:11 PM

well, probably not

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 06:14 PM

I think a lot of people would like to have another 2 inches.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 06:19 PM

for najera to play center, i'd like to have him have 4-6 inches.
to play 4, i'd like him to have alot better quickness

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 06:20 PM

hell, give me 9 inches, i'll go play center..
it's good to wish for someone to have more height but there's not too much we can do about that.

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 06:31 PM

I thought I would pull up some other players stats to see how najera compares. I just took the first 5 teams and picked the smallest forward.

Najera - 6-8, 234 lbs, 6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Atlanta -Ira Newbie 6-7, 215 lbs, 8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, Abdur-Rahim 6-9, 230 lbs, 21.2 PPG, 9 RBs
Boston -Rodney Rogers 6-7, 255 lbs, 10.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, Eric Williams 6-8, 220, 6.4 PPG, 3.0
Chicago -Trenton Hassell 6-5, 200 lbs, 8.7PPG, 3.3RBP, Tyson Chandler 7-1, 235, 6.1 PPG, 4.8R
Cleve -Lamond Murray 6-7, 236, 16.6 PPG, 5.2 RB, Tyrone Hill 6-9, 250lbs, 8 PPG, 10.5RPG

Hmmmm re-looking at this makes me think that najera can play either sf or pf. It's a pretty funny mix as well, there is usually a scorer and a defensive guy, either small or power forward.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 06:35 PM

najera can play spot minutes at either position yes..
but, he's not good enough defensively to play huge minutes against alot of PF's or SF's.
if he is brought in for anything more than his energy (say, 15 minutes or so), well, the mavs are in trouble against alot of the elite teams in the nba.

it's not all about just your size.. it's about quickness...jumping ability..etc, etc.

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 09:50 PM

Najera is the consumate sub for those spots. But keep his minutes under 20.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 10:00 PM

i don't think he's the long term answer as a starter at any position.. he is what he is..a very valuable guy off of the bench

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:02 PM

agreed.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 10:08 PM

if najera is a starter next year..the mavs didn't make the necessary moves to allow this team to realistically expect to get past the lakers or the kings

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:17 PM

I don't see Najera being any higher than a spot starter.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 10:18 PM

of course a spot shooter is fine.. starters will have to miss some games here and there..it's part of the game

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 10:23 PM

I have to agree with you about Najera being a spot starter. Although I liked him starting over jnew, grif or buck he seems a little weak. Now of course if bradely somehow woke up on the right side of the bed next year a starting group of bradley, raef, dirk, fin, nash looks ok but still not atheletic. It still says we need those 6-7, 6-11 types to be the bench guys.

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:23 PM

Eddie is much more valuable than just a spot starter though. He injects energy into the game as a super sub.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 10:28 PM

there's nothing wrong with saying he's not a starter..nothing at all. he does what he does really well.. he's energy. there's going to be some games where he won't find his way off of the bench but there will be other games where he seemingly comes in and gives the spark the team needs to propel them to victory

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:29 PM

I think we are saying the same thing.

Murphy3 · 05-31-2002, 10:30 PM

we are..but, we'll be criticized for blasting najera soon i'm sure

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:32 PM

If someone does it's only because they didn't read the whole damn thread.

dude1394 · 05-31-2002, 10:33 PM

YEA!!! What's the matter with you guys, why do you hate najera so much. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Drbio · 05-31-2002, 10:34 PM

lol dude...