Yeah, I know. I would move Shane for the right guy in a second, but Ricky Davis? Give me a break. I'd take him if they took on Mike's contract and that's just to dump salary.
I don't think he will get much better in this system. More likely, he will get worse. Far, far, far from a scrub. Doesn't turn the ball over that much. Way, way, way better SG than Swift is a PF. Wrong. Davis also covers the best scorers in the league on a nightly basis. Davis can do a much better job on faster players and has been the defensive specialist on his teams much like Bowen and Battier. Battier can do better on bigger players because of his size but is really not that good at covering faster players, which is what he usually is aked to do. Overall, I think Davis is at least as good as Battier as an overall defender if not better. People just have nothing else to talk about with Battier because defense is the only thing he is decent at. Meanwhile, Davis can contribute to nearly every aspect of the game. Pretty much on point.
And when he's done reading, he might want to take a look at the "improved, matured" version of Ricky Davis playing under the disciplinarian Pat Riley, whose horrible ratings are 2nd worst on the team to Haslem (another oft mentioned name for these grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side types): http://basketballvalue.com/teamplayers.php?year=2007-2008&team=MIA http://www.82games.com/0708/0708MIA.HTM
Bzzt, absolutely wrong. Look at the links above, and try again. You can't just spout off baseless opinions out of some figment of imagination and think you'll get away with it. Davis is a *bad* defender.
Taylor, McHale and KG also said this about Davis: "I would say that he has matured," Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press in January 2006, when Ricky arrived in a mid-season trade. He has been impressing people ever since, from management to his teammates. "He goes to the basket hard, has attitude, yeah,” said former teammate Kevin Garnett, the Boston Celtics' all-star forward. “I've always enjoyed somebody who plays with a lot of energy ... Some nights you need someone to light that ignition." Kevin McHale, Minnesota’s vice president of basketball operations, agreed. "Ricky's got an innate toughness about him that everybody sees every day," he said. "He's kind of a street fighter. Those are the types of guys you like having around." Owners often say things to the media to legitimize their decisions and appease fans. I guarantee you most of Davis' former coaches and teammates would say great things about him, especially in recent years. Riley obviously wanted him back and Riley is very picky about who plays for him. He doesn't like headcases and must have known that Ricky had grown up a lot since his early years. Nobody ever questioned Davis' heart and talent. It was just a matter of getting his head on straight. He has done that increasingly over the years. He lost control one time last season but quickly got it together. He is not nearly the nice guy that Battier is but he is thoroughly a better player that would do more for the Rockets than Battier.
Personally I think he fits well in Adelman's system. I challenge you to find a forward that isn't a big name like Kirilenko or Dirk who can shoot the open three better. Ricky Davis certainly can't. Antoine Walker makes Battier look like Brent Barry. The fact is that we have Bonzi Wells around to complement Battier, and each one's strong points coincides with the other's weaknesses. Frankly I think we need Battier's continued 3pt threat to have any chance this year. He's our version of Bowen if you think about it, without the dirty rep.
And here are his stats from AN ENTIRE SEASON at Minnesota where he ranked 2nd on the team behind only Garnett (Bracey Wright barely played): http://www.82games.com/0607/0607MIN.HTM
Owners also say things in public to increase the trade value of troublesome players. And to the thing about Riley, the dude is grasping at straws. He even said he was having a hard time controlling him publicly. Also, look what he gave up to get him. Not a whole lot. Certainly not Shane Battier.
Forget about Davis. I'll accept that I was wrong about Davis and that I spouted off baseless opinions. The point is that Battier needs to go. There are better options out there for this team. If not Davis, then someone else.
Shane is pretty awful when it comes to offense. His on the ball defense is average his team defense is outstanding and of course his hustle is top notch. So overall hes not a bad assist to have on a team, but I do think he is way overrated and has way too big role on the rockets. I usually wouldn't move a player like him as I wouldn't move Chuck Hayes because your just not going to get much for them, but in Shane's case the nba looks at Shane as a very good player so I do think we could get a good player for Shane.
Just to clarify, the last game of that season before that draft, JVG decided to play to win that last game because it was the right thing to do. It potentially cost us going higher in the draft, therefore potentially costing a chance to draft Roy. Then the Battier trade had JVG's fingerprints all over it, he wanted Battier, he loathes rookies. Btw, I bet Daryl and Rick are texting each other "Yeah the player we need to turn this thing around is Ricky Davis." LOL
Which part? The positive net +/- part or the part where he's giving up less points to opponents than Davis? It's one thing to say Battier has regressed offensively this season so far. That's quite plain for everyone to see. It's another thing to actually suggest trading him for Ricky freaking Davis.
Ricky Davis is will kill the rockets chemistry this might be interesting Wolves' Davis suspended for leaving bench early http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2737383
Davis is a solid 3-point shooter that can also score in multiple ways. Battier can only provide perimeter scoring and not much of it. I think that is ridiculous to say that we have no chance this year without Battier's 3-point shooting. If anything, at least argue that we need his defensive presence.
Again, forget Ricky Davis. Let's say I was wrong about that. Let's trade him for somebody else that will improve this team.
Keep Battier. Just the Rockets should have never acquired him at all. He's valuable, but not that valuable. What stat I'd personally like to see is how many blocking calls he gets in comparison to charges. I know he's good at taking charges, but it seems like for every charge he takes, a blocking foul is charged too. And I think he is a great team defender, but man to man defense is overrated. When he takes the best defensive assignment it always seems his assignment torches the Rockets. Kobe Bryant is a perfect example.
And that, among many, many other reasons, is why it is so great that you neither are nor ever will be the Rockets' GM.
