http://espn.go.com/nba/ The radio interview is on the lefthand side, under "Media" "Radio" and "Ric Bucher." It's about recent moves in general. Bucher thinks Spurs are the big winner with recent moves while other teams (like Orlando and Cleveland) got talent but didn't address what they need. Regarding the Rockets, Bucher says you have to put them among the winners circle. Thinks trading in the older Artest for younger Ariza is a good move. Also said that, from what he heard, Artest had "issues" this past year, too, the team just hid it very well.
hmmm that could explain all those bad shots when we had Yao in there giving up his body... and foot to get positioning. I'll miss Artest's toughness but im looking forward to the new style of play we're trying to reach by signing Ariza.
The thing is, Ron isn't that great. He is good, YAO made him better. Gasol <<< Yao. Gasol can't relieve the pressure on Ron to get him the shots and plays he needs. If Gasol does anything, he makes Kobe's life easier. Ron won't fit. $5 says Ron gets kicked to the bench and doesn't end up being a starter. If Odom resigns with the team I'll knock it up to $6.
That means Ron has to be OK being the third or fourth option. Kobe, Gasol then maybe Ron or Lamar. Ron's value suddenly diminishes. I agree, when he came here that was OUR plan, but lets be realistic, that's never how it played out. Ron shined when he was the number 2. Hell, look at every team he played for before us, he was a top tier option. Maybe I'm talking out my pooper.
There is no doubt that picking up Ariza was a WAY better move for us. Other than game 2 against the lakers, Artest shot selection was horrible! The only reason it wasent noticed so much was because the some went in. His toughness was over-rated, and defensivley Artest has slowed down dramatically. He was a GREAT 1-year rental, but def not a player worth keeping long term. Losing him alone makes us a better TEAM instantly.
Ron was not a good spot up shooter, he was much better dribbling to his left and shooting then catching the ball and shooting it.
I would have to agree with Ric. We may "lose" the free agent swap "contest" for next year or maybe even year 2, but when it's all said and done I think we will be happy with it. Ron brings intensity and attitude but it is very hard to argue that he is not in decline - fairly pronounced on the offensive side and increasingly so on the defensive side. At this point, I don't think he is an elite defender any more. Certainly very good, but he gambles far too much and he is a relatively poor team defender because he won't follow the game plan on many nights. My gues is he is on his best behavior the first half of the season and then the real Ron-Ron surfaces mid season once he realizes he is not #2 (Gasol), #3 (Odom or Bynum) or even #4 (fill in Laker player with hit hand) option on the Lakers on many nights. Ron's pride is his first love. It serves him well on many nights but betrays him too often.
I can't even remember Ron taking one spot up shot last year unless it was a buzzer-beater. Seriously. He'd dribble for 5 seconds ostensibly to prove to the coaching staff that he was looking to penetrate and then jack up a shot. Even the 3s he threw up he'd hesitate just so the defender could get... closer? I do think Ron's effieciency is going to be better this year, otherwise Kobe will have him kicked off the team, but I'm happy to have Ariza. It's funny to me, but if I had to compare a player at 23 (which he was weeks ago) the closest one I could come up with would be Drexler. Clyde had better handles, but the rest of their game is similar to me.
No one can argue that Ron has great shot selection, but http://www.82games.com/0809/08HOU10.HTM 55% of the jumper taken by Ron was "assisted" last year. So it would be kind of hard to imagine that he always dribbled for 5 seconds before launching, or that 55% of his jumpers came from buzzer beaters. He did take, and make, a good deal of spot-up Js.
Ariza is definitely better value for the money. I wonder what it would be like if we had Donte Green now?
When Yao kicked the ball back out and repositioned himself, Ron would launch a shot or dribble the ball out instead of kicking the ball back in the low post for a higher percentage shot. And 55% assisted J's is not that high. Spot-up shooters usually range from 75-90% assisted.
