The Big Risk We Should Consider (not a short post)

As a player, Batum brings more to the table. He’s Ariza with playmaking ability. Also, where did I say I would swap Ariza for him? My suggestion is to swap Anderson and spare parts for Batum and keep Ariza and Luc as well.

 

he isn't ariza with playmaking ability. his isn't a better shooter and isn't a better defender. his "playmaking" seems to be pretty overstated on your part. its nothing to be excited about.

That swap isn't going to happen so i guess its mute anyway.

 

Batum’s deal runs an extra year (He has a 27 million player option in 2020-2021) than Ryan’s. I could see them being interested in getting out of that third year if the Rockets sweetened the pot with a future first, or perhaps even straight up.

 

#KlayThompson2019

 

Not even if he was my Cousin.


Ha. But in all seriousness, great post and good thought. Even if Clint is unable to just get the ball and go to work, Draymond was glued to him and allowed for a lot of open layups on one on one play from Harden and CP3. So, essentially you could be trading open layups for skilled one on one post play.

 

They would definitely think about it. Trading Batum for Ryno would buy the Hornets another $3 million under the tax line next season while dumping a player that isn't very good anymore and is oft injured AND has another year at huge dollars.

I don't think the ROCKETS would make this trade. The luxury tax implications to the Rockets would be ridiculous.

 

I really gave this a shot. I read most of it. I thought this was gonna be about the risk of resigning this team and last year was as good as it was gonna get. Until I stopped reading, I didn’t agree with everything but I could understand the rationale.

Then I read cousins and stopped reading. This immediately turned into a random trade idea.

Not only is it a random trade idea, but it a horribly bad one.

Cousins is bad.

The risk is bad.

Having a “go to” post option like this is the 80s is bad.

You spout how other teams have an option for internal growth to become better but then wanna trade our ONLY option for internal growth for a past his peak locker room cancer who’s coming off the worst imaginable injury a big man can sustain.

You are awarded no points and may god have mercy on your soul.

 

People on Clutchfans are loony man... Demarcus is a next level talent.

THE ONLY knock on his is that he is coming of one of the worst injuries in Sports. TBH that is the only that would make me think twice about doing this deal if the Rockets strike out on everyone else.

DMC fits this team like a glove. I dont GAF about his attitude and all that other BS. I know he is a competitive guy, he is wayyyyyyy better than Clint, and with James and Paul they would be able to tame him and channel his energy where is matters.

He would give the warriors hell. Imagine everyone, including Green standing on the perimeter with a legitimate threat to burn them with the 3 ball.

 

I’ll give you that Ariza is the better defender, but Batum has been considered a solid defender his entire career as well. As for the shooting, I’ll give you that it’s pretty much a wash between the two. However, there is a big gap in their respective ball handling and facilitating abilities:

Batum’s career assists per game average: 3.8
Ariza’s career assists per game average: 2.1

Also, since the 2012-2013 season, Batum has averaged 5 assists or 6 assists a game in both Portland and Charlotte. Ariza’s career best average is 3.8, during his first stint with the Rockets in 2009-2010.

It may be a moot point because the Hornets may not want Anderson, but swapping him for Batum makes the Rockets better, and definitely better equipped to beat the Warriors.

 

Nobody will take on Batum's contract by choice. It's the same as Ryno, you have to pay to dump him.

Batum is not twice the player Ryno is anymore.

 

when one player isn't known for playmaking and the other isn't much of one either, its nothing to be excited about. that was my point. There's nothing worth noting about 2 players being bad at something. no team is going to feature either player for their "playmaking"

 

You very well might be right. I’m just saying it’s something worth exploring if LeBron doesn’t come, and I could see Charlotte potentially going for it because Batum’s deal is that bad.

 

The Hornets actually do let Batum play point forward, so how is that not featuring him in a ball handling/facilitating role? Also, he’s averaged 5.8, 5.9 and 5.5 assists a game the last three years splitting ball handling duties with Kemba Walker. That’s an above average playmaker, and much better than Ariza, who struggles to make plays off the dribble.

 

and how are the hornets again? if a team is featuring batum to be a ball handler and playmaker, that's just dumb and most likely loses more times than not

 

I would be happy with either scenario, though a torn achilles is one of the worst injuries an NBA player can have. I do agree with you that Cousins would be worth gambling on, and at full strength, a better overall player than Capela. My concerns would be is he willing to accept a secondary role, and his skills as a rim protector, which Capela is very good at and getting better.

 

I know Cousins will never be on this team, not as long as his "buddy" Chris Paul is around.

 

need to add non-injury prone players if we don't get Lebron since we all know D'antoni likes to play a 6-7 man rotation.

 

He averaged 5 assists a game his last two years in Portland on teams that won 54 and 51 games. His first year in Charlotte (lost to Miami in the first round), they won 48 games and made the playoffs with him averaging 5.8 assists a game.

Yes, the last two years the Hornets have sucked. But, it doesn’t all fall on his shoulders. Their overall roster has been below average by NBA standards both years, and part of the reason for their poor record this season is Batum injured his shooting wrist on a freak play in training camp and missed a month.

Anyways, I’m done derailing this thread with this debate anymore, and agree to disagree with you on Batum.