Is Battier playing the 3 or the 4?

He's gonna need to play the 3 in my opinion. Since we have don't have a decent SG, McGrady will need to play there. I think TMac was pretty sure we were getting Mike James.

 

Is he playing the 2 the 3 or the 4?

Yes!

Or is it a new combo position known as the 2/3/4?

I think I will watch this year just to watch this team do strange things and see how long before Les leans over and taps Gundy on the shoulder.

"Uh, Jeff, we need to talk."

 

I predict that Battier will log more minutes at the 3 versus the 4.

 

TM and SB should play the SG/SF positions. Houston needs to take on a bad contract, maybe Troy Murphy's since GS is close to the LT threshold, and fill the PF w/ a legitimate rebounder.

It would be disappointing if the only additions this offseason are SB and SN.

When do the "Fire Morey" threads start?!

 

He is a 3 and it will be sad he will have to play some 4

TMac isn't going to guard any 2 guards and we better get one- I would hate to start the season with Luther as our starting 2 and BTW that is the last thing JVG wants. He does not see Luther at the 2 very much at all.

 

For me, I'm pretty sure he plays 3. He is a perimeter defender (well, at least thats what numerous articles and scouting reports say) He will play 4 only when against PF's like Marion, Nowitzki.... hmmm.... cant think of anymore small ball PF's.... im just too worried about what is gonna happen to poor Yao and T-Mac this coming season

Random info:
Battier is listed at 6'8 on NBA.com
He is listed at 6'9.5 with shoes on the 2001 pre-draft measurements.... there's a pdf file of that somewhere, check it out.

If Battier is 6'9.5 .... he's lookin sharp

 

I think he is a 3. I love his game, but I am not sure he is as versitile as some people seem to think. I think TMac is the 2 and he is the 3. I really feel like we need to get a solid 4 before the season starts.

 

All shoooter wwooooooo *drool*

(no sarcasm intended whatsoever)

 

Battier and McGrady will probably flip positions based on matchups, with Battier taking the bigger threat most times. He'll also probably play spot duty at the 4, particularly when we face smallballers like Phoenix.

Evan

 

Smoothie's post illustrates just how versatile the Rockets became on draft day by adding Battier and Novak. That's a pretty darn good-looking team on paper ... and if you could extract yourself from the doom and gloom for a moment, you'd realize that this team is only a couple more tweaks away from title contention.

 

I think we'll Shane Battier start more at the 3 as opposed to the 4. Putting Tmac back at the 2 gives us a bigger starting lineup, which is what we're lacking right now. Im not opposed to seeing Battier at the 4 either, I would rather than Juwan at the 4 rather than Battier.

 

Didn't wanna quote the whole thing, but I like these scenarios alot! I think Marcus Banks especially is a must AND if we got him would be starting next year at the latest.

Being able to split the MLE on Flip/Ariza and Cato/Wright would be a dream scenario. I personally think it's out of our reach, but maybe I know less about our financial situation than I think I do.

If it were me, I'd go with Ariza/Cato, despite the fact that I think we need a true 2 gaurd and Ariza's a 3. So, nevermind, strike that... we need offense, and a 2 so I say Flip/Cato with the MLE. I think Flip might want the whole MLE... are we getting into luxury tax land?

I don't think Deke or Yao is durable enough for us to have 1 backup center under contract, so I am warming to the idea of bringing back Cato. He never was worth his contract but his most productive year (imho) was the one he spent with Grumpy.

Either way, lets get going... lock some guys up!

 

Agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It will be a good decision for T-Mac to back to play 2 considering of his back. If we can not get a tough PF, Jared Jeffries and Trevor Ariza will be excellent choices.

 

I don't see why it would be. If he plays the two, he has to chase smaller guys all over the place, including off series of (moving) screens. It would probably put more stress on his body than the occasional physical small forward. JVG moved him to the 3 to help save his body, not put more stress onto it.

 

3 will be better.

 

Good post Smoothie

If the rockets wanted to, it seems very plausible.

Marcus Banks said he wuz looking for 3m+ (at least some other thread said that), so offer him 3.5 m from the MLE and hope that Minn doesn't match. They probably won't with the Mike signing and the Foye drafting.

Ariza also is looking for around the 3m range, so do a S&T w/ Orlando w/ part of the TE, I don't think he's worth the whole thing. Orlando may or may not look to keep him, I guess the backup is Flip w/ the same deal. I'd much rather have ariza though, he's younger, bigger, and more athletic, although neither can really shoot.

Cato would sign for the minimum, or S&T our 1.8m TE, or use whatever's left from the MLE. Either way he would come cheap, could back up 2 positions, and at worst would be 6 fouls to throw at big men.

 

I can't see Shane getting significant minutes at the 4.

The reason an undersized Merion works at the 4 is that Merion is an athletic freak whose leaping ability allows to him at average double digit rebounds at the position.

Battier doesn't have that kind of athleticism. I don't know how strong he is either. I don't see him having enough success at the 4.

Which leaves us with a huge gaping hole at that position. Juwan and Chuck Hayes? Not impressive. This is a huge problem that we don't seem to be addressing at all.

 

Speaking of 2/3/4 combos... one guy Battier resembles somewhat in his versatily is Eric William, another 6'9'' guy who covers 2/3/4. EWill has been a bit lost for a couple of season, but he was awesome with the Celtics. Now that the Spurs got him, I'm pretty sure he'll help them greatly, too. The biggest difference is probably that Battier's 3pt shooting is significantly better.