I agree too. If there is any chance (and there is a big chance) of singin' Artest without givin' up Battier we have to do it and we probably would cause I'm so glad with Morey and I belive him. He's done a great job that short for him offseason (Adelman, James). He is fightin'. So now we have to fight to get Ron Artest. And than we can worry about "Trade Battier for some good PF and of course keep Bonzi in Houston"
Besides, the Rockets don't need Camby. He is not very quick and gambles a lot on defense. His post defense as well as man to man defense is horrible, I'm not sure how he is such a great fit to Yao. He can block shots, but with every gamble he takes it can potentially lead to a foul trouble situation with Yao. I really want Udonis Haslem for the Rockets. If we were to get Artest without giving up Battier, we would be able to offer Miami Battier for Haslem. I'm not sure if they would like that deal, but with Toine there stuck another couple of years due to his crappy contract and Wayne Simien around as well, I believe Haslem is a bit tradeable. They need a small forward, and Shane Battier would be perfect for a team that needs a better defensive player.
<a href="/nba/rumors/post/Houston-unlikely-destination-for-Artest?urn=nba,36646">Houston unlikely destination for Artest</a></h4> <p class="date">Friday, Jun 15, 2007 3:00 am EDT</p> </div> <div class="bd"> <div class="small"><img src="http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_rumors/ept_sports_rumors-925588233-1175096036.jpg?yml7BQ9C6mM.tiR4" alt="Ron Artest" border="0" height="160" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="160"><p class="credit">Getty Images</p></div><p>The <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/hou/">Houston Rockets</a> would like to add a power forward. Or maybe <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3339/">Ron Artest</a>, who would give the Rockets the scoring they want from that position, but rebounding and defending a power forward would be a problem. </p><p>And there's the baggage. The Rockets have tried to acquire Artest a time or two over the years, but he has gotten into even more trouble and that could keep Houston from trying again to acquire him.</p> <p class="source">Source: <span class="source-link"><a href="http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2007/06/rockets_get_a_s.html">Houston Chronicle</a><a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2007/06/rockets_get_a_s.html"><img src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/nt/ic/ut/bsc/newwin12_1.gif" alt="" border="0" height="12" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="12"></a></span> </p>
I like Artest I like what he brings to this team, I like the defence the offence the rebounding the lot. But honestly guys you have to ask, IS HE GOING TO BE HAPPY HERE? He couldn't even play properly next to Jermaine ONeal who by all reports is a great team mate. He couldn't handle being second fiddle at Sac Town, what makes any of us think his going to be happy here being T-mac AND Yao. On third thoughts, EVEN if he is happy I think Mike James will be extremely unhappy. It means he gets even less ball. I think trading Rafer is stupid if you have Artest. The offence will noticably change Rafer's shooting patterns and bring out his strengths if Artest was brought in.
I don't see now it makes sense to get Artest, unless we can package a bunch of guards (less Sura, his expiring contract's valuable to us) for him to unload some of our guards. We need a floor general (most important) who can execute half court sets and a non-undersized, tough, enforcer type PF to go w/ Yao. We have a great SG and a good SF already! Look at what we have now: Vspan - Is he a PG or an SG? We seem to be hoping that he'd play PG because of his size and because of our needs, but /me thinks he's an SG. Mike James - really an undersized SG, not a floor general kind of PG that can execute half court sets like D. Will who beated us. Head - Definitely an undersized SG, cannot play PG Kirk - an SG. Bonzi Wells - SG/SF. Tmac - really an SF forced to play SG Battier - a good defensive SF, sometimes forced to play and get abused at PF We have five guys who are really SGs (less Tmac who's really an SF) and we want another SG? how does that make any sense unless we can trade some of our SGs to get this SG? Or is Rick going Phoneix's retro style?
I pretty much agree. We have a glut of backcourt players right now, with Sura, Head, and Spanoulis all having considerable value for their contracts or upside. I hate trading those young guys, but we know the James deal basically guarantees it. Bonzi Wells returning might do the same for Snyder. While I like what Artest brings to the table, I don't like him at the four and that is where he would have to play. I would much rather have Camby, but agree that there will be better suitors out there for him. I think our best options right now via trade are probably Varejao (sign and trade), Nazr Mohammed (whom the Pistons want to unload), Troy Murphy (if we can put together the right salary-dump package), Charlie Villanueva (if the Bucks lose Williams and need an Alston), Channing Frye (for our #1 and Sura's salary), Shelden Williams (if Atlanta drafts another post defender), and Al Jefferson (if Boston gets another four). In free agency, we are basically stuck with Mikki Moore or Antonio McDyess--not good options.
Thats pretty r****ded. If we want to be successful James has to be happy, he has to embrace a role similar to Finley, Stackhouse to give our bench punch. Making him unhappy just means we set our team back in all this salary that is redundent
What would be r****ded is not making a signing or trade because of fear of upsetting a guy who may or may not be a starter on your team. Of course we want James to be happy, but that does not mean we shouldnt consider any player, especially one that doesnt play his position, because James might be upset with not being the third scoring option. Other then a rebounding, shot blocking PF, I would hope any big name player we look to bring in will outscore Mike James.
Honestly guys, has Artest been happy anywhere he's played? LOL, that's not the issue. It's how the guy performs. If he comes here and keeps his head on straight (at least for a while) he could be a MONSTER addition for us. The type of addition that could make us a serious contender. Sure there is some risk getting him, but IMO his upside makes it worth the risk.
But if we could get Ron we would trade Battier for PF (probably Wilcox). And Artest would be SF and Wilcox PF
The "dynamic" as you call it has done nothing to advance this team in the playoffs. The team needs an infusion of something - the chemistry is too stable, too comfortable, TOO PASSIVE. Artest would IMMEDIATELY provide something that the Rockets have lacked for years - intimidation. FIRE w/real heat. Unpredictability can be a positive, a catalyst to bigger and better.
w/ artest, unpredictability could also destroy this team. its way too much of a risk and he is way too much of a bad person. JUST SAY NO TO RON-RON!
We need Artest cause Tracy is our SG. And if we could bring Artest we could Trade Battier for some good power forward C - Yao PF - Wilcox or someone else SF - Artest SG - McGrady PG - James
I'd be a lot more hesitant about the Rockets going after Artest IF nobody in the organization had any history with him. But come on people, The HEAD FRICKEN COACH has been his coach, that is HEAD coach in Sacramento. If Adelman wants him, and if the Rockets can land him for the guys rumored in the deal; I'd say it's a tremendous move. Yao 7'6" 310lbs./ Mutumbo 7'2" 261lbs. Artest 6'7" 246lbs./ Hayes 6'6" 238lbs. Battier 6'8" 220lbs./ Reed 6'8" 240lbs. McGrady 6'8" 223lbs./ Head 6'3" 185lbs. James 6'2" 188lbs./ V-span 6'4" 195lbs.or Rafer 6'2" 175 You don't appear to have a traditional power forward on this team, but you do have a lot of guys who are good in the transition game or can shoot well from the outside. Therfore, leaving the low block scoring with less traffic; hence allowing Yao Ming to have more touches without being double or tripple teamed. Quite an intreguing linup!
i agree with you..and plus if we get artest and hopefully sign chuck hayes...you know chucky can rack up at least 25 minutes a night which means artest wouldnt have to play the pf position all 4 quarters
artest can guard the oppositions pfs and create bigtime matchup problems for other pfs. if we can get him on the cheap like has been proposed, we would be fools not to get him. artest brings the intensity that this team has been lacking as well as intimidation. battier, while effective, is simply not going to scare you when you are putting up a shot, he will stick to the fundies and make you put up a contested jump shot in all likelihood, but there's no fear of "if i take the ball strong against battier, i might be watching the rest of the games from trainers table." the list of pfs that artest cant guard effectively is pretty slim too. he can guard odom, DIRK, marion, boozer, rashard/durant, al harrington, brand pretty effectively because none of them can beat him in 2 of 3 areas, quickness, size, and strength. the ones that might give him some trouble are kg, duncan, nene, but nene doesnt have the offensive game to hurt us with any consistency. kg would probably own artest, but the twolves simply arent going to be a threat to us. duncan, obviously is a problem, and the only way to really guard him would probably be yao with help, but the spurs other bigs -- oberto if he stays and elson cant score much, and none of them would be able to guard artest on the other end except maybe elson, but that would mean duncan on yao, and that tends to = foul trouble for duncan. Artest is a very good option for us at pf. our rebounding really will not hurt that much with 3 6'7-6'8 guys on the court that are mobile surrounding big yao. giving up garbage for him is really a no brainer
