Daryl Morey's Outlook For the New Season

That's nonsense talk. Every other team in the country would jump at a chance to trade for Battier, he will play his role well no matter what it is, and you cannot win championships without guys like him. He is the smartest defender we have and is the main reason our rotation defense last year was the best in the league. You look at the past two years, and two things were the cause for our dramatic increase in wins: first, McGrady was healthy all year and Yao a little more than he had been in 2005; and second, Shane Battier was on our team. Adelman knows this, and Morey will not let him forget it, believe you me. So get excited about seeing Battier in our starting line-up next year: he's not flashy but he's just as integral a member of the team as Yao or T-Mac.

 

I agree that every other team would love Battier... that's what makes him such a great trading asset.

Also agree that you need players like him to win championships... but we have players like him in Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes. Landry classifies himself similarly -- though I don't expect him to play at all. It can't be said that whomever we (hypothetically) trade Battier/etc for would not be either.

I'm confused on your use of "rotation" in regards to our defense -- do you mean it as in line-up rotation or actual rotating defense? Watch any game against Phoenix and I think we'd agree that our rotating defense wasn't very stellar (in part due to IQ players like Battier being unable to match-up athletically)... If you meant line-ups, then I'll have to respectfully disagree. Reason? JVG. Our defense has always been exceptional under his helm, as has every other team he has coached, though Battier certainly did not hurt.

I'm not going to look at the '05-'06 season for anything That season never happened. I'd say there were definitely other factors though -- Yao's improvement, the East becoming a JV league, etc. I prefer our '04-'05 team personally (one win less and all).

I also agree with you on Morey's feelings towards Battier... I just have a gut feeling the actual play over the season will change opinions. Basically like...

That. Which I completely agree with.

Marion would be the ideal. He's super battier. High character, high IQ, superb defense, offensive skill set, great rebounding, and most importantly, plays the three and the four. Versus Battier, he adds athleticism, scoring, rebounding, defense, versatility, etc. A perfect fit, imo.

He even looks attainable with our assets. I doubt they (PHX) are interested in Alston, but we know they've liked JLIII, and I'm sure someone like Luther Head would fit in great with their scheme. Unfortunately, with the contract work we will likely face at the end of the season, I don't see another max player whom also needs contract restructuring being in our plans.

Artest would be another great fit if the personality/character issues weren't so heavy.

I won't be the least bit upset if we retain Battier. He's a good player, and works his role very well. I just think it becomes a matter of if he is worth more elsewhere -- and to me, with our current contract roster and contract situation, using Battier in a multi-player deal is looking very attractive imo.

 

With the player personnel the Rockets now have, there is the distinct possibility that they might not just have a set-starting lineup for every game even if players are not on the shelf due to injuries. Starting lineups this season in each game might depend on what kind of a starting lineup their opponent is employing.

 

Shane will be a role as Kistic(I can't spell the word) like past Kings.Trade Shane,who we will get?Marion?His salary is more than Yao.Yao+T-amc+Marion,may be stronger than KG+Allen+Pierce.3 players almost reach the salary cap.Not Marion,or anyone else?Shane,he is who we need.

 

Fools. If there was a good deal to be made for Battier, Daryl Morey would have made it already.

There is no such deal. There is no hypothetical All Star on the market for Battier. Shane Battier's place is with this team.

 

There's always a deal to be had. Just that timing, money and motive must align. The only one on the no cut list is Yao. Morey said as much when he stated the big guy was the cornerstone. We have enough pieces to make a go a at this year. But make no mistake if the end of the season comes and we are not better or not on par with the elite teams in the West then major changes will come.

 

thank you for expressing good common sense.

so much "homerisms" and fantasizations from posters on this site.

 

What, I can't believe you totally forget yourself. It should be Yao and YOU operating in the low post.

 

I have never been a huge fan of Shane since he got here, but I appreciate some of the things he brings to the team. First of all, he draws lots of charges from the opposing teams and he will guard the best wing player, saving TMac energy he could use on the offensive end. He also shoots a high percentage from three-point land. He may be an average player, but he brings many intangibles to the team. I wouldn't trade him, unless you can bring in a player who can do the things Shane does and has a better offensive game.

 

Oh,2008,run at the mouth

 

yeah, i'm a bit confused by Morey's statement about the Rockets being weak at the 1 and 2. their biggest and only real weakness is at the 4 and that's it. by simply comparing Francis/James/Brooks/T-Mac (the playmakers on the Rockets) to Nash and calling the Rockets weak at the 1 is a bit of a stretch. there's only one Nash in the league, and i can see Francis having his way against Deron Williams.

as for the 2, there is no team in the league let alone the west as deep and talented at SG and SF as the Rockets. okay, maybe Boston, but that's it and that's only considering the starters.

Phoenix: Bell/Matrix/Diaw/Barbosa/Hill. good but < T-Mac/Bonzi/Battier/Francis/Snyder

San Antonio: Manu/Bowen/Finley/Barry. one marginal all-star and a bunch of old geezers.

Dallas: Terry/Howard/Stackhouse/George. weaker than Phoenix who is weaker than Houston.

Utah: Giricek/Kirilenko/Brewer/Harpring. weaker than San Antonio...

Denver: Smith/Melo/Najera/Diawara? better than Utah and that's it unless AI starts at 2, but then they have no PG.

Boston: Allen/Pierce/Tony Allen/Brandon Wallace. very strong starters but neither are as good as T-Mac; Allen's getting old. now if KG plays some SF...

Detroit: Rip/Prince/Amir Johnson/Ronald Murray. poor man's Celtics.

Chicago: Gordon/Deng/Nocioni/Sefalosha/Thomas. poor man's Rockets but younger.

Cleveland: Lebron/Hughes/Shannon Brown/David Wesley. poor man's Denver.

New Jersey: Carter/Jefferson/Boki/Antoine Wright. are they going to the finals?


now as for trading Battier? the Rockets are already very strong at 1, 2, 3, and 5. Battier for KG/Brand/Duncan? sure. how about Battier for Nash/Billups/Deron Williams? call me crazy, but i'm not sure i trade Battier for Nash. first of all, Adelman's not really a pure PG's coach. he prefers to share playmaking with all the players. secondly, i'm not sure the addition of Nash helps the Rockets more than the subtraction of Battier hurts the Rockets. so unless the Rockets can trade Battier for an all-star PF without giving up any other core players and further weakening their other strong positions including depth, then go for it. otherwise, fuhgettaboutit.

 

LOL. I Scola will do whatever it takes for team. I am only a humble role player.
I don't see Adelman moving our 7'6" dominant center out into the high post just so he can have Bonzi in the low post as good as the Spurs killer Bonzi is.
But, with Yao, Scola and Bonzi we've got a lot of great post scoring.....not to mention a lot of great penetration from Tmac, Francis, Brooks and Scola....

I'd trade Battier for Nash. But, I think Battier will be terrific for us this year now that he doesn't have to be a go to scorer (which is not his strength)...with 6 or 7 other scorers on the team, Battier will thrive because he can do all the little things, plus he was the 2nd most efficient 3 point shooter behind Head last year. Battier works best in the starting lineup where we can have two huge wing players 6'8" Battier and Tmac defending the wing. You can never have too many team-first players like Battier, Scola, Yao and Hayes.... Plus, Adelman's motion offense will make it a lot easier for a guy like Adelman.

As far as Morey's comments..... I don't know...I think our guards are our strengths this year. Definitely the shooting guard is strong....with Tmac/Bonzi/Head and possibly Francis...... Even though Francis, James and Brooks have question marks.....they are tremendously talented. Francis is an athletic freak who can still light guys up dunking and rebounding like a mad man. He can still score big time on any of the point guards in the league like Francis, Deron Wiilliams, etc..... they would at least have to waste more energy guarding him. Mike James has had great years in Detroit, Houston and Toronto....and Brooks is jet quick and very promising. I agree with the poster above that compared our guards to the other guards in the league....we're deeper..... no team is completely perfect in every position anyway. You're not going to have Jordan backed up Reggie Miller, Magic Johnson backed up by Nash and Pippen backed up by Dominique Wilkens....
I still feel nervous about our power forward position. The west has too many elite brusing power forwards and we really drop off talent wise after Scola....if they get in foul trouble (and its pretty certain that they will)..... man.

 

dang it, why don't I have an edit feature.... always notice mistakes but can't go back and correct it. I meant that Francis can score on guys like Nash and Deron Williams...not Francis and Williams.

 

Not necessarily true.

DM has effectively shown two things this off-season. One, that he is in complete control of acquisitions and roster changes during the off-season. We saw this with how quickly the Ron Artest rumors dissolved, along with testimony from some fan run-ins with Adelman. Two, that he has no intentions of giving up on last year's rotation. We've had a busy off-season, but have only lost two players from last years squad -- one who missed his barn and another in return for a player the Rockets have coveted for years. We've re-signed Chucky Hayes and went overtime as well as apparently above initial measures in re-signing Mutombo, both players some feel aren't "Adelman" enough. We've shown reluctance in moving Alston, and I can't even recall Luther Head being involved in any rumors. Battier is considered a vital member of last year's team, as well as a fan/office favorite, so its unlikely Morey would think much about trading him at this point.

The question is, what changes when Adelman is under control. How do the stats change, how do the roles change, and how does the necessity of certain players change. The main X-factor is clearly Bonzi -- whom Adelman has already stated he wants at the two to create match-up problems. There was also Mike James saying that he expects to occasionally share the backcourt with SF3 simultaneously, and of course Mac is going to get his minutes. I vaguely recall either Adelman or Turner mention creating opportunities for Novak at the three as well. All signs, imo, point to less minutes at the three for Battier -- who can't play anywhere else.

 

People are saying "Shane Battier's value is at the highest POSSIBLE POINT, and we must trade him for an Allstar RIGHT NOW by packaging him with RAFER ALSTON(!) and LUTHER HEAD(!)."

If it were that easy, any of you fools would be the GM now and Les wouldn't have to pay good money to Daryl Morey.

Face it, Rafer Alston is your classic caretaker PG, he is, at best worth his salary at the moment to a team with a coach that likes this type of PG. Luther Head is a one-dimensional shooting midget who gets owned on D all the time.

You are not going to get a team to trade their allstar for Shane Battier, especially right now. If there is such a deal, then NAME THAT ****ING ALLSTAR.

 

...by "people" I assume you're excluding me?

Unless you ignored the parts about opinions changing with the change of control (requires time ) and fantasized the part about gaining an "ALLSTAR"...

Regardless, chill.

 

The Rockets would not be able to afford Marion. They would have to pay an immense amount of luxury tax if they intend to bring him on the roster. Battier, for the amount of money he makes, has great value!

Further, Battier is the true team player. Marion is going to pout and wonder why the fans do not worship him as much as they do to T-Mac and Yao. You don't get such issues with Battier who knows his real role on the team.

Why don't you suggest a few other players that can be reasonably obtained in a trade for Battier and the rest of us will give our opinion (yes, opinion) as to whether such a trade is viable or whether such a player would even be an upgrade...

 

One fault of Battier is that he is a regular season player. He should get a lot of credit for helping us keep it together last year when Yao or TMac went down. Morey knows that Battier adds wins to the team. However, in the playoffs when everyone is giving a Battier-like effort his impact is much less. If we could get a player like Artest who can also create his own shot we would be better off come the playoffs.

 

With Artest added to our team, our team will be SCARY and no one would like to face us in the playoffs