The missed story in this deal imo is the revelation that the Rockets don't trust Jermaine Taylor to be any kind of contributor to a winning NBA team. Which makes me kinda sad because I felt he had the fundamentals in him to be a great defender, and obviously the penetration ability was there even if the jumpshot wasn't. To me, Lee is Taylor with slightly more length, slightly less strength, and an offensive game predicated on the outside shot rather than the drive and finish. Which, as a matter of fact, fits infinitely more in an offense that has to revolve around Yao. So I guess the front office knows what it's doing. I just hope they haven't given up completely yet on Taylor because he looks like a guy with potential when I see him play.
This guy sounds like someone who will be taken by surprise by Budinger's improvement this season (I really really hope). Not a mention of how this effects his playing time.
Does it really though? What deal that he's made has led to a "bigger move"? The "bigger" moves that he's made so far are trading McGrady, and adding Martin, Artest, and Ariza, unless I'm totally blanking out on something. You can even add Lowry in there although it was a smaller move. Which of those moves was preceded by another deal?
I am really struggling with that, every year there is someone I don't like on the team, or rather, I don't like the way they play. Now, the only one I kinda don't like is Taylor but he is too young, and has shown signs of improvement, so no real feeling on him other than he is not ready. This may be the first time in my adult life that I have liked ever single player on the team. I am at a loss....being positive all year is going to be tough, especially around these parts. Where negativity generates the most conversation. DD
Battier only makes sense if he gives us something on the offensive end. Not those 3 - 10 nights and 3 rebounds. Shane has to produce bottom-line to make this work. In addition, I don't value Lowry as being close to Trevor by $1mln, but I understand the thinking if Bud can play defense with the 2nd team. Lowry/Lee/Bud/Hill/Miller. I still can't understand why the team values Shane so much, when he's done nothing for the last 3 years. Yes, I realize he's hit some big shots, however, he scores decent once every 20 games. I compare us to the Lakers, Heat, Mavericks, Spurs, and Celtics Center = Bynum/Anthony/Haywood/Duncan/Jermaine O'Neal < Yao PF = Gasol/Bosh/Dirk/Splitter/Garnett > Scola SF = Artest,Lebron/Butler/Jefferson/Pierce >>>>> Battier - no contest, the hand in the face doesn't work with these cats SG = Kobe/Wade/Beaubois/Ginobili/Jesus Shuttlesworth > Kmart (Kmart will give them some buckets though) PG = Fisher/Chalmers/Kidd/Parker/Rondo > AB (Ab will give them some buckets though. We just don't have the starting firepower to stay with the top teams.
I don't think the author expected the Rockets to play Lee at small forward. It was that fact that I think had him confused about the trade. You're trading a starter for a guy playing behind a 35 minute per night player. Of course he's completely leaving out the biggest part of the trade, the money savings and trade exception. Still have yet to see a good article that completely analyzes all the pros and cons of this trade correctly.
Some of these I think are questionable I think. I hear what you are saying, Boston and LA will be tough, but I don't think we have to have all our guys be the best at their positions to beat those teams.
Exactly...and the author doesn't even really go into that. I pretty much agree that it's a C at the moment, but if they can grab a defensive small forward as good as Ariza or better who is still in their prime, then this trade can quickly become an A. The problem is I'm not really seeing the low hanging fruit. I feel like getting players at the tier of Iggy, Melo, and Wallace is unlikely. Getting these guys also will likely require getting rid of other good players on our team, potentially creating other holes in the process.
I like everything about this trade. From dumping Trevor, paying less, more flexibility, shores up a solid rotation and frees up the long jam at three. Gives us another player that can penatrae and moves J.T. down. This IMO was a homerun and we'll be glad it happened later. I hope Chase is the guy that makes us forget about Ariza. And Lee shores up the 2. As far as the next whipping noy on this year? My bet is, in order: -Shane -Yao -Miller -Martin
Most likely Battier. I also have a nagging feeling that Hill is gonna disappoint. Rooting for the guy, but I see a bit of Bonzi in him.
Building a team doesn't just involve getting a good starting five, it also means hedging your talent by getting players who can do similar things. I'll be the first to admit that Ariza as a player is much better than Lee, however Lee gives us a good backup to Martin in case Martin goes down to injury, something which Ariza won't be able to do. For all his skills, Ariza can't provide the perimeter shooting that Martin does, so if he should go down, we'll have to rely on JT to provide the backcourt scoring. Saving money was definitely the main goal, however this move also gave us much needed depth at the SG spot, which quite frankly was the only glaring hole on our roster. We're now two deep in all positions, and still have room for chuck hayes and JT to stay on the reserve list.
It was reported the Rockets were shopping Jeffries. If I were to guess I'd say they would have loved to have swapped Jeffries for Lee instead. Playing time would be a secondary concern to collecting assets for that other star player. Minutes at the swing position haven't really been freed up. They traded one swingman for another. Though Lee has less years in the league he's arguably more established as a starter than Ariza. I think he's going to be the first wing player off the bench.
What a strange article. It's as if he forgot the Rockets also have Chase Budinger. Why would he assume Lee will play small forward? Odd.
