AI for Battier, Alston and expiring contracts trade rumors

This AI rumor was originally started on Friday by some random Joe. Don't you think if there was any smoke to the fire something would have leaked by now considering its now Tuesday?

This isn't Ndudi Edi we're talking about trading for here. Clutch, the Houston media and anybody else with inside info would have been all over this.

 

I think the biggest misconception about Iverson is that he is a ball hog. Maybe in Philly where he had nobody else to score but the past 6 seasons he has average at least 7 assist per game. Can you guys imagine single coverage on T-Mac, AI and Yao all game long? You double one of these guys, you are leaving two dangerous players alone. Not only that, but each guy is a very tough guard for their respective positions. This would be a nightmare to any defense.

We also got to remember the health factor. If either of Yao or T-Mac goes down, we'd have AI to carry the scoring load. This guy plays very hard. He isn't some chump like Ricky Davis that just wants to score buckets. He's older, more matured and wants to win a title.

 

Who would play PG?
Who would defend the other teams best wing player?

I don't really like this trade

 

I would assume that if this trade went down, Tmac would stay at the 2, AI would play PG and probably Barry at the 3 with all of them taking turns distributing the rock. I think they could pull it off as long as the rockets got another wing player in the deal (Kleiza?). Tmac and AI aren't incapable of playing good D, both of them have done it before and do it when they want to. That team has the possibility to be MUCH better on offense and just as good on D (AI's defense could be much better than Rafer's).

 

Yes. But the teams that won the title last season were also in the top 10 defensively. Some of them in the top 5. We were like 12-14. I don't think we fall out of the top 10 defensively with this trade, probably not out of the top 5 even. We made it into the top 5 without Battier. We'll miss the man defense, but I think the team can still play defense.

I'm kinda with you there. But I'm not completely upset if this deal goes down because we would immediately become a top 5 team. Our offense was lacking two things last year: the ability to get to the basket, and the ability to get to the line (and make the FTs). AI gives you both. Plus... its not like AI is a nobody on defense... he'll get a few steals a game for you.

I remember hearing someone talking about how he can really thrive if he doesn't have to worry about being the guy on the defensive end. In Denver it was only Camby that could play defense. In Philly he had a bunch of guys (including Mutombo) helping out, and that allowed him to win MVP. I'm not saying he'll win MVP but I'm just saying his skills fit better on a team that already has defense down pat.

 

I overheard another version of this rumor in a cube of men's room. I heard a guy outside washing his hands told his friend the Nuggets were going to buyout AI and AI would sign with the rockets for veteran minimum.

 

Yeah I heard my mom and sister discussing this trade while they were coloring their hair. Must be true.

 

i will play along...

i do think iverson could play a full time pg. his numbers at the pg position are better than at the sg. by way of 82games.com his PER was significantly higher than his opponents when he played PG. he would obviously be a huge upgrade over rafer with scoring, efficiency, and +/-. i don't think he would be a downgrade in disributing the ball or running the offense either. further iverson is a huge expiring contract so it would be a 1 year rental but it could potentially yield a championship. if that were offered i don't know how we turn it down.

 

I had a dream about this happening recently! NO JOKE.

 

I'm for Iverson.. he was mentored by Maxwell in Philly
Same as Cassell was mentored by him in Houston

 

I pray to GOD that this rumor is true.

 

only ONE team won the title last year and they were the best defensive team by far. granted JVG had a good defensive team here before battier but the team at the time would be a lot worse offensively. Adeleman found a good balance between the two imo. The spurs before that were a top 3 defensive team (could have been the best) You may have to go back to the lakers 6 years ago to find a team that wasnt a top 5 defensive team to win a title.

tweaks imo is all we need. The team won what 55 games last year without arguably their best player for half the season and went into the playoffs with 3 starters hobbled as well. Adding bits of scoring punch (like the pickup of jackson and barry) off the bench will help greatly. The current team is just starting to build the proper chemistry that is needed I dont want to see it just gone all out the window just yet for AI.

I like AI a lot too I was hoping he would become a clipper a few years back. At this point i dont see how he helps add onto what the team has built the past season with adeleman especially since AI style of play on offense is almost the exact opposite of what adeleman wants.

I really hope this rumored trade is just a rumor personally.

(note if any of this has legs and is true and everything does work out in the end -winning a title because of AI- I'll be happy since i am a rockets first and foremost, but i dont see that happening)

 

He has the source of all sources...he heard a guy, who called into a radio station, who has a friend who works in the rockets ticket office. Thats a legit source if you ask me.

Anyway, I'm not so sure this huge trade would be for the best...but I think it would definitely help the offense.

 

We are already discussing this trade in the Random trade thread...you know...where it is suppossed to be discussed.

DD

 

I'd rather have Artest for Battier and Rafer than A.I.

 

If AI is on this team,
he will automatically be the guy who wants to win the championship more than anyone else

automatically we'll have a player we will never question his heart.

also, the whole, he can't play under adelman is crap.

Rick the Ruler is Rick the Ruler for a reason.

 

Ho can we not do this trade???

Houston will be 09 version of Boston. If this trade goes down, we have to let Landry walk, use MLE sign a defensive wing player.

Both Tmac and Barry are perfect back court partners of AI. AI has very good handler, but TMac will be the playmaker.

 

I meant last few seasons. My bad. You are right, but once again, all those teams that were great defensive teams were also great offensive teams. We aren't even close. And notice another thing about the "good" teams last season, they all had 3 guys that could create their own shot (Pistons, Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Jazz, Hornets, Mavs, Magic). And you can't be seriously telling me that adding Barry and making a few tweaks here and there will catapult us to a top 5 offensive team.

And I really think you are underestimating how "bad" the defense will get if we make the trade. We were a top 5 defensive team before Battier when JVG was the coach. I don't see why that still can't happen.

In any case... all this talk about how we need to be a good defensive team to win a title... step one is making it out of the first round. Defense hasn't even gotten us out of the first round.

I'm telling you, if we can make a deal that is virtually garunteed to launch us 7-10 ranks in the offensive category, you do it.

 

Sometimes the best defense is offense. As great as an individual defender Battier is we are a good defensive team overall. I think the addition of Iverson with subtraction of Alston + Battier + ? outweighs the positives Alston and Battier brought.

If you have a chance to trade 1 mediocre at best PG and 1 offensively challenged defensive specialist and extras for a legit superstar you make the trade 100% of the time and worry about who plays PG later or who defends the other teams best wing player. I'm hopeful that Francis comes back healthy or Brooks can be adequate. I know both of those are a bit of a stretch. Hear me out though.... if we can add Iverson he can be used as trade bait in mid season to fetch us something nicer if things don't work OR we can trade Mcgrady who could hypothetically bring us a Chauncy Billups+Tayshaun Prince as an example. There's your answer someone who can play PG and play PG well and another Defensive specialist that HAS an offensive game to guard the other teams best wing player.

With all that said Iverson on the Rockets is too good to be true.

 

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Houston Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, and 0.0 apg.
Incoming Players
Allen Iverson
6-0 SG from Georgetown
No games yet played in 2007/08
Outgoing Players
Rafer Alston
6-2 PG from Frenso State
No games yet played in 2007/08
Shane Battier
6-8 SF from Duke
No games yet played in 2007/08
Bobby Jackson
6-1 PG from Minnesota
No games yet played in 2007/08
Denver Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, and 0.0 apg.
Incoming Players
Rafer Alston
6-2 PG from Frenso State
No games yet played in 2007/08
Shane Battier
6-8 SF from Duke
No games yet played in 2007/08
Bobby Jackson
6-1 PG from Minnesota
No games yet played in 2007/08
Outgoing Players
Allen Iverson
6-0 SG from Georgetown
No games yet played in 2007/08


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