The Rockets brought in a player who they felt could help them get a championship, but I wouldn't think this trade should be seen as a failure even if they fail to win it all. Battier was the right move to make because it's helping us bring the best out of the team we have right now. The hope is that this would eventually lead to several titles, but I wouldn't feel regrets about this trade even if it doesn't.
Right now Shane is having a career year with Rox. He has his best year in: playing time, 3pt percentage, assist. So I'd say this is a great move for Rox and Shane himself.
yeah ill admit that when this trade happened i was crazy pissed. (it was probably due to the fact that the texans didnt choose bush but w/e) now that we're almost at the all star mark, i'm pretty satisfied to say the least from this trade. battier gives us alot more than gay would have contributed on this team. example a - novak (rookie, jvg hates playing rookies so we would have wound up with a rookie, most likely not gay, that would have been benched more often than not.
I supported this trade all the way - this was a very weak draft and Rudy Gay is not gonna be a super duper all star. Even if he was going to be, we're making moves to win NOW - the T-mac and Yao window is almost gone. We need to make the most of it. As for giving away Stromile Swift , well, he didn't work out at all in his first season, what makes ppl think he'll work in JVG's system in the 2nd season?
i've supported this trade from day one and that was when i had no idea battier was this good. he has a reputation for making winning plays but it's not until you see him do it every single night that you realize how good he is. he has super-star like impact every game.
I think they want Gay as their franchise player after they'll trade Gasol, Gay will be a star in two years from now, then talk(for all of you) not when he's a struggling rookie.
I always thought Battier would be good on the Rockets. I knew what we were getting. His impact now is not surprising to me. My initial problem with the trade had more to do with "asset management" than the players. I always felt that if the Grizzlies felt that Gay was their top prospect, then they should have given up Battier+#18 (Mo Ager, Marcus Williams etc) or Battier+Warrick. Hell Battier+2nd rounder (Millsap, Alex Johnson). So basically I felt that the opportunity cost for the Grizzlies at #8 with Gay was high so they should have given up more. Gay as a player, I was always skeptical on. Loved the athleticism. But we loved that with Stromile too. I always looked at Gay a lot like Tim Thomas. A gifted player, but kind of soft. So far that's the way Gay is playing. Jury's still out. JVG gets blamed for making player look worse, especially offensively. But defensively in his scheme he makes potentially average players look much better. Look at Deke these days at 40+ years old. Hayes looks good. And Battier looks even BETTER now than in Memphis under JVG's defensive schemes. What makes Battier a great fit on the Rockets is 1) he can guard the best wing player which allows Tmac to rest more defensively. Much like Bruce Bowen in San Antonio. 2) Defensively Battier is an incredible help defender. This makes up for some poor man-on-man defense from the perimeter at the PG position, as well as helps Yao not get cheap fouls when guys beat the PG off the dribble. 3) Offensively Battier is starting to become money from the 3pt line in the corner, much like Bruce Bowen. And when things get tough, Battier can do things like drive, or use that hook shot. 4) does this guy EVER get tired? Seriously! His effort level is amazing! You look at last year and this year and Battier is the difference in A LOT of games we have won, especially with the injuries. Long term, I think Battier will continue to play well. His game isn't predicated on athleticism but smarts so his play will last over time. The only thing that might slow is his footspeed in help defense.
Question: What has Rudy Gay shown this season that makes you think he will develop into a franchise NBA player? (Forget what he did at UConn). I just don't see it. It's not like he's a pup just out of high school; he played two years for a belligerent and demanding coach in college, so his transition to the NBA wasn't more difficult than anyone else. What skills does he have besides being able to jump and throw down monster dunks? If the Grizz trade away Pau for the purpose of building their team around Gay, they are nuts. They should keep Pau and get him a tough backcourt player as a compliment. BTW, I see your point on why they would draft Gay to get rid of Pau since he and Warrick overlap with Pau. I just think it's a bad move.
I think too many people are making assumptions about what happened in the trade discussions. Of course West was going to say he felt Gay was the top prospect in the draft afterwards. I am sure Chicago said Tyrus Thomas was their main target, just like Min said Foye was theirs. As for Swift, who knows if it wasnt the Rox who demanded he be included in the trade just to get rid of him. Everyone says he is a trade asset, but it isnt like teams were knocking down our door to get him last year, or Memphis' door so far this year. They were able to dump his salary, knowing he wouldnt get much PT this year with Battier being added (initially thought he would be used at PF). Obviously the Rox didnt just agree to whatever West was offering, there had to be some back and forth. In the end an agreement was made, and right now the Rox seem to have made the better deal.
Only time will tell!! I am against the win now at all cost senario. I do like Battier and I do like Gay. I just think the we overpaid and a slightly better deal could have been had.
Agreed. I think it was durvasa who said people highly overvalue the #8 pick. The idea that we should've gotten their first also is just ridiculous, imo. Think about it this way - would you trade Battier to move up 10 slots (and take on an albatross contract in the process)? MAYBE you could argue the 2nd rounder, but we ended up buying a 2nd rounder anyway for Lior Eliyahu - drafted ahead of Millsap/Johnson, anyway. (Eliyahu seems to be doing pretty well on one of the best non-NBA teams in the world, and Dennis Lindsey seems very big on the guy, but that's an aside).The hit rate on mid 2nd rounders is extremely low, and I don't think we have the roster space to keep another mid 2nd round guy anyhow - especially with a high interest in bringing over Spanoulis, as well as keeping Hayes and JL3, and signing Novak. That's 4 guys coming who are either rookies or have less than a full year of NBA experience as it is - for a team trying to win now, a 5th one would mean 1/3 of our roster would be comprised of players with virtually no experience...that's simply unheard of. It would probably mean we wouldn't go out and acquire Kirk Snyder. If you look at it in those terms, the "loss" of not getting the 2nd rounder was having to buy one - easily recouped and then some in the difference between not having to pay the #8 overall pick.
Now that we have seen the first 38 games, I think draft night played out the best it could have. Basically, the options as to how it could have worked out are below. 1) We have Battier and Head on the team as we do now. 2) We have Brandon Roy and Stromile Swift on the team, and no Battier or Head. (If Minny hadnt screwed up the Rox plans on getting Roy cuz Head probably was going to be included in that deal) 3) We have Thabo Sefolosha, Luther Head, and Stromile Swift. (Probably who Rox would have drafted with the 8 pick if no trade was made). Honestly, I would rather have Battier and Head on the team, then any of those other combinations, so I think it was a good trade. I dont know why people just assume that the Rox should have been able to get more, even though they feel we got the better of the trade.
Battier is a better fit for the Rockets than anyone in the draft, at least for the length of all of their rookie contracts. Brandon Roy is a good play-maker but inefficient scorer. Randy Foye is a chucker. Adam Morrison needs to dominate the ball to be worth anything. Rudy Gay is more raw than Gerald Green. Aldridge, Bargnani, Tyrus Thomas, and Ronnie Brewer would be good fits on this year's Rocket team, but wouldn't make nearly the difference that Battier does. Congratulations Dawson and Morey. You definitely know a lot more about basketball than I do.
why overpaid when we are reaping the best of shane right now. Battier is playing a lot better than he played in Memphis. It just means that Jeff is pushing the right buttons and Shane is responding well. Swift was a hopeless talent, and Gay is raw. It's ok to have either Yao or Tmac playing right now bu tto lose Battier, we are easily 2-9, instead of 9-2.
