Artest in....Keep Battier or trade to upgrade pg position?

We're only going to have one insane guy. Still a pretty damn good ratio. I think we'll be keeping Battier regardless, at least to start the season. Considering his contract and skill set, I don't see Battier being a hot deadline acquisition, either, unless some team convinces themselves that they're one elite defender away from a playoff run or something. (Wait, is that what we did? Hm.)

 

Battier is better suited as a starter. he provides nothing off the bench. usually you want you're 6th man to come in and provide both offense and defense. granted battier will provide defense, he wont provide the kind of offense you need . Artest however is much better suited to that roll. i honestly see artest coming off the bench.

Battier will soften them up and Artest will come in and finish the job.

 

Busted... spelling police strike again. 76's, hawks, same difference

I am a douche, no doubt about it.

 

I definitely think we should keep Battier now that we got Artest without giving him up. At first, I was all for giving up Battier to get AI or Artest, but now that we got Artest without giving him up, we would be crazy to give him up now.

Although, the AI deal wouldn't work now anyway, giving up the defense of Battier for the extra offense of AI, might be okay in the regular season, but in the post season, when it really counts, Battier's defense will be more important to win those close games. We will have enough offense down the stretch with Yao, Tmac, Artest and even Scola; who by the way is doing excellant right now. All of this assumes we are healthy in the post season of course.

Also, I would love to see us create a position substitution pattern. By that, I mean, let players play only 1 position and substitute in there only. This will help with them learning the offense better and playing better defense as well, since they will always be aware of what is expected from their "position". Although many players can play multiple positions, I think this contributes to missed assignments both offensively and defensively, since they don't get much practice in those positions.

I would like to see the following players rotating like this in their respective positions:

PG: Alston (32-35 mpg) Francis (13-18 mpg) Brooks (as needed)
SG: Tmac (32-35 mpg) Barry (13-18 mpg) Whomever (as needed)
SF: Artest (32-35 mpg) Battier (13-18 mpg) Harris (as needed)
PF: Scola (32-35 mpg) Landry (13-18 mpg) Hayes (as needed)
C : Yao (30-32 mpg) Deke ( 10-12 mpg) Dorsey (4-8 mpg)

In close games, the last four minutes can be dictated by whatever it takes to overmatch the other team. But otherwise, i think we should try to stick as closely as possible to position substitution; just my two cents.

Most likely the starters practice as a unit with each other when scrimmaging, and the second unit with each other as well, so they will probably know each other's game better and perform more consistently with the players they practice with. This plan keeps all of our starters fresh throughout the year and hopefully healthy for the playoffs. The goal should be for our starting lineup to put games away early against lessor teams, and maybe even reduce their minutes more in doing so. Of course I am aware that fouls, injuries and certain matches may call for certain adjustments, but we should be making teams adjust to us more this year than vice versa.

I must have missed a lot of Barry's career for people to seriously considering him as a PG at his age, did he back up Tony Parker a lot or something in SA? And I have never been impressed with Rafer, but he proved his value in running the team last year, and this year he will be required to do even less with the addition of Artest. This will make him a better player and pg for us I think.

I know a lot of people here don't think Francis has anything left in the tank, but I think that at a minimum he will prove to edge out Brooks for those minutes unless we do another trade to bring in another guard. I think it makes perfect sense to wait until the trade deadline before doing so to see what he has to offer. He could be a wild card and unexpected boost to the team. If not, no big deal and we have assets (Hayes, and possibly Novak and Head if they are still around by then), as well as Steve's expiring contract, and probably a great record, in order to trade and bring in point guard help for the stretch run.

If I was Morey, I wouldn't make any trade at this point unless it was to move Novak or Head, because they probably won't see any time no matter what. Assuming and after both Landry and Deke sign, then Hayes becomes tradeable and any teams looking to improve defensively could be a trading partner.

Overall, I am glad that the artest trade got done in the summer so that the team has all of training camp and preseason to gel a bit and get ready for the regular season with a bang!

Let's go Rockets...65+ wins if healthy!

 

I don't know what some people are thinking, saying that Artest should come off the bench. That's crazy that's just like last year having Hayes starting instead of Scola. And look how that turned out for us in the end. I know SportsCenter doesn't but I know you remember the 22 game win streak. Right?

And another thing no one is saying that Rafer is not a solid PG. Thats not his problem his problem is that he can't create his own shot. He brings the ball up the court, very well may I add as others have pointed out, passed it to someone and then just stood there at the 3 point line waiting for it to come back in to his hands. Do you know how many times a simple pump fake would have gotten him a better J. Not only him Head and Batier too, it looks like the only player besides the stars that know how to do that is Steve Novak and he can't get on the floor cause his defense sucks.

All I'm saying is that if you had a choice between a beat up 78 Chevy Nova and a brand new Ferrari what would you chose??? I know my answer, what's yours?

 

I thought Batt. would goto the bench, but the minutes Artest can play does keep him on the bench instead of in the game causing havoc. I love the thought of both of them on the court.

- Dime

 

Hey anyone know what's the price for Jason Terry these days after the Mavs have imploded? I remember he killed us in the playoffs a few years ago with his ability to light up our point guards. The guys is a consistent outside shooter and plays pretty good defense.

 

Definitely won't happen because his contract has close to or at $40 mil remaining and runs through 2012.
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/dallas.htm

 

HOLY **** what was cuban smoking?! I want some of that. Jesus christ he wont pay Nelson his 6 mil and he's shelling out that kind of cash for Terry!?

 

Maybe its just me but, looking at the roster, this team is still lacking that player that's going to attack the rim and create pressure in the pressure situations. I think this team would be tough to stop with a Devin Harris or a Barbosa on the roster. Whether or not either of those two are even a possibility, I don't know... but it seems to me that type of player would be a great weapon for this team.

 

Okay! Good point, soooooo lets trade him for an All Star! Heck, lets trade the whole team for All Stars. Screw having role players. All Stars for everyone! You know guy, sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a couple of 78 Chevy Novas when you have 3 brand new Ferraris sitting in you garage.

 

Janero Pargo is said to not be happy in New Orleans and might be signing with the spurs (http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53882/20080805/could_pargo_sign_with_the_spurs/)
If Morey can pull some more magic out of his hat and snatch another player from a rival, while taking care of our point guard problem, I will have a heart attack waiting for the season to start.

Jamaal Tinsely is available as everybody knows. Theres no question the dude can ball but he's super injury prone and a "knucklehead", but may be worth a cheap contract that can turn into trade bait in February.

 

I still think we should work a 3 way trade for Barbosa somehow....the Suns need players and something fresh.

Hayes Francis and head for and memphis pick to a team willing to part with a decent player to the suns sending us Leandro.

 

Celtics won with rondo
heat won with JWill and Payton
Lakers won with Derek Fisher
Rockets won with Smith and Cassell
Spurs won with Avery Johnson
Bulls won with BJ Armstrong

We had cassell on a rookie contract which made him affordable. Everyone else is either worse, even, or aint much better than rafer is now.

I'm still waiting for ppl to suggest an attainable pg as rafer's replacement...Jason Terry would be awesome but costs too much. Derek Fisher would be a good addition too, but we can't get him and he aint got too many good years left. I just don't know who else we can get out there.

 

that would be a miracle

 

concur here.

If I have to choose a PG for the Rockets, the most important stat is going to be FTA per game, such as Kyle Lowry.

 

AI is cancer for the Rockets.
You have 3 players demand the ball already, why you need another?

A PF with quick steps, defence and rebound aiblity would be best for the Rockets.

Because if you get a PF like this, then Yao only need to play 20min a game, and he will be fresh in playoff.

 

I like lowry's ability to penetrate, but he doesn't shoot the three at an acceptable rate: 25%.

He wouldn't beat out rafer...he'd be a backup, if we could somehow land him

 

We have one......his name is Louis Scola

You keep Battier, his intangibles make him more valuable to the team then as a trade asset; especially with the addition of Artest. You can keep the same starting lineup as last year and now sub in Artest for T-Mac and not lose any scoring threat from the wing position. IMO this was our biggest problem over the past two or three years.

 

Of course Rockets are looking for Rafer's backup. Rafer should only play less than 25 minutes a game.

Anyway, Lowry is not available.