Also, Which would mean we could be in the same problem as this year if Vassilis Spanoulis isn't ready for The NBA still. Which would mean Mike James playing around 44 minutes in The Play-Offs (like Rafer did).
Mixed feelings. I'm happy that Artest's name is still linked to Houston. However... This just sounds like pure speculation. Like, "If I had to guess (with no real knowledge about what Artest or the Rockets are thinking, and no real basis for my opinion), I'd say Artest is likely to be a Rocket". The Ford blurb at least seemed like he had some Rocket insider information, whereas this just seems like an analyst saying that he'll probably end up in Houston with no real basis behind it. Either way, like I said, I'll take anything I can get linking Artest and Houston.
Speaking of Sacramento... that team is pure soap opera now... apparently the owners are involved in the coach picking again (After so successfully getting Musselman last season).
I am all for this out of the box thinking. Even McGrady should not be untouchable. The goal is winning a championship(s). McGrady/Alston for Marion/Barbosa/Bell and/or one of the Sun's 2007 1st rounders would be crazy - win/win for both teams. Houston could package the 2 1st rounders (plus Head if necessary) for a lottery pick_grab a fiery young winner like Joakim Noah or Corey Brewer. Trade Battier for Artest and Adelman would have his ideal team: Yao Marion Artest Bell Barbosa With James/Spanoulis, Mutombo, Noah and Wells coming off the bench.
Artest would be a PERFECT fit IMO. A rebounding, defending player with ATTITUDE. Then we'd actually have a player that opposing teams would fear. Start him at the 4 with Chuck Hayes coming off the bench.
Well according to feigan bonzi is gonna be back.he'll make it official within a week .looks like the chat coach adelman had with him was the decider. so we can tick off the backup SG and SF spot. If battier is gonna be back, i could see him playing more minutes at the power forward position. adelman likes he's PF's to be able to be good passers, good without the ball and be able to shoot.
I should add that should free up some SF minutes minutes for bonzi if battier plays more PF's. if we get Artest without giving up battier, he'll probaly start at the PF spot and battier and hayes taking the backup PF minutes. poor chucky hayes. i can see he's minutes going down if he resigns.
If he's staying I'm guessing he will actually make the effort to play as well That puts us in a very strong position... I really think we should try to pull off a trade for Camby....DPOY, double-double average...Has a decent mid-range jumper and can also play some backup C minutes....
well the way i look at it is that there're at least no other team that are interested in artest and hence no rumors surrounding any team other than the rockets and the Heat, which increases our chance of landing him given that SAC is dead set of moving on.
The Rockets best asset in that trade from the Kings perspective is Sura's expiring and the 1st round pick. So another team would have to trump those pieces. Miami is interested in Artest, but they dont want to move their 1st rounder. I think from the Kings perspective, they obviously want to move Artest and are hoping they can get a 1st rounder or a young prospect or both.
The nuggets are looking for expiring contracts and a pg. so a packiage of Alston, Suras expiring contracy and a filler should be enough for us to get camby. then send battier to the Kings for Artest and we have the most lethal defensive starting 5 in the league. also try to do a head and the 26 pick for a solid PG to helpout james. someone like earl watson or a brevin knight would be perfect. James/watson/Vspan Tracy/Bonzi/james Artest/Bonzi/Reed Camby/Hayes/reed Yao/deke/camby
I think the kings are after battier, but as long as other teams dont come calling, we can probaly get Artest without givingup battier.
There is more incentive for a LT paying team to get under than reduce LT. It has to do with how league profits are shared. If getting rid of Camby got them under LT then maybe the Rockets might have had a chance but that's not the current situation for them. IMO for what the Rockets can offer for Camby they'd rather take the tax hit. They still need to compete in the league and he's their starting C who is the DPOY. Then there's always that old never trade big for small.
Artest's skillset is obviously better than Battier's. However the Artest volitility factor is enough for the Rockets to pass on any Battier for Artest deals. I don't see us doing that. It seems the best offer we are willing to give the Kings is Sura's Expiring+Snyder+1stRoundPick+(choice of Vspan or Head). That gives the Kings cap relief and 3 assets on modest contracts. Basically that's what the Kings did when they moved Webber for Kenny Thomas+Brian Skinner and someone else whose name escapes me.
I agree. the Sura Contract is pretty valueable . a team like denver who is also looking for cap reliefe would give us a great deal also. i'm hoping a Alston(if they move bibby alston who has a ok contract) Snyder and a head deal would be enough for Artest. then we can use Bob's expirer to get a solid PF.
Rafer and fodder for Artest? That would be so one-sided, even the biggest homer on this board could not propose such a trade with a straight face.
WHY WOULD THE SUNS EVER DO THIS??? They love Barbosa and Bell defends above average. The Suns are trying to get a team to beat SA, how Rafer and T-Mac do that.And you want there 1st round pick. DREAM ON. Maybe you could get Marion,Bell and the pick for McGrady,Battier and our pick. That is doubtful as well. T-Mac is never going to get dealt for many reasons. Suspect back,huge contract, and never wins in the playoffs are the biggest. Only player you can try to get for T-Mac is Kobe because of salaries and the Lakers wont do that until they are DESPERATE to unload Kobe and NOTHING else works for them.
Hm.... seems Kirilenko's value is rock bottom. Probably won't even have to give up Battier to get him if Les would foot the bill.
