[CHRON] After draft day dealings, Rockets ready to take on West

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4014253.html

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Shane Battier knows just how you feel.

He doesn't blame you. He takes no offense.

He also is not worried that he will win over the fans that booed their way out of Toyota Center on Wednesday.

"It's completely understandable for fans," Battier said Thursday, a day after the Rockets agreed to send Stromile Swift and the rights to No. 8 draft pick Rudy Gay to the Memphis Grizzlies for Battier.

"The nice, shiny-red fire engine looks better than the old, shabby teddy bear that's been around the block a few times. But I'm going to do everything I can to earn the city of Houston's respect, to earn Rockets fans' respect.

"It's going to end up a pretty good deal."

While Rockets fans who replaced the shock with anger were largely speaking about Gay's potential rather than Battier's value, there were others — from coach Hubie Brown to future teammate Tracy McGrady — who were eager to rave about the Rockets' acquisition.

Measuring the deal itself likely will be difficult until Gay taps his potential — or fails to. The choice itself, however, was not between Gay and Battier. Even without the trade, the Rockets were never going to take Gay.

They tried to trade up for Brandon Roy, chosen sixth, missed Randy Foye, who was selected seventh, by one spot and preferred Thabo Sefolosha, picked 13th, and Ronnie Brewer, selected 14th. Instead, the Rockets went with Battier, the sixth pick of the 2001 draft.

Battier's ability to play three positions could be especially beneficial to the Rockets, especially his ability to play power forward. They have lacked 3-point shooting between McGrady and Yao Ming, a skill that would bring big men away from the lane
where they have cut off penetration and double-teamed Yao. With so many teams down-sizing at the position, the Rockets had only traditional power forwards.

"When they told me that's the deal we made, I was so happy," McGrady said. "Shane is a solid player and the type of player we need, a player that can inspire the team with hustle plays, a defensive presence. He's smart and can shoot outside. But I really like that when we match up with Phoenix or Dallas, we can match up with Shane at the four.

"From what I'm hearing, people are (angry). They don't understand; we're trying to win now. We don't want a guy that will take three years to develop. We're trying to win this season. I think Rudy's going to be a pretty good player. But what we need right now, this season, is Shane Battier. This is definitely a good trade."


Unappreciated talent
Battier's agent, Lon Babby, said that out-of-town fans will rarely appreciate his client because they won't see him on television highlights, and he rarely produces eye-catching numbers.

He has averaged 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in his five-year career. Last season, he made 48.8 percent of his shots, 39.4 percent of his 3-pointers. But Babby insisted that fans of his team, who are in the building and see how games are won, will see a player who makes "the key stop, the critical pass, the big shot."

"Every coach he has had loved him, and he has had some pretty incredible coaches," Babby said. "He just knows the game."

Though Battier is signed through 2010, agents often speak as if practicing for a eulogy.

Brown, however, who no longer works for the Grizzlies, having retired from coaching to return to broadcasting for ABC, said Battier was a key to Memphis' turnaround.

"He's everything you want a player to be," Brown said. "He's totally coachable. He's a winner. He does all the intangibles that don't appear in the box score. He can make big plays under pressure at the end of the game, whether it's taking a charge, blocking a shot, making a steal or making a 3-point shot from the corner.

"He has a high basketball IQ. We could never have turned it around in Memphis ... without him. There are certain people that can have limitations but overcome them with hard work and intelligence. The bottom line is they're winners because they can perform under maximum pressure. That's what this kid's all about."

Battier could not say all that about himself, but beyond fitting in easily with McGrady and Yao, he seemed certain about what he could bring.


Role playing
"I think I'm a guy that plays well with great players, and that's what the Rockets have in Tracy and Yao," Battier said. "My entire career has been about being a good basketball player, making good basketball plays.

"I don't get caught up in positions or stats or numbers. I'm about doing what needs to be done."

If damage control was needed Thursday, by next season what the Rockets will need most is to make all those kind words ring true.