Adelman didn't play peja or hedo as power forwards because they were f%^#ing pu55ies who couldnt rebound or defend.
What the hell does this mean? Padgett and Barry are totally different players and neither primarily played as a 3.
I was thinking the same. Barry was a shooting guard and Padgett was a 3 point shooting power forward. WTF?
Barnes is 6'7 235. He rebounds pretty solid too. He also played the majority of his minutes, and I think all his playoff minutes, at the 4. Yes GS plays small, but he is still more of a 4 than a 2. He is a 3/4--but he rebounds and is stronger than either Battier or Tmac, thus makes a better 4 option. My goodness man (to take your phrase), Marion would be an awesume PF for the Rockets. The Rockets need a PF with speed and quickness to cover for a plodding (but very effective C) and pretty average quickness at the 3 and 2 (with Battier and Tmac). A poor mans Marion--which Barnes seems to be most like as a RA (also Nocioni from the Bulls could be a possibility) would be a great addition. We could match up with the Phxs and Dallas's much better--who are the Rockets chief problem teams. Yeah there is the occasional traditional power 4 we will encourner, e.g., Boozer, Brand, Duncan (when the Spurs play big), against those type guys you would play Barnes less and Hayes or some other big body more, that is why you have options.
The only reason I can see to add Barnes would be to trade Battier for a PF, then sign Barnes to play SF backing up McGrady. If they could package say Head and the 26 with Battier for a legit starting PF, then slide McGrady to SF, with Wells at SG, then signing Barnes with the MLE to backup at the wings would be very nice indeed. However, signing him to start at PF makes zero sense to me at all.
The key word is share the power forward minutes. Hayes and some other big body PF (draft Davis, McRoberts, etc). If Battier could rebound at all I'd want him to play some PF too, but he can't, he doesn't even rebound well for a SF. But Barnes can rebound OK. I understand Boozer killed us and we lost to Utah, but our bigger problem is matching up with the Marions, Dirks, Odoms, etc AND on the more athletic teams. Also, even if Barnes showed he really could play less 4 than I think (say less than half of his minutes there, though I think he could play more than half his minutes there), he really lessons the burdens on Tmac and Battier. We hopefull won't go with JVG type rotations this year--if Parker and Manu can average 60 minutes between in the regular season (and SA has terrible back-up PG play), we should take note. Finally, if we are getting killed with a Barnes, Hayes, x big body guy sharing the PF spot prior to the trade deadline at least we are in position to offer Barnes or Battier + to make a move for the kind of power forward we have no chance to acquire right now without gutting the team.
As noted above I agree some what what you said could be a fall back position (trade of Battier or Barnes + say Head if we are getting killed at the 4 prior to the deadline). That said, Wells under the most optimistic scenerio won't start. If Wells stays the best we can hope for is major firepower off the bench. He just isn't that good of off the ball player and doesn't have the J range for a guard playing with Yao/Tmac. Under your scenario Tmac and Barnes/Battier must start at the 2 & 3 (who all can spread the floor and play off the ball) with Wells off the bench. But I am not that optimistic we will have Wells back and that he will be in the rotation, even as a potent sub.
I really think the teams needs to stop this trend of playing players in positions that is not best suited for them. This became a really bad habit under Van Gundy IMO for whatever logic. I have no problem in getting Barnes if it is because Battier was moved for a PF and Barnes is played at the 2 and 3 backing up Wells and McGrady, now starting at the 2 and 3 because Battier was dealt for a PF. The Rockets got into a very bad habit of mix matching players out of position and it really should stop. So just adding Barnes for the sake of adding him, while drafting some 6 fouls body of a 4 doesn't seem like the best approach to me. There are much better ways to proceed than that. Because if it really is a deal where Barnes wants to sign, well then at that point you can move Battier.
I don't know how they officially classify players in the NCAA, but a guy who took almost two thirds of his shots from behind the arc doesn't sound like much of a four to me. Again, I didn't watch Novak much in college but from what I've seen, much of his offense in college came from running off and behind screens to launch threes. Again, that looks much more of a 3 than a 4.
You have to ask yourself: why would Matt Barnes sign with a team that’s going to play him out of his natural position? With the disastrous signings of Swift and Wells the past 2 summers, free agents are going to be a lot more cautious about signing in Houston, even if there’s a new head coach. A chance to play with Yao and Mcgrady is not going to cut it anymore. They have to feel like they’re putting themselves in a good situation to succeed. Playing out of position or coming off the bench does not make Houston appealing to Barnes.
I kind of disagree. I think JVG was too inflexible. He admitted he couldn't find roles for Battier/Tmac plus Wells or Snyder. IMO he had too short of rotation (too many minutes to too few) and didn't try enough combinations using our forwards. I would have loved to see 4 athletes who can shoot and move around Yao--particularly against the athletic teams (Suns, Mavs, etc.). Never have seen it because Battier is too weak of a rebounder and we don't want Tmac taking the physical punishment. But Barnes, a much better rebounder than than Battier and bigger (235) with a healthier back than Tmac--I throw him in the 4 spot with some frequency. Unlike Wells or Snyder(admittedly another reason they couldn't be used more), Barnes is a respectable 3 point shooter as well. I don't know if we could sign Barnes, but I'd offer most of the MLE and let him know he is going to get 28MPG for us (spread in the PF and SF depending on match-ups). That is 4 more minutes than he got with GS and he would have a better chance for a title. All you can do is ask. If I was Miami he would be on my short list too. Also, if he resigns with GS it is under the premise he will primarily to play the 4, probably not for as many minutes as we can offer because they are loaded deep through the SG-PF. PF is where Barnes played most all his minutes in the playoffs and was his highest minute position in the regular season. The Rockets can offer no sales tax, more minutes, on a better team. Loyalty would be the only thing in the way. The Swift case is interesting. If anything that is where we tried too hard to fit the role (in response to the previous comment by BBSci). We wanted an athletic 4 with a typical 4 body and got one to plug in. The problem is he isn't much of a basketball player or teammate. I'll take a guy like Barnes who looks like a player and teammate--even if he is some undersized. Get the best players you can,within reason of fitting your needs, and as a part time PF and SF Barnes does that. Tmac and Battier can' play all the SG and SF minutes and I think Barnes can do those minutes better than Wells and Snyder. Further, if it doesn't work, you have tradable assets--there is room for Barnes or Battier to go as part of a major deal to get a more traditional PF (Swift's body, Barnes ethic) if we are so desperate.
