With the recent Carmelo talks, most people think that the logical trade to make for Melo would be Jeffries Battier Hill Budinger and the 2 NYK Picks That leaves us with Brooks Martin Anthony Scola Yao bench : Lowry Lee Miller Offensively, this is one hell of a team. Defensively we will be destroyed by the Lakers. But as we saw last year, just trying to outscore your opponents doesn't work. I'm not very familiar with Courtney Lee's defense, so who would you keep to at least leave some good/great defender on the team? Lee or Battier?
The salary difference is the Key. With that said you would almost certainly have to trade Battier, because he makes $7.35 million and Lee makes $1.35 million so where do make up the difference just to get the salaries to match so we can acquire Melo?
You made the mistake of assuming Morey isn't smarter than you. It would be a sign and trade, so Carmelo wouldn't be a free agent until his new contract expired.
Kevin Martin. Lee and Melo complement each other more than Martin and Melo. Remember how Martin and Tyreke Evans couldn't co-exist? Melo's game is extremely similar to Evans. Plus, Lee is a much better defender, and his 3 pt shooting is also pretty good. Finally if we give up Martin we save money and we get to keep the NY picks. Martin Hill Jeffries C-bud 2010 pick (rockets, not NY) for Melo
Its obvious Battier minutes would be limited to near zero at SF if we got Carmello. So yes you get rid of Battier and keep Lee for depth and defense at SG. Its a no brainer unless they specifically asked for Lee to complete the deal.
no way if battier is traded will he get bought out. a guy like battier will most likely be traded to a contending team that needs that veteran leadership for example why buy battier out when denver could ship him to OKC for instant savings and a future pick? Battier would be a great example for those young guns out there
I don't know if the Knicks pick will be a lotto pick or not, but this upcoming class could be LOADED with talented SFs. If that pick could be spared, and a rental/serviceable backup SF could be had this year, you could get a Melo backup in the draft next year. Also, I think Patterson could probably handle playing backup minutes at the 3. He's athletic enough and can score from outside at a decent rate.
That would probably be part of the trade though. We send out some extra cash and an extra future pick we wouldnt send out otherwise or something for them to buy out Battier as part of the trade.
Battier is more valuable to the success of the Rockets than most posters here think. I am glad DM and the coaching staff are aware of his importance, and they have even mentioned that on several occasions. The Rockets need to keep Battier and his experienced, steady leadership if they even contemplate on making noise this coming season. Youth is good but experience and brains are more valuable in the playoffs.
I agree with everything that is written here. martin hill jeffries budinger and some type of draft pick(s) denver gets a scoring shooting guard, a potential starting 3 guard in budinger, a big man in hill, and a good draft pick or two. houston doesnt lose anything even though they lost martin. houston gains a better scorer than they lost (melo compared to martin). houston still has courtney lee who can start at the 2. brooks/lowry lee/taylor/brooks melo/battier scola/hayes yao/miller
What do you mean "that much"? Battier isn't that much anymore. Lee is a great defender and Battier has just been replaced.
