Let me put it this way, if we don't get an SG out of Snyder, Head, VSpan or Abuz who is servicable as an NBA starter (at least comparable to Howard as a PF, like bottom quarter starter but shy from the worst/atrocious at his position) we are screwed anyway. So I think the plan when we traded for Battier was that our best team would have him at the PF (I think we thought he was a substantially more complimentary there than Howard or Swift there). But yes if our SGs bomb this plan won't fly.
First, GREAT POST, Nero!! I think Shane can play the 4 against some quick/ more offensive teams like Mav/Suns/Supersonics etc. For other teams, J-Ho( if he's not trade away) will be a better choice than Battier.
Fair enough, but if we thought he was limited to our best players best position I don't think he would be our "best option". I think we had to have in mind that he would make our 4 spot more productive (less a discrepency between what we produce vs. give up) for him to be the best option. Just being the best player among Swift and Gay is not enough. If Battier was the better player, but created more redudency in one position (SF) and caused us less flexibility, I think the move would not have been done. Also I have to believe one aspect of our thinking along with Battier ability to knock down 3s and spread the floor was increasing our athleticism, length and defensive rotations. Teams like the Mavs and Suns exploit this in us big time in this regard. But having Yao as our 5, Howard as our 4 and Tmac as our 2 makes a slow line-up in multiple positions. But with Battier at the 4, Tmac at the 3, and a quicker player (than Tmac) at the 2, now you have a team best prepered to take advantage of Yao's strengths (spread the floor on offense around the impossible 1 on 1 match-ups of Yao and Tmac) but also cover for the slow footness of Yao by NBA standards on defense. So we are not going Suns style on offense, we still go through Tmac and Yao, but we are also much better able to do this even more effectively while at the same time macthing them defensively better. In the end yes it is start and close the best 5 players, with a twist however. Howard has be enough better than our SGs to warrent Tmac playing out of his ideal position. If none of our SGs approach the caliber and consistency of Howard as a 4, JH does probably start and Tmac plays the SG. However if Snyder or another SG overall performs in the same ballpark as Howard as an individual, we are much more complimentary team around Yao and Tmac with Howard as the 6th or 7th man and Battier + Tmac starting in our forward spots. My belief with the trade was that this is the hope (Battier at the 4, JH moves to a back-up 4 & 5 role), but we will see if we can execute it.
I tend to agree w/ this view. Thanks for putting it in this perspective. Basically do we have a 2-guard > juwan at pf?, if so battier will be the pf. But no matter what, Battier WILL be in the starting lineup. We didn't trade that much for a backup.
I think you hit the nail on the head. I also think we got him in case Tracy goes down. (which will not happen!) Then this discussion of who will play the 4 will become a bit different. Hopefully, CD is still looking to shore up the 4/5 with a guy who can play both, using the TE.
I wish there had been some truth to those Juwan/Luther for Mihm/Cook/McKie trade ideas. Would have answered some of our needs; the sort of trade that would help us out (don't know if it would have done anything positive for the Fakers). Still some tinkering with this roster. A Brian Cook for 4/5 would help. Just small moves. I mean, if Mutombo was too old a year ago, he ain't got no younger over the summer, y'know?
