Now we agree. The problem for me and the reason I keep Shane over Trevor is Yao Ming. The team has no idea if he will ever be healthy, and his contract comes off the books next season, I would rather keep the guy whose contract mirrors him in case we need to start over next year. I don't think the team is looking at next year as much as people think, I believe it is the year after they are looking at... DD
Game 4 in Rockets vs Lakers 2009...Battier obvious stand out on both sides of the court while guarding KB24
Yao ming has 0 to do with whether shane or ariza should go or stay. Shane struggled last year with yao playing. Even if they do "start over", trevor can be part of the process. He makes mle money DD, not 8 pr 9 m. Now if he were getting those numbers, i would be with you, but he's not. Not to mention he has shown that he can play with post players, thats not a problem. Not only that, I highly doubt the rockets will go back to the old ways of dump down and stand around and watch. That extra split second he would get if they do play that way would help his game alot. I think playing with yao if he's comes back to a good form is going to do wonders for his game. He has shown he can fit in and do the dirty work, thats not a problem for him. Shane will do what shane do and thats largely stand around and wait. Well, when tracy was playing well and yao was doing the same, it was easier for him to do that. Last year i gave him a pass because of the ankl issues, but this year you can clearly see he's getting rubbed off alot on picks and getting beat off the dribble alot. We've also seen trevor do a really good job defending kobe bryant this year. I think its a no brainer who goes in a package, but we will see.
Ugh, of course it matters, it matters in what type of team you are going to be building to say that a $7 million dollar contract doesn't matter is downright BLEH !. Because to trade it, you need to take something back..... I would rather wait to see what type of player Yao is, before deciding upon what pieces you need going forward. DD
It doesn't matter. They could trade battier to a team for a draft pick if they want to. As in this year, they could trade shane for raja bell and a 2nd rd pick or one of thos wing players they have. Bell expires off the books at the end and now the rockets are closer to getting out of the lt and have extra money to play with if they let tracy expire. By the time shane gets to the end of the year and with his obvious struggles, his value will be in the toilet.
Man, forget it, you are living in a fantasy world, where reality of cap space, and lux tax does not exist. Flipping MLE contracts is not nearly as easy as you make it out to be, especially when they are underperforming and have multiple years left. Reality is what it is !! DD
He is under performing in the context of being a primary scorer. Long term I have a hard time believing the Rockets expected him to be a primary scorer for this team or any team he might get traded for. Therefore his contract is unlikely to be as unmoveable as you seem to think. I suspect the Rockets will not trade Ariza because they value him going forward rather than because no other teams would be interested.
Well...he does wear number 1 like T-mac. So i guess he was hoping for a poor-mans T-Mac. And it looks like he was right. Half-assed defense, poor shot selection and a malcontent. Hoooray!
Considering he is only a fraction of the player McGrady was then perhaps we should petition the league to allow decimal points on jersey numbers and give Trevor a ".1" on the back of his jersey?
IMO the rockets got him because they just let Von walk, and Ron did us wrong. So they panicked, and ariza was the best out there for the right price.
What I have learned. Ariza = Shooting of Rafer + Ball Handling of Luther Head + Height of TMac + Intelligence of Stromile Swift @ 5 to 6 million per year.
Well regardless as to why we got him, they need to realize that he is NOT a shooting guard and to start him at Small Forward and just roatate him and Shane. Rick Adelman stated early in the season as it related to Tracy that he would always do what was best for the team no matter who the player is..... Well Rick, what are you going to do? Becasue clearly, starting this man at shooting guard is NOT whats best for the team right now.
I think it was to 1) add at best a future star and at worst a trade asset 2) help Battier with defense and 3) to use as a 6th man if/when Yao comes back and we get a solid two-guard to replace MAc.
Not sure if posted. Adelman staying patient with Ariza. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6837147.html
I'm not sure why Adelman's opinion matters here. DD:60,000+ posts All other Ariza bashers: 10,000+ posts Adelman: 700+ wins Obviously, we know who's opinion matters more.
He's still young, despite his many years in the league. Some time back, Morey talked about how consistent the veterans have played as opposed to the younger players, whose games are affected by challenges and disappointments more. Ariza is experiencing an extended slump while playing a major role for a team for the first time. It's probably the biggest challenge of his career and if he can work through it, he'll be a stronger player for it.
