Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Bonzi was regarded as that "good" of a player that season until he had the amazing series against Sacramento. We never saw Bonzi play in the playoffs in a Rockets uniform.
I'd like to think you are referring to Barkely the Ballstopper, but I have a feeling you're talking about someone else. Poor Francis.
That "ballstopper" argument would be alot more valid if we were the lakers or maybe the suns but we're not. The rockets are an offensively challenged team so while being a ballstopper disrupts the flow of offense, we don't have a flowing offense to disrupt. Let me go to my checklist. Will this player help our offense, check. Will this player help our defense, check. Sounds like a good deal to me.
i can't believe ANYONE in the league doesn't already see this. one of the bazillion points i made back when i was pushing for this trade was his ability to "DRIVE TO THE RACK" with 3 minutes left in the game during crunch time. he's so strong and agressive that he will basically carry the ball to the rack like a football and INVITE contact. he is sick !!!!! Artest could possibly lead the team in points from the FT line in the 4th quarter. that's fine with me, why !??? CUZ THAT'S WHY WE GOT HIM !!!!! to alleviate pressure off T-Mac who ultimately had to be THAT GUY. i'm tellin you guys, T-Mac's shoulders feel so much lighter now that we have a guy that will do all the dirty work for him if Artest is in a candy store, T-Mac is in Charlie's Chocolate Factory.
out of r4espect, Kein Martin is freakin awesome. i was hoping Artest would be packaged with Martin. i'm a big fan of Martin - young guy, deadly shooter with a good long range shot. we could have given Brooks and Landry for both of them.
Kevin Martin is a 20+ scorer in this league and is the cornerstone of their franchise now...No way brooks and landry gets Martin...We would have to give up something more like scola and battier I believe but even then I think Sacramento wouldn't do it.
i agree, i was just trying to somewhat explain to radapharoah that K. Martin is NOT the scrub he thinks he is. and yeah, we would have to give up some big pieces of the puzzle. we could really use him though.
Sacramento gave Martin a near max extension. he actually deserves the max though, considering he's the only player that shoots around 40% from the 3 at high volume, yet goes to the line over 9 times a game. he actually makes more free throws per game than anybody else, although if Yao was called properly, he would be going to the line 10+ times a game . but then again, Sacramento is known for underpaying their stars not named Chris Webber. honestly, i don't think they would trade Martin for T-Mac. it would take Yao to get him, and even that's not for sure. Martin's only 25 years old and he easily has 10+ years left at a very high level. Yao might not play beyond the 2012-13 season.
martin does NOTHING but score. he's extremely efficient though. but u don't trade all-around players like tracy or a great center like yao for him. we haven't seen him on a team where he's asked to do a lot of things, which he might have to do next yr.
WOW! I didn't give credence to that quote from JVG. I was thinking of the dunk instead. The Knicks would have been way better off with Ron even with his antics than Weis.
JVG was very much impressed of the Rockets latest addition and he did say that this one of the team that needs to be stop for them to reach the finals. Very positive on Ron Artest addition to the rosters!
