Battier is NEVER going to be an effective PF. He can hit the weights all year long and it still won't happen. Better get a real PF and not another SF to try to put at the 4. However, let's get a PG first and worry about everything else second. I'm on the Mo Williams bandwagon.
Not a bad idea on the Ricky Davis suggestion. I look at it this way: How many times has Stephen Jackson been called a cancer throughout his career? Meanwhile, he has a championship ring and just got finished outplaying the soon-to-be MVP of the league in a playoff series. Ricky Davis clearly doesn't have the post season experience Jackson does but he's just as talented as Jackson and i'm sure he could thrive if he got the opportunity. 17/5/4 on 46% from the field and 40% from 3-pt range. He makes next to nothing and is a FA after next season. At least that way if things didn't work out, he'd be off the books and not our problem anymore.
I'm sure it would take more to get RD. I'm not saying it wouldn't. All i'm saying is I like the idea. I bet RD could be had relatively cheap.
Garnett would kill the GM if he did that. They want guys that can create their own shots and score to help Garnett out, not a random guy that can shoot spot up 3s.
That Pistons team was allready built for him when he got to Detroit. Remeber Rick Carlisle made all the moves for RIP, Billups, Big Ben and even draft Tayshan. They even made the conference Finals and were the ones to bounce T-Mac in the 1st round. Brown just walked into a solid team and took them to a new level. Yeah he might be credited for the Sheed trade but that was mostly Joe Dumars so Larry Brown is not really a builder but a more of a take a good team and make it a champion. I think that is what the Rockets need cause we are good but now we need to beocme great.
Again, I wasn't endorsing that deal on Minnesota's end just saying I like the idea of adding a proven scorer in a bad situation like RD. ...and KG already wants out. That team is in complete disarray. Nothing's impossible.
True if KG goes then the flood gates open and everyone with the exception of maybe Foye is up for grabs because at that point the Wolves would probably have rebuild all over again. So I think the garage sale could really get us a nice piece like RD.
Well, I'm thinking of all the times he led random teams like the Clippers to the playoffs. And then he goes and coaches the Knicks and that goes to hell. I'm just not that confidant he's the best option.
I think people don't like Brown anymore because of the whole Knicks thing but you have to consider that no coach has a chance to sucess on a team with a 140 mil payroll and no real superstars other than proven cancers. I think Brown thought he was up for the challenge but half way into the season he realized what a mess he set himself up for so he just plain out quit. Now I think that aside Larry Brown is a very good fit for Houston because the guy is a genius in terms of X's and O's and knows how to take advantage of matchups. The Rockets need a veteran guy with deep playoffs experience and someone willing to take risk with our roster cause let's face we are going to be over the cap for a long time and in order to get any better we are going to need to take full advantage of the player we have.
I really liked what I saw of Barnes against Dallas. Here's a guy who comes from a fine college program (UCLA), knocks around the league (GS is his 4th team?), spends time in the NBDL, and Nelly takes a chance on him, gives him minutes and a green light, and the dude has really produced. I think GS will keep him, but I wouldn't mind at all picking the guy up, if we could. Here's an article about him from December: Barnes turns Warriors into believers Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, December 14, 2006 Matt Barnes has the word "Believe" tattooed on the right side of his neck, but even he admits doubting his NBA future this summer. He had bounced around five teams in four years since leaving UCLA, and during his last stint in Philadelphia, he barely got off the bench. "Not getting the opportunity really broke me down," Barnes said. "This was the summer. I didn't take any time off, and I just said if it doesn't work this summer, I'm going to go play football. "You ask my mom, you ask my dad. I was done with basketball." The former high school All-America receiver planned to try out for the NFL if he couldn't catch on with the Warriors. Instead, he has taken a training-camp invitation and touched down right in the middle of coach Don Nelson's rotation. Barnes stepped in for flu-ridden Mickael Pietrus after Thanksgiving and set a season high in scoring. He has followed that with two more career nights, capped by Tuesday's triumphant 32-point, 11-rebound effort against his hometown Kings. More importantly, Barnes has developed into an offensive threat for the Warriors. He enters tonight's game ranked seventh in the league in three-point shooting at 50 percent and is hitting a career-best 53 percent from the field. His range is stretching opposing defenses and he even has shown a knack for backing in bigger defenders for short turnarounds and finger rolls. "I never expected that I would end up with a player like this," Nelson said. "He had his opportunity and he seized it. He seized the moment." Barnes was the ultimate risk-free investment when the Warriors invited him to camp. Though they were looking for a backup small forward, they already had 16 players with guaranteed contracts. The chances of Barnes making the team were minimal. Nelson loves players who can pass, shoot and take on multiple positions, and after a slow start, Barnes has proved himself in all those areas. He hustles and defends. With no more than two turnovers in any game, he also is cutting down on attempts to make the "spectacular plays" that drive his coach crazy when they go awry. He was a 20 percent shooter from long distance prior to this season and had only 50 attempts in three years. Still, Nelson gave Barnes the green light to shoot, as he does with all his players when they have open looks. Next thing the coach knew, "I looked up and he was 10th in the league or eighth in the league in three-point shooting, and I said 'Hey, that's great. Keep it up.' " Barnes never will be the prettiest shooter in the league, but he went 6-for-9 from three-point range Tuesday and took a team-high 22 shots. That those attempts came with Nelson's blessing is what Barnes says differentiates his Warriors career from his previous NBA stops. "That's everything, really, knowing that if I miss a shot, I'm not going to come out of the game," Barnes said. "My main thing is knowing that a coach has confidence in me." Barnes also knows his minutes most likely will diminish once Jason Richardson and Ike Diogu return from injury, but he'll keep scrapping for playing time -- assuming the Warriors keep him. He has a non-guaranteed contract for the league minimum of $771,331, and he'll carry his day-to-day status until Jan. 10, when all contracts become guaranteed for the remainder of the season. With his recent surge, it's safe to say he's making it difficult for the Warriors to cut him loose. "He keeps playing like he is, yeah, anybody who gets 32 a game is indispensable," Nelson said. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...RMVILC1.DTL&hw=matt+barnes+nfl&sn=001&sc=1000 He fits the bill as far as adding athleticism to the Rocks, and would be a wonderful guy to have in our rotation. The down side is that we have greater needs at the 1 and (as the Jazz showed) at the 4. If we could somehow get Barnes and still fill those other needs, I'd be ecstatic. Love your Wallace trade, DS!
I have what i believe to be a realistic, achievable trade. Held back possibly by logistics and depending entirely ofcourse on the head space and vision of each GM. Let me just state, i want Lamar Odom on this team. The closest thing to Robert Horry circa '95, only a slightly worse shooter but a better ball handler. What i have concocted is the best possible trade scenario which ends up with Odom in a Rockets Jersey. Humour me if you will: Rockets Receive: Lamar Odom, Luke Walton Lakers Receive: Shaun Livingston, Shane Battier, Juwan Howard Clippers Receive: Andrew Bynum, Luther Head Madness and Reality: The Lakers cannot gain a player of Jason Kidds or Garnetts caliber without taking a major financial and talent hit. Any such deal will require the depature of at least Odom and Walton. Bynum may also be included, not to mention any draft picks Minnesota or New Jersey desires. With Livingston and Battier, Phil Jackson gains his tall PG with the ability to lead a fast break and create, and Battier fills in nicely for Walton, providing the same perimeter shot but also adding the ability to defend on the wing. Since Kobe is a much more efficient shooter than T-Mac, Battiers inability to create will not be as big an issue as it is for the Rockets. Wouldn't a line-up surrounding Kobe with Battier and Livingston be much more enticing than gutting your team for an aging, overpaid PG? We've seen that two superstar players is still not enough these days. The Rockets need a Power Forward. Odom is so perfect it's scary. He has the length, size and speed to defend every PF in the league. On the offensive end he can hit the open three, post up AND create off the dribble like few his size. A creative coach could do wonders with Lamar Odom, who is also an excellent rebounder. Luke Walton fills in the role that Battier would leave, hit the open jump shots and utilize his superior passing ability. While he is not as good a perimeter defender as Battier he is stronger, and his strength gives us more flexiblity on the defensive end, not to mention the fact that he is a better rebounder. The Clippers intrigue me, i'd really like to know where their head space is at. Will they trade Maggette? Is this most recent Livingston injury the last straw for the Clippers? Will Kaman continue his post-contract suckiness? The motive for them in my world, is depth, finance and young talent. Bynum provides them with a tantalising prospect for the future, and if he succeeds, it allows the Clips to shop Kaman and bring in some PG talent to allow Sam Cassell to move to the bench and age like fine wine. Maybe Dallas is willing to swap him with Jason Terry or Devin Harris? Dallas gains a low post presence, the Clippers get their PG? Luther is where it gets tough, the Clippers have 6 guards on the roster by my last count, while this would give them room to move other players with Kaman, this robs them of their future PG. I just wonder what they plan to do with Livingston, he has not lifted the way many expected him to due to injuries and he really is best suited to a fast break team, which the Lakers aren't. I put him in the trade because the triangle calls for a tall PG, even though Cassell fits in the deal and is probably a more realistic trade option for the Clips. Would the Lakers be willing to take a chance? My gut says Kobe wants an established player by his side. We can use the MLE to add a SF and move Walton to the bench or ditto with the PG situation and Alston. Bottomline, we need more athleticism on this team, Odom provides it in spades. I would like five players on that floor who can create for themselves with an innovative, creative coach calling the shots...i believe this is do-able.
Of those 4, I think Nocioni would fit in best. he's very tough, a great rebounder, good percentage shooter, and a hard-nosed defender. Plus he can play the 4 or 3 and is a team player. But I figure Chicago will do anything and everything to keep him.
The trade where we get Walton and Odom just isn't going to happen. Lets take what the Clippers give and recieve out of the picture entirely for arguments sake and concentrate on just the Lakers and Rockets here. Lakers lose Odom and Walton and Bynum gain Battier and Howard and Livingston. Why are the Lakers doing this trade? The Odom and Walton for Battier and Howard part of the deal is essentially trading a 3 and a 4 for another 3 and a 4. Why do it? And the talent level of the Lakers pair is better than our pair. So this trade comes down to Bynum for Livingston, which isn't a bad trade in itself. But why do the Lakers do this trade? They don't exactly need a decent-at-best combo gaurd in Livingston considering Kobe is going to be taking up 40 minutes, why trade a rotation player for him?
I know i know i know, dammit i just want Odom! The way i see it, the Lakers have a huge hole at the PG. Perhaps...maybe they'd take on Livingston, this is more about filling out the roster than adding superstars to their team--which would totally gut the roster. A shallow roster to begin with. Livingston gives them a secondary ball handler and creator, Battier who is as good if not better than Walton and Howard for added depth. Lakers currently: Bynum (if phil jackson is in a good mood) Odom Walton Kobe Smush Parker After trade: Mihm Brown / Howard Battier Kobe Shaun Livingston I see it as an upgrade, but i agree it's not enough on the Laker end...just tryin' to get Odom in red.
Upon reading, i retract my upgrade statement. Lakers would be better off just trying to upgrade the 1 and keeping the roster as is. I'm being deluded by my obsession with having him on the team. Also, apologies for derailing the thread....i think Mo Williams is the best option for the MLE, since i assume Gerald Wallace will be gettin' PAID...damn shame.
If the Lakers think Odom can't operate effectively in the triangle and want to move him, maybe Battier/Sura/JLIII for Odom would fly. They would get Battier in return plus a net of about $6 million in payroll reduction which would allow them to sign their free agents and a MLE player without going over the luxury tax threshold (which Buss won't cross).
Our favorite analyst, Charlie Rosen, says Odom is a misfit for the triangle and that the Lakers should dangle him as trade bait: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6769042
I am fine with Mo W, but if we got Barnes or Nocioni I would want them to play the 4. They are playing more 4 than any other position right now, and their teams are deeper in the playoffs that we are. I personally think we can get away with a smallish 4 (Barnes/Nocioni) with big 3 (Battier) and big 2 (Tmac). Battier at the 4 might also work better if he starts getting more work there and we practice everybody helping on the boards and had the big 2--the problem with doing that last year is Wells/Snyder killed our perimeter game, so the small lineup had a small 4 (Battier), small 2 (Head) and somewhat small 1 (Alston). A "small" lineup of Head/Alston (PG), Tmac (SG), Battier (SF), Barnes/Nocioni (PF), Yao (C) isn't that small. Nor is Alston/Head, Pietrus (very good rebouding 2/3), Tmac, Battier & Yao. Further, the most important thing we need to do is add athleticism and offensive firepower, and Barnes/Noc at the 4 or Pietrus at 2 does this. This much enhances the Rockets ability to match up defensively versus teams like Phx, GS, Dallas and should make us more difficult for a team like SA, Utah or Dallas to defend us because there are less players to cheat off of. I think we have to think a little out of the box. Chuck Hayes is a nice guy to have off the bench and can provide a great change of pace for Boozer/Brands out there, but shouldn't start. He has too many offensive limitations and he isn't a Ben Wallace or Rodman on defense either. We got to get quicker and longer in the 2-3-4.
