A 6'10" jump shooting softie who plays no defense ... thanks but no thanks. Battier is definitely a better fit for the Rockets. This Rashard Lewis - Houston connection is getting old and almost to the point ad nauseum.
this isn't JVG ball anymore... an efficient shooter would be very nice for the rockets. battier is a jump shooter also just plays better team D. why wouldn't you trade a role player for an All-Star? rockets should have drafted him anyway. with that said... he won't be in a rockets uni next year.
On a team that features Yao and TMac, it's a sure bet you won't see the same type of All-Star stats from Lewis. Plus, we already have a shooter on this team, for the price of almost nil. A competent head coach will make him serviceable. I of couse wouldn't mind getting Lewis for a smaller change, but giving up Battier is too costly. He is the least I worry about on this team.
I too, do not like this trade. Since when did Clyde decide to be the GM and make personel moves. He has no work ethic, no scouting talent, and no credibility since making that Rafer comment. We don't need another long guy that plants himself at the three and plays little D. We can go out and get Horry or Donyell Marshall and save some money if we want that kind of player. We might as well keep Battier and make him shoot 16 times a game. Rashard's problem is his ego. He has delusions of grandor. He should have taken the 2 year contract extension. I remember his own comparisons to Kobe.....
I dont really watch the Sonics play..ever..unless we play them..and I'm assuming most all of you don't either, so I really hope the whole assumption that he does not play defense comes from actually watching his games rather than taking a quick peek at a stat line and deciding he sucks like most people are probably doing
So what are you going to do? Put a gun to Battier's head? He took 16 or more shots 3 times last season, against the Nets, the Kings, and the Warriors. That's it. He took 10 or more shots 24 times. Out of those 24, he had games of 4-11, 2-11, 5-15, 1-12, 5-15, 4-17, and 3-11. 7 mediocre games out of 24 when he took 10 or more shots. Plus, he had 21 games, besides those, where he shot fewer times, but shot like crap. Now sure, out of 705 shots, 416 were from Downtown, but a reliable offensive option? I think not. http://www.clutchfans.net/players/shane_battier/?gamebygame&season=2007 Look, I love the guy, and I know he does all those great things that are "intangible," and don't always show up on the scoreboard, but Battier averaged for the season, including the playoffs, 4.0 REB, 2.1 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.8 BLK, and 10.12 freakin' points a game on 36.66 MPG. That's our hero, Shane Battier. I'm sorry, but on reflection, if I can get an All Star PG who can win championships, or an All Star 3 who's your genuine 3rd scorer, or someone else who fills one of our desperate needs, or a combination of players that fill several holes and give depth, I'm gonna at least give it some consideration. What other assets do we have outside of Yao and McGrady that would be more than a guy off the bench for most teams? Yes, things are that bad, in my opinion.
Getting Billups in a deal involving Battier is one thing, but Lewis is a totally different story. We need to focus on getting a competent PG that can run pick and rolls (already have a decent backup in Spanoulis), or a pesky post defender who can rebound (James Singleton, Reggie Evans) if we don't resign Hayes. Adelman will find a way to get the guys we have right now to score, it's not a problem where we need a clear cut 3rd scorer like we would under JVG (not to mention he is getting near max money). Let's not get crazy and become too offensive oriented, even if we added a guy like Lewis we still would not have the firepower of a Phoenix or Dallas and look where they have been in the playoffs.
If we get Billups at the expense of losing a few assets including Battier, yes. If we get Lewis at the expense of losing Battier + pick, no. A big three is a BAD idea for us, unless one of the big three is primiarly a distributor. If we get lewis, expect Tmac to be in deferring mode all season, especially if his injury creeps up again, and Yao will get about 8 shots per game.
Is Rashard...... Is Rashard hurt too much to be on this team? he has been hurt alot....and he doesn't exactly look for contact.....and he did cry like a BABY on draft night.....I am willing to bet he will not put the rockets over the top. Also, he will get hurt alot and alot of people here will turn on him like everyone else and we will be in the same position as we are now....the Rockets need a physical player and that may not be ARTEST.....but.....any other ideas? Who are the most physical players in the nba is the question......... Then we can go from there for trade possibilities.
Look, I respect your reasoning and understand what you are saying, but we aren't 15 mil under the cap and can choose the player we want exactly. Any player from Ron Artest to Rashard Lewis would put us in an excellent position to play with the elite teams for a championship. Which is better? Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but there are not any better players on the market that we, as fans, know about. My opinion on the subject is, you start at Artest and Lewis. If those do not pan out, then you move on. Preferably to Mike Bibby or someone else along those lines. I would go after Artest first because if we could get him for what the papers say we are reportedly offering (and the Kings reportedly considering), then that is an absolute steal. Then, you see what Clyde can actually convince Rashard to go for. I would put Rashard second to Artest because we have absolutely no idea where Rashard is leaning at the moment and he has is destiny completely in his own hands.
I'm so tired of ppl talkin about crying as some kind pu$$y attribute. PPl cry. It's a fact of life. Jordan cried after he won it all. does that make him a *****? probably not. I can understand him not wanting contact, but crying has nothing to do with it.
So it is true that Shard is soft? and that so many people cry abot Tmac's foot and yaos whatever.....wouldn't would be taking a risk somewhat? Could we be setting up ourselves to hear the same old complaints? I like artest too but I'm thinking an athletic scrappy strong physical PF at a price much less than those guys......any other suggestions? Thanks for helping.
THERE IS NO CRYING IN PIMPING! Its not about the tears, its about being a MAN on the court. Does he suck it up when things get tough or will he cave in due to a lack of mental toughness? Valid question for any icon, local or not. He has had his share of health problems and he isn't exactly a banger of any sort....how is he going to get rebounds from the arc? I would take him don't get me wrong and I will support him but he does fit the same ailing mode we've been in for a while.....will his body hold up and will his mind hold up when he is not even the 2nd MAN on this team?
Too soft to play Gunday ball, but with Rick Adelman, who knows? Adelman's offense was never grind-it-out in the first place. Rashard might just fit in with the new schemes, but I'm skeptical. I was never a fan of his style. Too soft, too passive. With his physical tools he could be much better. I'd even say that he's softer than Tmac.
