[RealGM RUMOR] Toronto Raptors called about Shane Battier

Agree, but Brooks isn't far behind. He's defense is horrible.

 

Only 2 reasons I'd trade Shane:

1: To get cap relief if we get too much salary back from a potential TMAC trade (Iggi, Dalembert). This situation would not only leave us redundant at that position (Battier, Ariza, Iggi, Buddinger), we'd also be way over the luxury tax. Here, trading away Shane's contract for next year would save us $ 8 mil (or double for luxury tax?) while also net us most likely a mid 1st round pick (Toronto's?).

2: We fail to score anything <i>of value</i> for TMAC. Tracy will be traded, that is a given. But with all these other teams (Phoenix, Dallas, Toronto) trying to **** block, we might not get our main targets. But we'll still be able to trade TMAC for other expirings (ex. NY's Mobley, Hughes or Chicago's B. Miller + Pargo). If this happens, I'd most definitely try to clear up additional salary cap to get a ticket at free agency. While it would be disastrous short term (we'd probably miss plaoyoffs this year), we'd clear the $8 mil that we need to have a shot at a max free agent (we'd also have to renounce Scola + Lowry). My thinking is we'd go for a home run here (if we fail at trade deadline) in Bosh and then retain Lowry if possible. If we fail yet again, we can retain Scola, Lowry, and add perhaps a 2nd tier free agent (R. Allen?).

These are really the only scenarios I'd trade Shane. In a perfect world we can do a trade for TMAC that doesnt force us to do this (Butler + Stevenson would not put us over the cap) so we can get talent while keeping Shane. But I'd try readying a trading partner for Battier just in case...

 

Sounds like a BS rumor posted by Average Joe.

 

lol... y are we even comparing Jose to Brooks... I mean Jose is not the same player he used to be... he does not have passion and too old now ....

Besides Brooks might suck at d but we have plenty of guys who is good at D, at the end it is all about team defense

 

We get Bosh.

 

Jose Calderon is 28....unless you mean a McGrady 28.


Its about what the Rockets can get for Battier. For the OTHER team, I dont think Battier offers IMMEDIATE help. He's the type that needs to settle in with the guys, acquire respect, over time rub off on other players. I dont think at THIS point that Battier is an immediate "stopper" like he used to be, unless they specifically want him as a defensive specialist instead of overall glue guy. But its about what the Rockets can get for him

 

he may not fit into an offense right away, which is what i think you mean, but i dont think it'll be because he needs time to gain any of those things. Battier probably knows half the league pretty well already, the guy talks to everyone and he's one of those guys who don't talk smack or are jerks, has been in the league for a while, so i can't imagine he's not respected around the league already.

 

If Morey is determined to be a player in free agency (an avenue that I'm not particularly keen on), then I would consider a deal of Shane to the Raptors in exchange for Amir Johnson ($3.9M expiring), Marco Belinelli (owed $2.38M next season) and Toronto's first round pick (lottery protected).

That deal would allow the Rockets to add a young big in Johnson, who is (get this) an actual shot blocker, to take a look at this season. If he excels, the Rockets can probably easily re-sign him in free agency (assuming they strike out on bigger fish). If he doesn't, then the Rockets let him go and free up additional cap space.

It also nets the team Belinelli, a player who actually plays the shooting guard position. Novel concept, I know. While he's been a minor disappointment thus far in his career, he's still only 23 and would probably be a nice complementary player off the bench as an outside shooter getting open looks playing with Yao Ming.

The first rounder, though, would be the linchpin to any deal for Battier. If you're giving up an asset like Shane, you need to get real value in return. A first round pick is the best way to get value without damaging your cap situation. The pick will likely be somewhere around #19 or so. Maybe higher. The Rockets could package their pick with that one and try to trade up a few spots in the draft.

Oh, and this trade would get the Rockets closer to getting below the tax threshold by about $1.45M, which savings could go to the "Take Brian Cook Off Our Hands Fund" or (if a McGrady deal to the Knicks for expirings gets the team under the tax) to buy a second round pick to get another quality international prospect or just to include in player trades.

One roadblock to such a deal (other than the fact that both Daryl Morey and I love Shane as a player) is that Toronto is JUST below the tax threshold now and would probably want to stay there. They'd likely want Houston to take back equal salary, meaning Rasho would also need to be included. Not only does that not help the Rockets salary-wise, it also means that Houston would probably have to waive Dorsey (and eat his $881,000 salary that could otherwise be traded away) in order to facilitate the trade.

Just me musing. As much as it would hurt to lose Battier (my favorite player), I could understand the rationale for making a trade with Toronto:

Cap relief.
Getting younger players.
First round pick.

 

Oh, yeah, don't get me wrong at all. I like what Shane brings to the table. And I know he's been on the block before. It's just that, Morey places too much value on him in trades.

If another team sees Shane's value and wants to make a deal that gets us cap relief for next year, plus Amir Johnson and that 1st rounder, then it's getting time to tell him goodbye. Seven million this year, nearly eight million the next, for 8 points a game and intangibles? But I'd make a deal only if another deal goes down somewhere that either ups the basketball IQ and/or the talent on the team. Outside of Luis, the rest of the team is a little rudderless.

 

I am a big Battier fan too, but this trade scenario is actually good value, for both teams. It would still hurt to let Bat go though. Especially for 3 unproven guys.

 

That's quite an ambitious list of wants from Toronto for the garbage they are offering in return. Toronto mind as well add Lebron to the list if they are making a wish list.

I'm sure quite a few teams have similar lists though. I imagine it's good negotiating to low ball everyone. I wouldn't give Shane up for anyone on that list.

 

...although I could see why Toronto wants Battier. No one plays defense on that team and Toronto is trying to emerge as a darkhorse playoff team - or at least do enough to win a playoff series so they can convince Bosh his future is helping Toronto win it all. They need a wing defender there in the worst way so I can see how he helps them be a better team - especially if they spend the first round against guys like Lebron, Pierce, Johnson, and Carter. Those guys would eat up DeRozen/Turkuglu.

 

i dont see the point of a trade like this, battier is not the problem on the team, and those other players dont make the ballclub any better. stay away from this morey.
i would rid of ariza before battier

 

i woulnt want any of those players

 

I like that trade....but that pick would have to be like a 2012 pick given that they traded their 2010 pick with Jermain O'neal to the Heat...

 

Nice catch. Okay, then. Forget it. Morey's not trading Battier for a 2012 first rounder unless it's completely unprotected AND he was fairly sure that Bosh bolts this summer.

 

One package, a deal which I believe might actually make sense for both teams: Battier(/Dorsey) - Thabeet. It does your wistfullness justice, returns Shane whence he came (and where, reportedly, Heisley misses him), gives Griz the wing, the D, the complement to Mayo/Gay (+ Memphis local hero Dorsey?) for a project, equivalent to a #1 pick (right, he was just last summer), who can grow while faced off with Yao next season (as Yao did with Deke), saves almost Cook's silly salary.

 

If we do this that will give Battier 4-5 months to tell Bosh how nice Houston is. We'd have a guy on the inside working for us!

 

I just don't see the Griz trading Thabeet. For as much as Hasheem looks like he doesn't currently belong in the NBA, do people honestly think that Memphis drafted the guy thinking that he'd be an immediate contributor? The Grizzlies view Thabeet as a LONG-term project who, once he reaches his ceiling, could become a dominant defensive force in the NBA. They knew he wouldn't be good this year and that he probably won't be very good next year.

You're more likely to get one of the Griz's first rounders (they have 3 first round picks in the 2010 NBA Draft: their own, the Nuggets' and the Lakers'), at best, in any trade for Battier. You'll be lucky to get the Grizzlies' own pick.

No way they trade the #2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft in exchange for a role player. A valuable role player. But a role player nonetheless.

 

Two things
1. Aaron brooks does so much on the offense that his defense does not negate it. In fact, aaron's defense is like B to C on A-F scale.
2. Your grammar is horrible.