Hey while we are at it why don't we just move the team from Houston to Oklahoma and change the name to the Oklahoma Cowboys All we have to do is not try to keep Chuck Hayes, Dikembe Mutombo(let him retire), Jake Tsakalidis, and tell Bonzi to use his player option and then let V-Span go wherever the hell he wants(at least then he might have a chance to play). That will free up some cap space, and we can go after Mo Williams, and/or Smush Parker
I don't think we need to jump to conclusions. T-Mac was finally healthy for the most part of this year. That witch doctor he is seeing must be amazing. It's not Battier's fault...he's roll player with good defensive skills. Let's all take a deep breath. It sucks, I know... I think all we need is a new coach...we need to develop our players we have. Look at Boki! That guys is doing well now. We have an excellent core and the surrounding cast is decent to good. I mean, Luther killed in the regular season. What happened to other group of people? We couldn't work Bonzi in (not sure if it's him or JVG, who really knows?). We couldn't work in V-Span. That guy killed in international play. Give him a chance. Novak? This falls on the coach...get rid of JVG and bring in the old Indiana coach...Carlisle - I think he'll be good for us. He knows how to get people to work together. A few other things I think we should work on. I'm no coach, so these are just my personal opinions. 1. We did well as a team. We couldn't execute down the stretch. Some of that blame has to fall on the coach. 2. We need a decent power forward...or someone else that can take the extra strain off T-Mac and Yao. I kind of wish we had Stromile Swift - he was garbage, but he would go to the hole with some fury at times. 3. Yao is way too turnover prone. He needs to work on ball handling and quickness drills. Some strength wouldn't hurt either. Let Deke teach him defense and get Hakeem to help his offense. Better yet, let Deke and Hakeem both teach him on D... 4. I hope JVG retires...I don't mind him, but he can't develop players for his life. We have some many options, but he only plays the guys he thinks are right for the job. The problem is, if you don't use them in real games, how will you ever know? Practice is, like Iverson say, "practice." Real life is different. Players can never get better playing each other over and over. 5. We have to improve and tweak a few things at the ball handling position. I like Rafer, but the guy is erratic and at times makes really bone headed decisions. I'm not sure if we can keep him at two and go for a decent pg. I think that will cause a lot of issues, maybe we can get V-Span to play that spot. He penetrates well - something we need - and can usually dish it off..I wish we could have gotten Deron Williams. That guy is bleeping amazing.... 6. I can't say this enough...we need to utilize the guys we have. We have some amazing three point shooters. We have a pretty good team...just need to get everyone going. I like Kirk, that guy is a huge energy player along with Hayes. Ever since he got injured, he just never made it back... Anyways, don't kill me...these are just some thoughts...they are by no means perfect.
I'm done discussing it. But will make one last comment. FACT: The NBA is hugely emphasizing athleticism. It's clearly evidenced in the playoffs by the GS win over DAL, the Bulls over MIA and most obviously the Jazz over the slower, shorter less athletic Rockets. (Please don't tell me about the Bulls and the Pistons...there isn't one Rocket not named McGrady who is an athletic match to their DET counterpart). FACT: Yao Ming is the slowest and least mobile of any NBA starter or rotational player. FACT: Rudy Gay struggled early on because Fratello is a Van Gundy clone. Rudy Gay never hit the Rookie wall...he steadily got better all season. I don't have time or inclination, but I'd put $20 in the tip jar if Gay's numbers weren't noticeably better after Fratello's departure. FACT: Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift BOTH are far and away more athletic than Shane Battier. FACT: The Utah Jazz are more athletic than the Rockets. That's a MAJOR reason why the won. FACT: There are no REALISTIC athletic upgrades that will significantly and postively narrow the athletic gap between the Rockets and DAL, PHX, SAS, or UTA. The Rockets have an MLE in a down talent year, a #26 pick and NO tradeable commodities. CONCLUSION 1: If we can't beat the Jazz with Battier, we sure as hell can't beat anyone seeded higher...they all have MLE's...they all have similar draft picks...and most have tradeable commodities. CONCLUSION 2: If Shane Battier is the Rockets' 3rd "best" player next season...they are a repeat 1st round exit. (And please don't use the weak argument that Yao won't be hurt and they'll be a higher seed...it didn't help against Utah for cryin' out loud...and they won at nearly the same or an even better clip while he was out this season).
Also it has to be known that nobody WANTS to trade Battier. But we have nothing that can interest other teams into giving us their talent without wanting ours in return. Battier is a hard working, respected player that many teams may want. In order for us to upgrade ourselves from an athletic and offensive standpoint, Battier may need to be the one to go. If we can find a way to upgrade the team without letting him go then that's great, otherwise let's see just how much we can get for him. One last thing...this is all moot until JVG and CD decide what the coaching situation is, if JVG stays then our priority needs to be acquiring some creative offensive players who can think on the floor. Another coach may be able to do more with what we have, as darkmanX stated.
SAS is an athletic team? They may beat all of the athletic teams, then where's this whole 'athletic' argument? Hate to say it but SA will win with their defense. Diff between them and us is they don't have such extended ice-cold shooting as we do. And Conclusion 2 is idiotic ... as if Battier was the sole reason for our loss, as if you can predict a round 1 exit based on 1 player... and a good one at that.
SAS is much more athletic than us...their top 3 players are all world class athletes, whereas only one of our top 3 players are athletic Also, Battier is a good player and in no way should be blamed. He is just saying that if Battier is you're 3d best player, you're not going to be a contender.
Athletic barometer... Parker >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Alston Ginobilli >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Battier Finley >>>>> Head Bowen > Battier Elson / Duncan >>>>> Yao Duncan / Horry >>>> Hayes / Howard If you're struggling with the phrase "closing the athletic gap"...help is available...just ask. "Idiotic"...? Based upon the Rockets lack of athleticism, I predicited the 5th place finish and came within 1 game of predictIng BOTH their season record and their 1st round exit. I was called out in early Nov 2006...I'll be just as idiotic in May of 2008.
Is there a more un-athletic team in the NBA than the rockets? I can't think of one. When we traded for Battier, it was under the assumption that we are going to "Win Now", therefore we can't wait for Rudy Gay to develop, but it turns out we can't even get out of the first round with Battier's "intangibles". If we can't win now, then we are much better off develop some young talent since we can't really sign any big FAs. The Rocket management has no direction at all, one year we need more athletes, the next we need more intangibles, so they the big FA signed a year ago was basically given away with a top tier young talent for some "intangibles". Wouldn't be surprised if this off season's goal is again to get more athletic. Just spinning the wheels, this team is going nowhere until the people at the top start to get a clue.
I hated the Battier trade when it first happened. Then I loved Battier after just a handful of games. Now I agree he has to go. We've seen his best, and while parts of his game are exceptional, his offensive impact is far too weak to put this team over the top. Yes, I'd love to keep him, but the fact is he's probably the only player that would garner significant interest in the trade market, and he has a good sized contract to work with. We can't trade him for chopped liver though. We would need to package him and someone else (maybe someone is still interested in VSpan, or we could use Sura's contract) to make a package nearing 10 million. We could nab an impact player for that much from a team that doesn't need him, doesn't want him, or would just rather move a big(ger) contract. Basically I'm fine with Yao, Tracy, and Shane, but one of them has to go if we want to bring someone in that will make a difference...and I don't see Yao or Tracy leaving anytime soon.
Trading Battier? Are you kidding? the more obvious losing reason is our middle level exception was wasted last summer.
Don't act like it's so far fetched. Battier is great at what he does, but to win in the playoffs, when other teams scout you and can scheme to take your primary scorers out of their game, you need guys who can get their own shots. Shane isn't that guy, and it'll be hard to get "that guy" without giving something up. That's where Shane comes in. It's a sad reality.
I don't think Battier is untouchable, but I still think Battier is an underrated player in this league, so which kind of player you can get back? I seriously doubt it will help this team instantly. I will be ok if we can get a top 5 or top 6 pick this year for him (we got him at the cost of #8 and Swift), but that's quite hard, and also not a "win it now" trading mode.
I'm not sure what player we could get...possibly a Maggette type, like I saw someone else mention. Not a star player, but the kind of young athletic guy that can put up 25 on any given night without batting an eye. He also gets to the line nearly 9 times a game. That kind of player would be incredible on this team. Possibly Battier + Spanoulis could get him. Maybe a pick. The Clippers are probably going to be hurting (no pun intended) at the PG position following the Livingston disaster so that's why I assume some interest in VSpan. Regardless of whether it would happen, it does work money wise (per RealGM.com Trade Checker).
Battier for Maggette? Even the Clippers agrees, there still has the trade-off between offense and defense, JVG won't like it, and Corey also has the injury prone problem. T-Mac said this team needed to improve their atheletics, I only partially agree. More important this team should improve their toughness and mentality badly, after all they had good chance to win the serie.
I'm of the opinion that he won't be back, so that is a moot point right about now. Besides, the trade off between offense and defense is fine with me. We were THE BEST defensive team in the league and it couldn't get us out of the first round. Changes are needed, obviously.
