I agree that Gortat is way overated ( and about to be WAY overpaid thanks to Mark Cuban), and I also agree that the best route to go would to be to sign a young guy. Wilcox is good, but isn't he a little undersized? If we expect to compete AT ALL next season, we need a 7 footer or something close to it that can bang a little bit and provide a little de, and give 10 or so point and 10 or so rebounds. I heard someone mention that we should trade T-Mac for Chandler and Peja......oh great, trade a oft-injured overpaid guy, for two more oft-injured overpaid guys. Great strategy......
I would like to see the rockets get a guy like Josh Boone and back him up with a older guy like Magloire or Mihm. No player the rockets can get can replace Yao's production, but they dont have to do it like that. If you look at a guy like Boone, when heplayed 25mins last year, he was 8ppg 7rebs and almost 1 blk per game. So if you get another guy that can put up 6pts and 5 rebs, now you have the same situation the rockets have at the 4 position. If every night, you can get a combo that can combine for 15pts 12 rebs and almost 2 blks, that will be enough to keep this team in it. Brooks will be the primary scorer with scola and trevor problay next alonng with landry and von. They can get points off everyone running the offense and knowing where theyre suppose to be and do. If we were talking about replacing hakeem and 27pts 12 rebs 3 blks and 2 steals, thats one thing and its not to minimize yao, but they have shown if they can get rebound and blks, they will be ok.
The Rockets should only sign a cheap stop gap. Dorsey can be starter or backup. The Rockets getting a lottery pick and 25M to spend next year should be the priority, unless Morey can pull a Bosh out of his hat in a sign and trade that doesn't gut the team.
Unless the Rockets get lucky and I don't mean winning the draft lottery they're more likely to end up with another role player than a franchise changing player like Roy or CP3. Rockets should keep on collecting assets.
I agree the Rockets should try to get Josh Boone or someone like that or hope that the 2 guys we have on our summer league who are built like Boone & Camby, tall and skinny, can earn a roster spot and do a good job rebounding and blocking.
Portland has wanted Battier for over two years now Portland needs a veteran presence Portland wants a wing upgrade Rockets need a center Solution? Battier/2010 pick-for-Oden/filler
Why doesn't this work then? I presented the logic behind this move in another thread so rather than me regurgitating that here too, how about you tell me what's wrong with it. And pulling out some "But he's a former #1 overall pick!" blurb doesn't count.
That's waaay to much for Oden. And Portland on the other hand wouldn't do it because they've invested too much in Oden and will get a backlash from their fans.
Agreed that's pricey for Oden but it's the risk you have to take in a move like this. Quality 7-footers with Oden's ceiling don't come along very often. It's a pricey proposition, but we would also be capitalizing on Battier's soon-to-be-declining trade value. Losing the pick stinks but the longer we hang onto McGrady's deal the more attractive it becomes to teams willing to give up anything to slash salary. You can always acquire a pick that way and/or buying picks on draft night. Portland made a sizable investment in taking Oden over Durant, no doubt. I'm not discounting that. Acquiring Battier also helps makes them serious right now. Their wing play was shaky and inconsistent last year -- enter the "no stats, All Star". All Portland would need to do is use their remaining cap space to fill out the roster (get an Andre Miller type, add a 4/5 for depth).
Shane for DeAndre Jordan would help the rockets for now and in the future. We could shave about 6m off our cap for the next couple of years and we get a center with upside.
But Lee, don't you think the rockets are capable of getting much more for Battier than Deandre Jordan and cap space?
1: Portland still looks at Odem as a important piece to there future. considering he showed something ( not much I will admit) against Yao, The Blazers are not gonna get rid of him for a glue guy. 2:7 footers are like pitchers. when you have a good one ( or just decent) you not getting rid of him for role players even if that role player is Robert Horry/Shane Battier good. Even with Yao playing, odem is top 5 center in the west when healthy. A smart GM is not going to give up the pain for a wing player
Not quite sure who "Odem" is but i'll just assume we're discussing the same player. For starters, Oden was garbage against Yao so their inclination to hang onto him would have nothing at all to do with his performance in the playoffs. He's young and has plenty of upside, it's just fairly obvious he's been the missing link in Portland. When you factor in his mild progression and durability issues, one has to wonder if his learning curve will ever satisfy Portland's "win now" philosophy that they're trying to employ with their interest in Hedo, Andre Miller, etc. Battier is the epitome of a "win now" player that's worth much more to winning team than a rebuilding team (which is added motivation for us to move him). Battier moves them one step closer to being serious while Oden is still learning. And Oden is nowhere near a top five center in the West [yet] -- hell, he's not even starting on his own team yet.
