In Morey and Les do we trust. They will still try to from and build a team that would compete for the crown. Yes, for the title. No matter how distant it may seem but they do not simply give up on a season due to injuries in July.
Um, maybe I'm missing something, but a month ago, the team's best player was looking to come back for next season healthy, and there had yet to be a decision on whether to re-sign Ron. For all of Ron's warts, if two months ago you were looking at a team with the current roster, including a healthy Yao, plus Ron, plus trading T-Mac and a lesser role player for at least something that would be a very solid positive contribution to the team...well, yay, that's exciting. Now, with Yao's injury, with Artest gone (yes, replaced with Ariza, but be honest, Ariza is not YET at Ron's caliber) - and again, his warts aside, at least part of the reason not to resign him has got to do with Yao's injury - with the whole "stealing something for T-Mac's expiring" concept having yet to materialize (not that it can't at a later date, but not yet), with the lowered and likely lowering salary cap... ...well, in reality, you're the one that is a little difficult to understand. It's not just random fan reactionism. The facts are clear - the team has gone from potential championship contender to hope they make the playoffs. They are super role players. BUT, it's been noted multiple times in this thread and on this board....Scola's contract expires next year. He WILL demand a higher salary with his next deal. One of 2 things will happen. He will be resigned by the Rockets which will eat into their cap space, or he will be let go. Also, it doesn't matter if you're the biggest Battier fan in the world. The fact is he will remain one of those perfect role players for championship type teams, but his negatives will be highlighted even more on a team with limited upside. Plus, he is getting older AND will be getting paid more every year. Yes, their contracts will expire, but PLEASE go and read some of the salary cap threads that have been prevalent lately. Nobody knows what will happen in the future, but even in the most aggressive scenarios, to keep our great role players (i.e. - resign Scola), we'd have to get very lucky to have enough cap room to seriously further improve the team. We may just barely have enough cap space to sign a max-type player next offseason...signing another one the following offseason is unlikely, even with Yao's contract coming off the books, as the team will likely be over the cap again after filling out the roster. Going 41-41 will NOT get you in the playoffs in the West. You had to win 48 games last year to make it. I'm not saying the Rockets can't sneak in as an 8 seed or something, but it should be tough. You have to look at reality. I'm not being a pessimist. Typically, I'm more of an optimist - I still think that T-Mac+ will get a great package in return around the trade deadline or later in the offseason. But that doesn't mean I'm ignoring reality. Reality is that the tallest player on our team right now, with any considerable NBA skill, is Luis Scola. Reality is that we have no true SG on our roster, much less a backup to that position. Reality is that team's best healthy player on it's current roster is, AT BEST, the 3rd best player on a championship roster - meaning they need to somehow get two players better than anyone they currently have. Reality is that there are two ways to salvage the boat, both of which require some large degree of luck. (1) Hope that Yao's year off / surgery / whatever solves his foot problem and he can finally go a whole season + playoffs when he comes back next year, AND that he is still capable of being a go to, franchise type player. Then, hope that the salary cap doesn't go down that much and you can convince one of the more marquee FA's to sign (not necessarily a D-Wade type, but maybe a Chris Bosh...Joe Johnson - dreaming?? - type). Fill out the rest of the roster. (2) Same as above, but instead of letting T-Mac's contract expire you trade him for one of those two players you need. Still have to have Yao come back healthy. Personally, I don't think DM is trying to "rebuild" - as in stockpile very high draft picks and work through the lottery. I think he'd love to get some high draft picks if possible via trade, but isn't going to go out and sell valuable players (Scola, Battier) for those picks. He understands championship is very very very unlikely next year, but would like to salvage the potential for the following season. But he's likely looking even further ahead than that. Yao's contract coming off after 2010-2011 season may not mean enough cap space for a huge FA signing, but should certainly give the team some more flexibility, and Yao may at least still be a serviceable big man at a much reduced salary. So he won't give Scola or Battier away, but he will actively listen to trade proposals...and maybe even propose some of his own. Scola is valuable in that he is a starting caliber PF in the league, is paid cheaply and is an expiring. I think he less likely to be moved as the frontcourt is so weak and because being paid cheaply and having an expiring contract is valuable to the Rockets as well - at worst they decide to let him walk next year, but can also explore the S&T options, or just resign him. Battier is valuable as that perfect role player discussed, BUT less so to the Rockets in that they won't have the perfect team to put around him unless they get lucky in a few years. He has a larger, longer contract, is getting older, and he and Ariza have very very similar games. I think he the more likely of the two to get traded.
Trading Scola, Battier for some prospects is just following what Memphis-the-worst did in 5 years. They got Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo by those rebuilding jobs, and so what? They still in worst position in southwest division, and they will be there another year for sure. Southwest "the hell" division would not let us just do rebuilding peacefully. Of couse I will support Rocket team no matter how much win they gonna win next season, but yeah I just don't wanna get stress by supporting the worst team in division. KEEP BATTIER.
Yes, if you can make the team better by a good trade, but have you follow the trade thread on this board? Battier for Foster, Battier for G..... whoever, I can even know his name correctly. Can this trade make us better? Hello, no.
Seth, he also has a 1yr no trade clause on the match. He can decline any trade for a yr or only give his permission to certain teams.
If wew were to trade Battier.. how does this trade sound.. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=loo5m9 Utah gets Marco Belinelli Corey Maggete Shane Battier Brandan Wright Golden State gets Boozer Brain Cook 2011 1st rounder from Houston Houston gets Brewer(starting, athletic, slashing SG) Fes (young center, physical, good size) Harpring (6.5 MIL expring and possibly retire)
I dont think you go with the Memphis rebuilding style and I trust Morey way more then Memphis GM....IF we trade both or either we have to get young impact players like Rudy Fernandez or Travis Outlaw...low salary big upside...
It's also what Portland did. And our GM is better than Pritchard and whoever the hell is running the show in Memphis now.
Thanks, actually there are 3 people that I trust on the contract situation here at Clutchfans. NikeStrad BimaThug Gater Any of those 3 has a much better grasp on the cap and trade restrictions etc, I know a little but those guys know a lot. DD
I think the reason why so many people are expecting Battier to be traded is that he essentially plays the same position as Ariza. And with Ariza being the newest addition to the team, it doesn't make sense that he would be shipped out. Also add to the fact that Rick Adelman told Ariza that "he would be a major part of the offense" and I have a hard time seeing Trevor being a 6th man guy. Yea, I know that there are people here who envision Ariza playing the 2 but come on - if he and Battier are our 2 and 3 and we don't have a decent inside player at center, our offense is going to be very stagnant and suck hard. Outside of Brooks and Scola, who can create their own shot? I just don't see Ariza and Battier starting together - I think they (assuming Battier is kept) will play together sorta like Battier did with Artest when McGrady was on the active roster - one of them will come off the bench and there will be times that they are both on the floor together but it is doubtful that they start games out on the floor together. The offense will be too stagnant. And it really makes no sense for Morey to sign Ariza to have him come off the bench. That is why I think he will try to move Battier before the season starts - hopefully for a true 2 and a decent 5 to fill in the gap with Yao being out.
Desperate for some news, so I went to the dreaded Hoopsworld, and found something interesting: Steve Kyler: 4)What big man does HOU trade for? - They have been active in talking, but I am not sure they have found their deal... The Rockets executives have been buzzing around a lot of teams so their not waiting this out, they are mixing things up.
Ariza can not replace Battier as a team leader, many people just underestimate his role as a team leader. Now without Yao, his role for leadership becomes more important, not mention that we still do not know if Ariza can guard a player like Kobe as well as the team chemistry issue without Battier. Only logic thinking to trade Battier is to start rebuilding, but I think we should retooling rather than rebuilding.
Okay, your missing the big picture. Imagine a football team losing their MVP quarterback or baseball team losing their ACE, Cy-young pitcher. Yao was our #1 go to player. Defenses had to be designed to stop him, even then he could score or get other players to score due to the pressure he saw. Scola is at best a #2 scorer on a 50 win team & Battier is at best a #3 scorer. Given how we have no size (rebounding disadvantage) and no shot blocker (lots of those "weak or bad teams" that don't have shooters can drive and get good looks or draw fouls), our defense next year will on the whole suffer some next year. We are not winning 50 games this year, and like I've been saying it would be better if we do not so we can get a better lottery pick. On the "we can lure a new franchise player" thing. Apparently, you have not been reading the cap threads littering the GARM. Unless we trade Battier, we cannot offer max to any star FA next year, and call me crazy but any player in the Joe Johnson or lower level is not what I call a "franchise player."
IMO its less risky to come to the realization we were 1 piece away, hope Yao comes back, and continue with the cornerstones we had (although older) than it is to try and rebuild. You don't get that close very easily.
Ariza is supposed to be a Battier style player. Artest and Battier proved to work well last season for the Rockets. Ariza will run the coaches plays, unlike Artest who ran his own plays though effective. So why trade Battier unless the team is thinking of quits? So I can see people wanting to trade Battier for a center. But, I think a lot of people over estimate Battiers NBA market value. I don't think you will ever get equal value for Battier because his stats are so subpar to other SF or wingmen. Battier and Hayes have high positive impact in any game, though their stats look pedestrian. Scola, Brooks, and Landry will need to be the Rockets points leaders. Scola's done it in the past while in Europe; now is his time to shine big in the NBA. And I think the Rockets are expecting Ariza to be a huge chunk of the points as well. Realistically this team can win 45 to 50 games. But even if they don't, I think that they will give a dog fight to each and every team they play night in and night out. I'm expecting defensive duke'em outs for the entire season, I would not be surprised if the Rockets are a top 3 defense in the NBA next seson. Scola 6'9"- Hustle, solid defense, very creative offensively Hayes 6'6"- Ultimate defender - understands Positioning Landry 6'8"- solid defense, more offensive Battier 6'8"- Ultimate defender - understands Positioning (listed as F-G) Ariza 6'8"- was an excellent defender with L.A. (listed as G-F) Brooks 6'0"- blazing speed, can break down defenses Lowry 6'0"- very strong point guard, can penetrate and finish The above is the 7 man rotation which I think can compete hard and effective. Now we'lll see if Dorsey, Budinger, Taylor, or White steps up to join the 8 - 10 man rotation. But as it is, the team has full mid level exception to offer to free agents. Also the team has trade exceptions and expiring contracts in potential trades. So, this team isn't redy to start rebuilding yet. (period!!!) Just remember how long it takes for a team to rebuild? Go ask the Clippers, Warriors, Kings, etc. After Dream was traded and Francis was on board, it wasn't until Yao was drafted that the Rockets became a noticeable in the NBA scene. And it wasn't until this past season the Rockets won a 1st round series - granted injuries have kept this team down for way too long.
I never talked about Ariza replacing Battier as team leader. If Shane is traded, then someone else is going to have to step up and be the leader of this team, even if that is the new guy in Ariza. All I was saying is that Battier and Ariza play the same position and I don't think that Ariza was signed to be a guy to come off the bench.
