First of all, the MLE is $5.7M. Trevor Ariza got the full MLE with 5 years/$33.5M. Turkoglu got a 5-year $50M deal meaning he got $10M/yr. Toronto had alot of capspace after Marion expired. Turkoglu may be older but he is better. He is already a star in this league, Rudy has ways to go before reaching Turkoglu's level.
This is how I see it too. At first, I didn't like the trade because I thought throwing in Swift together with the #8 pick was too high a price for Battier. But then I realized that Swift had negative trade value. Getting rid of him was one of the conditions HOUSTON DEMANDED for giving up the pick. Anyways, IMO, the trade was pretty fair. Those who think they have a "hands down" argument either way are overrating either Battier or Rudy Gay.
I don't see how adding all this weight will help Gay. He doesn't have a post game that would benefit from the extra muscle. Nor does he have the handles to consistently blow by his man. He already finished pretty well inside. This may end up just slowing him down defensively on the perimeter unless he's moving to PF full-time. It's like Travis Outlaw gaining 20 pounds and saying it's a good thing. Does he know how to use it?
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Why are you still calling him a small forward? Just admit you were wrong about it and move on to being excited about Rudy Gay. I don't think it's really necessary to post a clip of him dunking on a Rocket, but you can be excited about him and think he's a good player...he really is.
There is nothing to admit when it is obvious. I have no problem being wrong. Heck, anyone who predicts stuff long enough is bound to be wrong eventually unless they are Miss Cleo. I just found it funny that someone who has been on this board a month wanted to go back to a 7 year old post to try and make a point.
Further than any of the SFs on the Grizzlies took them or anyone human being ever took the Grizzlies in their entire history. Actually, he took the Rockets further than that new $17 million "star" that Heisley acquired ever took any of his teams.
I know this was meant as a stab at MemphisX but I wouldn't mind that package of Odom, Olowokandi, #8, and #12. We would have Odom, could have picked up Amare with #8 (he went 9th, and in houston he probably would have become a better defensive/offensive post player instead the soft jumpshooter that Dantoni taught him to be). At #12 there was still some talent left on the board but we probably would have selected some bust. Still with the way things are going I'd probably prefer Odom/Amare over Yao. And, who is BrooksBall to point out someone's post from a while back that turned out to be wrong?
Fortunately, I'm not the only one who has ever let doubt creep in: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=147968 http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=147968&page=2&pp=20
20lbs in one summer is a lot (if it's true) but I don't think it's too much for his frame. Rudy Gay is skinny but he always looked like he was going to fill out to me. He wasn't built like Durant or Granger. Lebron has put on at least 20lb since coming into the NBA and if anything, he looks quicker and more explosive now than he did at 18-20 years old. Extra muscle can actually help with explosiveness. I know I could jump higher at 23 weighing a very lean 170 than I could at 18 weighing a very lean 145 and I wasn't even doing basketball activities at 23. Just weight training.
you put that as Gay's advantage, I put it exactly why Battier is better than Rudy Gay. Because he won't be asking as much money.
ha how far has any player taken memphis. the only thing memphis ever won was a trip back home. hahahahaha.
