Should we trade Shane Battier to give Chase Budinger more playing time?

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LOL? Ariza is one of the best defenders in the league. He was leading in steals and is still close to the top. More often than not he is guarding the other team's best offensive player not Battier. Adelman and Morey have both said that the criticism of Ariza is coming from fans that only look at the offensive side of the ball. You could say the same about the criticisms that have come Battier's way.

Both Battier and Ariza are excellent defensive players. It has been obvious from the day they signed Ariza that he would be taking Battier's place some day. Since we are not real championship contenders this year, why not start the process now and give Ariza a chance to grow before Yao gets back. You are out of your mind if you think the Rockets will trade Ariza before Battier if they would get equal return for either. Ariza is younger, more athletic, and clearly a part of their future plans.

 

I think when Chase is on he is clearly the best in terms of talent, skills and overall production. The term in baseball is 5 tool player. What surprises me the most about Chase is that while he is still learning on defense he seldom looks lost or out of place.

He just seems like a natural in Adelmans offense, more so than Trevor, Shane or even more than TMac ever looked. The little move where he cuts to the free throw area to receive a pass and elevate for an easy mid range shot... just amazing for a rookie to have the type of understanding. He is constantly moving with out the ball with purpose, trying to cut to the open spot and he seems to know when to stay out of the paint and spot up at the arc. Just amazing. Veterans seldom have as good of an understanding of how an offense should work as Chase does as a rookie.

The one thing we all have to remind ourselves is that he is still a rookie and will have up and down nights as well as consistency problems like almost any first year player will have. I think back to how inconsistent AB and Landry were in there first year or two and how consistent they both are now. I think so much of that is just based on confidence and the comfort level of being in the league and playing against the best every night. Chase should have been a lottery pick, he is that good. I am excited about the possibility of how good he will be two years down the road. I believe he can be everything we wanted TMac to be (not quite as much athleticism as TMac but still great). I don't know if Chase has the mentality to be a dominating closer like TMac was earlier in his career but I think he has the talent and the skill.

 

There are other young guys in the league that can grow the same as Ariza and inherit Shane's place in a few years with good coaching and mentoring.

There are very, very few veterans (especially available for trade) that can do that mentoring for the younger players on the level that Shane is doing it. Shane is not a big part of our offense, no doubt. But he is a HUGE part of this TEAM.

 

Totally agree. I think he has the best basketball IQ of anyone I've seen coming into the league for a long time. We should be giving him as many minutes as possible this year so that there will be less consistency problems next year. Unless anyone believes we are going to win a championship this year, it makes no sense for anyone on the Rockets, including Battier, Ariza, or T-Mac, to take minutes away from Budinger. This is a preparation year for the exit of T-Mac and the return of Yao. Everything we do right now should be building toward a championship run in 1 or 2 years.

 

Unless we are made an offer too good to pass up, we should keep this team together. While we're short a big man, this team is moving the ball and playing better team basketball than I've ever seen. Give TMac a chance to ease back into game shape and let's see what we have towards the end of the season. Then if it makes sense to move him, or Battier, or whomever.....so be it. I don't think we should break up the current team chemistry.

 

Yes, but at least he doesn't have the green light to keep shooting. With ariza and shane on the floor we have have one ball handler on the floor. Chase can handle the ball, at least he doesn't dribble it off his foot or drive hard and then get trapped under the basket after picking up his dribble.

Chase just does more things in my mind than ariza.

 

I agree with the green light thing. Ariza's been given more rope than he can handle without a doubt. I think that was partially because Adelman frankly didn't have many options.

 

I think they are playing great as well and love the team chemistry, but what will it get us? I'll answer for you, a first or second round exit at best. Why? Because playoff basketball becomes a half court game and we don't have a big man tall enough to compete with LA, SA, or Dallas. If a trade comes along that will give us a big man, like Camby or O'neal, and lets you continue to progress your youth movement without taking on bad contracts then you do it, period.

Budinger needs to play to get him ready for a big role on our championship team. If you don't trade Battier he should come off the bench, because Budinger and Ariza should be getting a large share of the swingman minutes. Budinger and Ariza are a part of our future, Battier is not. We can't win a championship now so everything we should be doing is in preparation for when we can. I like Battier, but he and T-Mac are expendable.

 

Championship teams need old veterans on the bench, too.

 

Yes, Shane is not expendable. Look at the numbers and you won't think so. But watch the game and you will realize the truth. CBud is great, but I don't think we need to go trading anyone to give him more minutes at this point. HE'S A ROOKIE! Let him develop with the minutes he's getting now, and maybe in a few years he can prove himself to be consistent enough to depend on.

 

I'd like to see Shane finish his career with the Rockets and even come aboard as part of the coaching staff afterwards. Should his minutes be cut though? probably, for Chase's sake and growth. Shane brings alot to this team, but at the end of the day you need offensive production.

I'm totally impressed with Chase. This guy has taken to the NBA like fish in water. He's smooth, relaxed, can jump and shoot, but most of all he seems not to get to high or low. My feeling is if continues on this pace he'll make All-Star status by his 3rd or 4th year.

Don't flame me, but he kinda reminds me of Larry Bird.

 

I think Ariza was brought in to be the eventual replacement for Battier. But there is still plenty of tread left on his tires, I don't trade him just to trade him or even to allow more PT for another player.

 

thanks for making me the center of your universe once again kwame..

Hey yall i'm hating on kwame!

 

lol, Even Jordan's team had a rough defending center OR PF who played great defense.....I thought we had a C/PF who played great defense.

Run and Gun = no championships, plus we don't run and gun we just play more uptempo with motion offense.

So... run and gun doesn't equal a championship, but we're not a run and gun team, then what are you getting at?

 

As stated in DD's thread earlier, chase needs to play 30 mins a night come hell or high water. Battier or tracy needs to go. Dumping battier will open more cap room this off season as will letting tracy walk. Ariza is a upgrade to battier in every sense of the word and chase is coming on. I don't care who guards the elite wings because when we don't play the elite wings, shane does zero,see utah. Camby for shane and cook makes sense. Hell Jordan and Butler for shane makes sense. There are alot of trades that makes sense for this yr and next to me. All this you cant trade shane unless its for a all star is bs.

 

Why can't RA used Shane the same way he play Hayes. Start the game, sit down, when it gets scrappy, put him back in to stabilized things, then sit down again.

 

To answer the OP's question....you dont trade battier just got open up PT for mac..why? Because mac may not be here after this year. Right now the swingman spot really isnt clogged, we got 4 guys for two spots, 2 starters and 2 back ups. No real problem there. You may argue battier becomes overpaid if he's sent to the bench behind bud, but i'm not sure that's a strong argument since a) he'll be an expiring next yr and b) if tmac leaves and we can't acquire another swingman then the PT will again be available.

Wait out the season, handle the tmac situation, then re-evaluate next year with a complete roster... one year isn't going to ruin Budinger's confidence and battier will still hold value as an expiring.

 

i think battier plays an important role in the houston's defense,he's a great defender in the league,one of the top defenders,and also has great basketball IQ,ariza is still inconsistent in my opinion,maybe due to his young age,but i believe that will graudally improve in time

 

not necessarily since he's not expiring this year. You'd have to trade him specifically for an expiring deal and that's easier said than done. Teams want expiring deals this summer, they dont want to give them away.