It's hilarious how people think Battier is done, at 31. He doesn't have that much mileage on him as he was a 4-year college player, and his minutes have gone down the last 4 years. He's the same guy that played Bryant the best out of anyone in the league 2 years ago. Everyone said "Ariza didn't get to play with Yao", but then slam Battier and call his career over when he didn't play with Yao last year either. With the bench the way it is, he's the best starting 3 the Rockets can put out there, as he can't really run with the second unit and his defensive skills are best utilized in the beginning of the first and 3rd quarters and then situationally in the 4th. D Fisher is 36 and just picked up another ring, but Battier can't start anymore? Reediculous.
I was talking about a certain type of player you and your mentor leebigez love...the "athletic" type. I know less than many, but enough to know that Battier is better than you and leebigez give him credit for .
This is my last post in this thread for now. I'm tired of talking about this topic at the moment. For the record, I do like Courtney Lee. I do expect professional athletes to be athletic. You are certainly right, you do know less than many. Battier is a nice player if you're satisfied with mediocrity. Go look at what Ariza did for the Lakers in the playoffs and what Jackson has done for multiple teams in the playoffs. Shane usually shrinks when it counts the most, especially on the road. How many playoff games did those Memphis Grizzlies ever win?
Especially for you... The Grizzlies went from 23-59 in Battier’s rookie year to 50-32 in his third year, when they made the N.B.A. playoffs, as they did in each of his final three seasons with the team. Before the 2006-7 season, Battier was traded to the Houston Rockets, who had just finished 34-48. In his first season with the Rockets, they finished 52-30, and then, last year, went 55-27 — including one stretch of 22 wins in a row. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html
Relax Kwame. There is no way that Battier resigns here and if he does he'll play the Deke (team cheerleader) role for very little money. He'll be part of the package that upgrade the 3. I don't hate Battier but he can't run the fast break and is just over the hill for this team.
Amen, and he can teach CBud even more this year too. I mean you keep players like Battier, I love the makeup of this team, all of the players fit in perfectly. DD
If it was Ariza on the expiring deal and Battier with 4 years $28 mil left, Battier woulda been the preferred person to get dealt. There does have to be a little bit of desirability in a player with a long term contract for another team to take him. No one would Jared Jeffries at 4 more years at his current deal. So another team did have to perceive Ariza as a contributor to take him on. I think its the favorable contract terms+contribution that keeps Battier around, more than just Battier by himself. But we'll see at the trade deadline or possibly after the end of the next season what the Rockets think about him.
I'm glad Battier stay. I was hoping that Ariza would show a lot more this season, but that was a huge disappointment. Ariza gambling on a lot of plays wasn't the only thing that pissed me off, I also hated how he sucked at guarding off the ball players since he would lose them a lot of the time. I was hoping Ariza was our future 3 and held hope that this season he would show more, however I'm not mad at the trade since I'm a Courtney Lee fan (won me over during 2009 playoffs).
Notice that Gersson Rosas from the Rockets front office said that Courtney Lee was "cut from the same cloth as Battier." Seems reasonable, boths good defender who follow the game plan (and not gamble like Ariza and Artest), both low usage player on the offensive end whose strength is in spot-up shooting. Battier is taller while Lee is quicker, but like Rosas said, there are a lot of similarities. So this means that even when the Teflon Don leaves the team, the team will likely replace him with a new Teflon Don. Kwame and leebigez will be able to enjoy the Teflon Don for years to come.
ehh, if they had signed him as a FA, neither one of them would have that much of an issue with Battier. It all comes down to them both thinking Rudy Gay is actually worth that number 8 pick.
Agreed for the most part but they seem to have had the same broken record posts about Brent Barry, who signed a relatively cheap free agent contract. They're cut from the same cloth of fans that think athletic dummies/knuckleheads are way more valued than smart players who can't do a highlight dunk.
Exactly, just look at Bruce Bowen of all people who was still kicking and punching defenders in the face well into his late 30s. Team players like Battier are able to prolong their careers cause they play on a team with great talent and depth so their role is very specific and thus their very effective at performing it. Same reason Horry was able to play for two decades and continue to collect hardware. The guys who breakdown are the ones with too much responsibility or bad luck with injuries. Battier should be a excellent role-player for at least another 3-5 seasons.
In that entire quote, what was wrong with what i said? I thought so. Nowhere did i ever say the rockets should sign him or that he is a great basketball player. I mentioned why he cant stay on one team and his problems are off the court. Of course, its easy to search and post what you want, but thats cool. The truth is that same jr rider was the leading scorer on a team that went to the conf finals as the youngest team in the league at the time. That is further than any rocket on this current team. Thats not to say i wanted him then, i'm just saying what the guy did for that team at that time.
