Why is everyone looking for another PF? We have a starting PF His name is Battier. Yes in spite of the fact that so many people on this board think he is not a PF, he is more than capable. 30% of his minutes where at the PF spot with Memphis last year. If they didn’t have one of the better PF’s in the league in Gasol, Battier would have been their starter. As it is they slid Pau to center spot to keep Battier on the court as a PF. For those of you who think he is not tall enough or not strong enough or not quick enough let me just say he is a better version of Haslem who the Heat won a championship with. He is not the tallest or strongest or quickest PF in the league but he is far from the worst at those things either. Yeah sure I would rather have Brand or Duncan but that’s not going to happen and truthfully those type of inside offensive players would be a bad fit along side Yao. Probably the best type of PF to complement Yao is a Rasheed or Dirk type. I think Battier is the next step down from there. Strength wise the PF’s I see him having a problem with are Brand, Amare, Zach Randolph, Emeka, Dwight Howard and maybe Nene. Wouldn’t JHO have even more trouble against those same PF’s. And who are we going to get that can stop those guys. Most of those guys would have a hard time stopping each other. Also I think everyone underestimates Battier’s strength. He is a solid 6’8” physique and is quicker than maybe 80% of the PF’s in the league. If you are worried about his rebounding it will improve significantly when he plays most of his minutes at the PF spot. I expect to average at least 7 rebounds and maybe more per game. And that’s not even mentioning his shotblocking abilities where he is number 13 when ranked against all players not just PF’s. Finesse wise I see him having trouble with KG, Nowitski, O’neal, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, and maybe Odom. Again wouldn’t JHO have even more trouble against those same PF’s. And who are we going to get that can stop those guys. All of the PF’s are helpless against the likes of Nowitzki’s but remember in the Finals Haslem seemed to chase him around better than most and I see Battier as a better version of Haslem. He is a better scorer and shotblocker and again when he is permanently moved to PF spot he will be at least as good a rebounder. So why is everyone looking for a starting PF. Who are we going to find that is better than Battier. Yeah he is not the 7’0” KG or the 300 pound Nene and doesn't have monster numbers like some of the star PF's but he is better than half the PF’s in the league. He’ll bring solid defense every night and that is not even counting his intangibles like 3 point shooting and passing and the fact that he always plays smart and he has a great Moneyball rating and in spite of what posters may think the guy is durable he and can withstand the physical pounding inside. And to top it off he is a great fit next to Yao and only a handful of PF’s would be better and JHO isn’t one of them. So
I hope I am proven wrong, but I really don't see SB as the starting PF. Yes, he can move their for certain matchups -- but not full time.
I truly agree with you Old Man Rock, I think he will be our starting PF, but I also think we need better depth at the PF spot, Jho and Hayes are not very good depth, Jho is less effective coming off the bench. That is why we need to ship off Jho and probably use the rest of our MLE on a good back-up PF.
I think shane could pull it off. But to me the Nba really is changeing , its moveing toward players who can flat out play more so then players who just fit into the mold of the traditional set 5 positions.
Shawn Marion has done pretty well at PF and he's 6'7 228. It's not always about size. battier has the intelligence and desire needed to make this work.
I agree with you guys that the trade is to pencil him in as starting PF. Otherwise he can only be a backup 3 to Tmac. But I also agree with the other point of Old Man Rock -- he is going to have trouble with ... pretty much every elite PF in the league. Yes JHo is having trouble too. But what's the value in the trade?
Juwan Howard? No thanks. Battier has to be on the floor w/Yao and Tracy - and it's the only place for him to stay. McGrady can't play SG anymore. Battier can't play it either. He's either at PF when they're in or at SF when Tracy's out - that's it.
If Battier is as freakish as Marion, yea, I agree, despite the fact that Marion got abused by Odom in the playoffs. Marion averages 13 reb (48 min) at the PF position.
As I posted earlier, TMac was quoted as saying that Battier will be the starting powerforward opening night.
have you forgotten? swift has negative trade value and rox wants to "win now" so any rookie aside from Roy are out..
We may not have much choice, but I'd rather not start someone at PF who averages on 8 reb per 48 min at that position. (for comparison, Swift averaged 9.7 as a Rocket at PF).
You mean, like 6'8", 240-lbs Elton Brand? Or 6'7", 228-lbs Shawn Marion? 6'8", 230-lbs Udonis Haslem? 6'9", 240-lbs Kenyon Martin? 6'9", 235-lbs Antawn Jamison? 6'9", 245-lbs David West? 6'9", 220-lbs Luol Deng? 6'9", 230-lbs Donyell Marshell? Please don't tell me that one inch and 15-lbs means that much, especially when Battier has intentionally kept his weight down since college so he could play the four. The fact is, this guy was a standout defender at the four in college, he has enough length and athleticism to rebound well at or near the basket, and he has the shooting touch to space the floor there just like we needed. How many other fours in this league can regularly knock down their mid-range jumpers out to the three-point line and can pass the ball to cutters from the high-post? Now, that's not to say that Battier will play the four the entire game. That, of course, is why we need another post defender who can give us minutes against longer, more physical power forwards, while doubling as a five when against smaller and more athletic teams so Yao can get a rest. But still, to suggest that the former national player of the year in college at the four cannot play the position when Udonis Haslem and no-defense Dirk were the starting power forwards in the NBA Finals is just taking a chance to bash Battier. I bet someone would say Gay could play there, right?
So, let's trade Juwan and Head for Mihm and Cook, pick up a larger trade exception. Then sign Qyntel Woods and JLIII with the remaining MLE and go to war like that armed with expiring contracts and a new trade exception in the neighborhood of $5.9 million.
people seem to forget about charles barkle's size and he is one of the best power fowards of all time and he was not even 6'6.
I think it's obvious now swift was dumped for financial reasons. If the Rockets had somehow managed to trade Battier for only Rudy Gay and signed MJ they'd be paying luxury tax.
I was excited that they drafted Rudy Gay because I thought he would be a good fit as an athletic PF with his size and long arms. Then we can trade Swift for a SG ... My dream lasted for less than 10 min
