It's no secret that Portland wants Shane -- hell, they've coveted him for over two years now. My question is do you ever think Portland will reach the point where they want him bad enough to execute some sort of Shane-for-Oden swap?
Not Batum either, huh? Batum seems like the perfect player to get a hold of, if we're going to give up Shane. I figure since he's gone for the year, and Portland wants to win this year, this is as good a time as ever to try for the swap.
Say's who? I've lived in Seattle since 1992 and while I like Nate, I'm not sure how you come by this impression. He was a solid glue guy with a nice +/-, but that's about it. He was the back up to "one of the best permiter defenders of his generation."
I like Batum,but I'm skeptical about getting him because he is out for the year with a labrum tear. The Rockets should look for potential trades around the deadline in February which can help us in the long run for Shane and Luis unless we can hit an unexpected "home run" in a McGrady trade.
Cerebral glue guy, very high steals (top 10 all-time in steal rate since they've been tracked), good +/- as you say despite being a low scorer, he could guard 3 positions, and he was elected twice to All-Defense 2nd team as a backup. To get elected to those team as a backup, you have to be pretty good I think. And in response to the "say's who?" -- here's one guy's take: http://www.supersonicsoul.com/2008/08/sss-hof-5-nate-mcmillan.html
Why is that? Very curious to hear your reasoning. He's already proven it. He'll never be an All-Star, but Rudy Fernandez clearly belongs in the NBA.
They don't have players that defend. Roy, Aldridge, Blake, Miller, Webster, Outlaw, and Rudy all don't play good defense. Sure they'll try and stay with their man but they don't do much to effect how the opposition plays/shoots. Someone mentioned Pryzbilla and that's a big factor. He was a monster for them down in the paint and didn't draw fouls as frequent as Oden does. Oden's fouling is a big issue either. You can't have your starting center picking up so many fouls and having to sit for long stretches of a game.
Portland drafted him and he's on their team. Simple as that. So you have nothing factual to say about why he can't play in the NBA. Have you seen him much? I'm guessing no.
You're not making much sense. He's getting 26 minutes per game. That means he doesn't belong in the NBA?
I never said he COULD'NT play in the NBA. Just meant that i'm yet to be convinced he is a player i'd want in a Battier deal (in context of the post I was replying to). I have him on my fantasy team this year, wanted some help in 3's...so I hope he gets some run - atm he is planted to the bench....outside of 3's i'm curious to see what he can contribute consistently.
You're just so use to seeing awesome defense by the Rockets, other teams just seem to play "bad" defense. Can't play 1v1 defense in the NBA. Defense is all about rotation and help defense.
No, you said you're unconvinced he can play in the NBA. "I'm yet to be convinced that Rudy Fernandez can actually play in the NBA."
YET TO be. Semantics really. Who cares what I think anyway, I'm an Australian fan who doesnt know anything about Australian players, apparently.
Based on last season alone, there isn't any doubt he can play in the NBA. He's done enough already to convince anyone who's seen him much.
I agree that he was pretty good. My objection was to the claim that he was one of the best defenders of his generation...
