The deal is the Rockets offer of a salary dump and evaluation of 2 young guys for Sac. I dont think I would call Kirk or VSPan the Rockets future anyway. Sac is going to get some more offers, all along the same line, but thats a good deal for them unless a team really wants Artest and gives up something better, or they can actually use I would take that deal right away and start Ron at PF. Maybe the only chance Rockets could really compete because of the horrid situations at PF and PG. Would that sway anybody from doing the R.Lewis Battier deal. Yao,TMac, Artest, Battier 3 scorers and a shooter Yao,TMac, Artest, Lewis 4 scorers Yall dreaming thinking Billups to houston will happen J.Howard's Contract isn't going anywhere until maybe next year Bonzi is in a weird situation, about 2.5 mil...who knows what his value is, or if he even has any. He would only opt out if he can get more somewhere else If he does opt out, Rockets would be all but out of the running because that MLE has to be used to get an athletic big or starting PG
Realistically, Artest is better than Rashard at this point (and much cheaper). The only huge difference is there attitude..........
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Realistically, Artest is better than Rashard at this point (and much cheaper). The only huge difference is there attitude..........</div> Artest is better than Rashard at this point?? Artest is not better than Rashard because Artest is not better than Rashard Statistically and Rashard is a leader on his team. Artest is a co-star. Getting either is very unlikely. We need to get a guy whos salary is 5 million or less that is a consistent scorer because we can not take on the extra salary.
<div class="quote_poster">TmacGarnett Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Artest is better than Rashard at this point?? Artest is not better than Rashard because Artest is not better than Rashard Statistically and Rashard is a leader on his team. Artest is a co-star.</div> Are you serious? Does the name Ray Allen ring a bell? Both are good offensivley, except Artest does a better job of gettin his own shot. Defensivley it's not even an debate, Artest by a LONG SHOT. The one good thing is Rashard's a better spot up shooter. But overrall I'm leaning towards Artest because of his toughness. <div class="quote_poster">TmacGarnett Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Getting either is very unlikely. We need to get a guy whos salary is 5 million or less that is a consistent scorer because we can not take on the extra salary.</div> It's not unlikley to get Artest. He's cheaper than Rashard and we don't have to give up too much.
Artest is cheaper, and with the money you save you can make a play for Billups. It's a great situation to be in.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He has mental toughness? You're kidding right</div> on the court.......yes he does.........the guy competes, doesn't take crap from anyone,etc.....the rockets would be stupid not to make this move if it's available.....Snyder will never be anything more than a avg. role player, Spanouliss isn't a given, Sura's done, and who knows about next years draft pick..........do it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">How does this sound? PG Billups SG Battier SF McGrady PF Artest C Yao</div> I doubt it would all work out like that, but jesus christ that would be scary
Well, if this trade did go down and if we don't get Billups, which is most likely, I wouldn't mind the lineup being like this. PG McGrady SG Battier SF Artest PF I HAVE NO IDEA!! haha uhm Chuck? C Yao I'd rather have a true blue PF rather than Artest at the PF position though. T-mac at the point wouldn't be so bad, because with Artest on board, he wouldn't have to score that much and can make plays.
Ron Artest is cool. Yes he's had attitude problem in the past, but I did feel for him in the pacers vs pistons fiasco. That was heavy provocation right there. Since then he's been a good good boy. Not un;ess i'm missed something.
None of that has to do with on the court play. Houston would embrace this loon as the guy that could save the team
^^^yes we would...............I'd volunteer to feed his dogs for him..........make this happen Les!!!!
We need someone like Artest. Someone with attitude, someone with BAD HISTORY. ****, for all I know ... some Rockets players have too much of the "good guy" in them. We need Artest. We need the attitude.
<div class="quote_poster">Pakman Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">We need someone like Artest. Someone with attitude, someone with BAD HISTORY. ****, for all I know ... some Rockets players have too much of the "good guy" in them. We need Artest. We need the attitude.</div> You have Yao for that.
This would be a huge step. I think you guys def need another scorer though. Maybe Mike James can be that guy because with that lineup you would need to rely on artest being a VERY consistent scorer to win a ton of games and i'm not sure if can still do that.
Skip +VSPan(or Sura's contract) and the 1st rounder for Artest I could see that Then Sac can move Bibby's big expiring contract
<div class="quote_poster">TmacGarnett Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Artest is better than Rashard at this point?? Artest is not better than Rashard because Artest is not better than Rashard Statistically and Rashard is a leader on his team. Artest is a co-star. Getting either is very unlikely. We need to get a guy whos salary is 5 million or less that is a consistent scorer because we can not take on the extra salary.</div> Artest's has defense that Lewis does not, thus he is more valuable to the Rockets. Statistically, I am sure Lewis got more touches than Artest did. How many leaders do we need on this team? If, "It's on me" does not constitute as being a leader, then the world's gone insane. Another factor is that Yao has been on the Rockets longer than any other player on our roster, and if he's not a leader, then no one else deserves to be. We don't need a guy that's going to take over leadership roles and become a star, that's Yao's job, and that's McGrady's job, and if that hasn't gotten into their minds yet, Van Gundy was definitely not the coach for them. We took Juwan Howard's "extra salary," it's just if Les is willing to pay Luxury Tax in order to win. Rafer Alston is sitting on an ugly contract (in terms of length), as well. The whole premise of this trade is an absolute steal for the Rockets. We get a guy with a shorter contract, trading players that don't work for us, and an expiring contract of a guy that will never play in the NBA. The only person I don't want to trade is Spanoulis, and I am sure he's not a deal breaker either way. Without even using our MLE (except a little for resigning Mutumbo/Hayes) or LLE this trade puts us in good shape. Big Jake will sign for near nothing. Swap Lucas and Spanoulis in the deal and this is what we get: Rafer/James/Spanoulis McGrady/Bonzi/Head Battier/McGrady/Artest Artest/Hayes/Reed Yao/Mutumbo/Tsakilidis Wait for Francis to get bought out, sign him for the LLE. Split the MLE between Matt Barnes and some PF help OR pursue Luke Walton (*DINGDINGDING*) and some PF help, or even dish it out to Nocioni (*DINGDINGDING*), Mo Peterson (but no more head cases), or James Posey (eh). With whatever is left resign Mutumbo and Hayes, let Tskalidis walk if he needs to. Mind me for having faith in Francis, I really think he can help us, though I am sure most of you disagree. Francis/James/Spanoulis McGrady/Bonzi/MLE/Head Battier/MLE/McGrady/Artest Artest/Hayes/Reed/Rafer Deal Yao/Mutumbo/Rafer Deal And that's saying we trade Rafer for absolute garbage, we can definitely get something good for him, like an athletic wingman. Then we could solely focus the MLE on going after a real impact player, and we could really go far. We can finally have a deep, bench that can run up the scoreline AND defend. I am comfortable with that lineup, we would have a VERY solid bench. Bonzi is expected to come back, according to what Feigen thinks. Artest can play the 4, in my honest opinion, and Adelman disagrees, use the MLE or really play with a deal for Rafer to get a legit 4, move Artest to the 3, Battier his backup. That's just what I think.
Good post Mag. I won't mind seeing Francis back; the guy's a fan favorite and the worst that could happen is he backs up James. That is, if he can shake free of his injuries and regain most of his quickness. The best place for him to get a fresh start might just be Houston. I doubt though that we'd have much of the MLE to move with. It's a $5 million or so exception and I can see us using $2-3 of the 5 million to sign Deke and Hayes. With $3 million, Matt Barnes might take it all. Either way I like the situation we're in this summer.
