Though making do with one (or none) is possible, it's preferable to have two. Why is it that everyone the Rockets bring another wing in with good defensive skills (Artest last season, Ariza this one), people think it means they intend to trade Battier? Consider that: (1) 2 good defensive wings can actually play together, (2) playing them together is likely to improve D more than just one good defensive wing and a mediocre (or sucky) one, (3) a starter typically plays 30-35 mins a game... having one good defensive wing menas you spend 1/3 to 1/4 of the game without a good defensive wing, having two means you lcan have a good defensive wing all night long, and (3) players do get injured and miss game pretty often (and we should know that better than fans of most teams. Yes, if you can get Rubio in a deal, if Battier is needed for the trade, let him go-- and that's with or without Ariza. If we can get Rudy Fernandez, probably the same thing, with or without Ariza. But having Ariza doesn't change all that... the calculations on Battier-- as a Rocket or as a trade piece-- doesn't change. The right nut (Ariza) doesn't make it a good idea to give up the left one (Battier).
I don't know...The idea of having two great wing defenders didn't quite worked for Rockets. Maybe few games like against Cavs or Lakers but other than that it didn't show to be as it was expected. Nothing against Battier, I'd love him see him next season in Rockets uni and NOT to trade him but the whole great wing defenders story is a bit overrated.
excellent post. i'd like to add that this upcoming season has a dirty little secret that the rockets won't admit to. that is, they aren't concerned with winning right now. why? because they know they can't win the championship this season so they are retooling. they are concerned first with getting younger. acquire young assets even if they don't all fit together right away. even if we dont get anyone on the roster over 6'9. as long as we turn all of our aging players into promising young players.
Then why did we let Artest, the biggest nut we had, walk without even putting up much of a fight? According to a lot of people around here, we let Artest go without putting up much of a fight because we're 'rebuilding' and need to get younger, quicker, more athletic, etc. So why is it so crucial that we keep Battier when he's older, slower, and less athletic than Artest?
Because Shane's contract didn't expire. Also, he isn't a complete pain in the neck to have around like Mr. Nutcase Artest. Shane will also be a better influence on the younger players. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6509633.html Lastly, we still don't know if Shane will be on the Rockets when the season starts. Supposedly he's been offered in at least one proposed trade.
I don't really believe we had two great wing defenders, I believe we had one great wing defender and one intimidating strongarm. Defense is more about what's going on between the ears, not the size of your biceps. Battier is a prime example of how a lack of athleticism can be offset by a cerebral sense of your surroundings. Ron was always touted for his ability to be a lockdown, man-on-man stopper, but he was showing signs of aging this year. And when he faced one of the few players who wasn't intimidated by his bullying (Kobe), he routinely got torched. Ariza is more like Battier. Trevor doesn't quite have the B-Ball IQ that Shane does, but his work in the playoffs showed flashes of brilliance. And unlike Ron, he doesn't have to rely on his reputation to do his work for him. Even if he doesn't turn into an offensive dynamo, he'll more than compensate for what we're losing defensively with Ron leaving. And if he does blossom (which he very well could), then even more kudos to us. We know exactly what we're getting (and not getting) with Ron.
Why don't you check the stats, as well as rewind our playoff games last year against the Blazer and the Lakers. Take a look at who was guarding Roy and Kobe. It certainly wasn't Artest
Artest and Battier as wing defenders was different. Artest scored 17 pts a game. Pre-Artest Rockets was all defense and not enough firepower. They kept getting eliminated in the 1st round. The emergence of Brooks, the Artest trade and Wafer signing resolved that problem. Ariza and Battier are both 7-9pt/g players. Artest and Wafer are gone. No offense at the wing position. Now, we have the same offensive problems as we did last year.
Rockets tried to add Posey last year and there were no Battier rumors. That kind of tells me Battier isn't necessarily expendable now. But with the Yao question mark I don't think anyone really knows the direction. I hope Battier stays.
Ariza does NOT defend like Battier, I wish people would just stop repeating this ad nauseum. Saying it over and over again, does not make it truth. Ariza defends more like Artest lite (or the Artest of yesteryear). When Ariza was not a Rocket to be, he was despised by many, he is athletic and long, but he CAN be cheap. How soon we forget that Ariza cheap shotted Battier and did not get a call, even tho he was frikkin bleeding all over the dang place. And Rudy Fernandez has not forgotten Ariza's hard foul either, would any of you if you were in his shoes? Ariza tends to "over-foul" opposing players. And I chose/created that word b/c of Ariza's new status as an almost-Rocket.
Every since the rox gave away that lotto pick for shane, they have been searching for a long,athletic wing. Battier is overrated in every way possible especially on a young team which the rox are trying to be. Ariza scored more point in the last 2 playoff road games than shane did on the road the entire playoffs. Its time for shane to go and maybe we can get a te or something for him.
