Battier??

[indeedproceed]

Shane Battier is that locker room's backbone. Scola, Yao..both foreign, and one isn't good enough to be a leader, one isn't healthy enough to be a leader.

Brooks, too young. Ariza, too immature. Martin, just got there, and wasn't much of a leader in Sac.

I'm guessing here, but I bet Battier is like their Garnett/Ray Allen mixed into one. Plus Moray is in love with the guy. Whatever weird statistics he uses, I heard on a radio interview with him a year and a half ago that Shane Battier on the court guarantees more wins than like 95% of the league or something. Maybe it was just one the defensive end, whatever. Moray loves the guy.

Getting him will cost more than a salary dump.

[steve]

What is Baby's value?  He's obviously good in playoff basketball but having someone like Battier who can defend guys like Wade, Kobe etc. is what we need. 

Baby is useless if we match up vs the Heat, which we will have to do at some point in the playoffs. 

Sheed, Baby, 1st rounder for Battier (have to be a three team trade) 

I think that if we are going for a title we should overpay for Battier.  If that is even overpaying. 

[Celtics4ever]

BBD will be a good match up against Hasleem or Z.  They are creampuffs inside the Heat.

[moiso]

What is Baby's value?  He's obviously good in playoff basketball but having someone like Battier who can defend guys like Wade, Kobe etc. is what we need. 

Baby is useless if we match up vs the Heat, which we will have to do at some point in the playoffs. 

Sheed, Baby, 1st rounder for Battier (have to be a three team trade) 

I think that if we are going for a title we should overpay for Battier.  If that is even overpaying. 

I really like Battier but this trade seems ridiculous- we are giving up far too much.  I would argue that Baby will be one of out most important players against the Heat on the offensive side.  He is our most agressive big man scorer, and we will need to punish the Heat's lack of a strong interior.

[Big Ben Pepper]

Before I go further, I acknowledge that I may be talking myself into the Rockets parting ways with Battier - in the last year of his deal - for virtually nothing. But before dismissing the scenario outright, take a look at the points below and let me know if I'm out of my mind.

Trade: Rasheed Wallace (retiring), 1st Round pick (possibly two) to Houston Rockets for Shane Battier.

1. With the signing of Brad Miller and re-signing of Luis Scola, the Houston Rockets are standing on the brink of the luxury tax. The acquisition of Wallace, and the subsequent buyout, will lower their cap amount by several million.

2. The Houston Rockets have a plethora of swing men: Trevor Ariza, a defensive stopper with a long-term contract; Kevin Martin, who is newly acquired and highly paid; Chase Buddinger, a productive, inexpensive second-year player; and Jared Jeffries, a true power forward who may be forced to SF with Miller, Yao, Scola and David Anderson at the PF/C spots.

3. Battier is on the wrong side of 30, his field goal percentage has dropped for five straight seasons and his minutes have declined for four. His role as defensive stopper has been replaced by Ariza, and the acquisition of Martin and emergence of Buddinger will lessen his role.

4. Battier is in the last year of his deal, and the Rockets may consider trading him now for cap relief, rather than paying him close to seven million for a lesser role and then losing him next summer for nothing.

That being said, do we have any realistic chance to land Battier? I would be willing to give up a first round draft choice to acquire him. He would be a moderate upgrade over Tony Allen offensively, comparable to Allen on defense, and excellent relief for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Is there any chance Boston or Houston makes this deal?

[Evantime34]

I'd do one first round pick but I think two is way too rich.

[Jon]

I'd do one first round pick but I think two is way too rich.

I'd question whether in an age when some teams try to give away late first round picks if two late first round picks is enough.  I don't thin it is for a team that sees itself as a contender in the West.  And any team that sees itself as a contender shouldn't be looking to trade away Shane Battier, particularly when it doesn't involve them getting any immediate help in return. 

[aporel#18]

How about expanding the trade?

send Sheed's contract with 3mil $+Gaffney+Lafayette + the 2011 first round pick

Houston sends Battier+David Andersen+ the right to swap picks with NY in 2011

This way, Houston could buyout Sheed for 2 million, and Sheed would be able to unretire a la PJ Brown (highly unlikely, but...).

In trading Battier and Andersen, Houston saves 9,8 million + one million sent by the Cs after buying Sheed out.

Andersen(who was injured but seems like he's going to play in the WC with the Aussies) is a good shooting C, nice feet, but he wasn't able to play alongside Scola and lost the spot to Chuck Hayes. He could bring some scoring to the 2nd unit until Perk comes back.  The Rockets just signed Brad Miller, who might rebound a bit better, but will be paid a lot more, so Andersen is expendable.

So you are giving Houston a lot, Morey is a tough guy, but he has to compensate through swaping first round picks. The NY 2012 pick would be nicer, but Morey may think NY could do better next season than the lockout one, when the NY Bricks Experience could fail again. So the right to swap picks with NY would be a nice compensation for giving Houston so much money.

When they resign Scola, they'll be over the tax, so there'd be a lot of money on the table. Morey wouldn't ignore it.

[action781]

Houston is in win-now mode.  As another poster mentioned, I can't see Houston giving up Battier for cap relief; he's too valuable.  Too many teams (Spurs, Suns, Magic, Bulls) would love to acquire his services and pay for them.  They have solid players at all the positions, so I'm guessing they want to upgrade.  I'd bet that they throw 2 trade proposals back at us after rejecting the original.

Deal 1:  Jeffries for 'Sheed

Deal 2:  Brooks + Battier + Houston 1st rounder + NYK 1st rounder for Rondo

Now if faced with the ultimatum:  Deal 1, Deal 2, or no deal at all with Houston, what's your choice?

[GreenEnvy]

Houston is in win-now mode.  As another poster mentioned, I can't see Houston giving up Battier for cap relief; he's too valuable.  Too many teams (Spurs, Suns, Magic, Bulls) would love to acquire his services and pay for them.  They have solid players at all the positions, so I'm guessing they want to upgrade.  I'd bet that they throw 2 trade proposals back at us after rejecting the original.

Deal 1:  Jeffries for 'Sheed

Deal 2:  Brooks + Battier + Houston 1st rounder + NYK 1st rounder for Rondo

Now if faced with the ultimatum:  Deal 1, Deal 2, or no deal at all with Houston, what's your choice?

I'd hope Houston's GM wouldn't insult Danny by actually proposing Deal #2.

[moiso]

Battier is a nice role player, but these proposals make him seem like an allstar.
On another note, I think Buddinger would make a nice Celtic.

[LakerFan2423]

Houston is not trading Battier unless they get a " SEXY " plyer and the Celts have only one: Rajon Rondo. So if you . . .  want to trade Rondo for him. go ahead.

[Edited.]