I really like the idea of Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony together especially with a low usage defensive minded center like Tyson Chandler doing the dirty.
There is no place for a Steve Nash in that type of a team though. He wouldn't have the ball in his hands. Melo and Kobe would be monopolizing time on the ball and shot attempts. Nash would pretty much be relegated to being the equivalent of Steve Blake in that situation.
Need to continue to surround Kobe and Melo with low usage offensive players who are high level shooters and defensively capable players. It would probably be too hard to find that in a PF so continue to use Carmelo there and bring in a SF to stretch the floor.
A Nash for Battier swap might make some sense for both teams.
Battier would be a great glue guy for LA and offer more to a Melo/Kobe team than Nash would. His defensive value far exceeds Nash and he gives LA a strong spot-up shooter to space the floor. Unlike Artest, he is not a head case who will have trouble accepting his role behind Melo/Kobe and will not cause problems.
Nash could take up some of the touches that the departing Wade would leave behind. Probably take the ball a bit too much out of Pau Gasol's and Chris Bosh's hands but Nash would add enough to make that worthwhile.
Miami would get kind of weak on their perimeter defense though. No Wade. No Battier. Reduced role for Chalmers. Larger role for Ray. Incoming Steve Nash. Reduced perimeter quickness as well as a decline defensively.
I actually think Miami would have more reason to turn down a Nash for Battier swap than the Lakers would.
This sounds absurd talent-wise, but what about instead of Battier, involving a Chalmers for Nash swap? Nash and Cole split the minutes at PG. Chalmers provides that outside shooting in LA around Kobe and Melo.
Yeah, I was thinking about that too. Chalmers is such a nice piece because he is on a cost-effective contract and is still relatively young. Lots of added value there outside of his basketball abilities (which I think are undervalued).
I do think that a Chalmers for Nash swap, as ludicrous as it sounds, would be a beneficial deal for LA to make. Much better defensive player. Better rebounder. Better fit offensively playing alongside Melo and Kobe. Can accept and flourish with the reduced role unlike Nash who'll struggle with it. Chalmers would be fantastic there.
I would try for Battier instead of Chalmers if I were LA because I think finding a complementary forward to put alongside Carmelo Anthony is a more difficult task than finding a spot up shooter at PG. Plus, I would really want to reduce Artest's role in the team. That guy causes a lot of problems for a limited player (nowadays). So I would rate Battier ahead of Chalmers for LA.
If I am Miami, I do knot know which piece I'd value more. Chalmers or Battier.
Nash is only a 28-30 minute a night player so the PG position needs a strong backup because there is a lot of minutes available there. Chalmers is good enough to play some combo guard minutes alongside Nash as well.
Then again, Battier is the only other plus defender on the wing outside of LeBron + he gives them lineup flexibility if they want to go small. Not a fan of Norris Cole at backup PG. Not good enough.
Battier would be very useful in matching up against Brooklyn's Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace. Beside those two, the rest of the two guards in the East playoff picture aren't all that big at the two guard spot (Rip is a thin spindly thing, Bradley is tiny, Kidd is a big PG or Wade a small quick SG). Not sure there are enough necessary matchups there for Battier.
I think Chalmers might have more value to Miami than Battier. Not a lot in it though.