Suggestion to Danny : do your best to trade for Shane Battier!

[Drucci]

Throw a 1st round pick, a lot of cash and expiring contracts or whatever, but I hope that Danny is doing his best to acquire Shane Battier, who would be a perfect fit for this team and the final piece on the bench.

I know it sounds like a pipe dream to acquire Battier without giving up a starter or a key player of the bench, but I'm just hoping that Danny is among the GM's who made a call (or multiple calls) to Daryl Morey lately :

ockets general manager Daryl Morey says that trade talks are beginning to pick up around the NBA.

"Yeah, I mean this is the third biggest trade discussion time of the year," Morey told NBA.com. "The trade deadline is the biggest obviously, then the draft and also now since as of two days ago almost all the players became available. So, yeah, a lot of phone calls and I do agree that we have a lot of players that teams want."

Morey added that Houston has a lot to offer other teams, but that nothing is imminent.

"We can provide financial relief, we can provide players who can help you win now, we can provide players who can help you for the future – so we're sort of like Target right now in that we can provide everything under one roof. We can give it all and handle any need," he said.

"I'm just saying nothing's imminent," Morey added.

I find it interesting (and not surprising) that the Rockets received a lot of calls, but I'm wondering if the possibility of acquiring Battier, not only for our team, but for every contender, is just a pipe dream or if it could come true if you give up an OK player, expiring contract(s), cash and maybe a 1st round pick?

I know that Battier is the leader of this team and that the Rockets don't want to lose him but on the other hand, and as much a I enjoy watching them play collective and inspired basketball, they're going nowhere this season, this is just a "transition" to the future and I'm not sure that Battier belongs to their plans of the future.

Any thoughts and suggestions on how the C's could realistically get Battier or which contender could offer the Rockets the right pieces to acquire him?

[ManUp]

Would love to have Battier on this team. If we had him we're guaranteed to get past the Cavs, IMO. He plays Lebron better than anybody else, and does a really good job on Kobe. I'd say he's a rich mans Posey.

[RJ87]

I seriously doubt it happens.

They love Battier in Houston - for good reason. He's a defensive stopper who's a great leader in that locker room. They could definitely end up moving him, but not for the scraps we're likely to offer.

If they trade anyone by the deadline, it'll definitely be McGrady.

[PosImpos]

They aren't going to trade Battier.  I'm not sure how long it's going to take for people to finally realize this.

[indeedproceed]

They aren't going to trade Battier.  I'm not sure how long it's going to take for people to finally realize this.

If I could have any 2 players in the league who aren't superstars it would be Shane Battier and Joel Pryzbilla. The reason why I'd want those guys is because they are the definition of perfect role players. That's why neither will be traded for nearly anything.

[PosImpos]

They aren't going to trade Battier.  I'm not sure how long it's going to take for people to finally realize this.

If I could have any 2 players in the league who aren't superstars it would be Shane Battier and Joel Pryzbilla. The reason why I'd want those guys is because they are the definition of perfect role players. That's why neither will be traded for nearly anything.

Yeah, exactly.  You look up "glue guy" in the dictionary and it has a picture of Shane Battier's face.

Why would a team above .500 trade away the leader of their team?  It makes no sense.  Enough with the Battier posts.

[Fafnir]

They aren't going to trade Battier.  I'm not sure how long it's going to take for people to finally realize this.

If I could have any 2 players in the league who aren't superstars it would be Shane Battier and Joel Pryzbilla. The reason why I'd want those guys is because they are the definition of perfect role players. That's why neither will be traded for nearly anything.

Especially since they're on reasonable deals.

Usually role-players of their caliber are only dealt after they've been given a bloated contract for what they do. That isn't the case for either of them.

I don't see us making any trades until we see Big Baby and Marquis Daniels come back from their respective thumb injuries. Only then will Danny know what he has and what he can trade away.

[Who]

It depends on how badly Daryl Morey wants that cap space. He'll need to move someone like Battier or Ariza to get far enough below the cap to offer a max contract.

I don't think Morey will go in that direction (because he loses Scola + Lowry + Landry + Hayes + McGrady too ... + his spending from last summer shows it's not high on his priority list) but there is a small possibility that he does.

Anyway, if Morey does go there, he can get better expiring + draft picks offers from a team other than the Celtics. So even if he does make Battier available, the Celtics don't have a good enough package to offer.

[Fafnir]

I don't think Houston will be able to lure any of the max FAs. At least not any of the ones truly worth max money.

[Who]

I don't think Houston will be able to lure any of the max FAs. At least not any of the ones truly worth max money.

• Yao Ming + Max Contract Star = instant core to a contender
• Adelman + Morey = Brilliantly run ball club. A defense first team that does an excellent job of finding and acquiring quality role players.
• One of Trevor Ariza or Shane Battier will still be on the team + Aaron Brooks. Two more players capable of being key cogs in the team.

I think Houston can lure an elite free agent. After Miami, I think they've got the second best offer out there (Chicago third, NJ and NY fourth and fifth in some order).

[Fafnir]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

[2short]

while it might not happen, I'd throw the kitchen sink to get battier
eddie, davis, scal, tony, walker, giddens, draft picks & cash
probably even daniels

[Who]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

Wade + LeBron + Joe Johnson ... am I forgetting anyone? Not interested in any of the bigs. Only in top quality perimeter players.

[Fafnir]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

Wade + LeBron + Joe Johnson ... am I forgetting anyone? Not interested in any of the bigs. Only in top quality perimeter players.

Yeah those are the three I think Houston should pursue. But they'll be able to do that in the offseason easily enough right? I mean they should be able to get someone to take Battier off their hands if LeBron/Wade/Johnson are receptive to their offers.

[indeedproceed]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

Wade + LeBron + Joe Johnson ... am I forgetting anyone? Not interested in any of the bigs. Only in top quality perimeter players.

Yeah those are the three I think Houston should pursue. But they'll be able to do that in the offseason easily enough right? I mean they should be able to get someone to take Battier off their hands if LeBron/Wade/Johnson are receptive to their offers.

If they can pickup Johnson then there is no problamo for them. Battier plays the 3, Johnson the 2