Artest trade: How does it help the Rockets?

Assuming this is a Houston point of view discussion, they just became a very deadly team. I have a feeling that RA will mesh these players into a true contender.
 
You take a 50 win team from last year and add Ron Artest to it and...well, its Ron, so you never know. But he's going back to the one coach who reached him. He's going to be winning, big. They could be one of the 3 or 4 most dangerous teams in the league, and that Artest/Battier defensive pairing is just going to make it hell on teams who depend on wing scorers.
 
My opinion is based only on how highly I think of Rick Adelman. This could not be any better of a situation for Ron Ron. He gets to go to a team with 2 legitmate stars in Tmac and Yao, yet 2 stars that are somewhat "tentative" or atleast have yet to show they have the "stones" in tight situations. I like what Ron brings as far as wanting to be the man and meshing with those 2. Throughout the season and during games I think you will see Ron defer and play team ball but in last shot situations I think you will see Ron step up and either be the hero or goat, a role Tmac or Yao has yet to embrace. The Rockets will be dangerous and the Midwest division is a beast right now with the Hornets, Rockets, Spurs and Mavs. I think the Spurs are fretting this move the most.
 
I think this clearly puts Houston in the conversation for top team in the West. They will be trouble for whoever they face in the playoffs- assuming physical and mental health of course. Artest will be able to lock down (or at least slow) the best scorers, Yao can battle most centers and TMac can carry the scoring load. During last years win streak their role players showed they can play together and play well. I'd break down the West at this point like this:
Favorites:
Lakers-Spurs-Rockets
Playoff Locks, Youth in Waiting:
Jazz-Hornets
Playoff Hopefuls:
Mavs-Suns-Nuggs-Clippers-Blazers

If I had to rank them most likely to get to the Finals, I'd say:
1-Spurs 2-Rockets 3-Lakers 4-Jazz 5-Hornets

The only guarantee is that the West will once again be a fierce battleground of elite teams.
 
Who guards Bryant? Battier or Artest?


The defense doesn't need Artest, but I doubt he hurts them (except perhaps to encourage Adelman to go small and play Artest at power forward even more than he played Battier there).

It does help if Yao is injured or in foul trouble to have somebody to give the ball to on offense. They were forced to make McGrady generate all the offense with Yao out last year.
 
uolj said:
Who guards Bryant? Battier or Artest?


The defense doesn't need Artest, but I doubt he hurts them (except perhaps to encourage Adelman to go small and play Artest at power forward even more than he played Battier there).

It does help if Yao is injured or in foul trouble to have somebody to give the ball to on offense. They were forced to make McGrady generate all the offense with Yao out last year.
Click to expand...



I can see the Artest/Battier defensive duo being most useful locking down teams with two offensive players who play the perimeter and also inside- Ginobili/Parker, Pierce/Allen, etc. Rotating two top-tier defenders against Kobe would also I think make him more frustrated since he can't adjust to one guys style.
 
uolj said:
Who guards Bryant? Battier or Artest?


The defense doesn't need Artest, but I doubt he hurts them (except perhaps to encourage Adelman to go small and play Artest at power forward even more than he played Battier there).

It does help if Yao is injured or in foul trouble to have somebody to give the ball to on offense. They were forced to make McGrady generate all the offense with Yao out last year.
Click to expand...

Battier. Artest on Odom.
 
If this means the Rockets kick Laker arse, so be it. The Kings weren't legitimate contenders this year anyway. This could easily put the Rockets ahead of the Spurs and the Mavericks, which is also a super-bonus in my book.

:D
 
uolj said:
The defense doesn't need Artest, but I doubt he hurts them
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Er...yeah, probably a safe bet there. :p

ANY true defensive minded team can use a focused Ron Artest. He can be such an impact guy that your great defensive team instantly becomes a Great defensive team.

It really is all about the focus. If he's got it and works with them ratehr than against them, they are going to completely strangle people on a nightly basis and quite possibly be the #1 defensive team in the league. And that's before we get to him adding that absolutely critically needed 3rd 20pt scorer for them. That's been the gaping hole on their team for years. I'm sure there will be some smallballing now, but given that last year the backup PFs were Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, who are both probably SMALLER than Ron, I'm not sure how well the term applies.

Anybody know if they coaxed Deke back for one more go or not?

P.S. Yeah, when I heard about this I thought about Bonzi back to Houston too. Think he may have worn out his welcome with that front office though even if Rick did want him back. You pair he and Ron around TMac and Battier at those spots though and that's just fearsome.
 
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Let the Games begin. Artest vs Yao round one.


Yao Ming : http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/07/30/yao-ming-frightened-by-the-artest-trade/

"We worry about the new attitude to the team. We are adding talent to the team and we need that, but building team chemistry is important. This is not bad. I don't mean he is not welcome to Houston. But a new player always needs some time. [...]

There's worry. Obviously, yes. We will think about it, of course. Hopefully, he's not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands."



Artest : http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/07/30/ron-artest-on-contract-extensions-and-what-yao-ming-knows-about/

We've still got to make sure there's still a commitment. That's the main thing, is to make sure there's still a commitment. When I speak to the powers-that-be of the Houston Rockets organization, we're going to find out how much they really want me there. We'll find out. I'm still waiting to find out if this is just a trade or if this is like a long-term commitment type thing. [...]

I understand what Yao said, but I'm still ghetto. That's not going to change. I'm never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don't think he's ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he'll understand what I'm about. Sometimes it's hard to get to know Ron Artest because I'm so down to earth to a fault. ... I can't wait to be putting on that jersey and be standing next to Yao Ming. I can't wait. I guess once Yao Ming approves it, I'll be a Houston Rocket.
 
I read the entire Yao piece and Artest interview with Amick and so what? Nothing Yao or Artest said was earth shattering or offensive or racist or whatever. If one has Artest-phobia I suppose they could just go off on the usual, "tick, tick, tick..." Interesting that Ron-Ron says after he talked to his dad he felt better and put it all in perspective. I believe Artest is now highly motivated to join Houston, play third fiddle, and try and get a championship if he can this upcoming season. Since he's in a contract year he better keep his nose clean and just do what he does best, wreck havoc on the defensive end and as he said, support everything TMac, Yao, and Coach Adelman want him to do. If he does his thing in tandem with those stars and everyone stays healthy into the playoffs the Rockets will be an extremely tough team to deal with for anyone in their way.
 
PurpleHaze said:
If one has Artest-phobia I suppose they could just go off on the usual, "tick, tick, tick..."
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Nearly every single person associated with the league has Artest-phobia, apparently including Yao. And its presicely because of moronic moments liek this -- he has not even been a Rocket 24 hours (well unfortunately IS not a Rocket officially yet) before there has already been the first chemistry type issue, along with usual defiant "I'm so ghetto that I'm proud to be an idiot" proclamations. As usual you always have to ask can Ron Artest hack life? Can he respond to adversity with the least bit of brains or class? If it takes him less than a day after an amazing stroke of good fortune to start yabbering, how can you trust him in the midst of a long grinding campaign?
 
Bricklayer said:
Nearly every single person associated with the league has Artest-phobia, apparently including Yao. And its presicely because of moronic moments liek this -- he has not even been a Rocket 24 hours (well unfortunately IS not a Rocket officially yet) before there has already been the first chemistry type issue, along with usual defiant "I'm so ghetto that I'm proud to be an idiot" proclamations. As usual you always have to ask can Ron Artest hack life? Can he respond to adversity with the least bit of brains or class? If it takes him less than a day after an amazing stroke of good fortune to start yabbering, how can you trust him in the midst of a long grinding campaign?
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Can Houston back out of this deal before Aug 14? I hope not, 'cause that's a long time for Ron to mess this thing up...
 
Superman said:
Can Houston back out of this deal before Aug 14? I hope not, 'cause that's a long time for Ron to mess this thing up...
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This type of thing shouldn't cause them to back out. If they didn't know Artest does this all the time, they would have to be considered the dumbest people in the league.

I would think it would have to be a very serious event to stop this trade from happening. Nevertheless, I will feel much better when August 14th arrives.
 
FakeInjury said:
On paper:
Rafer
Tracy
William
Scola
Yao

is enough to upset anyone anytime. Good move for the rockets, better move for the kings
Click to expand...

Yup, and with Battier off the bench. Imagine Battier and Artest on the floor at the same time. They could easily shut down Pierce and Allen
 
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