Rockets Fans Rejoice... Here comes Artest...

The Rockets just grabed Ron Artest from the Kings for Bobby Jackson, a Draft pick, and thier pick from this past draft...

I know there are some Rocket Fans here...

Congrats... Atrest is a Beast...

I can't wait to here your reactions.. My first thought is doesnt this make Shane Battie expendable?

No TK, because Battie is their best perimeter spot up shooter. He's also a good defender. They will very solid defensively at the 3. When T-mac sits they can have Battie and Artest on the floor meaning they will have 2 guys who can produce offense + be shutdown defenders.

reply to post by Scramjet76


Thats scary...

Houstan already had a Good defensive last year... Now they add one of the premier primiter defenders in the league...

Amazing...

Not to get technical, but its Battier, not Battie.

Shane Battier is not expendable now. He is their best defensive player and he gives them hustle.

I'm going to call this one; this will be the Rockets starting 5 next year:

C - Yao Ming (obviously..)
PF - Ron Artest
SF - Shane Battier
PG - Rafer Alston
SG - Tracy McGrady

On the bench, we'll have Luis Scola, Steve Novak, Brent Barry, Luther Head, Aaron Brooks and hopefully Carl Landry.

That is a dominant team right there, my friends. A nice mixture of skill, three point shooting, defense and physicality.

If Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming can manage to stay healthy, this team is going deep in the playoffs.

The only problem I see aside from their health is resigning Carl Landry. Last I heard he's considering playing in Europe. The trade for Ron Artest both helps and hurts negotiations with Carl Landry. On one hand, it keeps Carl Landry from starting and maybe gives him less minutes. But on the other hand, it gives him a better chance to win.

I sure hope we can get him resigned. He showed signs of greatness last year. He is going to be a great player in this league. He's not afraid to use his body to get position down low, and with so much emphasis, it seems, on three point shooting and finesse play, a guy like him, who sticks to the basics and fundamentals of basketball, is invaluable.

I'm happy with the Ron Artest trade because I know he loves playing for Rick Adelman and he wants to win, so I'm sure he'll behave. He's a very good player and he has a great work ethic, he doesn't give up. His only issue is his behavior at times, but I'm confident that is behind him now.

Ron Artest hasn't really played with the type of players that Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are. He's played along side guys like Jermain O'Neal and Reggie Miller, but that isn't even a fair comparison.

The teams Ron Artest has been on can't really compare with this Rockets team either. He went to the Bulls after the beginning of their downfall. He played for Indiana, and although they were a playoff team, they play in the Eastern Conference. Then he went to Sacramento after they had already basically torn apart their good, playoff team of a few years earlier. So this Houston team is certainly, in my opinion, the best team he's been on.

So all things considered, I'm sure he'll have a great time playing there and will behave. Not to mention Houston is the best city not only that he's played in, but in the country.

My excitement and interest in the NBA has been declining in recent years because of the poor officiating, but I have to admit, I'm excited about this year.

Go Rockets!

Novus, i agree with everything you said, but there is not way in the world that Artrest is going to be startin at PF, not a chance in the world.

Scola is my first thought, even Battier is bigger then Artest...

I just would love to see Artest Try to guard Pau Gasol...


Artest is a 3, and can play the 2 if you wan to go to a big lineup, but Macgrady cant handele the PG role, so Artest is going to be a playing the 3, pretty much exclusivlely...


And on the refs, it real stinks, i just dont know what to think, its horrible...


It seems every game there is a new atrocity...

reply to post by NovusOrdoMundi

C - Yao Ming (obviously..)
PF - Ron Artest
SF - Shane Battier
PG - Rafer Alston
SG - Tracy McGrady

That's a very good starting five but..

can they go 7 or 8 deep in the playoffs?

According to ESPN, its going to be:

PG: Rafer Alston
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Ron Artest
PF: Luis Scola
C: Yao Ming

You were right TKain.

Still a damn good lineup though. Scola is a big body who can help Yao out down low. He can also hit his jump shots.

sports.espn.go.com...

Damn......Artest is real nice! Hopefully his effort will rub off on T-Mac and Yao (both are still sorely lacking sometimes).

Note to Artest: Watch out for the Chronicle's Richard Justice, he'll stab you in the back first chance he gets (hell, he already has). Keep your nose somewhat clean and you'll own this town.

Peace