You're comparing his measurables to drafted big men, of which around 70% of them aren't in the league. You should compare him to the guys he's going to have to go up against, guys in the Association. By those measurables he is undersized. And for a power 5 with no discernable great offensive tools he's limited to what impact he can make on the defensive end and the glass. In my opinion he's just another pedestrian big that we're going to have to develop into a limited role as a decent backup big. I don't see the wisdom in that when we can sign a host of vet bigs for the league minimum who will be better and contribute more than him next season. We are in an era when shooting is at a premium. The league is paying guys big money that can do nothing but catch-and-shoot the basketball and play a little D on the perimeter. And the league is also devaluing power bigs that cannot shoot, who don't have elite length and rebounding prowess. On top of that our system requires athletes who can run, finish, and shoot. Zipser, McGraw, Layman, Gbinije, Uthoff, Felder would all have been a more valuable piece to add to what we're trying to do here than an undersized teenage big man with no discernable offensive skill, who, by your own admission, has a ceiling of a reserve big. I would have rather signed Cole Aldrich for 2/5 and drafted a shooter with defensive potential than to draft this kid. This is where the draft board has to be integrated with value and common sense in regards to our system. Because there's simply not enough difference on the draft board at this stage of the second round between this kid and a guy like Zipser or Felder to overcome the difference in league value and fit. There is much more potential for a guy like Zipser/Layman/Uthoff to become the next Parsons/Draymond or for Felder to be an even better Barea/Robinson then there is for this kid to become the next Ezeli. Because the league is all about speed/shooting/finishing these days. By the way, I hope I'm wrong and he becomes a very good defensive center for us in relatively shot order. And I would understand this pick a lot better if we trade Capela. And I won't be surprised if that happens. But if we don't trade Capela, we're going to have to sign another 5 if Dwight walks anyway. Which means this kid goes to RGV and doesn't get playing time. Why develop bigs when you can sign them for the limited role they are going to play here? We're short on shooters and playmakers and our system requires them in multiples. We should draft and develop them instead.
The sentence you bolded: Says exactly the same thing as what you posted (and I bolded above). If any of the players that Morey passed on play better than who he drafted then Morey should held accountable. More importantly... the draft is but one of several ways that Morey is responsible for adding talent and making a successful team. Up until this season I have been as big of a "In Morey I Trust" fan. But last season has caused me to rethink that trust, and whatever excuse given (injuries, coach/scheme/roster mismatch, owner interference) Morey is still accountable. btw, Morey has some responsibility for the draft position... a number of daft night trades happened. The Rockets didn't make a trade. Morey attributed it to players not being there at the right time. Others can say we didn't have the trade assets. But in both cases, Morey is accountable.
You could have said the same thing about Capela after he was drafted. Onuaku is obviously going to be a Viper for most of next season, barring a major surprise. And it looks like the Rockets are hoping he develops into a better player than a career end of bench guy. Teams have 15 roster spots (instead of just 12) for a reason, and that number could increase in the next CBA. They see something in this kid and hope to develop him into an NBA rotation player. You obviously had hoped they took a different player (or a different TYPE of player), and that's fine. But for people (not just you, to be clear) to imply that this pick made NO SENSE just befuddles me.
From the highlights video (taken with a grain of salt), he seems like he could be poor mans' DeAndre Jordan.
His game isn't totally based on overpowering & anyone "bigger" won't have the luxury of merely guarding him in the paint. His mid range jumper changes everything & he'd probably be used in a lot of pick and roll situations anyway. More than his "strength" he has the footwork, quickness, hook shot, great passing abilities, great defensively, hustling mentality (which will help him get easier buckets) & the IQ/ability adapt to whomever is guarding him.
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2016/06/22/nba-draft-chinanu-onuaku-louisville-basketball-damion-lee-trey-lewis/86243700/
Impressive offensive rebounder and passer with some strength and athleticism. Hope he will be at least as good as Capela. Can't expect too much more than that from a 37th round pick. Got to get a lot better at the FT line.
As much as I hate the Qi pick, I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum here with Onuaku. At minimum, after working with CD, Dream, and Co....this kid should become a quality backup at the 5...with the potential for more.
There's no chance he'll be as good as Capela, none. He lacks the athleticism and length with no offensive game to speak of. Basically he'd try to play the same game as Capela without the tools.
Just like Terrence Jones, Hasheem Thabeet, Stromile Swift, and many before ----- oh, wait, dangit. We're terrible at developing bigs! I like this pick though. Hopefully he and Harrell can develop because we have a big gaping hole down the middle right now.
I gave you a scenario where it makes sense to me. Let's see if we trade Capela. There's no way this kid was #1 by a mile on the Rockets draft board at that time. No way. At best he was part of a group of prospects all similarly rated. At best.
On this we agree. There were a lot of players in that range with a similar talent level. I'm just saying that Onuaku was a decent selection from among that group.
We're talking 3-dozen players higher where two were considered no-brainers? #3 was, what? If a Draft is a crapshoot, and this Draft was considered a crap shoot, then shoot, why are we getting bent out of shape over selections #s 37 and 43 in a crap Draft?
you fans will slurp up any mediocre move maury makess Pathetic, whats it gota take for fans to see the light. If this was a Black gm, everyone would call for the mans job/head. Rididculous
