Draftexpress mock draft has Houston picking him http://www.draftexpress.com/ http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Xavier-Henry-1324/
We have Kevin Martin for three more seasons, Trevor Ariza for four more seasons, and Chase Budinger for three more seasons + restricted free agency... I don't see us finding any significant PT for a wing in the next three years unless we trade one of those three guys. In fact, the only position where we will have significant PT available in the next few years is at the 5, backing up Yao, who will likely never again play as many minutes as he once did. So barring a big trade, we pretty much have to draft a Center. That's not to rule out such a trade, but such thoughts are mere speculation at this point.
I talked with the Oracle and he said , '' Minnesota will trade their no:2 pick to Houston Rockets for Ariza/Hill and '12 NY pick, then Morey will get Patterson at #13 '' Brooks/Lowry Martin/Chase/Taylor Shane/E.Turner Scola/Patterson/Jeffries Yao/Hayes/Andersen And I'm not kidding.
The right player can beat out Battier and Budinger at SG/SF. Hill can play either PF or C so I think both those positions are possible. I expect the Rocket will try to trade up to get a player that will matter. Picking BPA or trading down or out would be a fallback position.
One thing I dont understand is how everyone is saying that we should get Cousins or any other mid lottery pick. The Rockets are most likely getting the 14th or 13th pick in the draft. There is no way in hell that he drops beyond 7 or 8. All those teams are desperate for a a big man. So I suspect Cousins, Favors, Aldrich, Monroe (if he's in), Patterson (if a team is smart), and Whiteside (token future bust) are most likely gone by the time we get to pick. If we did by some random miracle get a top 3 pick, I am pretty sure that the top 4 picks in this draft in no particular order are Wall, Turner, Johnson and Favors. The types of players that we should be looking at and to an extension talking about are most likely in the Patterson, Motiejunas, James, Aminu, Udoh range because those will most likely be the BPA that are in our range. My pick would be Patterson or Udoh, I am a big fan of their games and the tools they have.
I've look over some of the mock drafts, why do most of them have us taking a shooting guard. When in reality, it is not a pressing need, especially with Chase and even Battier in a sense. Also, given the talent of perspective shooting guards, why would need shooting guard unless the player is just outstanding to the point DM will certainly snatch him up.
None of the mock drafts (nbadraft, draftexpress, espn) are taking into account team needs right now. They're just ranking prospects.
In the 2007 draft, many commentators and fans were surprised that Morey drafted Brooks over Tiago Splitter, when they had Alston, Mike James, Head, Spanoulis and JLIII. Brooks made the 6th player under 6'3" on the team. It was clear the Rockets needed a big man. If Morey has the chance of drafting a player that's projected as a star and a player that fulfills a need and projects as a medicore player, he'll pick the best one. Now the Spurs are looking at trading Splitter, because he won't even come over. While Splitter never came to the USA, the other big men such as Fazekas, McRoberts, Davis didn't turn out nearly as good as Brooks. It's better to draft a player that's pegged as an above-average contributor than the 5-6 other guys that fulfill a need but are projected as busts. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=183869 http://www.draftexpress.com/article/2007-NBA-Draft-Report-Card-2156/
Please explain. He's limited athletically, shoots 68% from the stripe, and he's incapable of hitting a mid-range jumper (he has one of the most unorthodox shooting motions in the nation). He hasn't scored over 20 points once this season. He's declined in nearly all vital statistical categories from his sophomore to his junior season.
1. He plays a need position in the NBA and his metrics are excellent on defense (Top 5 Pace adjusted in Rebounds and Blocks which are two stats that tend to translate from college to pro). 2. He'd play a need position on the Rockets where Yao's future is up in the air. Without a shotblocker in the middle the team defense this year has plummeted. If Yao comes back strong, you still probably have to limit his minutes and Aldrich would fill in seamlessly at the backup-C. If Yao doesn't come back strong, then Aldrich becomes his insurance/successor at the C position. 3. This draft appears to be deep in big man prospects but there are a bunch who have a lot more bust potential than Aldrich (Whiteside, Udoh, Sanders, Alabi, Vesley, Motiejunas etc.). But at the same time, Cole has a better chance of falling to our pick than the true blue-chippers (Favors and Cousins). 4. At 13-14, I'd rather draft a solid player than an upside pick (unless his talent level really was irresistable, i.e. Cousins, Aminu etc.)
Yeah it's inevitable that some of these turn out to be total duds in the NBA. (Hilton Armstrong anydody? Hilton Armstrong who? The dude that's glued to our bench collecting paychecks, who once was hyped up the same way) When Morey went to say on the radio, that this draft is filled with bigs, I think some people took it too literally. Most everyone of these prospect have some big questionmarks involving them, just as any draft has.
I would count Montiejunas & Whiteside as "Irresistible talent".....both of whom were pretty high on the draft boards in the begging of the season.... Motiejunas was considered the #2 pick overall in the early part of the season.... Whiteside was being mentioned as a possible #1 pick overall for 2011, if he were to stay another year... PS. To all the Kentucky fans, Chad Ford now has Eric Bledsoe going 14th.....so i guess his coming out..... http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2010/mockdraft --RB
