We have to miss AND Dallas has to be a top 10 team in the league (and NY has to be outside the top 5 of the draft order).
Agreed. I'm not saying it's not possible to mathmatically eliminated that soon but I doubt the Rockets stink that bad - that would be a titanic tank. I'm talking about trading it once the trading deadline is back open just before the draft once the pick is known. Because floaters don't know their pick THAT soon. Just trying to make the point that we could keep or trade our lottery pick under realistic scenarios. Because I have a better shot at winning the lottery than being mathmatically eliminated before the Feb trade deadline.
Not sure I understand your post. The truth is that the Rockets CANNOT trade their 2013 or 2014 picks if they miss the playoffs this year, unless they get someone else's unprotected pick. It's not the end of the world. But it's the reality of the situation.
Update: After 3/28 games NYK Pick -15th overall -belongs to HOU - would be 14th overall if ranked strictly by win%. -NYK in 8th place in Eastern Conf. HOU Pick -16th or 17th overall -belongs to NJN -HOU in 8th place in Western Conf. DAL Pick - 21 overall - belongs to HOU - DAL in 5th place in Western Conf. Summary: If season ended right now, HOU would have 2 picks, the 15th and 21st.
Solid picks...... I guess a player of Rondo's caliber was somewhere between 15th and 21st I guess 21st Best case
Don't jump the gun yet. This draft be loaded. A ton of "Worst-case role player/bench warmer, best-case STAR" in this draft.
Hmm, #15 and #21? At this point, i would get Royce White and hope that Meyers Leonard drops one or get Jeff Taylor at 21.
Kind of doubt it. The team doesn't have any 2nd round picks and doesn't have the incentive to buy any, given that they will likely have multiple 1st rounders.
I should have said if the draft goes as it is, there will be many good players that will go undrafted.
Yer not thinkin like Morey....those first rounder(s) will be packaged and shipped (w Kmart and/or Scola) for an upper level player - and we'll get a 2nd rounder or two back...
it would be kinda cool to have back to back picks. Rather make the playoffs though. I think we can give a team trouble.
I believe your scenario had the Rockets knowing they were in the lottery before the Feb trade deadline was over. That would mean they are 30+ games behind the 8th place team in Feb. Not saying that couldn't happen but that is not realistic IMO. More realistic is that the Rockets know they are eliminated from the playoffs somewhere around the end of the season (lets say April 2013 for example). But they can't trade it because we are past the Feb trade deadline and before the draft so no trades can be done. However when the "trade season" is open again they can do whatever they want with their 2013 pick - use it, trade it, etc. They cannot trade their 2014+ pick however...yet. If the same thing happens in 2014 and the are again in the lotto, then they can use or trade their 2014 pick but not use or trade the 2015+ pick...yet. etc. They can only use or trade their own pick after it's known that it's a lottery pick or until NJ's obligation is met.
I think you're missing something. The Rockets (assuming they miss the playoffs this year), even in your hypothetical, will not be able to trade that 2013 pick until immediately AFTER it is made. I suppose that's what you were trying to say. The Rockets could potentially agree in principal in May 2013 to a trade involving their 2013 pick. However, they could not consummate that trade until after the Rockets' selection is made in the draft. Kind of like how the Battier trade was made before the Gay pick, but Houston (not Memphis) was announced as the team selecting Gay. Let me know if I'm misrepresenting your point. Because if this is not what you're trying to say, I think you may be a little off. No offense.
This is going to hurt so much to say, but it's gotta be said. Let's all be sure to cheer for......Dallas tonight.
