http://www.nj.com/nets/ledger/index.ssf?/sports/ledger/13ad170.html Thorn said the ability to get Jefferson, whom the Nets considered the best athlete in the draft, was the linchpin to the deal. "We really liked him," Thorn said. "We felt that he would be available at 13. That really triggered it. We wanted to make sure we got him." Face it, tank-bashers. You thank the Collier trade and the Francis trade and the Turkcan trade for getting us the other picks. You justify all the dubious decisions of recent years by pointing out that they got us the picks that got Eddie Griffin. But you leave one thing out. If we make the 2001 playoffs, we have no 13th pick, we have no lock on Jefferson, and we have no deal for Griffin. Thank the tank . . . thank the tank . . .
First you foolish tanker Richard Jefferson was picked by New Jersey. Second, the Turkcan pick got us Terrance Morris. Third, who was advocating tanking this year! Our pick (13th) + The Francis trade (23rd) + Collier (18th) ----------------- Eddie Griffin Notice how many people thought we gave too much in the Francis trade. So, overall, this Will guy, with not very many posts, is largely correct. You thread is really about Thank the Coach, for all the Rudy/CD draft-day bashers. All that unexplained weirdness landed us Eddie Griffin and Terrance Morris this year, and we all now it really only takes two good drafts to win a ring. There is no other way to view our draft history now! Two drafts win a ring. And two drafts go good with chrispee chicken. Tender-loving good.
Morris better than Lewis? Would you put your money where your mouth is? Ill give you 3 years for T. MO to pan out.
I'll give you 3 more years for Lewis to pan out as more than a weakside presence...never a 1st option. oooohhh, that's soooo hard to find in the draft. He is nothing but a weakside presence. Who cares! Dime a dozen small forward, just like Morris. We simply deferred picking that easy to find weakside 6'9 athletic, shooter who needs an open look or lane. bet me you little ziggy doodle
WOOOO HOOO Great Point WILL TANK CITY 2001 Paid off!!! ------------------ "The things I enjoy most, I suck at: 1) Sex: everything's fine until she makes noises." - Achebe
While were all going back in time why dont we get Strickland over Chevious and tell B. Phills to stop racing. ------------------ Ziggy
Zig, While I've liked Lewis the last couple of years I have also thought he was a little overrated. He is still just college age though so he could be a super star in another year or so. My only question is this: Why did the Sonics draft VRad if they are completely sold on Rashard? And why make a trade that would bring Szczerbiak to Seatle? Where does all this leave Lewis? ------------------
But, they didn't tank. They just didn't have the talent to win. I saw the games, and they were winning games that I thought they should have lost. Tanking, I never saw it. Getting Griffin is just universal poetic justice for playing hard and going all out all the time. Tank, well only Chicago does that one!!! And where are they now? ------------------
So winning 34 and 45 games is now considered tanking, I guess. Having the best record of any team to not make the playoffs, ever, is tanking. What you guys were advocating the year before last was losing our way into guys like Francis and Griffin, as in finishing with a record bad enough to get those guys without having to trade for them. That's tanking, and that's what the Rockets DID NOT do. The Rockets got these 2 guys (and Mobley) by shrewd personnel moves, not losing games. Clutch, now that I think about it, Will may have been poking sarcastic fun at himself for advocating tanking by starting this thread. It actually makes more sense, doesn't it?
Yeah Freak, when I read this post and to see will say we tanked, it just was mind boggling. Like I said, the Rockets were winning games that they should have lost in the ordinary course of the season and should have definatley lost had they wanted to tank. You don't get better with stupid set backs like tanking. Rudy and CD are pure genius. ------------------
Like Steve Harris, Buck Johnson, Derick Chevious and Alec Kesler weren't signs of pure genius. ------------------
Look, in the long run, it will be much better if the Rockets miss the playoffs next year, and maybe the year after. The Rockets should concentrate on development. Wins and losses are not as important in this case. In fact, 20 wins next year would be quite satisfactory, as long as the Rockets show development. Then, they will be able to draft a superstar talent like Yao Ming. The following season, they might upgrade to 30 wins while the team learns to play together. It may take 4 more years before the Rockets are ready for the eighth seed. Then, the Rockets will learn how to win in the playoffs. After a few seasons as the seventh or eighth playoff team, the Rockets will be ready to move higher, maybe to the fifth seed, and move into the second round. I would then only expect a few seasons of second round exits, before the Rockets are truly ready to contend. Then, maybe after two years of getting kicked in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets will take the next step into the Finals. After three or four finals exits, the Rockets will win the title, and the rebuilding will be complete. So, here is my rebuilding plan: 2001-02 20 wins, no playoffs, Yao Ming. 2002-03 30 wins, no playoffs, solid draft pick. 2003-04 35 wins, no playoffs, solid development. 2004-05 42 wins, no playoffs, but learning how to win. 2005-06 First round exit as eighth seed. 2006-07 First round exit as seventh seed. 2007-08 Second round exit as fifth seed. 2008-09 Second round exit as fourth seed. 2009-10 Conf Finals exit as third seed. 2010-11 Conf Finals exit as third seed. 2011-12 Finals loss as second seed. 2012-13 Finals loss as first seed. 2013-14 Finals loss as first seed. 2014-15 Finals loss as first seed, with home court advantage. 2015-16 Finals victory as first seed with home court advantage. NBA Championship Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We just need to practice patience, and the Rockets will deliver us a title! ------------------ Protrolls.com! "I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea... [This message has been edited by ZRB (edited June 30, 2001).]
ZRB, in 2016 our entire current team will be in their late 30s/early 40s. I think your long term "patience" plan is either a joke or completely stupid. ------------------
Wow, Will. Mind-boggling that you would attempt to gloat when the Rockets just totally obliterated the idea of tanking in just 2 short years. Actually that's probably closer to 1 year.
