I don't see the Rockets trading a few crummy picks to move up high enough to draft a potential star. If a potential star is available, why would another team want to pass up a chance to draft them? Most of the teams drafting that high are rebuilding, which means our assets won't really help them. I think Les-More are more likely to trade for a player than to trade up. I just don't see them having a realistic chance to draft any of the athletic bigs on the board. Those guys will be the first to go. On the other hand, we got D-Mo, so hope springs eternal.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1PDIBTS_xDQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
OK, so what? Playoff appearances are meaningless unless you've got the talent to go all the way. Otherwise you will be stuck in NBA purgatory for years.
I hate NBA purgatory, but today I was left to watch Spurs vs Jazz, a team I can't stand vs a team I hate. I was rooting for the Spurs to beat the Jazz, because I hate the Jazz, but wanted the Spurs to lose, because I can't stand the Spurs... But not to lose to the Jazz, because I hate the Jazz like the Montegues hated the Capuletes. The insanity of it all! All the while, I was wishing that we were in the Playoffs, because we could take these Spurs, because we could upset the Lakers, OKC. Because it gives us a better chance at the title than the chance we have now to get a decent pick... Just because... I HATE NOT BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!
That is a flat out crock! The playoffs are a completely different ballgame. The officiating is different as is the intensity. You don't fare as well without playoff expierence. Besides,the Philadelphia Warriors are the only team that has won a championship without 1st making the playoffs.
How can any one post in this thread that Morey has any pressure on him? Go look at the polls that frequently occur in this forum. 50+% are still giving him 5 full years to "re-build". With fan pressure like that, Morey has job security until somewhere around 2025. Teflon Daryl. The sequel to Teflon Shane. We'll essentially if you're trading up you're trading for a player. Albeit, that player is compensation for another team giving up numerically lower picks. What baffles me...80% of this board thinks that 14 & 16 gets you into the Top 5. News flash...POR also has two Lottery picks...6 & 11. If someone has deceived themselves that 14 & 16 get you Top 3, they should prepare to be trumped.
The nature of this draft class gives the Rockets more of an opportunity to trade up than usual. Specifically, this draft class has a consensus #1 (Davis), a few more-or-less consensus top 5 guys (MKG, Beal, Robinson), and behind them a good number of guys who were, at one time or another, projected to be high quality NBA prospects but whose stock is in flux due for various reasons: Drummond is gifted but raw, Sullinger, Barnes and the two Jones didn't make big leap as sophomores, Austin Rivers has question re: being an undersized SG, etc. A team drafting, say, 9th, may be able to snag a high upside guy like Perry Jones but really doesn't want to live with the bust potential and may be willing to trade down some spots for someone they like just as well. It's kind of like the Eddie Griffin situation, actually.
Who are these 80%? I must have missed these people. Moving up to 8th-10th from 14th is doable. Top 5 is highly unlikely.
What happens in the off season with Goran will play a big part in what direction the team is going to go as a whole.
The moves they tried to make before last season says that they aren't going to just sit on pins and needles waiting for the Dwight trade to happen if there is another deal out there that helps them build their foundation quicker. As long as Dwight is still out there in purgatory, Morey's going to keep making the calls to Orlando as he should, but I doubt they are just going to keep going to battle with this current team waiting on the Dwight drama another season. In short, the Rockets will have a very different team to start next season, and it probably wont involve Dwight coming to Houston.
Honestly, if Goran wants a big contract or something larger then what Lowry currently has, I say let him walk. The Rockets main goals should then shift to getting a big man that can score, because based off his work this season, Patterson is looking more like a defensive specialist then a post player and Scola is on the decline. As well as getting a back up PG and possibly a SG, since I think we should resign Lee and trade Martin for whatever we can get.
