Please excuse if this topic has already been posted on here. I did not see it and wanted to share. This was in the NBA Notebook this morning in the Chronicle. Very interesting! Chris No hurry http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1407439 -- Tempted as the Rockets have been to keep or use their No. 15 draft pick, acquired from Toronto in the Hakeem Olajuwon sign-and-trade deal, as a negotiating tool, they now have little choice. The Rockets thought the Grizzlies would have to accept that pick if it was conveyed to them to complete the Steve Francis trade. Instead, the Grizzlies only have to accept a pick other than the Rockets' own selection -- which they are not about to surrender -- if the pick in question is among the top 13. "There's nothing in the rules that says we have to send it or they have to take it," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "They can wait til next year to take our pick for sure. It's up to them. From their point of view, we've been in the lottery now (for three seasons). They might roll the dice and wait until next year." Next season, the Rockets must send their pick or another team's lottery pick to complete the deal. The Grizzlies could choose to take this season's pick if they lose their own pick to Detroit. But that only would happen in the long-shot chance they fall out of the top five. But the Rockets' second first-round pick has become more valuable with every addition to the draft mix -- Duke's Mike Dunleavy is the latest -- and the rise in stature of some of the European players, especially 19-year-old forward Nickoloz Tskitishvili. With the improved draft, the second pick might help the Rockets move up or add a pick to make up for the choice they would lose next season. "It will give us a lot of advantages," Dawson said. "It will be a great tool to move around with, whether we give it to them or not. When you've got a good draft, a pick in the lottery or just outside is something to work with. "It's a better draft than you would think after a good draft like last year. It looks like it will be a lot better than a normal draft to follow such a good draft. I've already had people calling asking about that pick."
The thing I found alarming was if the Grizzlies drop out of the top 5 then they would have to give up their pick to Detroit,and go on to take our 1st pick THIS YEAR. That would only leave us with the 15th pick.
That isn't what I picked up from reading it. Next season, the Rockets must send their pick or another team's lottery pick to complete the deal. The Grizzlies could choose to take this season's pick if they lose their own pick to Detroit. But that only would happen in the long-shot chance they fall out of the top five. The Grizzlies CAN accept the #15, but do not have to unless it was a top 13 pick. But by at least next year, the Rockets have to send their own pick, whatever it may be, or a pick from another team (must be a lotto pick if it is from another team, to keep the Rockets from making a trade with say the Lakers, and convey a pick around #29).. The Grizzlies are most likely to wait until next year to take a pick from the Rockets, but the could choose to take the #15 this year. They probably won't take it, unless they happen to lose their own pick to Detroit. A scenario that would only happen if they fall out of the top 5.
Is that right? That would be scary. Imagine (I know there is probably almost zero chance of that happening) we get the No. 1 pick somehow, the Grizzlies fall out of the top 5 and then they could take our No. 1 pick???????
no, no it's not right. Our own pick is lotto protected this year, whether it's #1 or #8, the Grizz can only get the pick IF we choose to give it to them, which ain't happenin.
I'm sorry for causing all the confusion,It was written that the Grizzlies could take the Rockets pick this year if they dropped out of the top 5,it didn't say which one. I thought that it might be the 1st pick,I didn't know that our 1st pick was lotto protected.
This means we will most likely be using the #15 pick-whether to keep, to trade, or to package up. I think it's a great pick in this draft-I feel there's high quality up to about 17. With the addition of Tskitishvili and Dunleavy to the draft pool, expect either Butler or Woods to be within trading range of #15. In my opinion, #15/KT is enough to land the SF of the future via draft (Butler, Woods, Tskitishvili, assuming Dunleavy is taken higher) or trade (Artest, Mike Miller, Hedo?). All you have to do is hope for some friendly lotto balls and land Ming to be your center. In 2 years, you'd have built up a front line for the future, entirely through free agency/draft-Ming, Griffin, a SF, with Taylor and Morris as the main backups.
If we get Ming with the 1st pick then,I would like to see if we could get the 12th pick for KT and the 15th pick and send Marcus to Orlando for Mike Miller.Orlando likes Miller very much and they passed up on Haywood but they really need another center because Steven Hunter is not good enough yet.
