I was reading through <a href="http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/845515">the Chronicle articles today,</a> and they mentioned what picks we have coming to us and their conditions. I thought this was worth putting up, so we can refer back to it as we get nearer to the draft. With extra picks, Rockets can feel a draft Duke of Houston?: Fans might think Shane Battier would look great in a Rockets uniform. If your idea of fun while watching the NCAA Tournament is to do a little scouting for the local NBA team, we might recommend filling out a bracket. But if you're determined to scout Shane Battier, Jason Kapono or Troy Murphy for the Rockets and then figure out how to get your choice, here is the Rockets' collection of potential draft picks this season besides their own. The Rockets should get a pick from Orlando, probably the Suns' or Knicks' pick. The Magic has until 2004 to send the Rockets a first-rounder, but each season it becomes less protected, from one through 17 this season, to one through 13 the next and one through six in 2003. The Pistons owe the Rockets a first-rounder, acquired from Philadelphia in a deal that sent the 76ers Mirsad Turksan. But it can be anyone's first-rounder by 2004. The Bucks owe the Rockets their own first-round pick if it's not in the top 15. Finally, the Bulls owe the Rockets their own first-rounder sometime in the next four seasons, contingent on the Bulls' unlikely improvement. Each season the Bulls would have to reach a greater level of success to be compelled to send the Rockets a first-round pick. More likely, they will send two second-round picks in 2004. -------------------------------------- So, it would seem that we would probably get two picks this year, but only keep one: <OL>[*] Our own, probably in the twenties. But if our pick goes past 14, which it will if we get in the playoffs, in my understanding, we have to give this one to Vancouver from the Francis trade.[*] Milwaukee's from last year's trade, since it appears they'll be well past 11 (I thought it was 11, not 15), probably in the low twenties, as well. [/list=a] That means we will probably only end up with 1 low twenties picks in the first round from Milwaukee. (Good thing we did that trade last year. Look at how Pryzbilla is doing...) Orlando's pick might become less protected, but it can be anyone's first round pick. They'll keep it another year or two, unless they have a real late pick that is worth unloading. Sometime in the next couple years, we might get Chicago in another squeeze, since they won't be able to make a trade during the year without our help, but they don't need to give their pick to us this year, and since this year is such a deep draft, you can bet Detroit isn't giving us their pick this year either. Not as good as I had thought. ------------------ the more I know, the more I know I don't know... [This message has been edited by Sherlock (edited March 11, 2001).]
I don't understand how the Orlando pick works. Does this mean that if Orlando sends us a pick this year, it has to be top 17? or next year 13 and so on? ------------------
The intersting thing about our pick going to Vancouver is that Vancouver owes Detroit a pick. Our pick should fall into the "cheap" end of their deal. Detroit may end up giving us our own pick back and close out our trade rather than risk giving us a better pick next year. ref: http://www.realgm.com/src_draft2001.php ------------------
Relativist: No, it means that it's protected. So, this year, they don't have to give us a pick from 1-17, but can give us from 18-29. Next year, the protection is expanded from 14-29, etc. What makes this a mute point, is that it doesn't have to be Orlando's pick, so they could trade at any time to get a late pick in the first round. The conclusion in the article, that we'll get the pick this year, I believe is flawed. The pick can be anyone's pick, not just Miami's (according to RealGM). win14me: Same issue with the Detroit pick. Since it doesn't have to be Detroit's pick, and they don't have to give it until 2004, why would they give us one in a draft that is as deep as anything we've seen in 16 years? If they get that pick from Vancouver, they'll use it to rebuild their team, in my opinion. ------------------ the more I know, the more I know I don't know...
Sherlock, thanks for the explanation. I know what pick protection entails, and that's why I was confused, since there was no specification that it had to be Orlando's pick. I couldn't figure out why the owed pick would be protected if it wasn't anyone's pick in particular. Well, it looks like there's a very good possibility that we will have only one pick in the 20s this year (Milwaukee's), if the Rockets make it to the playoffs. It does hurt a bit to think we could be missing out on the opportunity to grab a solid starter, but I'll still take the playoffs, no question. Go Rockets! ------------------
By the wording of the article, I wonder if it's a joint option on the Orlando pick, where we can take any pick that's not top 17. If Orlando has the option, why protect it at all? Protecting Orlando from themselves? I think it could mean that we have the option on the pick, but it can't be in the top 17. Good news is, both NY and Phoenix will be giving Orlando their picks, and they are both just around 18. We're not into the playoffs (and out of the top 13) yet. It doesn't matter if we're better than all the teams in the east, we'd still be in the lottery, and have a top 13 pick. ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated.
Nikestrad, Gabriel said in a radio interview that it was Orlando's option when to send the pick. It doesn't make much sense to me either why they would have an option AND a protection, but that's what it seems to us to be right now. Of course, the conditions on these picks are moving targets: it was boldly reported that the Mil pick was top-10 protected when we first made it and now Feigen and Dawson are saying top-15. It's like that with everything. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
CD says the top-15 protection at rockets.com's ask CD section. As for the Orlando pick, I understand your suggestion and I have seen options that work like that -- Team A has an option to offer it and Team B has an option to accept or refuse it -- and I won't be terribly surprised if some kind of double option did come in to play here, but the impression I and my RealGM cohort have is that it is Orlando's option. In CD's response I mentioned above, he also says that it is Orlando's option. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
JV-When did CD say it? My guess is it's some joint option-maybe Magic choose a year, Rockets choose a pick (protected based on the year). ------------------ "That's been a lifelong dream of mine." -Vince Carter, after laying it in on a breakaway, much to the Vancouver crowd's displeasure.
The Orlando Sentinel has said that the Magic are likely to send the lowest draft pick they have this season (which will either be New York's via Phoenix or Dallas') to Houston to satisfy their obligation. Even though the protections are in place, it is likely that neither of those two picks will be in the top 17. ------------------
good scoop mfclark. I went and found the article for anyone else interested <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magicnotes031501.story?coll=orl%2Dmagic">Orlando Sentinel: Magic Basketball</a> Going up Although the Magic will have three first-round picks in the draft this summer, they are unlikely to add more than one first-round rookie next season, according to Magic General Manager John Gabriel. The Magic will have their own pick, one from the New York Knicks (coming through Phoenix) and another from Dallas, which means the more games the Knicks and Mavericks lose this season, the better for the Magic. The worst of those three picks is likely to go to Houston to satisfy a previous trade obligation, leaving the Magic with two this summer. The Magic also have several more picks in future years from other teams, although Gabriel said all will be made available as the Magic try to move higher in this draft. "We're going to be very aggressive in trying to move up, to get the guy who can really help us," said Gabriel. "If we have to use two, three or four picks to do it, we will try to move up." As of right now, that would be Dallas' pick, #22 (#21 if you throw out Minnesota). ------------------ "That's been a lifelong dream of mine." -Vince Carter, after laying it in on a breakaway, much to the Vancouver crowd's displeasure.
