Information on player progression during lockout?

RudyTBag · Jun 30, 2011

With the lockout in full effect, can we expect to hear anything from our players and their development?

Can any insiders out there give us some info on how the Rocket brass handles a lockout in terms of workouts and player progression?

DaDakota · Jun 30, 2011

IIRC the staff can have no contact with the players and they are not allowed to use the facilities.

Maybe they can get around it some with CD, but I doubt it.

DD

coachbadlee · Jun 30, 2011

Hopefully they were busy working out a plan to do group workouts together.

jsmee2000 · Jun 30, 2011

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/sports/nba/110630-nba-lockout-disappoints-rockets-players

NBA Lockout Disappoints Rockets Players

Houston - Houston Rockets players are disappointed with the news from Union Chief Billy Hunter who said Thursday "it's obvious the lockout will happen tonight."

Players and owners have not been able to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement which is expiring.

"The gap is too great," Hunter told the Associated Press.

Rockets forward Chuck Hayes, who will become an unrestricted free agent once a new CBA is put in place, said a work stoppage is not good for the sport.

"It's unfortunate with the season that this league has had, the fan base, the notoriety, the popularity of the sport, it's just unfortunate that it's coming to a halt and things need to get settled on the business side," Hayes said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

"Upset wouldn't be the right word. I'm just more disappointed that the two sides couldn't come together at an earlier time and get an agreement."

Hayes reiterated his hopes of resigning with the Rockets once he can begin negotiating with Houston.

"It would have been great if there was no lockout and me and the Rockets can begin negotiating tomorrow, but that's not the case," Hayes said.

Rockets guard Kevin Martin points out no team in the NBA will be more adversely affected by the lockout than the Rockets when you consider the fact Houston has a new head coach in Kevin McHale and the team is loaded with young players.

"Since we have so many young people on the team I think it definitely affects us probably the most out of any team and also other young teams, just because you know you want your rookies in their doing the work with the coaches," Martin said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

"The people that have been in the league for awhile, we just know we have to keep on doing our workouts and whenever the time has come to get back together, just make sure you're ready."

Both Martin and Hayes acknowledge it will not be good for the sport if games are missed because of the lockout.

Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/spo...out-disappoints-rockets-players#ixzz1QnsvLJhW
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iconoclastic · Jun 30, 2011

jsmee2000 said: ↑

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/sports/nba/110630-nba-lockout-disappoints-rockets-players

NBA Lockout Disappoints Rockets Players
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Another NBA conspiracy against the Rockets.

Halfback10 · Jun 30, 2011

Why the NBA is losing fans and money is because of David Stern and his stupid referees rigging games. When they stop rigging games, then I'll pay and go to live games. Screw David Stern!

jsmee2000 · Jun 30, 2011

http://www.foxsportshouston.com/06/30/11/Rockets-react-to-lockout/landing_rockets.html?blockID=536098&feedID=3714

Rockets react to lockout

Even if the NFL lockout ends today (and there’s no such indication), “lockout” will remain an often-used word in the sports vernacular during the summer. After a meeting between NBA union chief Billy Hunter and representatives for the owners Thursday, the sides could not reach a deal as the current labor deal is set to expire. The sides couldn’t even agree to extend the deadline for a potential lockout, perhaps offering a glimpse of just how far apart they are and that this impasse will not pass in a short span of time. So, for the first time since 1999, a labor dispute will bring NBA business to a halt. Free agency was to begin Friday, July 1.

“I’m definitely worried about it,” said Rockets guard Courtney Lee. “This is something that can linger on for the whole year. This is our livelihood and there’s a chance we might be locked out the whole year so we have to be sure that we take the right steps. Players limiting their spending, style of living, everything.”

The NBA says 22 of the 30 teams would lose money under the current deal with the players. The most significant issue the owners are pushing is a hard cap, similar to the cap the NFL utilized prior to its lockout. The NBA’s cap can be circumvented via exceptions such as the middle class exception and teams can go over the cap to retain their own free agents. The cap will most likely be the most difficult issue to resolve.

“This hard cap,” the Rockets’ Chuck Hayes responded when questioned about the single biggest hurdle in the talks. “Apparently this hard cap is something the owners are really determined to get and as players, we feel it doesn’t work in our benefit. We can’t submit to it. Other things we’re willing to negotiate but this hard cap is something the owners are working hard to get.”

Hayes also concedes the lockout could turn into a long-term shut-down of the league.

“Yeah, it could be,” said Hayes. “But I’m prepared for it. They’ve prepared us for this for over two years now so I was expecting it. It was just a matter of when.”

Lee, too, was not surprised that the pre-lockout talks were for naught.

“We pretty much knew throughout this whole season and toward the end of the season that there was going to be a lockout,” Lee said. “Not knowing how long (a lockout would last) is the only factor that’s bothering most players.”

The 1998-99 season was shortened to 50 games due to a work stoppage.

Beyond negotiating for a hard cap, the owners would like to shorten the length of contracts and reduce some of the guaranteed money in contracts.

While he is not a player rep, Lee said he plans to stay close to the situation.

“Me and my agent talk daily,” Lee said. “There hasn’t been a day go by this off-season that I haven’t been looking on-line, reading lockout articles. I’ll be involved.”
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Yetti · Jun 30, 2011

Halfback10 said: ↑

Why the NBA is losing fans and money is because of David Stern and his stupid referees rigging games. When they stop rigging games, then I'll pay and go to live games. Screw David Stern!
Click to expand...

How stupid!
David Stern is the builder of the modern day NBA.
He built our sport into its present national standing, spreading out all over the globe.

We as fans must suffer the consequences the stress of a greedy Union and a greedy Ownership, each now having decided to stay put, insisting that they will not reach out to each other with an effective solution.

Only when each suffers, will they come back to the table and support the needs of each other! By this time much of our NBA may have crumbled
as the League wastes away.

Commodore · Jun 30, 2011

<style type='text/css'>.bbpBox86588367105568768 {background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/24638205/ricbucher.jpg) #0f0e14;padding:20px;} p.bbpTweet{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:#000;font-size:18px !important;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata{display:block;width:100%;clear:both;margin-top:8px;padding-top:12px;height:40px;border-top:1px solid #fff;border-top:1px solid #e6e6e6} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author{line-height:19px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author img{float:left;margin:0 7px 0 0px;width:38px;height:38px} p.bbpTweet a:hover{text-decoration:underline}p.bbpTweet span.timestamp{font-size:12px;display:block}</style> <div class='bbpBox86588367105568768'><p class='bbpTweet'>League office taking hard stand. Has told teams contact w/players after midnight = $1 million fine. And more. Story on mothership shortly.<span class='timestamp'><a title='Fri Jul 01 00:14:10 +0000 2011' href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher/statuses/86588367105568768'>less than a minute ago</a> via web <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/favorite.png' /> Favorite</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/retweet.png' /> Retweet</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/reply.png' /> Reply</a></span><span class='metadata'><span class='author'><a href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher'><img src='http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/319250942/bucher_normal.jpg' /></a><strong><a href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher'>Ric Bucher</a></strong><br/>RicBucher</span></span></p></div>

The Sensei · Jun 30, 2011

I wonder if Westside Tennis & Fitness will open their doors to the players during the lockout.

If memory serves me correct, players were able to use Westside Tennis Club during the previous lockout ('99) despite it being the official practice court of the Houston Rockets.

Either way, I'm not looking forward to this lockout.

BetterThanEver · Jun 30, 2011

This could be a good thing for some players. Most players make the biggest development in the off season instead of the playing season. I hope Kevin Martin goes to David Thorpe during the lockout. He could bring along Hill, Patterson, Morris, Parsons and Thabeet.

Morris needs to slim down and improve his handles.
Hill, Patterson, and Thabeet continue to work on low post moves and defensive positioning.
Parsons needs to work on everything?

Hippieloser · Jun 30, 2011

Somebody get Hakeem on a plane to Houston.

rolyat93 · Jun 30, 2011

<style type='text/css'>.bbpBox86588367105568768 {background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/24638205/ricbucher.jpg) #0f0e14;padding:20px;} p.bbpTweet{background:#fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:#000;font-size:18px !important;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata{display:block;width:100%;clear:both;margin-top:8px;padding-top:12px;height:40px;border-top:1px solid #fff;border-top:1px solid #e6e6e6} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author{line-height:19px} p.bbpTweet span.metadata span.author img{float:left;margin:0 7px 0 0px;width:38px;height:38px} p.bbpTweet a:hover{text-decoration:underline}p.bbpTweet span.timestamp{font-size:12px;display:block}</style> <div class='bbpBox86588367105568768'><p class='bbpTweet'>Houston Rockets agree to deal a bag of Great Value Potatoe Chips in return they recieve a 16 oz. bag of Dorito's Cool Ranch and a small box of macoroni..#ClassicMoreyLowball..<span class='timestamp'><a title='Fri Jul 01 00:14:10 +0000 2011' href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher/statuses/86588367105568768'>less than a minute ago</a> via web <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/favorite.png' /> Favorite</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/retweet.png' /> Retweet</a> <a href='http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=86588367105568768'><img src='http://si0.twimg.com/images/dev/cms/intents/icons/reply.png' /> Reply</a></span><span class='metadata'><span class='author'><a href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher'><img src='http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/319250942/bucher_normal.jpg' /></a><strong><a href='http://twitter.com/RicBucher'>Ric Bucher</a></strong><br/>RicBucher</span></span></p></div>

jsmee2000 · Jul 1, 2011

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/article_439cffb3-61fc-5506-9dca-95c3bb7bd66c.html

NBA: Lockout next career move for Budinger

CARLSBAD ---- As a lockout loomed last week, all but certain to shut down the business of the NBA, Chase Budinger sat in a local coffee shop and discussed his development over the two years he has spent in the league, and his plans for an uncertain, immediate future.

"It's crazy how time flies. Like, I can't believe I've already had two seasons in the NBA already. It's gone by like that," Budinger said, lightly snapping his fingers.

The second-year forward for the Houston Rockets, whose star appears to be on the rise after he started the final 22 games of the season, was not sweating out the prospect of a lockout, which materialized when the league and the players association could not come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement by midnight Thursday.

Budinger certainly gave people something to think about, and earned himself a little peace of mind, with his performance over the last month-and-a-half of the campaign, which he capped off with a career-high 35-point outburst in the final game of the regular season against Minnesota.

"I think I've definitely proven myself, with those 22 games, that I can be a starter in this league," Budinger said.

The native of Encinitas and former prep sports phenom from La Costa Canyon High, acknowledged that it will be a challenge preparing for a season that, for the time being, is completely up in the air.

"It's definitely tough to train for," Budinger said. "You don't know if you're going to have a normal season, if it starts on time, or (it will be delayed) a couple months, or a couple weeks. So training in the summertime, it's going to be a little different.

"I've talked to coaches, and weight coaches and stuff, and their strategy, what they kind of want to do, is more of an up-and-down type training."

According to Budinger, rather than engaging in workouts that build to the traditional start of the preseason in September, he will have to take more of a cyclical approach.

"Work hard for a week, week-and-a-half, and take a couple days off," he said. "Do that type of thing until you are hearing they are getting closer (to an agreement). Then you can start training to play."

In his two NBA seasons, Budinger has proven conclusively that he was vastly undervalued when he was taken with the 44th pick in the 2009 draft (selected by the Detroit Pistons and then traded to the Rockets). In fact, he has outproduced the vast majority of the lottery picks from that draft.

Only three of those 2009 lottery picks ---- Stephen Curry of Golden State, DeMar DeRozan of Toronto and Brandon Jennings of Milwaukee ---- have exceeded Budinger's totals in games (152), starts (26), minutes (3,225), rebounds (501), assists (215), steals (75) and points (1,442).

In March, ESPN.com blogger John Hollinger put Budinger on his All-2012 breakout team, noting: "Budinger has taken on a much larger role and been a huge factor in the Rockets' recent 7-2 surge back into playoff contention. Dropping 17.3 points per game in the stretch while playing as something of a Kevin Martin clone ---- combining 3-pointers with a high free throw rate, much like his hyper-efficient teammate ---- Budinger has moved his small-forward-of-the-future status into the present."

Budinger was an extravagantly gifted high school athlete who was a two-time CIF San Diego Section player of the year in basketball at La Costa Canyon and averaged 33 points a game as a senior, leading the Mavericks to their first section title. He also was the section's three-time player of the year in volleyball, graduated as the section's all-time leading basketball scorer and was the North County Times Boys Athlete of the Year in 2006.

His long-range shooting skills and exceptional leaping ability have always been his calling card. But when asked about where he has improved the most since coming into the NBA, Budinger talked about a less-heralded part of his game.

"I've definitely been working on my defense a lot," said Budinger, whose defense was considered a liability when he entered the league. "Half of it has been mental, just really preparing yourself before games on who you're playing against, and knowing their tendencies.

"And also just knowing game plans. I think a lot of guys struggle when they first get to the NBA, because thinking-wise it's too fast for guys. It gives guys trouble. And I think I've done a good job with that."

Some of that improvement can be traced to Budinger's work with Elston Turner, a Rockets assistant coach during both of Budinger's seasons.

"He played in the league (for eight years)," Budinger said. "He was kind of my same build too, and he pretty much told me about his experiences, the things he had to go through when he was in the NBA. The things he did that gave him success, he tried to pass that on to me."

After the Rockets elected not to renew the contract of head coach Rick Adelman, the assistant coaches were also let go, but Turner's name has been linked to a handful of head coaching vacancies the last two offseasons, including the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Rockets' new coach, Kevin McHale, did not mention Budinger by name at his introductory press conference last month. But he said: "One of the reasons I took the job is it's a very well-coached, very good offensive team. They get up and down the floor. I love a lot of stuff that Rick Adelman did offensively with these guys. They scored up a storm. I think that they have pieces in place, very good pieces, that can be part of a championship type team."

Championship talk is great. Labor peace would be even better. Until that is achieved, Budinger will keep busy working out and running his basketball camp, which will be held at LCC from July 11-15. (For more information on the camp, visit www.chasebudinger.com and click on the camp link.)

"You know, it's going to be a good camp," Budinger said. "I think a lot of kids liked it last year, and it should be better than last year. It's our second year doing it, you should know a little more."

Considering the developments of Budinger's second year in the NBA, that sounds like a pretty fair assumption.

Read more: http://www.nctimes.com/sports/article_439cffb3-61fc-5506-9dca-95c3bb7bd66c.html#ixzz1Qrx49tni
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REEKO_HTOWN · Jul 1, 2011

David Thorpe will now be the source of half of the Rockets news.

RV6 · Jul 1, 2011

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/30/jamison-players-more-unified.ap/index.html

Jamison said the NBA Players Association is already setting up gyms around the country where players will be able to work out and get instruction and treatment. He said players are constantly getting updates from the union and there was a strong push that started "three or four years ago" to get players to save money and prepare for the worst.
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HMMMHMM · Jul 2, 2011

While they wait, Rockets players said they have arranged to train elsewhere. Lowry said he will work out in Houston but likely will return to the camp in Las Vegas he and Chuck Hayes attended last summer. Marcus Morris will work out with former NBA guard Pooh Richardson in Los Angeles. Jonny Flynn works with John Lucas in Houston. Kevin Martin and Courtney Lee have been working with David Thorpe in Tampa, Fla. Thabeet said he has been discussing options around the country but has not made his choice.

Rookie Donatas Motiejunas has returned to Treviso, Italy, for a training camp there and said he intends to play for Benetton Treviso next season if the NBA does not start on time.

"We can all spend the summer getting better, and I can take time to maybe see my family a little more," Lowry said. "I got to where I am in shape. I don't want to overdo myself and be ready right away. You can break your workout down to work on particular things for a longer time.

"I'll definitely be in Vegas working out with my guy there, but I have things set up to get my work in when I'm in town. I'm going to try to get my teammates together in the summer so we can work out and play and get familiarized with each other a little more."
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Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7636482.html

jimmyv281 · Jul 2, 2011

Wondering which would actually favor the rocket's team a hard cap or a soft cap? Given our superior scout team and gm. I think we might have an advantage in a hard cap. Either way its gonna be a long off season!

Shroopy2 · Jul 2, 2011

jimmyv281 said: ↑

Wondering which would actually favor the rocket's team a hard cap or a soft cap? Given our superior scout team and gm. I think we might have an advantage in a hard cap. Either way its gonna be a long off season!
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Thing is Houston has the scout team, frugality AND extra money to spend since Rockets are actually profitable. Rockets were supposed to be in position to be "predatory". And whats come out of it?

I'm not gonna give Rockets front office any more credit than they deserve. Though I'm thinking they HAD to have considered the salary cap tightening that was to come in the next CBA and made some of their moves with that in mind.

Carl Herrera · Jul 2, 2011

HMMMHMM said: ↑

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7636482.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting.
Kyle Lowry is a leader and a true professional. I hope he dies (of natural causes at an old age) as the owner of the Rockets.

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