I DON'T GIVE A FLIP, IT'S ALL ABOUT GAINING EXPERIENCE

I don't give a flip about the rest of this season, I just want the new and young Rocks to learn what they can from it. We are headed for the lotto folks, and for trades before that.

This game (Portland) was a good learning experience for Francis. Playing against a team that could collectively shut him down. Somebody mentioned that he is the best player on this team already and for now I must disagree with them. That player right now in my mind is Chuck.

They took both Francis and Chuck out of the game but it was Chuck who really managed to help the team down the stretch, more so than Francis. That in my mind is the mark of a great player. Francis will get there.

Cuttino has now put together two games in a row, and is playing very confidently. He very well could be the find of last year's second round and the player the summer reports have billed him to be.

Say what you want about Drew, and how bad he sucks, and how bad we all want Derek Harper and stability but he is growing in front of our eyes this year. His shooting is coming along, the turnovers are vanishing, and now he must focus on his defense. If he can get his defense going (big if) and continue to play like he did in Portland, then we could be fairly surprised with him at the end of this season. And I'm not going any further out on that limb.

Williams could fit well in this offense, but after Hakeem and Chuck are gone, do we really want him around? He's a shooter, although right now he's not, and plays very poor defense, and can not run the floor. Again if you haven't already heard me state this, I think he's simply too heavy right now.

Cato I'm very happy to have in the long term, but I'm still not so sure that the Rocks didn't give him a little too much after such an outstanding preseason. So far in the 13 or however many games, he has showed real athleticism, noticeablly fewer blocks, and a need for one on one offense.

Bullard will be gone if not in the same year but the year, after Hakeem goes. That's my guess although I don't now his contract situation.

Hamilton will go bye-bye soon enough, will learn his name, learn the difficulties of dieting in a fast food culture, and then file his name away forever with the likes of Stanley Roberts, Eric Riley, Zan Tabak, Tim Breaux, Chris Jent, Earl Cureton, Charles Jones, and Scottie "Mr. 4th quarter" Brooks".

I think Rudy has no more than five years left in him at the max. From what we know he's probably a workaholic and couldn't even think about retirement yet. Nothing against the guy but I think his experience with big men run offenses, is not what we need for the future, or what I personally want to see.

But I guarantee he will still be around come draft day. Which I think we will be anywhere from 3 to 8. If Chris Mihm from Texas is still around, I bet Rudy hand selects the kid. Chris Porter, Mateen Cleaves, Terrance Morris, Gerald Wallace (high schooler from Alabama), Michael Redd, who knows.

Take it easy folks, we are in no position to make the playoffs. So let down and relax, let's see what this ballclub matures to and what parts are added for next season, because as I see it now, we are only biding time.

 

Pass 1st, Richardson could be a very explosive, although I will admit I can't remember having seen him play more than once.
He's a 2/3 in college. Last year, his Freshman year, he averaged 18.9 PPG, and 10.5 RPG. He'll play two guard in the NBA, and should defintly in my mind be a first 3 pick. So I think that rules us out.

The more and more I see of Chris Mihm, the more I like, he's got strong fundamentals like a Tim Duncan, but athleticism could be a question. Rudy will no doubt like him, but with Hakeem here for another year, this may not happen.

Personally, I want the Rockets to grad the best talent, and that talent this year may be Gerald Wallace the high schooler from Alabama. He was in SLAM magazine recently. That's all I got for ya there, but I believe he is 6-6. So we would be looking at somebody to team with Francis in the backcourt. I can't help it personally, but I feel that we eventually want Anderson to go if we get another backourt star through the draft. Mobley is gonna stay cause he has more talent ultimately than Anderson. I love Anderson, but he is an oppurtunity player / scrapper / role player. I want eventually a true scorer.

Rudy and the organization could also go by the notion that this draft isn't as talented as previous years. So then we could trade our draft pick to the Bulls for Kukoc or something. That statement is said every year, by people who have seen the guys who will be drafted very little, and with smaller roles the previous year on their resective teams. Hell we didn't even know who Jason Williams when he was drafted with the seventh pick two years ago. Everybody was complaining about how bad that draft was, and 12 is Pierce, and Carter (the Canadian Jordan heir) was 5. So don't buy into that.

Basically I have no idea. The trades they will make before the deadline will shape this process more.

 

Pass 1st, of course Quentin. He will likely be a top three pick. That makes us in my mind out of the running. We should begin winning some more games here soon, not enough to be good, not enough to change things, just enough to change draft day positioning.

 

Morris has lots of ability Cabbage but I'm not sold on him as top 3 just yet.

Texas beat Michigan State yesterday (they were without Mateen) and Mihm did play pretty well although he has been injured. 19 points, 15 boards, 5 blocks, somthing to that effect. Again I question his athleticism. But not his shooting or defense. All big men are under harsh crticism and he is no different. It will be interesting to see where this guy pans out.