We should get GREG MONROE with our 12-14 pick than trade Battier for a mid round pick and grab Avery Bradley, I went to A&M and am very impressed with this; kid tons of potential.
That took me forever to refresh to John wall... They kept saying we would get 13th and pick that Lithuanian guy
Ha the first time I opend the mock draft I got him on the second try! Now each time I try I never get him
I'm happy with that outcome, Motiejunas at 7'0 ft could be our back up C, however he would have to add some muscle to that frame in order to do it... --RB
Larry Sanders <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e0t3iKQCkzY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e0t3iKQCkzY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> As we have written about amply, Sanders has a tremendous physical profile. Standing 6’10 in shoes with a 7’6 wingspan, he has the size and the length to play either the power forward or center positions in the NBA. Athletically, he will be among the elite at the next level, boasting excellent explosiveness, mobility, and quickness for a player with his size. A significant question mark, however, surrounds his strength and frame. Though he has wide shoulders and looks capable of adding muscle in the future, he does not appear to have improved his frame substantially during his time in Richmond, which may make things difficult for him in the NBA at times. On the offensive end, Sanders has expanded his game significantly, but he still is a very raw player who has a long way to go before being able to contribute consistently at the next level. Sanders averages 22.4 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted, a five point improvement over his average last season. Despite using more possessions than last season, his efficiency has increased considerably, largely due to the fact that he’s getting to the free throw line 8 times per-40 minutes pace adjusted, and knocking down 66% (up from 56% last season) of his attempts. Looking beyond the numbers, Sanders still has a ways to go. His footwork, while improved, remains very raw, and he continues to look hesitant at times after receiving the ball. http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Larry-Sanders-5148/
I don't see us as needing a scoring big at all right now. Between Yao, Scola, and possibly Hill, that's something we could have covered for several more years. Furthermore, since the Martin trade, we've repeatedly demonstrated the ability to put up huge offensive numbers from the backcourt and the wings. The weakness that has been uncovered this year is that yes, we really do need size, length, and shotblocking ability on the defensive end. We struggle to protect the paint from slashers even with some of the better perimeter and man-to-man defenders in the league. This is something that Morey as much as admitted he miscalculated on in interviews--he thought we would be a much better defensive team than we have been, and worse on offense. Sure, we have Yao for this, but Yao is all we have. And as we've seen this year, without him on the floor, the defense has a tendency to struggle. He needs a legitimate backup who can come in and fill his role defensively; the offense is of secondary concern when you have a backcourt capable of scoring 60+ points on any given night (not to mention Luis Scola). With all of this in mind, my #1 target if I were Morey would be Cole Aldrich, and I'd be fighting to use the New York picks to trade up and get him. He's a true center and an NBA-ready defensive player, and though he will never be a superstar or an offensive force, he's a game-changer on defense. He's the kind of guy who could come in and make an impact on a championship run right away. His defensive presence would allow us to sit Yao for about half of every game and preserve his health for the playoffs... and give us a plan B so we'd have a fighting chance if Yao goes down again.
If Hill shows willingness to improve in the offseason and bulk up, I can see the Rockets going into the draft with basically NO NEED anywhere. I think Morey either trades up for a player he REALLY likes, maybe Cousins if he falls a bit, or trades out altogether. I think the only position that Morey may want to draft is a PG who has the potential to have a complete game. But this year's PG position sucks after Wall. And unlike NY, who stupidly took a player they didn't really like, I see us packaging this pick in a big trade to improve our top talent.
Too bad the NBA Draft is like 10 days after the end of the regular season. Hill better be using some serious Barry Bonds type stuff if he's going to bulk up in that time period.
Hassan Whiteside should be one of our main targets In this years draft IMO, he has been dropping in many draft boards given how raw his game is.... college stats: 13.6pts|9.2reb|5.4blks Weaknesses: Still a work in progress offensively. At times looks awkward in the post but appears to be gaining confidence ... Needs to work on his free throw shooting (currently shooting below 40%) ... Feel for the game is still raw, but not terrible ...Needs to develop his passing skills to find teammates when doubled...Should work on his post skills and develop better range on his shot ...Also must look to become more sure handed and cut down on turnovers, although he shows soft hands, and should be fine as he gains experience... A lot of concerns are mostly due to how raw he is, which makes it possible for him to drop to our pick....However constantly working with Dawson and Yao and even Scola will help him establish a good offensive game, with potential to grow.... PS. The combination Whiteside(7'0) & Hill(6'10) would be the future of our front court..... :grin: --RB
I'd love to be the team that gets to develop him. My dream scenario would be putting him at PF next to Yao -- we would the biggest frontcourt in the NBA and it should make us one of, if not the best, defensive team.
I've also heard people seriously questioning Whiteside's character, work ethic, and effort on the court. When you couple that with him being a "project" in several important areas, I'd say he's a guy with very low floor. He's a prime candidate to be a high draft pick bust. He's also a superstar candidate with his tools, but it's a big gamble. I'd rather take a big man with great character, work ethic, and the skills and ability to be an NBA roleplayer right away. That's why I suggested Cole Aldrich. We need to win now, not spend two years trying to develop a guy who may or may not turn out to be a bust.
I agree. Aldrich would come in and have an immediate affect. He has the tools to be a very very good defensive player in the NBA, not to mention the fact that he isn't getting a lot of plays called for him offensively at KU, I think he can be better offensively than what most people think. He'll never be an offensive force, but he won't be a Jared Jeffries either! As a back-up to Yao, he would be the perfect fit. However the Rockets need to ask themselves if they want to try to hopefully find a player with great potential to be a star or try to just get a very good piece to a championship team.
