Great stuff Clutch. Awesome thread. Not sure how I feel about the Rockets draft. Once again we get teased with moving up for a difference maker and then come away with "solid value picks." Not that that is bad, just hoping for something special. I still look at the Rockets roster as a chest full of assets to be parlayed into bigger moves. The story is still being written.
Yeah, he's serviceable. I just don't see us committing $27M over 3 years to another injury prone big man.
We are stacked at every position besides center. I believe that some of our 'assets' will be traded during the offseason for a center like Biedrins, Gasol or Bogut. Let's just hope we don't give up too much to get this done.
btw here is an article by thedreamshake, not sure if this is banned here http://www.thedreamshake.com/2011/6/24/2241964/could-andris-biedrins-be-the-next-rockets-center Could Andris Biedrins Be The Next Rockets Center? by Mike Kerns on Jun 24, 2011 11:39 AM CDT With the Rockets going through another draft that was slim pickings on legit Center prospects, this is still the primary concern of a high percentage of the Houston faithful and discussion of all things Rockets this morning. Donatas Motiejunas is seven feet and said to have bulked up to the 230 range, but he is still projected as a four. But if you're like me, you believe that there is absolutely no way that you enter yet another season with a 6'6" player as your starting Center. Yes, Chuck Hayes has an immeasurable amount of heart, but he is still half a foot too short in physical height. So where does Daryl Morey turn now? Well, it turns out that he was close to making a deal for Golden State Center Andris Biedrins during last night's draft. And if you believe anything that the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice has to say (I know...it's quite difficult) when he isn't proclaiming his thoughts of leaving his Wife and kids to run away with Vince Young, he says that negotiations to acquire Biedrins are still ongoing. Would Biedrins be a good fit at the five in Houston? Let's examine the possibilities after the jump. The first thing that makes me answer yes to my own question is the fact that Andris is seven feet tall and a true center. So he already has that going for him. The next is that he has been a serviceable player in the league for seven full seasons now and just turned 25 last April. He's not going to light up the stat sheet with his scoring totals and he's an atrocious free throw shooter. But he is going to clog the lane and make players change their shot more than not. He's also good for eight to ten rebounds per game and a block. The downside is a couple of things. First, he hasn't had the greatest durability the last three years playing in only 154 games over that stretch. This is something that Houston fans aren't ready to play with again. No more injury prone players, please. Not that it is fair to label Biedrins injury prone...yet. Then there is the fact that he is due $9 Million per season over the next three years, two of them guaranteed. The final year is a player option that I would imagine he would exercise. If he is healthy (God, I get more and more sick every time I type that line) then I am all for getting him to play the five in Houston. $9 Million per is pretty much the going rate for a legit, serviceable center in the NBA today. I think he could be a good fit and it would signal the official end of the Yao Ming era in Houston. I know he isn't the DeAndre Jordan or Tyson Chandler that everyone was/is hoping for this offseason, but if the price is right for him (i.e. Courtney Lee isn't involved) then I am all for it. What say you?
I get how this group feels, but its pretty clear that Sacramento ruined our interest in moving up to 8. If the guy you want isn't available you don't make the deal just to make the deal. Sure it's possible we could have offered something better to move up, but obviously Morey didn't like the value. And the way I am comprehending all that I have read, Morey considered Morris to still be an option at 8, but instead of moving quickly and wasting assets he realized the distinct possibility of getting him still at 14. It's the same thing as last year, people complaining we didn't move up to take guys we were able to draft anyway at 14 without having to give up anything. As far as top 5 picks go, I can only assume and trust Morey's decision that the asking price was just too high. Again, it isn't smart to overpay if you don't feel it is worth it. Morey and his crew didn't. I understand people hate waiting for a deal to materialize, but let's not blow it out of proportion and act like the 2.5 years this retool/rebuild mode has been going on has been an eternity. Give it time.
Patience, my young Jedi... Let's get Josh Smith this summer (bye Kevin, bye Luis), play Thabeet/Yao (tank), see what we get in next year's lottery, and then sign Josh Smith's childhood buddy. Well, that would be one plan, anyway.
thx Clutch. I bigger version of Chuck Hayes would be an NBA 1st team All-Defense player if not DPOY. Plus, Chuck is a better free throw shooter.
I like Biedrins, if it means no more Jordan Hill ever. Jordan Hill is just like Stromile... a Ferrari with the emergency brake perpetually on.
If I had to guess, GSW is probably looking for a PG and expirings. I'd love to see if we could coax a 2012 1st out of them. I'd go Biedrins + 2012 1st for Dragic + Thabeet + Hill. They shave 2 years ($20 million) in salary, and get a quality starting PG. We get a quality center, and in return for taking on salary, we get an unprotected 1st. Seems fair. No way I would include Scola, Lee, or Patterson. Too much risk with Biedrins.
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a-119W77XY8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> So he's spinning in circles or drifting to the wasteland of mediocrity?
