Joe Ingles deserves a spot on the SL team, hope he comes our way... he's got better skills that Brad Newley....
Dionte Christmas not being drafted made him "luckier" than many other guards. Now he can be singed by anyone, even those without draft picks in the second round. Those who got drafted in the second round as prospects won't even get the chance to make a team.
Notes from Moritz fundraiser --- Conroy to the Rockets http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/huskymensbasketballblog/2009390645_notes_from_mori.html Just back from the spaghetti feed fundraiser for former Husky Andrew Moritz, hosted by Spencer Hawes, where the big news is that Will Conroy said he has signed a deal to play for Houston's summer league team with a chance to make the roster this fall. Conroy was one of about a dozen Seattle basketball luminaries in attedance at the fundraiser for Moritz, a former UW walk-on who is battling cancer. Among others there were Brandon Roy, Jamal Crawford, Lorenzo Romar, Nick Collison, Grant Leep and Todd MacCulloch. (Jon Brockman would have been there but he flew to Sacramento today). Conroy used the occasion to let everyone know he has signed with the Rockets and will play for their summer team in Las Vegas. "They tell me I've got a good chance to make the team,'' he said. "One of their scouts said they've been watching me for a couple of years and he said it's my time to turn the corner.'' Conroy said he could be competing to be a backup for Aaron Brooks, another former Seattle prep star who later attended Oregon and is now with the Rockets. "They want me to come in and back him up,'' he said. "Obviously you want to come in and play hard and carve out minutes for youself but they want me to come in and be mature and show how to be professional and things like that.'' However, there are also rumors that Brooks may be involved in a trade with the Suns that could bring Amare Stoudemire to Houston which would also change the look of Houston's backcourt. Conroy spent last season with Albuquerque in the NBA D-League, averaging 26.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and eight assists a game, which included a career-high 53 points in one game. "I got a chance to be a marquee guy on the team and I haven't had that since I've been playing ball,'' he said. "The coach put the ball in my hands and said 'go make things happen' and I had a chance to shoot the ball more than I've ever had and make layups and free throws.'' The numbers raise the obvious question of why he was never called up. Conroy said he thought he was on the verge of it a few times, saying he heard several rumblings about Orlando. "There was talk, but it just never happened,'' he said. But now he's looking forward to another chance, getting ready to leave for Houston in a few days. I also had a chance to talk with Moritz, who reported he is optimistic and doing well. I'll have more on that in a future entry. Also had a chance to speak briefly with Roy, who said he's excited about the Oct. 14 exhibition game at KeyArena against the Suns. He said he'll make sure he plays in that one, saying he thought it might be 10 years before he had a chance to play another game in Seattle.
No way Ingles is an NBA player and he may have better skills than Newley but he is not a better player. Ingles was too up and down last couple of seasons in the NBL for my liking you can't be considered for the NBA when you are having single digit scoring games in the Aussie league. Yes he played on the best team with other good players but still the likes of Gibson and Worthington are not considered NBA material and they often outperformed him. However that said I am all for giving him a go on the summer roster squad, they normally do not go well for Aussies though as they don't seem to be able to take into the whole playing for the individual that often happens in those games and with 3 draft picks I can imagine those 3 guys will all be trying to put a case forward. I remember when Newley was drafted he was in the team with Brooks and one game Brooks had half the shots of the entire team!
Nice about the Conroy signing, I really hope we package Aaron for a good big like Amare, then we would have better distributors/defenders in the back court. As much as I like Aaron he is undersized and a defensive liability. Conroy is bigger and a better passer, and potentially equally good scorer. If we can move Brooks for a big this an incredible move. Conroy and Lowry are a good tandem until our next star pg Llull is ready to take over the reigns.
