So, we got lucky. We made a bad pick, and got bailed out, because the Knicks made a bigger mistake than us. That's not the kind of thing you want to depend on. BTW, I'd rather have Rashard Lewis than Griffin right now. Griffin has the potential to be a better player. But Lewis is already a star. And Griffin could still bust.
But Lewis is already a star. Rashard Lewis... a star? Come on now. He's a good player, but highly overrated by many on this board. How many stars from a wingman position don't have a good ability to create their own shot, or handle the ball well? Lewis is a good player, but I don't see him rising to the next level. He's an excellent shooter for someone his size, can move without the ball, and can defend very well. He can play in the post some as well. But you know who else has the types of attributes? Terence Morris, and if you want to go back 6-7 years, Robert Horry. All three of these guys are fairly similar. Long bodies, good outside stroke (although Lewis is better in this area), versatile, move well in transition, and can defend. These are characteristics of good role players, not stars.
No, actually you're mistaken. The 3 picks we obtained this year... #13 - Which is our own pick #18 - Collier trade #23 - Francis trade I don't see how picking Turkshan over Lewis has helped us.
Sorry, Morris doesn't shoot well (it's utterly impossible to be a good shooter and manage less than 30% less from the college 3pt line) and has never defended an NBA player in a regular season game. The Sonics management believes Lewis will be a star. Time will tell.
you guys are funny, trying to defend Turkan over Lewis. I believe we got the Philly pick for Turkan, and we traded that this year for Terrance Morris. (Not positive about that but I think that's how it turned out) I don't think that pick had anything to do with us getting Francis or Griffin. Just because we have Rice and Griffin now does NOT mean Turkan over Lewis is a good pick. It was a horrible one.
No, we did not make a bad pick. We traded a player for a pick to be used later. We used that pick to keep the #23 pick from this past draft, and we ended up with Griffin. The decision worked out beautifully. You sure use the term "star" liberally. I don't think Lewis is a "star". I would rather reserve that term for players that have franchises built around them. Lewis can't take over a game by himself, so in my book, he is not a star. Only time will tell if Griffin will bust or not, but E.G. has a much better chance to earn the "star" label than Lewis, because Eddie <i>will</i> be able to affect the outcome of games with his defense. His 4.5 blocks a game in the Big East should earn him a measure of respect from fans, even if he has not played a NBA game yet.
Star??? Not a chance. Our management thought Horry would be a star, too....at least they said so in public. You have to create your own shots to be a star, unless you are Dennis Rodman or Mutombo. imo, Lewis will never be more of a star than Sam Perkins. That is the limit of Rashard's potential....that absolute maximum....ie, to maintain his current stats for a long career....unlike Robert Horry did. So, who here really considers Perkins a "star" for upping Lewis's current stats and maintaining them for a long career, and who here thinks Rashard will be better, and why?
No....Turskan's pick was used on Griffin, according to the Chronicle. Also, Lewis would have been traded for Francis, according to CD.
btw: welcome to the board, Chucky Taylor. I've read all your posts so far....really good contributions. Are you going to stay the whole season? How'd you hear about cc.net? Where are you from? nice moniker, too.
You can't say the Turksan pick was "horrible", because nobody knows the consequences of passing on Lewis yet. That season, Rudy T and CD picked up Mike Dickerson, Bryce Drew, Cuttino Mobley, and traded a pick that made the Eddie Griffin trade possible. If we had traded the pick <i>before</i> Turksan's name was called, and then we used that future pick to help us procure a superstar, then nobody would be complaining. For some reason, briefly owning the rights to a player that did not make it in the league has altered the perception about that masterful trade in people's minds. You cannot judge a trade until all the players involved in that trade are finally in place, and we see the fruits of our management's labor!
Also, Lewis would have been traded for Francis, according to CD Out of curiousity, when did he say that? I've heard you refer to this quote several times, but for some reason I don't remember reading it. Was it in a Chronicle article, press conference, or something else?
not a chance? I think it's a little early to make that statement. He has a chance, but not as much as the hype around him tends to suggest. I think he has made great strides in his first few years in the league, of course he can get better, and should get the chance to, esp if the Sonics ship out Payton to make him the number one option.
OT- Why thank you Mr. Crispee. To answer your questions, I will stay as long as I am allowed, I heard about CC.net from a friend, and I am from Houston.
No, I would not be complaining if I knew they had that trade in the works beforehand, which I do not, and I doubt anyone here knows either. I am not complaining about the Rockets TRADING Turkan, I am complaining about them picking him over Lewis. It is a horrible pick, whether you want to admit it or not.
Then at least tell me why you think he will be better than Sam Perkins. Lewis is not a dribbler, yet, nor has he shown a turnaround jumper, so how can he be better than Perkins. As much as you say that his potential is still increasing, I can say that he is in a perfect fit with Payton, and may never get better. The potential argument doesn't fly with me when players like Shandon are in perfect fits, and never get double teamed. My criteria for "star" is the ability to beat one-on-one defense so consistently you force a double team. My criteria for "superstar" is the ability to score even against a double team. What ability do you see in Lewis to command double teams?
imo, it is highly likely the Rockets had no intention of keeping 3 first rounders. That is an expensive proposition, both in committed salary and roster spots. I'd say that it is a good bet that the Rockets never intended to keep Turskan rather trade him for future considerations. Lewis....a high schooler....was not a tradeable commodity in that draft year. You likely could not flip him for a future first rounder? Why would anyone? I mean, the whole draft passed on him. So, when you consider for a second that the Rockets likely had no intention of going to camp with 3 firstt rounders, then taking Turskan and trading him make more sense. It is more of a mistake that all the rest of the teams after us passed on Lewis. We are likely the ONLY team that makes sense to pass on him. It wasn't without reason.
You are asking me to compare a. passing on Lewis to b. an uncompleted draft manuver involving the drafting of Turksan. This is apples and oranges (to use an annoying cliche') because <b> the Rockets did not pick Turksan over Lewis.</b> Instead, the Rockets ended up with a partial share of Eddie Griffin in exchange for passing on Lewis. Could the Rockets have used that pick better? Of course they could have, but the drafting and subsequent trade of Turksan was a good move. Using your logic, every pick the Rockets have ever made was a bad pick, because we always have probably passed on a better player. I am just happy things have turned out like they have, because Steve, Cat, and Eddie Griffin will be a better nucleus than any other we could have achieved by picking Lewis.
