Beautiful breakdown! The part i dont get is the apprehension on Chet's camp to give us his medicals - i find that very concerning. I mean what is to be gained - what is to be lost... investment vs return... risk vs reward... Gain by limiting medicals: Posturing - you are trying to instill the belief that your client will go no worse than #2 - period. Eliminate more eyes looking them over - which may raise more questions or concerns - even if those concerns are unwarranted, it could potentially hurt his value... Potential loss by limiting If your guy slips past 2 - he might really slide due to teams having uncertainty due to lack of medicals (as was our concern)... Given the uncertainty surrounding the top 3 in this draft... as we saw the consensus #1 fall to 3... it wouldnt be that far fetched to see the guy slotted at #2 fall to 3... and as aforementioned: If your guy slips past 2 - he might really slide due to teams having uncertainty due to lack of medicals... so based on this... I think this was either a real stupid play by Chet's camp which (luckily for them) didnt blow up in their faces... or there's potentially something buried in those medical reports... thats the analytical look at the info in front of me at least, imo... lol
The Rockets don’t know that OKC only wants Chet. That’s the whole point of the article and any proposed trade to Orlando.
The prepared GM sits in absolute calm and serenity and drafts any of the top 3 that falls to 3rd pick. Scrambling for additional info minutes before your pick or trying a last ditch trade up is epitome of being unprepared. Stone himself was quoted on draft night saying he had no clue what was going on. Appeared to be zero contingency plans for unanimous top 3 players and drafting 3rd.
That's my point in what you explain, if Rockets truly didn't know that OKC wouldn't pick Chet, they always had to trade for #1 and not just on draft night. Also, if you say Rockets surely asked about the medicals weeks before, they would've gotten Jabari&Paolo's ones days/weeks in advance and a rejection from Chet's agent, which again leads to them having to trade to #1 way before draft night. Your reasoning just doesn't check out.
You’re inferring that there’s panic on the Rockets end. The article simply states they inquired about moving up because they had more data on the other 2. That’s it. They could absolutely love Chet and even rank him 1st overall but his camp didn’t give them the medicals. From all accounts Stone was absolutely thrilled to be at 3 and taking any of them. Inquiring about the price to move up is just doing his job.
That doesn't anyhow explain why they'd only do it on draft night in a last hour push and not ask before.
everybody is figuring Jabari is going #1... and OKC is taking Chet at #2... so we're fine w Paolo at #3... oh, Orlando is taking Paolo at #1? well gee... maybe now OKC decides on Jabari... as chet was their default pick assuming Jabari was gone... we're 'oh crap - we might be stuck having to take Chet - bc u cant deny the value (even if u dont want him due to uncertainty regarding medicals)' so at that point u try to move up to avoid Chet...
If your hang up is that you think the Rockets waited until draft day to ask for medicals, than I can’t really do anything for you here. They obviously did not.
was it Stone not seeking the info (medicals)... or was it that the info was being withheld from him? im seeing that they asked for medicals from all 3 - only Paolo complied...
I just did and noticed it also said they only reached out for Jabari's medicals after the betting odds shifted overnight, making them really uncertain. So you're indeed wrong and it was a last day thing, not a long process. Neither does the article explain why they'd only ask for a trade on draft night if they always only wanted Jabari or Paolo, it doesn't claim so either. The article very much implies the Rockets always wanted Paolo and when odds last day shifted had to ask for the other medicals, especially when there were question marks about Chet's secrecy. Your scenario of them always having wanted Paolo or Jabari only makes no sense when the article 1) very clearly says they didn't ask for Jabari medicals prior to draft night and also 2) never asked to trade up before when they didn't know who OKC would pick. Sorry, but the issue here really isn't me not understanding the article.
"When [the odds] shifted, we noted it," Stone said. "If people are willing to put their money on it, especially when you see a big swing like that, it feels like maybe somebody knows something." The Rockets reached out to Prather, a veteran agent who has a long history with the organization. Houston hadn't met with Smith before the draft, though they'd done extensive scouting and research on him. With the growing uncertainty of what the Magic might do, Prather gave the Rockets Smith's pre-draft medical reports." That's literally what the article you tell me to "comprehend" says.
they asked for his medicals earlier - didnt get 'em... presumed they got told 'no our client is going #1 so we're not giving you medicals...' then orlando changes horses.. Rox reach out again... 'now yer client is a viable possibility for us at #3 - wanna give us those meds now - or risk him falling further?'
Unfortunately it is a comprehension problem. You’re quoting me a passage and still not understanding it. Jabari’s camp gave the Rockets his medicals BECAUSE they got word he could fall. Not because the Rockets asked for the first time that night. “With the growing uncertainty of what the Magic might do, Prather gave the Rockets Smith's pre-draft medical reports.” It’s right there.
One other potential scenario - Chet had a guarentee from OKC. If that were the case, no way he drops to 3. Obviously, just speculation on my part.
What's more interesting to me is the question of who got the insider info and put all the money down on Paolo? My guess is that person now resides at the bottom of Lake Mead, and we will never know.
This. The only sure things you can take from the article (assuming it's the whole truth, nothing but the truth ) are: 1. that Houston had some reason for thinking that OKC might balk at taking Chet even though all reports were pointing at them wanting OKC. 2. that Houston was concerned not having time to review Chet's medicals if he fell to #3. Combining those two things, Houston FO clearly did not prepare to take Chet. Whether it was because they could not obtain the medicals earlier or because they did not really want him at #3 is anyone's guess. They didn't have Jabari's info until quite late too. But it did not seem to concern them as much.
This is where I’m at. IF…IF the rockets tried trading up in the waning moments I believe it was for Paolo. But of course no one with the Rockets will openly admit that. But I can also see a world where they didn’t even seriously try to trade up and as reported before the draft they were going to take whoever was available there.
