With that said, can we please get a Sergio Lull update instead of OHMSS's useless argument about how Euroleague is better than the NBA?????
The Olympics has absolutely nothing to do with the Euroleague, and the way the refs call the games and the level of physical play allowed is vastly different between the two. Especially concerning American players.
Has played only three ACB games so far. Averaging a little over 11 points & 5 assists. Struggling at the line, but not really a concern, as he's a 80%+ career ft-shooter. Otherwise very efficient. Has 18FGA & 17FTA. Also taking care of the ball and drawing quite a few fouls. http://www.acb.com/stspartidojug.php?cod_jugador=B7G&cod_competicion=LACB&cod_edicion=56
I understand. My point is to say that team USA has the largest collection of worldwide basketball superstars that typically dominate other countries collection of Stars. All of those stars just so happen to play in the NBA. The main thing that separates the NBA from Euroleague is the high concentration of elite talent. You can debate play style, role players, toughness, and the refs all day long, but until Lebron James decides to play for Real Madrid over the Miami Heat when he becomes a free agent in 2015 you gonna have to give up the argument just for the sake of arguing.
There is a possibility that this entire season will be lost. Even if they do save say....50 games, there is a really good chance that Dragic, Flynn, Terrence Williams, Thabeet, and possibly Hill will not be picked up in 2012. Plus you have trades to consider as well. With the front office knowing that there would be a lengthy lockout this season, they set themselves up very nice with an extremely flexible roster and lots of rookie contracts with team options. I assume Lull will play a Courtney Lee type of role in 2012 or 2013. Meaning he will be a combo guard off of the bench who can provide solid play off of the bench and take over backup PG minutes barring injuries. I like Lee better for now, but there is a good chance he will be dealt this upcoming season to a team in need for a player that addresses a need for the Rockets. Lull can come in next season and fill that role very well.
Llull has said over and over that he is not leaving Real Madrid to play with the Rockets. He has said it so many times now that I don't think he is lying. He has absolutely no interest in playing with the Rockets.
Sure.... of course he's going to say that. Real Madrid has one of the larger fan bases in all of Euroball, so Im sure he's careful about what he says to be politically correct with the team he is with. However, your leaving out one major detail. He entered the NBA draft. You are kidding yourself if you dont think he wants to play in the NBA at some point in his career. I think he's in a good place with Real Madrid and realizes that its not worth the jump over to the NBA if he is on the 3rd string, but dont think for a minute that he doesnt want to play for the Rockets or any other NBA team at some point. Just realize alot of things need to change on Houston's roster for that to happen. If Real Madrid and Euroleague is where its at then why do the Gasol's, Rudy Fernandez, Ricky Rubio(I know he sucks, but he's a spanish star regardless of poor performance) ALL insist on staying in the NBA when they could all play starting minutes with RealMadrid? Especially Rudy Fernandez who I go as far to say is probably the most exciting spanish wing player in the world. If Rudy Fernandez finds a way to stay overseas rather than coming back to the states after the lockout, then you have the right to tell me I told you so.
dobro, a couple of things: All the 2009 first rounders need to have their options for 2012-13 picked up NOW (as in, right after the lockout ends and before this upcoming season, if any). The Rockets don't get a true "free look" this season, except if they don't pick up an option but may still re-sign the player in 2012. And Rudy F. is currently under contract to the Dallas Mavericks. FIBA will not give him clearance to play in Spain once the lockout ends. Carry on.
Sergio Llull never once declared for the NBA draft. He was drafted without having ever declared for it.
Because the best players in the world usually have a drive to play against the best competition. I'm looking at you Juan and Billy... I wonder If there will ever be a Euroleague regular to come over and become a star. Unless they come over incredibly young, most foreign players are profoundly dissappointing. Sabonis was nice, but it seems like we get way more Juans and Billys than anything. Good on you for keeping it real Anthony Parker, 2-time Euroleague MVP...
While I agree with your point generally, it is tough to argue that Manu Ginobili has not been a star in this league since coming over from the Euroleague. Still, he may be the exception that proves the rule.
How old was he when he came over? Like 25 or so? The best example I can think of is Dino Radja, who couldn't handle the NBA grind, but was a solid 17-8 for the Celtics when he played... He came very late at 26-27 I think...
Given how young many top foreign players begin playing professionally, being 25 years old would qualify as being a "Euroleague regular", perhaps. I would put Drazen Petrovic in that same category (25-year-old joining the NBA and becoming a top scorer). Also, on Sabonis, he obviously would have been a perenniel All-Star had he been allowed to come to the NBA in his prime. He was obviously a washed-up shell of his former self when he finally came over in 1995, and he STILL managed to be one of the top 6 or so centers in the NBA. I would have loved to have seen an in-his-prime Sabonis playing in the Golden Age of NBA Centers against guys like Hakeem, Robinson, Ewing and a rookie Shaq.
All the Anthony Parker 'case' proves is that Euroleague is more team oriented and the top players don't put up huge stats. In fact Anthony Parker has been pretty much the same player in the Euroleauge compared to what he's been/done in the NBA. (03-05 = Euroleague, 05-11 = NBA. Remeber that Parker came over at age 30, so a drop-off is normal, if not expected) The reason Euroleague vets don't become NBA stars is simple. The best talented gets drafted and won't play in the Euroleague for long, if at all. Manu Ginobili indeed is the exception. No sane person will argue that the Euroleague talent pool is comparable to the NBA. It's just not. Having said that it certainly is the next best league and the drop-off isn't as big as some people seem to believe. That, in combination with different playing style, rules & officitiating make it hard for NBA players to come in and dominate. Also, I'm pretty sure to have read an interview in which Llull said he'd come over when there'll be an opportunity for playing time or something along those lines.
Well said. Yeah, I've also read that about Llull. I could definitely see the possibility of Morey trading Dragic at the trade deadline this season, letting Flynn back up Lowry for the remainder of the year, and then bringing Llull over next summer to be the primary backup PG for 2012-13. Even if that exact scenario doesn't happen (and assuming that Flynn's option isn't picked up when the lockout ends), the Rockets will need to sign a backup PG next summer, anyway (Dragic and Flynn will both be FAs).
Dear Darwin that would have been amazing... (Drools) Nice post up there HMMHMMMMS! (Whatever your name is!)
Thanks Bima. I realize they have to pick up the 2009 draft class this preseason, I was actually assuming they would not pick them up, and allow them to become restricted free agents. Despite that being a controversial move within the locker room of course, it seems to be consistent with other rookie contracts they have had in the past couple years. Correct me if Im wrong on that, or if you think they actually extend Thabeet, Flynn, Hill, and Williams id be interested to hear your take on it. I will be surprised if any options other than Budinger are picked up in all honesty. I also know that Rudy F. is under contract with Dallas but its just an example of possibly the most popular Spanish basketball star choosing the NBA over Real Madrid. If his situation was truely better over playing for his hometown team, why would he enter the NBA draft, and found a way back home rather than being held hostage in the NBA.
I agree that Morey will nor (or at least SHOULD not) exercise any of the 2009 first round picks' options for 2012-13, with the possible exception of Jordan Hill (if the team is as convinced by his improvement as many of his teammates have been). Frankly, I'm not sold on Hill, either. And under the new CBA (assuming that the owners don't get their way on severely limiting Bird rights), it's not like the Rockets won't be able to keep at least one of those guys if he ends up having a great year. On guys like Rudy F., he's actually an example of a guy who went to the NBA, didn't like it and now WANTS to go back to Spain. Also, I'm not sure whether Rudy put his name in EARLY or not, but you do realize that ANY PLAYER IN THE WORLD can be drafted, right? In the year in which a foreign player turns 22, he is automatically draft-eligible. Some guys get drafted. Others do not, in which case those undrafted players become unrestricted free agents for NBA purposes.
Here's the interview I think I was referring to. Maybe anchel / a Spanish speaker can translate. As for backup PGs & the possibility of trading Dragic, I agree with everything BimaThug said. I could (though maybe it's a bit wishful thinking) also see the Rockets going after another Euroleague PG in Bo McCalebb. I don't really think it's a big deal either way. Backup PG's are rather easy to find in my opinion.
