Assuming we struggle this season and fail to post a mediocre record for the 4th straight year in a row, the Rox will have 2 lottery picks in the 2013 Draft. We received one first rounder(top 3 protected) from Toronto in the Kyle Lowry deal and will have one ourself. What are the odds that we put together a draft like New Orleans did this year? I know we probably won't land the #1 pick but I feel like we could significantly improve the future of the team with this draft. Tag on a second round pick from Charlotte and we can add 3 quality youngsters to the team.
Nerlens Noel, Shabazz Muhammed, Cody Zeller, Rudy Gobert, Steven Adams, James McAdoo (although he's a 6'8 tweener he should be good this year). Those are all good players who should represent the top end of the draft assuming no disappointments.
First of all, that must be a typo, cause that's ALL we been doing for the past 3 years. Second of all, we definitely will not be bringing on 3 more rookies to go along with a bunch of 2nd year players *our rookies as of today*(if the Howard trade doesn't happen) and guys like Lull coming in that same season and pretty much being rookies themselves to boot. This would more than likely be our best chance to move up to top 3 or higher if we bomb and the Raptors bomb as well.
If the young rookies are good enough to keep the Rockets out of the top 8 or 9 picks in the draft, thats actually a good thing. Most likely means that a couple of the youngsters have NBA pedigree and one of them might even be a foundation piece to move forward building around. Thats what we should all hope for first and foremost. We wont know yet what kind of talent the 2013 draft will have in it if any until next February or so. I would love for the Rockets to finally get lucky this year in the draft, but I would rather the pups come into their own this year rather than hope to truely be bad enough to land that pick.
I know that the team is going to struggle being such a young team but I'm not going to hope they loose either. If the young guys prove year one that they can compete year one that will be great for the future of this franchise. If Shabazz Muhammad is available grab him, but for now I'm looking for a franchise center and right now my focus is on Isaiah Austin, Rudy Gobert, and Steven Adams.
I got a feeling that we are following the rebuilding steps like OKC... If there is a redraft, and Donut is in 2012 draft, Both Lamb and Donut are top 5 picks and T.Jone is top 10.
If we don't get a superstar this season.. We are going to be using those picks to try and trade for another superstar. Remember this is Morey's ultimate goal If this falls through plan B is to either draft a lesser star (a la the Josh Smith talk earlier this year) or try and trade up for maybe 1 draft pick (top 5). Essentially the same goals from this season
Toronto could turn out to be a pretty solid team this season. They have some solid pieces inside and out. I could see them compete for a middle of the pack playoff spot in the East. At least three teams got worse - Chicago (Rose hurt) , Milwaukee and Orlando (pending Dwightmare). Detriot , Philly and NY didnt help themselves much during this offseason , could easily see all of them taking a step back. The two teams who helped themselves the most were probably Washington and Toronto. Could easily see both making a jump into the playoffs. After Miami , Boston , Atlanta and Indiana , I think the East is wide open. I wouldnt count on that pick being in the lottery at least for this coming season.
Sigh. One should never open a discussion with their first post. But I personally feel that you do have valid points. The Rocket's need for a significant starting 5 is obvious. Noel or Zeller? Are Toronto or Houston going to be that bad? Probably not. We shall see.
If the Rockets draft Nerlens Noel or Shabazz, I'm quite sure they will find a place for them on the roster.
Don't forget, if the Rockets finish next season with one of the ten worst records in the league, they get to keep their own second rounder and push that pick obligation out another year. With their current stockpile, the Rockets could conceivably have as many as FIVE picks in the 2013 NBA Draft, all of them in a favorable draft range: --Two potential lottery picks (their own and TOR's) --A possible pick in the 21-25 range (DAL's, top-20 protected) --Two more picks in the 31-40 range (CHA's and their own)
Im pretty sure, pending a superstar deal for a top 2 center, we have our starting center for the next 3 years in Asik. trading for anything less than a superstar at 5, which currently only Bynum and Dwight are, will not even be talked about. Adding a solid center is a moot move, adding an all-star center is a marginal to non improvement. We no longer have a need at starting center.
If we tank all the way to the fourth worst record, then we have a 13% chance of matching New Orleans' draft success.
Top 5 6'9" PF of 2013 1. James McAdoo NC 2. Alex Poythress UK 3. CJ Leslie NC St. 4. Patric Young Fla 5. Joshua Smith UCLA
If we don't end up with a superstar packaging our picks to reach out and grab Bazz or Nerlens would be a smart move. In a dream scenario, we move some picks to get two top 10s for the 2014 draft. The Harrison twins, and Julius Randle are supposed to be overnight superstars.
Not to mention Andrew Wiggins when he reclassifies to the class of 2013 and becomes eligable for that draft as well.
