Then why didn't we hear about it from the media? Was it a gamble? Yes and Morey said it it was. The critics would have just preferred a "safe" pick, so maybe they didn't like the risk that came with Morris, but it wasn't a flat out bad pick. In hindsight, it has turned out that way. That's who he was in the d league and what the Rockets hoped to develop him as. Once Morris got called back, the playoffs were the priority, so they had to do what was best for the team and not just hand him the ball, but that was the thought all along, since day one. The team knew it and so did Morris. When the score allowed for it, he was given one on one opportunities. What does a go-to-guy do? Score.
Are we one of those teams that are gonna cry over a draft pick because the guy has success? Nevermind that outside of the anamoly that is Parsons, our team has rarely ever given rookies the time he got in San Antonio, nor the fact that is a well known fact they are better at player development then probably any team in the league. Let's forget that he is playing with 3 Hall of Fame players under the leadership of what most believe to be the best coach in the NBA. Leonard is a fine player but you are smoking something if you think that he would have developed that much if he wasn't playing for the Spurs on any other team. If Morris or his brother had been selected by SA, we'd be having the same type of thread. Do we really think Leonard is some sort of superstar player poised to take over the NBA or is he a solid contributor? To sum it up someone stop this unnecessary whining.
So, Kawhi would come here, average 10/7, and be good defensively. We already knew that, but he can't create his shot, and lets be honest, LBJ has dominated him in low post, and flat out bricked his wide open shots all series long. KL isn't a star, won't ever be a star, and we needed one, we just whiffed. Morris was great in college, just didn't translate to the NBA, Kawhi will always be 'ok'. And, we wouldn't have Parsons, Parsons is still better than Leonard in every way.
Absolutely ridiculous and the kind of irrational dismissive posting I'm talking about. Morris wasn't any better in college than Kawhi Leonard was. Both were 2nd team All-American before they were drafted. Kawhi Leonard doesn't have superstart potential, but shame on anyone who thought Marcus Morris did. I don't care if Marcus Morris ends up averaging 15 and 7 a night and Kawhi Leonard ends up averaging 13 and 8 because Leonard will always be a good defender, smarter player, and have a better motor.
I don't read Houston media so I don't know what their reaction was. I know what my reaction was. I thought it was obvious they made the wrong pick. That isn't hindsight. I'm talking about at the time. Here's some media postings, though. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/745302-2011-nba-draft-results-winners-losers-and-surprises-of-the-draft/entry/100401-nba-draft-results-houston-rockets-misfire-by-passing-on-scorer-kawhi-leonard http://www.thedreamshake.com/2012/10/1/3429454/player-previews-figuring-marcus-morris-future-with-the-houston-rockets Aren't most lottery picks or 1st rounders go-to guys in the D-League? So why are you justifying the pick? He can only do one thing better, and even that's debatable at the NBA level.
What makes you say this? It seems like you're completely ignoring the characteristics that had him projected as a top 10, could-be top 5 pick before the draft. If anything, I'd say his numbers are being held down by being in San Antonio. No one thinks Leonard is a superstar, but at the time of the draft, he was rated higher than Morris. He brought more to the table than Morris. And, no, wouldn't be having this same discussion if Morris had been picked up by San Antonio because he wouldn't be good enough to start for them. His shot selection and defense aren't good enough. People are claiming hindsight here, but that's not the case at all. Kawhi Leonard as always better than Marcus Morris. Morris just made simpler-minded fans fall for him because he really only scored the basketball. Kawhi Leonard did everything. He's not perfect but he does just about everything competently. Those are the kinds of players that help you win.
Some of you area just hating. Leonard would have been right in line with Parsons if the Rockets would have drafted him. No doubt about it.
Then good for you, but there's much more to analyzing talent than what one person thinks, especially a fan. When we drafted Parsons, i thought he should have been a first round lock and could make this team, while most never gave him a shot. Does that mean NBA GMs, who passed on him, all made bad choices by not drafting the guy who was not exceptionally athletic, couldn't shoot well, and wasn't a big? I can understand why he went in the second round, despite my personal opinion. I'm not sure what your point is here. The answer to your question is, usually, yes, they are, but how does that prove Morris didn't have potential to be one? You just further qualified it. I'm justifying it for you. You're the one who doesn't seem to understand why it was made. You're saying he can only do one thing better, by that i take it you mean offense, so therefore, defense would also be one thing, right? So, out of two things, Morris does one better and Leonard does the other better, right? And which of those do most go-to guys do better? Offense. Which one is harder to teach? Offense. So, yes, Morris only does "one" thing better, but that one thing is precisely what puts him closer to potentially being a go to guy than Leonard.
No one is hating. Parsons is a great player and so is Leonard. But if you want to continue the incessant whining(which many have participated in) over drafting a guy @ 14, then go ahead.
You honestly thought Chandler Parsons was a 1st round pick having watched him in college? I guess I have to give you props on that. I didn't see it and I watched a ton of SEC basketball. I saw his whole career. But I agree with you that analyzing talent is about more than what one person thinks, especially fans. However, a ton of people had Leonard over Morris in that draft. We could have used both of them. Both guys can be used in multiple ways and at multiple positions. Morris, just by himself, was not a bad pick, IMO. It was picking him when you could pick Leonard that lost me. My point is that saying he was a go-to guy in the D-League is not much of a point since most elite talent ends up being that in the D-League since they're so much better than everyone else in the league. That doesn't necessarily mean Houston was grooming him to be some kind of go-to player. One thing being scoring. Overall, Leonard is better offensively. Leonard is a better passer, rebounder, defender, free throw shooter, 3 point shooter, smarter, and works harder. He's averaging 12 points and 6 boards on a team with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and two other guards that score a lot (Neal and Green). To me, that's pretty impressive. So, really, Morris isn't even a better scorer now that I look at it. Coming out of college, Morris was projected to be a better scorer but Leonard was better at virtually everything else.
I actually didn't watch him much in college. Once he was drafted, I looked him up further and watched his pre draft work outs. He seemed much faster and athletic than what his reputation was. Although still a little stiff because of his size, he was fluid enough to make moves. His stroke had a good foundation to work with. I wasn't sure of his ceiling, but similar players, with less mobility, usually get picked where he ended up. He deserved to be a late first rounder, at least. I don't know how closely you have followed the team, since Morris was drafted, but they made it clear they drafted him with the intention of developing him into a go to player. Again, the playoffs got in the way of giving him a complete green light, but you could tell he got it during garbage time, and even a few times earlier in the game. You're comparing what you're seeing from them now, not how they were viewed at draft time. Leonard has had the luxury of playing with one of the best coaches ever, maybe the best Pf ever, one of the best it'l players ever, and a great organization with a lot of championship experience. There's no way that hasn't played a large role in his production. Culture matters a lot in team sports. At the end of your comment you proved the point again, Morris, out of college, was seen as the better scorer. What do go to players do? They score. That's their specialty. That is what is coveted. Why? Because it's much easier to tell someone to just try harder to rebound, to just pass when they are doubled, and get them to buy into team d, than it is to show them how to be fluid on pull ups, step backs, and turnarounds, while being accurate. If you strip both players down to just skills and ability, Morris still has the better offensive arsenal. Without stripping them down, Leonard is a better NBA player now because of confidence, experience, and mentality, all of which are mainly a result of his environment. Yes, he may already have been a humble and hard working guy at draft time, but the NBA can kill all that or it can keep building it up.
