Yeah, the Rockets will have a number of options. Honestly, I think this 34th pick is as good as a late 1st round because there's a ton of parity from 20-40 in this draft with good, solid players. This is why I don't think the Rockets are looking to acquire a 1st round pick. I think they realize they can get someone at 34 that's of the same quality as a late 1st rounder without having to pay them as much. Acquiring a 1st round pick in this draft doesn't help their strategy because there isn't a ton of trade demand for picks in this draft right now and they're trying to shed salary so they're not going to draft a guy to keep him and take that cap hit. I'd add Archie Goodwin, Erick Green, Mike Muscala and Solomon Hill to the guys you mentioned.
Never ever draft a big (including big center, big PF, undersized center, undersized pf) again. NBA has changed. Even the Spurs are playing small ball.
Just my feeling. I think he could drop that far because of stuff off the basketball court. Some of the same reasons I agree with some of the reports about Noel. First of all I think Noel is going to be a bust on the court even without the off-the-court stuff. But now we are getting reports that he's got a posse and he's blowing off agents, etc. I think Noel is in trouble not only on the court but off it. I have similar feelings about Shabazz.
I understand the buzz about Goodwin. But he's really young and underdeveloped. There's lots of those guys around that knock around and finally develop into some kind of player when they're 22-23. Morey is the type that looks for these guys in dleague or in Europe and then goes after them when he sees their development curve taking an uptick. I'd be surprised if he were interested in Goodwin at this age and at this end of the development spectrum. I made an exception for Ledo because I feel like Ledo has other world talent, much greater talent than Goodwin. However, Ledo is somewhat of a headcase. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Morey wasn't interested in him either. The only reason I put Ledo on the list was because I think he's got the same level of talent as many of the 2014 lottery picks. Goodwin is talented but in my opinion, not in the same class as those. However if you've seen a lot more of him than I have I can understand why you'd want to consider him. Erick Green in my opinion is your classic tweener. Just not quick enough or athletic enough to be successful at either backcourt position in the NBA. I just don't think he's got enough explosion at the next level. Solomon Hill -I'd have to put him behind the others. In my opinion his handle is below average and he is somewhat slow and bulky to play 2. Yet I think he's not long enough to be effective as a stretch 4 either. That leaves him kind of locked in as a 3. And he's a 3 without much of a handle and limited athleticism. Another tweener like Erick Green. Muscala - I've gone back and forth on him. Like him as a person. Like his work ethic. Like his jumper. But another case of the tweeners here. I just don't think he's quick enough nor athletic enough to play the 4 and I don't know if he's strong enough to play the 5. I like his jumper form but it seems to me like it takes forever for him to release it. When I watch players, I always look at their shot release. In the NBA everything is faster. Guys that wind up and uncoil after they catch it usually don't have a lot of success in the NBA, not because they can't hit the shot but because they simply can't get their shot off before the defense attacks them. But I could be wrong about him. I felt the same way about Yao's quickness and jumper. Liked the shot, just felt he was too slow to get it off consistently. But Yao did adapt very, very well to the high post and was able to scan down low and then fire the jumper when he needed to. Muscala could very well fall into that high-post scenario. But I don't see him as a 4 at all. The other factor with Muscala..somebody is going to take him in the first round. San Antonio acting like they like that French kid is a bunch of bologna. If Muscala is there when they pick that they'll take him for sure if someone doesn't take him before they do.
I have seen a lot of him, and he's from my area, but I don't necessarily disagree with you. He's definitely not ready, but I also feel like he's better than he played at Kentucky. He was supposed to share the backcourt with Ryan Harrow (former 5 star PG coming into college) but Harrow ended up being a dud at Kentucky. Archie had a play a lot of point guard at Kentucky, and he still thinks he's a PG, but he's really not. Whichever team drafts him will have get that out of his head. He's ability to run at time is, at best, akin to how Dwyane Wade runs an offense. He's not a PG and I think that is what set him back. You could be right, but I also see a lot of Gary Neal in Erick Green. Fair analysis, but I could see him being a Jared Dudley-type 3 in the NBA. He'd definitely have to improve in some areas, like Dudley did when he came into the NBA. Again, I can't really disagree. I think he could be a taller Matt Bonner, another guy with a slow release. And I agree with you that a playoff team like San Antonio could take him late in the 1st. If I had to rank my wish list at 34, it'd be: - Tony Snell - Archie Goodwin - Allen Crabbe - C.J. Leslie - Glen Rice Jr. - Jeff Withey - Erick Green - James Ennis I'm mainly looking at wings/off guards. Caanan, Wolters and Siva (I really like him) would be on the list if I added point guards. I think Ricky Ledo is gone before #25 in the 1st round.
Like his favorite player, he plays like an ultra diet light decaf discount bargain bin blue light special bizzaro Dirk. 6'11,good range, lanky, unathletic, slow. Kind of looks like him too. I'd rather we nab a great wing defender, we need that more than we need offense.
What makes you say that? It's not like he's Royce White, with a large potential problem. Muhammed is a typical, average sort-of headcase and will be LONG gone by the time the second round starts.
He could be a lottery pick. I just see a lot of problems with him coming off the court. Stuff like Azubuike went through. Plus the attitude. I think he could slide big time. I'm not saying he will. I'm saying he could. If he's not gone in the top 14, could be a big fall.
