Why can't the Rockets look at what the Nets has done and use it as a template to their success? The Nets were in position last year to take a player who some people believed was the best player in the draft. They did otherwise and traded for quality depth in picks. Now do you believe they would be playing in the Finals if they would have just kept EG? I don't think so. Copying is the way of the NBA, and I would think if I was a GM, Rod Thorn (GM of the Year) might be a good place to start.
I'm not sure that the Nets success rests so much on the three draft picks as it does on Jason Kidd. Don't get me wrong that the rookies are doing well for the Nets, and do contribute, but I would still give more of the credit for the team making to the finals to Jason Kidd.
The biggest reason New Jersey is in the Finals is: Jason Kidd! btw: I'd like to point out that New Jeryey only has two more wins than Minnesota this year. Recalculated for tougher schedule, and NJ is a 6th seed in the West, just like Kidd was LAST YEAR. There is no improvement in NJ, beyond Jason Kidd, and he still can't make them better than Phoenix last year.
I understand Kidd is a big reason why the Nets are in the Finals, but right now the Rockets are in the same position ( maybe not as bad) that the Nets were in last year. Once they got Kidd, thier point gaurd position was settled. They had several of their key players that were hurt. Also they were in the position to draft a top 3 prospect. Even if the Nets had the #1 pick, I believed they would have traded it. They would have gotten a lot more that what Houston gave them, but they still would have traded the pick. I remember when that deal was done, everyone thought Rod Thorn was crazy, but in the end he was quoted in saying, he know they weren't just one player but several players away from being a good team. This holds true with the Rockets. Just think Steve is the best player on the team, and you still have people saying we should trade him. So how many quality players do you believe are already on this team? This is a great opp. to add that.
I think it was Kidd more so than anything. Also playing in the east doesn't hurt either. Jefferson and Collins helped, but without Kidd thats lotto land again. Of course the Rockets could copy them , but we don't have Kidd. Kidd rebs and runs with it, he doesn't skip or play with it he runs in the middle and look for early offense. He doesn't skip up the side high steppin like Deion after an interception. Hell, we don't even have Todd McCulloch. A big guy who can catch the ball and score down low. This team needs a philosophy change more than anything.
The difference also lies in the improvements in New Jersey's players(Of course, this could be attributed to playing alongside one of the best point guards in recent years).
Griffin, Joe Johnson, and even Radmanovich would have been contributing more than Jefferson if the Nets had picked and kept one of them with the 7th pick. Collins and Armstrong are non-factors. The only thing the Rockets should copy from the Nets is how to run a fast break and how to rebound strong from injuries. Oh and moving to the Leastern conference wouldn't hurt either.
They just had a great trade go thur, and some other team get royally screwed. It would be like us trading MoT for Garnett. I bet we would be in the finals if we were in the east also.
