Just an overview of topics and comments he made... International Players: - cover all bases; mistakes too big - fear factor of passing on a star - questions: how will they fit? are they the guy? - young with high level of experience (pro leagues) Gasol: - can play on the perimeter and in the box - great jump hook - 4 more than 3 Radmanovic: - best athlete maybe in the whole draft - 3 & 4 - can lead the break Gasol and Radmanovic: - great skills for height - toughness - immediate impact Draft: - talent + skill vs. upside - educated decision; player must fit in and grow with team - build team through draft not through free agency - not one guy he doesn't like that visited Houston Lakers: - respect; Rockets not scared - to beat Lakers must pull Shaq away from basket, have big guys hit shots from the outside - Lakers have talent and chemistry; chemistry is key on a successful team New Rules: - emphasized speed, quickness, and shot blocking to win ------------------
DOH! Hint, hint, hint... a big, outside-shooting big man on the way in the draft? ------------------ "I had mine chewed off by a boss one time." -- Behad leaves us wondering if he gets hazard pay...
can Shabazzzzz shoot from the outside ------------------ "The things I enjoy most, I suck at: 1) Sex: everything's fine until she makes noises." - Achebe Smegs Mock Draft
They can't make up their mind on Gasol. CD says he's a definite 3. RT says he's more of a 4. Boylen says he's more of a 4. Or are they just playing a very detailed "difference of opinion" mind game to play it cool. DoD-If Gasol is more of a 4 than a 3, then knowing RT, he'd play the 5. I like shot blocking too, but surely they can't be talking about C8-0. The list of lottery-type shot blockers includes Woods, Curry, Diop, Chandler, Griffin, and Gasol, possibly Haywood depending on who you believe, Johnson, Hunter, Dalembert, Jones are the main 2nd tier shot blockers. ------------------ "I think alot of people find Cato's game to be very offensive." -aelliott, comparing the offensive skills of Kelvin Cato and Michael Olowokandi
to beat Lakers must pull Shaq away from basket, have big guys hit shots from the outside emphasized speed, quickness, and shot blocking to win Please let this be Loren Woods Rudy. Please. I've been good all year. ------------------ "Basketball players win basketball games. Athletes win track meets."-- Shane Battier Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! Cat's Mock Draft
lol Smegg. Does it really matter if Shabazz can shoot? The name alone makes it worth drafting him IMO, I'd rather take Radmanovic than Gasol. That's not to say Radman is better, just that he'd be easier to attain than Pau. I think Gasol fits into that all too dreaded tweener category. ------------------
I'm with TPL...I'd go with Vlad Rad over Gasol. Gasol could be a tweener, and it is doubtful whether he will make the immediate impact that we need. I'm not sure about Rad either, but it seems that he would play next season. ------------------ Now saw off...there's nothing to see here.
If Gasol is a tweener, what is he between? I mean, if he can play either the 4 or the 3, than that does not make him a tweener, it makes him versatile. ------------------ "I always thought it was something that went around my house" - World B. Free on Defence
TPL, does Nitwitz and DiamondGarnet have a natural position. Is Mourning a Power Forward, is Duncan a Center? Is Iverson a SG, was Larry Bird a prototype SF. Hell, is Stevie a tweener or a natural PG....Oh that's right, he is the new age PG. Nevermind. I get it. They are tweeners until they can't be guarded by any position they play....as in Puedlfor's 'versatile' Oh!
Gasol is not Nowitzki and he is not Garnett. He's a 7'1 center who will have to play small forward in the NBA or gain some weight to play power forward. Even if he has the skills to play small forward, I would imagine the transition period would be a little rocky. For every advantage he has on his defender, there's a disadvantage with having him on the floor at the defensive end. If he's a 3 he's not going to be able to keep up with some of the faster small forwards, and if he's a 4 he's going to get knocked around because of his weight. The question is do the pros outweight the cons? Probably, but I wouldn't be so quick to say he "can't be guarded at any position he plays". My definition of versatile differs from yours as well. I think of players that can play 3 positions as versatile such as Magic, Odom, Hill. There's a difference between being able to defend 2 or 3 positions, see Stacey Augmon, and being able to thrive at 3 positions. ------------------
If you want names we should've drafted Gregor ****a : http://us.telebasket.com/player_info.asp?id_player=2930 But back on topic. You know, I can't tell when they're trying to throw misdirection at us and when they're not (well, that would be the point, wouldn't it?). If you looked at what Rockets scout Brent Johnson said about Loren Woods, you'd think they weren't really all that interested in the guy. He praised Battier to the hilt, but with Loren it was like "yeah, he hustles, but he needs more strength; he can make things happen". A big, mobile, running 7-footer to trail a fast-break run by Steve Francis and cause mismatches along the front line a la Dirk... mmm... sweet. ------------------ "I had mine chewed off by a boss one time." -- Behad leaves us wondering if he gets hazard pay...
You know, Doctor, I think they really are using a lot more misdirection this year. It makes sense in this draft. The perceptions regarding the talent among the top 20 are so fluid, if you have the 13, 18, and 23 picks, sending out signals that might cause two or three players to move a little could be the difference in getting the guy you want. Someone on the board has written that there are about 15 guys now who are supposed to go in the top ten. Maybe the Rockets are hyping the small forwards to position better for a big man. In which case, Heypartner's bet is looking better. ------------------ "We're having a pretty good time considering one day we're all going to die." Steve Martin, 1976
Dr of Dunk - have you seen "Meet the Parents"? I thought it especially funny when Ben Stiller's character revealed his first name was Gaylord. ------------------
Gaylord Focker and his soon to be bride Debra Martha Focker ------------------ Beware the blank post!
I was curious about that too Freak. I wonder if the Rockets have gotten word that Webb isn't coming to Houston and have started the 'management of expectations' routine.
Detroit brought in Jarron Collins and Loren Woods in for a workout. The Pistons were supposedly astounded by Loren Woods size compared to Collins who stands 6'11, they measured Woods a 7'1 and 3/4. The dood has an airplane like wingspan. I would love to see the rockets swing some sort of trade to move up and pick this kid. ------------------
I think Boylen was stressing the importance of the draft. Good teams spend a lot of time evaluating players in the draft. It is a lot easier to draft a player who fits your team need than it is to sign a free agent. The good teams build through the draft and not via free agency. [This message has been edited by Smokey (edited June 22, 2001).]
