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From a New Jersey newspaper talking about the trade...

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by slayer700506, Jun 28, 2001.

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slayer700506 Member

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Good riddance to a malcontent

Thursday, June 28, 2001

By ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI
Sports Columnist

-- NEW YORK

When the NBA draft was over, Rod Thorn had the best
of a nightmare proposition, trading Eddie Griffin to the
Houston Rockets for three first-round picks, Arizona's
Richard Jefferson, Stanford's Jason Collins, and
Pepperdine's Brandon Armstrong. There was a loud
round of groans from Nets fans in the Theatre at
Madison Square Garden, but this was a wise move out
of a historically unwise night for the Nets.

Nobody should be angry that the Nets refused to let
themselves be blinded by the talent of Seton Hall's sullen
star. For too many years, the Nets have made this
gamble, just to be burned over and over. They've erred
on the side of talent too often, leaving themselves with
uninspired, unmotivated malcontents. The Nets didn't
leave the draft Wednesday night with a superstar, but
four players -- including second-round pick Brian Scalabrine out of Southern
California -- promising to play hard, play smart, and play a part hustling the
Nets out of ruins.

The Nets wasted decades of draft nights going for the spectacular splash, but
given the franchise's current state of disrepair, bringing these bodies to the
Nets wasn't a bad alternative.

Jefferson is an intriguing prospect, a bright and engaging kid with a chance to
be a terrific pro. He was terrific in the NCAA tournament, bringing Arizona to
the brink of a national championship. The Nets had to get out of this draft with
size, with someone -- anyone -- to get Jim McIlvaine and Evan Eschmeyer on
the bench now and again, and Collins, at 7 feet, does it for the Nets.

Nets fans should be grateful Griffin is gone. He would've been a genuine Nets
classic, a pick out of their polluted past, a sullen, uninspired kid honoring a
long tradition of draft night embarrassments. The Nets couldn't let the great
gifts of Griffin seduce them. They couldn't refuse to see the reason he had
dropped and dropped in the NBA draft. The more organizations researched
him, brought him for workouts and interviews, the less they were inclined to
use a top pick on him.

This time, the Nets weren't waiting with open arms for a free-falling prospect.

Before the trade was completed, Griffin said, "I guess I must belong in New
Jersey, because I can't get away." He's gone. In the old days, they would've
embraced Griffin. They would've clung tight to him. They can't afford the
embarrassment of his self-pitying act. Griffin dropped to No. 7, down to the
Nets, and it was with good reason. Golden State made a huge surprise,
picking Michigan State's determined guard, Jason Richardson, at No. 5.

When the Grizzlies grabbed Duke's Shane Battier at No. 6, the Nets were left
to select a player whom organization officials never worked out, never
interviewed, never believed would drop to them.

Looking back, they could've drafted Charlotte's Rodney White. He wanted to
be a Net. Believe that? As a kid, he lived in Jersey for a few years, catching
the Nets in brighter days of Jayson Williams. Jerry West called White the
most talented player in the draft, and Michael Jordan told UNC-Charlotte's
freshman that he wished he had a way to make him a Washington Wizard.
Still, Thorn had questions on his character, and passed on him too.

Nevertheless, there's a good case to be made that Jefferson is one of the
sleepers of this draft. And, really, who can be sure those high school kids are
going to develop past Collins? The Nets were dying for depth, and this trade
gives them reinforcements at three positions -- small forward, center, and
point guard. These aren't the most talented three players in the draft, but these
are good kids, with good attitudes, and the Nets were desperate for that.

A lot of players don't have Griffin's talent, but they want to play the game.
They care. Do you think the millions of dollars are going to inspire Griffin
now? As the Nets draft history goes, Griffin promised to go down with
Derrick Coleman and Chris Morris, players with so much talent, so little
drive. Nobody needs this space to retell the legacy of draft day nightmares,
but it's good to see Thorn has learned his lesson in his second act as an NBA
general manager.

Everyone remembers Thorn's final act with the Bulls in 1984, drafting Michael
Jordan, but it couldn't hide the endless parade of head cases, malcontents,
and busts brought to the Bulls under his watch. From the executive who
stocked the Bulls with Quintin Dailey, picked Sidney Green with a No. 5
pick, Kelvin Ramsey No. 4, and David Greenwood No. 2, Griffin would've
fit perfectly into a long list of losing picks.

The Nets couldn't afford to hold onto a player who never has indicated a
desire that honoring his talent, that winning, matters to him. For the past two
years, indifference has been Griffin's disposition. When he wasn't running the
floor against Rice High School, he let the Villanova Wildcats dunk over him in
a 30-point loss in his hometown of Philadelphia. History will assure you -- the
NBA's and the Nets' -- that these bad attitudes are exposed over an
82-game regular season, just flushed out to the embarrassment of an
organization.

The Nets weren't going to get a superstar out of this draft at No. 7, and they
were wise not to try and force it. For too long, the Nets tried the spectacular,
and too often failed spectacularly. They walked out of the first round with
three players who have a chance to be players in the NBA, when this
could've been a nightmare where they left themselves with just one, Eddie
Griffin, who's going to be a big, big bust.

------------------

#1 slayer700506, Jun 28, 2001

The Cat Member

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Waaaah Waaaah Waaaah

So typical... fans always try and find a way to degrade anyone if they trade him from their team. You will start to hear this a lot though in the next decade-- people saying Griffin doesn't care because he isn't going crazy on the court. I've heard that BS line about Duncan ever since he came into the league, and if you watch him play at all, you know it's the furthest thing from the truth. Just because you don't show a lot of emotion doesn't mean you don't care, or don't have fire.

------------------
EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE!!!

Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!

The Mo Taylor Fan Site

#2 The Cat, Jun 28, 2001
bigboymumu Member

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What a joke! Who knows? Maybe Griffen will be a bust. But, he will be better than all three of the Nets picks.

------------------
Fuggetabout it

#3 bigboymumu, Jun 28, 2001
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If I remember correctly, Wojnarowski had an equally critical (unfairly, I think) article on Griffin on ESPN.com, written previous to the draft.

This isn't a case of a fan just saying "good riddance". This guy really has it out for Griffin, but I have no real idea why.

Considering the track record Rudy T has with players, I would say that Griffin needs to be given the benefit of the doubt. He's only 19 years old and has a lot of room to grow in maturity. Playing on the Rockets will give him that opportunity.

Besides, I'll be more than happy to see Wojnarowski eat his words in a couple of years when Griffin really starts making an impact.

------------------

#4 BobbyWarren, Jun 28, 2001
Rocket River Member

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You know . . . maybe the Nets should
look at their organization rather than
the picks.

I mean . . . I seriously think Had
Derrick Coleman been drafted by a better
team he would be a better player today

Rocket River

------------------

#5 Rocket River, Jun 28, 2001
RocksMillenium Member

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Sour grapes! I'll believe his coaches and others closer to him then some media hacks. Dropped and dropped, they act like he fell late into the 1st round, and into the 2nd round or something! He was a 7th pick, HE WAS A LOTTERY pick! I see they're trying to put a spin on it.

------------------
"Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura

[This message has been edited by RocksMillenium (edited June 28, 2001).]

#6 RocksMillenium, Jun 28, 2001
Behad Member

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You beat me to it raven...maybe those malcontent draft picks would have lived up to their hype if they were playing for an organization dedicated to winning, instead of simply making a splash on draft night.

------------------
It looks like a veteran can Be had.

#7 Behad, Jun 28, 2001

RocksMillenium Member

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By the way, didn't the Vancouver media call Steve Francis a cancer, and bad attitude that was going to poison and destroy the Rockets organization? Sound eerily similar to when the Rocks got Francis!

------------------
"Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura

#8 RocksMillenium, Jun 28, 2001
Dallas Rocket Member

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It took him a lot of words to justify the trade on behalf of the Nets.

"me thinks thou protesteth too much"...

#9 Dallas Rocket, Jun 28, 2001
TheFreak Member

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Bill Fitch and Chuck Daly have both coached the Nets and gotten nowhere, so I wouldn't be quick to blame the organization. The Nets get a top 10 pick every year it seems -- that route obviously isn't working for them. I don't think it's that bad of a move.

#10 TheFreak, Jun 28, 2001
haven Member

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TheFreak: "not a bad move" is what characterizes it for me from the Nets perspective. Obviously, the point of this was to minimize loss and hopefully get a diamond in the rough.

I could actually envision this being a mutually beneficial deal if Kenyon Martin had worked out better . Martin looked like a decent PF last year... and didn't look like he would ever be too much more than that. Marbury, Van Horn, and Martin are not enough in the star power department. I have serious doubts about the latter two even being "stars" on a winning team (given Martin's lack of offense and Van Horn's injury history and lack of defense/speed).

The Nets need another impact player... and Richard Jefferson isn't going to be the one. Eddie Griffin *could* have been.

That's why I can't approve of the trade from their end.

------------------
Don't let those uppity newbies get away with acting like vets...

...all newbies are equal, remember that.

#11 haven, Jun 28, 2001
Behad Member

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haven: Would you consider Jason Kidd to be an impact player? It seems that getting Kidd is NJ's bold move for this off season instead of flashy draft choice. It's a different direction for the Nets, like the writer suggests.

------------------
It looks like a veteran can Be had.

#12 Behad, Jun 28, 2001
kgfranchise New Member

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The Nets are always drafting in the lottery because of stupid decisions like trading Griffin and that is fine with me. As far as trading Marbury for Kidd another stupid decision. I am wondering who is going to score at all for em now, cause Kidd sure as he** is not a scorer!! Sour GRAPES from a team that got screwed!!!!

------------------

#13 kgfranchise, Jun 28, 2001

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Considering the track record Rudy T has with players, I would say that...

What track record are we talking about here? While Rudy is an excellent players' coach, dealing with malcontents is not his speciality.

Vernon Maxwell, Mario Elie, Rodrick Rhodes, Scottie Pippen, and Kelvin Cato all come to mind. The key to Rudy is getting the right kinds of players... I'm guessing we'll find out during the season whether Griffin fits that or not.

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http://www.swirve.com ... more fun than a barrel full of monkeys and midgets.

#14 Major, Jun 28, 2001
No Worries Member

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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by kgfranchise:
cause Kidd sure as he** is not a scorer!! </font>
Click to expand...

Maybe not against the rest of the league, but Kidd lit the Rockets up last year like a Christmas tree.

This trade does not make sense. Trading Griffin aways for three players, none of which are projected to be impact players, makes even less sense.

The Nets are self destructing. I wonder who they will get for Van Horn? Cato? (It is not like the Rocks need Van Horn but want to find Cato a new home.)

------------------

#15 No Worries, Jun 28, 2001
ToogqisBack Member

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I e-mailed that punk a link to this topic..

------------------
David Wood and Tree Rollins was the best duo in the NBA!

#16 ToogqisBack, Jun 28, 2001
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I think the fans and media up there are just bitter because they've never had any success. It makes sense, with all the success going to the Knicks and the Knicks having more fans. Like I've said before, I've always thought the Nets have had talent, at least the last few years, but could not understand why they couldn't even come close to the playoffs. That article doesn't bother me at all.

------------------
Who needs teachers? I can learn my own self.

#17 DieHard Rocket, Jun 28, 2001
gr8-1 Member

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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by slayer700506:
Good riddance to a malcontent

Thursday, June 28, 2001
When the NBA draft was over, Rod Thorn had the best
of a nightmare proposition, trading Eddie Griffin to the
Houston Rockets for three first-round picks, Arizona's
Richard Jefferson, Stanford's Jason Collins, and
Pepperdine's Brandon Armstrong. There was a loud
round of groans from Nets fans in the Theatre at
Madison Square Garden, but this was a wise move out
of a historically unwise night for the Nets.

Nobody should be angry that the Nets refused to let
themselves be blinded by the talent of Seton Hall's sullen
star. For too many years, the Nets have made this
gamble, just to be burned over and over. They've erred
on the side of talent too often, leaving themselves with
uninspired, unmotivated malcontents. The Nets didn't
leave the draft Wednesday night with a superstar, but
four players -- including second-round pick Brian Scalabrine out of Southern
California -- promising to play hard, play smart, and play a part hustling the
Nets out of ruins.

The Nets wasted decades of draft nights going for the spectacular splash, but
given the franchise's current state of disrepair, bringing these bodies to the
Nets wasn't a bad alternative.

Jefferson is an intriguing prospect, a bright and engaging kid with a chance to
be a terrific pro. He was terrific in the NCAA tournament, bringing Arizona to
the brink of a national championship. The Nets had to get out of this draft with
size, with someone -- anyone -- to get Jim McIlvaine and Evan Eschmeyer on
the bench now and again, and Collins, at 7 feet, does it for the Nets.

Nets fans should be grateful Griffin is gone. He would've been a genuine Nets
classic, a pick out of their polluted past, a sullen, uninspired kid honoring a
long tradition of draft night embarrassments. The Nets couldn't let the great
gifts of Griffin seduce them. They couldn't refuse to see the reason he had
dropped and dropped in the NBA draft. The more organizations researched
him, brought him for workouts and interviews, the less they were inclined to
use a top pick on him.

This time, the Nets weren't waiting with open arms for a free-falling prospect.

Before the trade was completed, Griffin said, "I guess I must belong in New
Jersey, because I can't get away." He's gone. In the old days, they would've
embraced Griffin. They would've clung tight to him. They can't afford the
embarrassment of his self-pitying act. Griffin dropped to No. 7, down to the
Nets, and it was with good reason. Golden State made a huge surprise,
picking Michigan State's determined guard, Jason Richardson, at No. 5.

When the Grizzlies grabbed Duke's Shane Battier at No. 6, the Nets were left
to select a player whom organization officials never worked out, never
interviewed, never believed would drop to them.

Looking back, they could've drafted Charlotte's Rodney White. He wanted to
be a Net. Believe that? As a kid, he lived in Jersey for a few years, catching
the Nets in brighter days of Jayson Williams. Jerry West called White the
most talented player in the draft, and Michael Jordan told UNC-Charlotte's
freshman that he wished he had a way to make him a Washington Wizard.
Still, Thorn had questions on his character, and passed on him too.

Nevertheless, there's a good case to be made that Jefferson is one of the
sleepers of this draft. And, really, who can be sure those high school kids are
going to develop past Collins? The Nets were dying for depth, and this trade
gives them reinforcements at three positions -- small forward, center, and
point guard. These aren't the most talented three players in the draft, but these
are good kids, with good attitudes, and the Nets were desperate for that.

A lot of players don't have Griffin's talent, but they want to play the game.
They care. Do you think the millions of dollars are going to inspire Griffin
now? As the Nets draft history goes, Griffin promised to go down with
Derrick Coleman and Chris Morris, players with so much talent, so little
drive. Nobody needs this space to retell the legacy of draft day nightmares,
but it's good to see Thorn has learned his lesson in his second act as an NBA
general manager.

Everyone remembers Thorn's final act with the Bulls in 1984, drafting Michael
Jordan, but it couldn't hide the endless parade of head cases, malcontents,
and busts brought to the Bulls under his watch. From the executive who
stocked the Bulls with Quintin Dailey, picked Sidney Green with a No. 5
pick, Kelvin Ramsey No. 4, and David Greenwood No. 2, Griffin would've
fit perfectly into a long list of losing picks.

The Nets couldn't afford to hold onto a player who never has indicated a
desire that honoring his talent, that winning, matters to him. For the past two
years, indifference has been Griffin's disposition. When he wasn't running the
floor against Rice High School, he let the Villanova Wildcats dunk over him in
a 30-point loss in his hometown of Philadelphia. History will assure you -- the
NBA's and the Nets' -- that these bad attitudes are exposed over an
82-game regular season, just flushed out to the embarrassment of an
organization.

The Nets weren't going to get a superstar out of this draft at No. 7, and they
were wise not to try and force it. For too long, the Nets tried the spectacular,
and too often failed spectacularly. They walked out of the first round with
three players who have a chance to be players in the NBA, when this
could've been a nightmare where they left themselves with just one, Eddie
Griffin, who's going to be a big, big bust.

</font>
Click to expand...

Jefferson is an intriguing kid. Good, so are me and my classmates at UT.

Jordan wished he could have taken white at #1 ? Why didn't he ?

This sounds like nothing more then sour grapes.

As Pete Vescey (who is not know n as a rocket fan would sya) "OK, there's been a trade made, and I don't think Nets fans will like this.........."

Merry Christmas with K-mart and Stephon, cuz your team is horrible.

------------------
"norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."

#18 gr8-1, Jun 29, 2001

Lil Francis Member

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I heard the same things about Francis and Iverson........boy are they terrible players

------------------
President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, Charles Woodson, and Eddie Griffin fan club.

#19 Lil Francis, Jun 29, 2001
haven Member

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behad:

The Kidd deal makes the trade even LESS understandable.

Kidd's strong-point isn't offense. This leaves them with exactly one legit scorer... unless you count Kittles.

And if it was a character issue... what the heck? Wife-beating is much worse then punching a teammate.

------------------
Don't let those uppity newbies get away with acting like vets...

...all newbies are equal, remember that.

#20 haven, Jun 29, 2001

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