[ESPN's Andy Katz] Rockets doing last minute homework on Rudy Gay

I'm not asking because I want to debate. I'm asking because I want to know how sure you are. If this is true and you are correct, Rudy Gay takes a lot of defensive mileage off of TMac's body. That could possibly mean you've extended McGrady's "shelf-life" out until the 19 year old Rudy Gay has had a chance to adapt fully to the NBA.

Anyone have a knowledged opinion on RG guarding NBA 2's?

 

I am not real confident in Gay handling twos defensively. He is athletic, sure, but lacks the leverage to really cut off penetration moving laterally. This is precisely the reason why Josh Howard--who is a great defender--got toasted regularly by Wade in the Finals.

But, much depends on the competition. Gay can handle longer, even less mobile wings, but will struggle against shorter, quicker types. That is another reason why keeping Head would be paramount--he could help out in just those situations.

I would be thrilled with Rudy Gay, but am not getting my hopes up on this one.

 

I didn't watch Gay too much, but I sae them throw him on Brandon Roy in the tourney and he did just fine.

 

That was encouraging, though I'd like for him to be able to take on the likes of Wade, Nowitzky, Marion, Allen, and Kobe. We'll need an answer for them if we're going to win a title. Parker and Ginobili get most of the accolades for being star sidekicks for Duncan, but, just imo, the Spurs would've never won any titles in this millenium but for Bruce Bowen's defensive efforts.

 

Wondering which position Gay would play is the least of the Rockets problems. If Gay is on the board and the rockets have a shot at trading up to get him with the Hawks pick, they will do so without even thinking twice about Roy.

Morey was just on the 610 and he talked about how high Gay's ceiling was and he is really high on him...

Roy is really good and should be a sure fit with the Rockets, but if a guy like Gay is on the board, we should definately grab him while we can. He can definately be the next t-mac.

 

I think we have to draft Gay if he falls to us at 8, but just for discussion purposes, here's an SI piece that included him among the most overrated players. Note that he's projected here as a #3 pick, so maybe at #8 he's just about right ...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/luke_winn/06/27/underrated.overrated/index.html


OVERRATED: Rudy Gay, 6-8, SF, UConn, Soph.
(Stock status: lottery, No. 3)

For two years everyone's been playing the Rudy Gay Game. UConn coaches. UConn fans. Hoops media. NBA scouts. Now a pro team with a top-five pick (the Charlotte Bobcats, at No. 3) is considering becoming its official sponsor. Here's how it works: Watch Gay effortlessly make a sick dunk, or block a three-pointer ... then watch him play passively for long stretches while players of lesser physical ability dominate the floor. Then remark, "Man, he has so much potential -- just wait until he fully unlocks it." Maybe I'm being too impatient. Gay's only 19. And another deferential UConn player, Charlie Villanueva, turned into a stud as an NBA rookie this season in Toronto. But on the flipside, maybe it's time to inject some reality into this and acknowledge that Gay is simply a phenomenal athlete who doesn't have superstardom in his future. He may have a fine career in the NBA -- but he should be evaluated more along the lines of a Rodney Carney type, in the late lottery, rather than a Roy, at No. 3.

 

That entire UConn team was a chemistry nightmare, nothing like the team that won the national title with a true point guard, a pair of scoring wings, and a legitimate post threat, then a bunch of role playing athletes rotating throughout. This past year, Calhoun tried to make a scoring PG think pass-first, had a bunch of senior wings who demanded their touches, had a very good big man sulking because he wasn't featured in their half-court set, and then Gay sort of deferring to all of those attitudes.

 

Well, on ESPNews' draft special just now Chad Ford has Gay falling to the Rockets at 8. His draft actually makes some sense if ATL takes Williams at 5. He believes that Minnesota would take Roy at 6 and work a trade with a team and that "Houston loves him", so Ford has two different avenues for the Rockets. He also said that the Rockets were talking about Redick at 8 before the back scared them off (McGrady flashbacks).

 

Good point.

Jordan, who was possibly the most athletic 2 guard outside of glide, had problems with shorter quicker guards. Maxwell and Iverson to name a few.

But Jordan would've dominated someone on defense if they weren't blazingly fast.

 

This wasn't Calhoun's best coaching year, that is for sure. But, man, he sure knows how to bring in stud players.

 

I ts eems as though Gay has all the tools necessary to be successful in the NBA, but it those tools will only build him the house he wants to build. Part of his seemingly sluggish or perhaps passive period could be do to so many others trying to do it all, leaving him sort of confused at times.

As a Rocket, his role would be defined with little time and would work within his game as he progresses (or so we would hope) on. His ceiling is imeasurable.

 

Gay is too slow to guard 2's. And he has a tendency to get bounced on pick and rolls.

I worry that his defensive lapses will cause him to get benched by Van Gundy and lose confidence in his offensive game, which can be stellar when he wants it to be.

 

Yeah, the thing with Gay is he has to see the floor to develop. I don't want him if Van Gundy isn't going to play him and let him develop. You can only do so much in practice. If we are going to draft this kid and especially if we are going to move up and draft him, Van Gundy has to stick him on the floor for a minimum of 20 minutes per night and just look the other way when he screws up. If he don't play, he ain't worth the #8.

 

Yeah exactly what i was saying that's why i think Brandon Roy is better because he'd pretty much be a starter by default

 

owo656

 

doesnt mean you can trade him a couple months into the season. THat's what i dont get, just wait a few months, watch him in summer league etc. you telling me West wont do this deal a couple months from now?