None of us here (except maybe Clutch or Doc Rocket) has access to that kind of information. But since we already know an unsigned pick has $0 trade value...you easily deduce that one of Swift or Howard had to be included. If I were a betting man, I'd bet Swift since he's slightly cheaper and younger.
To clear up a bit. I believe stats, but not trust it. I think stats it useful. For example, I believe its truthfulness in identifying Battier as a useful player. But I don't advocate stats mind should be the top man. For example, I don't think stats can tell me it's worth it to do this Gay + Swift for Battier deal. That's how I feel.
I agree with your last sentence, of course. Maybe what Hayes did was a fluke. But we can't just assume it's a fluke. That's why I want to see what Hayes can do with significant playing time. Having not watched Cardinal much in GS or Memphis, I can't explain why his producivity dipped so much. Part of it probably has to do with injuries. He was healthy in that one year in GS -- and very effective. He hustles on the defensive end, and he was arguably the most efficient offensive player in the league that year. When a player is traded to another team, other factors creep in. Maybe his role changed slightly. Maybe he wasn't as comfortable in a new system. Maybe it was the injury bug (in particular, last year). The numbers show he was a good player in 2005 (when he played 58 games). His PER was 14.0, which is pretty modest though not bad for an off-the-bench player. According to 82games, he had a +4.1 pts/100poss impact when he was on the court versus off the court. That's a significant impact for a role player. In 2006, injuries were even a bigger problem. Only 36 games played -- 11.2 minutes a game. His free throw rate and offensive rebounding per minute dipped significantly, which indicates a lack of aggressiveness going to the basket. As a result his two-point field % was very poor and his overall scoring efficiency was down. He did shoot 45% from 3-point range, however. With barely 400 minutes played over the whole season, you can't conclude he was a bust after two productive season prior in which he was playing more minute and was more healthy. And with all his problems last year, particularly on the offensive end, he still had a +2.6/100poss impact on the team.
Do you think there is any chance that a deal is still being worked on with Portland? Miles and Sergio or Steve Blake for say Juwan and Bowen. Portland, even though they traded away Telfair, still has 4 points included Sergio Rodriguez whom they traded up to get in the first round. For a team wanting to save money, that didn't make a lot of sense. Blake, Jack, Dickau, and Sergio along with an undersized SG in Juan Dixon. I think I'd do a Howard and Head for Miles, Dixon, and next Portland's 2nd rounder next year. I bet Portland is wanting to hang on to Jack however. I would even think long and hard about Miles and either Blake or Sergio for Howard and Bowen. Sorry, I just think if we can subtract Juwan for anything, that we will be better off. Now, however, with the subtraction of Stromile, we don't have much to fall back on. So, it makes the deal for Miles not very feasible unless the Rockets are really going to gamble that Miles is going to give them 25 mpg or so. And I'm sure Miles falls way outside of all their "stats" from Moneyball. However, I would like to see a team of James, McGrady, Battier, Yao and Miles on the floor and see what they could do. There would be so much defensive flexibility on the 2-4 matchups it would be just crazy because Darius really can guard power forwards all the way down to shooting guards. I'm sure it will never happen. But Darius Miles is really Lamar Odom with a bad attitude and minus the shooting range. But he is super athletic. I wouldn't do this deal blind without first talking to Miles and getting a feel for his mindset. If he really wants out of Portland, he has to realize that for him to come to a team like Houston, he is going to have to commit himself to working diligently, otherwise, a quality team isn't going to trade for him. If you surround Miles with 3 really good players and a tough but fair coach, where he knows and realizes that he is at best the 4th best player on the team and he can't pull shenanigans on the coach because the coach and management are in alignment and the team is not built around him, I think there is the possibility of him becoming a great turnaround story. All that being said, because Stro is gone, there would have to be a contingency plan in place in case Miles failed. Hopefully somebody like Cato shakes out to us for the vet minimum. That would make a deal for Miles a little bit less shaky. Howard and Yao on the floor together is simply TERRIBLE. I think we would actually be better off if we had Lil' Chuckie on the court for 30 mpg over Howard, bad matchups and all. Because Howard can stop NOBODY and if that line drive jumper is clanging instead banging, there is not one other thing that he gives us that helps us.
If we can offload Howard and Bowen for two relatively young NBA players that have a good chance of at least being decent rotational players, I say do it. Bowen is literally worthless (we have a deluxe version of him in Shane Battier, anyways), and Howard will be fast approaching worthless in the next few years.
I'm still not happy with this trade. Short sighted on the part of the Rox IMO. Gay might not display uber competitiveness bit it's for no other reason than he is 19, I wonder what T-Macs or any of the high school guys that came into the league early pre-draft profile said about their competitiveness. I am still impressed with Draft Express scouting report of Gay.
Doesn't this report make you sick?! This guy has tons of potential. I know some of you will say "so did Swift," but this guy could become a SuperStar of major proportions, he could be a bust. But for a team desperately needing althleticism, how could they be so stupid as to pass on him. I have always liked Battier, but I think another deal could have been made for him. They will regret the day they passed on Gay; put it in the classic remarks today. And throw in Bush and Young as well. I concluded long ago that Houston Sports teams suffer from a sophisticated form of r****dation.
So supposedly, Rockets are going after Mike James. Another big circle there. I would really like to see some other moves that can actually advance the team.
I'm tired of these reactionary posts. The Rockets had one, count 'em, one year with McGrady and Yao playing together. They won 51 games and pushed Dallas to 7 games with Ryan Bowen starting at power forward. Last year, Yao made the leap into the best center in the league. You add a dependable and versatile player like Battier and possibly Mike James with Rafer Alston in the backcourt while subtracting one of the dumbest players in the league and you are ready to whine like a bunch of Cubs fans?!
Good to know that you think Rockets has done a magnificant job in possibly have a Mike-James-Redux, and successfully dumped their last off-season prize. Good for you.
I couldn't have said it any better!! Let us hope that the mind set of Rockets Management is also on the same channel!!!
That's because we realize that it just won't be good enough for us to win a championship. We will still be two players away.
I couldn't have said it any better!! Let us hope that the mind set of Rockets Management is also on the same channel!!!
Interesting point about Boston. Who would you rather have? Battier or Telfair? We trade the #8, dump a contract for Battier and Boston trades a potential (Brandon Roy, Randy Foye or Rudy Gay) for Telfair. Do Ainge & CD know something we don't? Do we get too fascianated with highlight videos, scouting reports, mock drafts and potential. My two cents, we did better then Boston with our #8 pick.
