Kick it in to underdrive: The Race for Draft Pick #23

So, it has come down to getting a better draft day position. Count me in lets rest T-Mac, Yao, Rafer, Luther, Hayes, and Battier for the upcoming road trip. As per JVG rules of not hanging out by the bench if you are slightly injured, have them not travel with the team.

 

I would definetely want to leapfrog from the #25 pick to get the #23 pick for two good reasons. I believe the Suns own Clevelands pick currently at #24 and they will be picking in the lottery as well with the Hawks pick, so I would bet that a veteran team like the Suns would trade #24 pick come draft night, leaving the rockets guessing the whole time who will be picking in front of them. The second reason is the Knicks will be getting the Bulls pick currently at #23 and Isiah Thomas is pretty savy as far as predicting talent. I would hate to be picking behind him.
Play Rafer his normal minutes and lets just tank this thing out for the remaining games. Hope that Van Gundy gets the flu leaving him bed ridden and unable to coach for about a week or so, then get him healthy for the playoffs.

 

May be JVG just want to see whom he'll bring into the playoffs...aka the ****** Bozo formerly known as 'Bonzi'. And can someone please tell Bonzi that once you are 30, you shouldn't really walk around with that 'wearing the hat sideways' gangsta crap?

 

I dont agree we should tank just to increase 2 positions in the late draft pick.
1. HCA is still very reachable. Utah has a very tough schedule till the end.
2. A couple of positions in late draft pick dont mean that much, mainly, its a crap shot. And teams mostly pick rotational players or projects here. 2 positions wont make much difference.
3. Houston is dreadly need of HCA to have a greater chance to get out of 1st round playoff.

 

we may win if thats the case.

 

I don't think JVG would tank for the 23rd pick.

Afterall, we didn't tank for the 5th or 6th pick of the draft last year - instead trying to win in an obvious losing season - and missing a chance to get Brendan Roy. Wow - what a player he's turning out to be.

It's clear that T-mac is getting a rest - as for Yao, not so sure why he's be taken out when conditioning is a big factor. Might be a fear of injury, but hard to believe that.

The only possible explanation if to give the other guys on the team a chance and give the scrubs a chance to get some PT and gel their games. Can't think of anything else that fits.

 

JVG is most definitely NOT going to tank. I'm sure JVG is very frustrated with Tmac and Yao sitting out. I still remember last year when Howard hit the gamewinner in the comeback win against the Nuggets-didnt that cost us Brandon Roy?

 

Why Brandon Roy? I thought he was out of reach.... thats why we did the deal for Shane

 

I believe if we lost the Denver game we could have drafted Brandon Roy without making any deals.

DD

 

I hate to get serious in this thread (love the home page Clutch, lol) but WTH is JVG doing? This is so far from his m.o. that I'm seriously beginning to think he's playing mind games with the organization, the players and the fans.

I wonder if he just became so frustrated with the team's play that he started saying his goodbyes early. Um, weren't we clearly a top-five team a week ago???

 

I can't agree on this. I know health is important, but our main rotation still needs to work on their execution. Going into the playoffs on a BIG losing streak will hurt the team mentally and could cost us the 1st round. We don't have to play our stars, but I rather have our guys play hard and try to get some wins going into the playoffs. Wins = more confidence, more confidence = more wins. Losing might help us in the draft, but not in the playoffs.

 

way to aim your expectations low everybody!

 

Some people need to invest in one of these.

 

Morris Almond is our guy.

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/morrisalmond.html

 

Oh!! Looks like we drafted Almond. Damn I was really hoping for Law as well, he's one hell of a player. Well I hope Almond is able to contribute to our team right away.

 

agreed..I just wrote my 2 cents on this guy in the draft/college forum...good shooter, smart defender...athletic and NBA ready...

-V

 

I just can't believe we aren't fighting for home court ad -- you always put your best players on the court during the stretch when your sitting at #5.


JVG is crazy.

 

nnnaaaa
houston Teams show a tendency to not draft the local Talent

Rocket River

 

Agree with your comment on Clutch's post. He's slicing and dicing, for sure, and in brilliant form. But I think we shot ourselves in the foot regarding homecourt. It would take a miracle.

Any miracles out there?

I'm at a loss to understand the last few games. An amazing bummer, dudes and dudettes. Home court has been there, beggin' to be grabbed with both hands. The Rocks grabbed a bottle of Vaseline, instead, and went slip-slidin' away. Big, big blunder.

Why do we have to make it so tough on ourselves? Is it in the team's genetic makeup or something? Time and again, we've tossed away home court. Yes, we've had our miracles in the past, winning despite all the odds against us, but wouldn't it be nice to play at a level that most of us think we're capable of playing, when it counts the most? And I hate to mention it again, but how hard was it to get a backup point? Why, in god's name, did we think we could start the season with a Euro player with no experience in the league, which means a long period of adaptation for the overwhelming majority that come over, and a munchkin who IS NOT his father, bless him. A point who's claim to fame was play in the summer leagues. Not much to go by, and certainly not enough to base your season on at that position. Yes, I think Rafer is a superb backup point, but we needed to insure a quality backup if he HAD to be the starter.

Very, very frustrating, and I don't understand those who get on Clutch's case about supposedly "hatin' on Rafer." Bull ****. That position is a nightmare for the Rocks. Anyone who doesn't see that, and the impact it's had on the season, is blind as the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin.

 

We could trade for a Hawks future pick and try to get Derrick Rose...cuz that would be awesome...

-V