Not ready. As a Cal fan, I really hope he goes back -- both for Cal's sake and for his. He's just not ready. Last Cal center to come out early who had raw athleticism was Jamal Sampson. Who, you ask? Exactly. Meanwhile, four-year Cal centers like Michael Stewart and Francisco Elson have carved out a nice little NBA career.
Trade the pick along with the 2009 #1, and Snyder, Head, Novak, and John Lucas for Rashard Lewis. Or trade, the two #1s plus Juwan, Head, and Novak for Rashard. Sign Steve Francis to the MLE. Re-sign Chuckie. Re-sign Deke for 1 more season. Sign a couple vets to league minimum deals such as Fortson and Deiner, or use the lower exception or Sura's injury exception, whatever. Re-sign Jake to league minimum deal. Yao-36 minutes McGrady-36 minutes Rashard-36 minutes Battier-36 minutes Francis-36 minutes (Some at the point, and more at the SG) Chuckie-30 minutes Rafer-20 minutes Spanoulis-10 minutes (you can flip flop Rafer and Spanoulis depending on how well each is playing) Rest-5 minutes
Rookie season In the 2005-06 NBA season, Head played in 80 games, starting 27. He finished the season averaging 8.8 points and 2.7 assists per game. After the season, Head was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. I know we had injuries that contributed to his minutes but still he had plenty of pt. And head is a good role player. If you can ball you will play. Especially on this team where the bench is thin.
Rookie season In the 2005-06 NBA season, Head played in 80 games, starting 27. He finished the season averaging 8.8 points and 2.7 assists per game. After the season, Head was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Head was get pt even before the injuries. The rockets bench is either old, injured, or dysfunctional. If you can add some depth that is young and has game, he will play on this team. Currently jvg is using an 8.5-9.5 man rotation that includes... jh - old dm - older lh - marginal role player, not a pg, undersized sg jlIII - see above ks -even more marginal, a project other bench players... bonzi - out of shape headcase vspan - not nba ready, mentally or technically(shooting). has great potential novak - not nba ready, physically. upside = bullard jake - 3rd/2nd center that's it. that's it. every one of those players has a "catch". the bench is the rockets least strongest asset. if we do our homework and get a player in the late 1st round, he will get pt. but he's got to be a good player period. that's not on jvg's rotation and rules, that's on our drafting and scouting depts. we've got to get an impact player. i hate to say it but the mavs and the spurs have been doing that for the last few years.
if you remember correctly v-span was atleast playing a little bit early on too. If the team had not had all the injurys last year, Head's time would have cut off at the 20 game mark just like V-spans 5 min a game did
if vspan does leave to go back to europe, we might take a look at rodney stuckey. a combo guard who is the morris almond of the northwest. height is somewhere between 6'3 and 6'5. can really score and is the team's PG and averages 25pts, 5rb, 6 assists. not really a natural PG, but has more PG skills than luther. turnovers are high, but he has some good upside.
Because, you know, its fair game to compare a first round draft pick that was actually contributing to the Rockets to a lower second round, low risk, low but probably no reward draft pick that has contributed almost nothing to the team.
dammit, needed hansbrough to knock someone better down the draft for the rockets to take. http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dis...bkb_notes_11.ART_ART_04-11-07_B3_E96BPTP.html
well for immediate help i would go with mo almond from rice but it sure would be nice to see a guy like al thorton running the floor with tmac and yao considering thorton is like a marion clone with a prettier jump shot. We would probably have to trade up to get him but i think it would be well worth it
Gabe Pruitt of USC is declaring. This guy was excellent for the most part against UNC in the sweet 16. Good size at 6'4". He would give us an extra dimension driving through the lane and complement with Rafer at PG. Being at most the #3 PG behind Conley and Law, he should be available at ~#25. We can even trade down to get him and a higher 2nd rd pick.
Nice post and I agree he's a player that should be available. Saw him play a few times this year and was very impressed. He's not the greatest playmaker or shooter in the world but he's still good enough in those areas and is already an athletic penetrater/scorer. Definitely the kind of player with the tools to blossum on the next level. NBADraft.net has his comparison listed as Devin Harris. That's a pretty spot-on comparison if Pruitt pans out. I'd say his worst case scenario would be becomming the next Smush Parker.
I'm with the guy who mentioned Bobby from Fullerton. He will be able to do everything Rafer does with regards to handles and running the show, but with a much better shooting touch from all over the court and a tear drop that actually drops in the net.
Trade 1st Rounder + Luther Head for Acie Law. Acie Law will complete our starting five, will shut up all of the ROHs clamoring to trade Rafer. Luther Head is terrific, but you have to give up something good to get something good. Acie is very, very good (the best PG prospect in the draft - yes, better than Conley), but he lacks the upside that players like Oden, Durant, Wright, Brewer, and Horford exude/ooze. A lot of early entry kids declared for the draft, dropping Acie. Plus, since the Aggies went out earlier in the tourney, Acie was a victim of out-of-sight-out-of-mind, which is bad for him but good for the Rockets. Acie is the very definition of clutch and go-to player if there ever was a definition. T-Mac/Adidas connection notwithstanding, we're not gonna have a snowball's chance in hell of getting Billups. That being said, Acie is probably better than 80% of the PGs in the L. There's no way we could overpay (in a trade) for him. He's a championship-level PG. I really don't know what else to say. Get him, and try to pick-up a veteran PF willing to take a paycut.
I would change the above trade from Luther to Rafer. Luther is an important piece off the bench. We need more firepower off the bench....like Afflalo or Almond.
No way. Conley Jr. averaged 10 pts (50+ FG %) and 6 assists in his freshman year. The guy is a baby and his upside is just as good as Law, if not better.
i agree, i think we need Luther more. but i don't think Rafer + 1st Rounder gets it done. i think our trading partner will want more, and, frankly, Luther probably has more value than Rafer.
we can agree to disagree. maybe i shouldn't have appended the word 'prospect' to "best PG." Acie Law is a better PG right now, and could start for our championship team right now. Conley couldn't right now, but maybe soon.
Of potential PGs in the late 20s, I would consider Aaron Brooks (Ore) and Sean Singletary (Vir) if he declares. In addition to having a good outside shot, I think both are much more explosive/athletic and better finishers than Green. I think both Brooks/Singletary could provide a lot more help to Rafer than Green, JL3, VS even by next year. I don't think Green will make it in the NBA--and agree he struggled with Conley and Farmar (NBA athletic guards), but could be wrong. But until we know what we do in FA (I suspect we will look at PG, SG or PF), hard to know where we go in the draft.
