Teams that consistently pick in the lottery...consistently pick in the lottery

If the rockets had not been injured through most of the year and been in the playoff hunt I'm sure nobody would want to tank for the lottery. But if you're going to be in it why not want a top pick ? That being said I hope the rockets keep winning this season.

 

I would rather not have a lotto pick and be in the playoffs, year in year out! use non-lotto draft picks and trades to get what you need instead!

Not to draw attention away from a valid arguement, but i thought Mobes went in the late 2nd round????

 

Who cares about "lottery picks?" I care about "good players." The odds of getting a good player are stronger near the top of the draft than the bottom.

I still don't want the team to lose, though... I'm in the minority in believing that hte Rockets will probably be contending wit hthe talent currently on the roster.

 

Cuttino Mobley was a 2nd round pick, but he was really a 2nd round steal.

 

I think the Rockets are in a period where if they can have everyone healthy, they would be a very good team and most definately in the playoffs. I think they have the talent, they just have to have everyone on the court at the same time. Example: New Jersey had the talent last year but alot of their players were hurt, now look at them, I know Kidd has alot to do with it. But I think the Rockets are in sort of the same boat that the Nets were in last year. I'm just hoping everything will come together for the Rockets. And I hope it's soon rather than later.

 

I feel your pain Freak.

 

It's not only that we can get a good player with a high lotto pick, but we can also use that pick/player to trade for a more experienced veteran... It's not just stockpiling a bunch of youngins... the opportunities are limitless with a high lotto pick and you can make all sorts of moves to <b>get</b> the role players which you speak of b/c we still might not be set at the 3 or 5.

 

If the Rockets were at full stregnth, they would be about .500 team. The players they are missing are probably the worse defensively on the team which is still the problem for this team. Rice and Taylor means no playing time for Eddie this yr who is probably our best defender. Even with those two, we are still a jump shooting team with no inside game which means we would play good against the east and get whipped in the west just like last yr.

 

I agree 100 percent with theFreak! That is why yesterday's loss hurts me so much. I really wanted the team to experience a four game winning streak.

 

ABSOLUTELY!!. Losing teaches you how to lose.

I think so. If Francis and Griffin both become perennial all-stars, and Cat continues to play well, we just need role players to fill in around them.

That assumes that Griffin doesn't get any better. Most everyone thinks that he will be an all-star, but today he isn't that good. On offense, all he can do is hit the three, and on defense, he gets pushed around in the post sometimes. When he develops, he'll make us much better than a .500 team.

 

It seems to me that you're missing the point.

I'm assuming that you think Griffin was the final piece to the puzzle, the frontcourt stud that ended the rebuilding process.

With that established, it isn't a question of if he will be good enough, but rather when. The hope is that his talent will have evolved enough so that it corresponds in time to the primes of Francis, and to a lesser extent, Mobley.

You, nor I, knows rather that postulate will hold up over time, so.....we look towards the lottery for a player that can abridge that time, and no, that player doesn't neccesarily have to be a 'star'. As long as he can conceal Griffin's, or the team's for that matter, immediate weaknesses, then he will have saved this team an invaluable amount of time in their ascension towards contender status.

Having a higher pick merely simplifies things, whether that be through a player directly or indirectly recieved through the draft or trade.

 

Except when they're in the NBA finals a couple of years after snagging two #1 picks.

 

True Will, but how many times has a Sampson and Olajuwon come out in successive drafts.

Heck for that matter, when is the last time a 20-10 rookie has come out in the draft...Elton Brand is the only one I can think of.

DaDakota

 

There's always exceptions to the rule. They don't have the coin flip anymore, so it would be real hard to get two straight #1's, and there usually aren't two straight top picks that good(Sampson was great before he got hurt).

Dang it, beaten to the punch

 

I think the circumstances make it a little different. As this team has a a great deal of injuries and immediate success is postponed, people look to bonus points, such as the draft. If this team was and had been full strength all year, that would be a different story. Picks can be turned onto veteran players as well, don't forget...which could further boost our short-term success.

DaDa,

Don't forget Orlando. If Shaq and Penny had gotten along (and staid in Orl), the East would be a little different.

High lottery also worked well for San Antonio in their immediate future.

Sure, there is no Duncan or Shaq, but why not want more and better opportunities?

For the record, I want the Rockets to win as many games as possible, but I see no harm in praying for a lottery miracle.

 

I would rather trade draft picks for some veteran leadership.

This team is young enough already.....we have too many young dunderheads...we need some nifty ole guys to teach the young ones how to win.

DaDakota

 

I find it best to take the middle road here.

I root for them to win every game and honestly believe that learning how to consitently win (which would mean they lern how to consistently play solid defense) would be much more beneficial to them than more assets.

But, when they lose, I don't cry and don't think its the end of the world. Just because they lose, doesn't mean, as the theory indicates, that they'll consistently be in the lottery. There are always exceptions. Heck, the Bulls consistently won, and now they're consistently in the lottery.

Also, I'm of the opinion that this current team does not have the players to compete. Maybe when healthy, but who knows right now. That team we're all looking for would not be going 2-20 without their star in the lineup, but should be at least a .500 team in that case, with the return of their star putting them at a Minnesota, Dallas, Sacramento, LA level. One more solid draft pick - hopefully a tall, defensive minded, smart player, who may also be amazingly gifted offensively (hence a poosition at the top of the draft), or a veteran with similar qualities received from that pick would be very helpful in the future. Am I the only one who thinks there jsut aren't enough veterans on this team?