I have a strong feeling Gooden is gonna drop to somewhere around #8-10 the closer we get to the draft.....scouts will question his ability to produce at the 4 spot in the more physical pros.
DC, last year, did you say KT is only going to be a backup in this league. If you did, then I guess you are pleasantly surprised this year. To limit our surprises in the future we should be very hesitant to prematurely writeoff folks, as you are doing with Morris. Also, I do agree that Walt may be gone and Rice may be injured. If that is the case then we still have 48 mins to be shared by EG, KT and Morris, assuming Langhi is cut. The end result of bring in a SF would be that he would sit and by this time next year we will be writing him off because he did not get the minutes. Since the person we get in the draft is going to sit anyway, let us get a big man.
Well, the chances of a second round pick like Morris becoming a starter is pretty slim. It happens, but not very often. And from what he's shown, I don't see a very big upside. He's not ridiculously athletic, he's not very creative offensively, there's just no reason to believe he can be a starter in this league. Kenny, on the other hand, did show some creativity and quickness his first years. Of course noone believed Kenny would be as good as he is, but I still had higher hopes for him than I do for Morris now. The thing is, I just don't feel comfortable calling a single player on the Rockets a definite, starting small forward. There's a big question mark next to all of them. And like I said, I don't think they should really go for a small forward in the draft either. They should try and get one through a trade and get Chris Wilcox in the draft.
I actually expected him to do this well, or a little better. Keep in mind he put up 8 and 6 his rookie year while not being a starter the while time - 14.5 and 7.5 isn't that great of a jump. Of course, I miscalulated because I thought he and Brand would end up being about the same - I expected Brand to drop to about 16 and 8. I was wrong.
I, on the other hand, see the exact opposite. IMHO, while Kenny has displayed the quckness and creativity that you mentioned, and he has a chance to be very good in a number of ways, his lack of height/mass at the 4 will always limit him to either super-sub type status. In TMo, I see a player who, as you've said, is not flashy and will not dominate. He has, on the other hand only two weaknesses that I am able to discern - his long range jumper is below average for a 3, and he can be a bit timid. Both of these are traits which are correctable. In TMo, I see a player who could develop along the lines of a PJ Brown. Brown, drafted in the second round in '91 by the Nets didn't even play for them that year. He developed into a hustle guy and a difference maker with his size, defense, rebounding, and all-around game. He's the kind of guy who won't hurt you on the floor, and always has more impact on the game than the numbers indicate. I think TMo has the game of a few 6'7" players in the league, but with the size to block a few shots, play some D and get some rebounds and play good team defense. I think Eddie/Tmo/??? has the potential, in a couple of years, to be a great defensive frontcourt.
Well, you can foresee the future much better than I can. But the reason for Kenny's improvement isn't just him realizing his potential, it's his work ethic! He worked on his game and his body big time over the summer. I remember the first game I saw him this season I didn't even recognize him from a distance. He trimmed down so much, which undoubtedly improved his quickness and agility. If TMo can put that much effort into improving then I'm sure he can also exceed expectations.
Two things DC. 1. Regarding Tmo. First of all, Tmo, for his stage of development, is a very good rebounder and defensive player for that position. His ball handling and passing is underrated, as are his instincts. I think we punish him for trying too deligently to follow the coaches wishes and not showing some creativity. In fact, in an unsettled season, he has been stable and consistent. I would say his offensive game has been limited as opposed to saying it is limited, if you follow me. I remain confident that he can shoot and he can get to the rim with his ball handling. He still seem to prefer to setup his teammates which he is very good at. All these are qualities not to be overlooked when you are talking about this team. I also believe that if Rudy told him that we needed him to score 16 pts a game next year and put in plays for him, Tmo has the physical skills to deliver on that. Finally, try to get past the 2nd round thing. Remember, Portland has a guy call Zach who is buried on their bench because there are no minutes. 2. Wilcox is a great talent, but he is the smallest guy I would pick in the draft. To me, the person should be 6-10 and taller and 240lbs and higher. If we did take Wlilcox, that would mean the end of EG as our PF. I just do not see EG becoming the powerful presence; afterall there is a reason why it is called power forward. Going for someone 7ft and 260lbs+ is our best move.
Actually, we have that player. His name is Jason Collier. Collier can play center, but he really is a power forward. I hope we draft a true center like Ming or Marcus so that our lineup looks like: Francis / Norris / Jeri Welsch Mobley / Torres Griffin / Rice / Walt MoT / Collier / Morris Cato / Ming or Marcus / Stoudemire (just wishing) Trade: KT and Toronto pick for #10 - #12 (for Stoudemire)
Hay, why would you call Collier a PF? I trust you are not saying so because he has range on his jump shot. It would be a mistake and poor management of our resourses if we use him at PF, especially with those that we have. Given his size and the fact that he is left handed, I would want him to augment his face the basket game with a back to the basket game with a perfected hook shot. Simply be a presence in the post. Heck, right now his game can give us 8-10 pts a game. Am I dreaming when I say that the 5 spot can now give us 18 pts and 13 rebounds over 48 mins, collectively, from Cato and Collier. If that is attainable, then I would say we have the luxury of take a chance on Amare, assuming he is going to be a 7ft, and eventually dominate. By the way, Toronto's own pick is not going to be available to us this year.
It will be if they keep winning (two-game streak so far) or if they offer and we accept their Seattle pick.
Well, first of all, I think the days of the 7' center are gone. Its just about come to the point where teams need to start going after the best talent, rather than go for these stick-in-the-muds just because there fatter and a couple inches taller. I mean how many seven-footers in the league are really dangerous on offense anyway? I think Marcus is a terrible choice for the Rockets, especially with the 6th pick in the draft. He quite simply does not have the talent to be that high of a pick, and the only reason the Rockets would be picking him is because they feels he has the physical characteristics of an ancient, <i>ideal</i> NBA center. I mean two inches of extra height doesn't really matter that much anymore, especially since guys like Wilcox can probably outjump Marcus by at least half a foot. Just look at Ben Wallace. 6'9". He just got 28 rebounds last night. Are you saying you would not be willing to play him at center because he's not 7 feet? Just look at this way, who would you rather have playing center for the Rockets? Wallace or Olowakandi? If you answered Olowak, then I should just stop arguing now. Marcus just seems slow, has no outside game, can barely get off the ground. I just don't see how he fits in with the Rockets at all. And as for Ming, I just don't know. Obviously he's a stick. Plus, who knows how long it will be before he is actually released to play and people that freakishly tall often have medical/physical problems. Looking at those things, I think its a pretty big risk for the Rockets to take. Some people think he's worth the risk, I'm not so sure. But with Wilcox I see someone who can run the floor great for a big man and can help to finally turn the Rockets into a running team like all of us want. Plus, eventhough he's not wide he's very strong. And the most important thing is he takes the ball HARD to the basket. Yeah, he may not be an ideal center, but I think a pairing of Wilcox/Griffin or Wilcox/Taylor give the Rockets a good combination of power and finesse. Man, sorry for yet another rant. I'm getting a little carried away today. About TMo. It just seems to me like he was a pretty big underachiever in college. Wasn't he predicted to be a future contender for player of the year after his sophmore season? He wasn't even the second best player on his team his junior and senior year. I think there needs to be a lot of improvement before you can call him a starter, and I'm just not sure if he's capable of it. But, I hope you're right, and he does end up being a keeper.
Wilcox isn't even the best power forward on Maryland so how can you think we should spend such a high pick on a player that can't beat out Baxter.
There's something called "potential". Also, I don't know what you're talking about because Wilcox is the starting PF for them right now. Baxter is playing C. Wilcox has more NBA potential than Baxter does.
Kidrock said it. Wilcox has twice as much NBA Potential as anyone on the whole Maryland basketball team. If Wilcox comes out this season, you will see that the NBA is aware of this as well.
Wilcox has improved by leaps and bounds this year as a Soph. If he can continue to improve his game added with his athleticism, he is the next Antonio McDyess.
I have watched alot of Maryland basketball and it doesn't seem that Wilcox is any better than anyother bigman in college basketball. I just don't trust drafiting anyone that isn't the leader of the team with the 6th pick of the 1st round. Even the highschoolers are the best player on their team even if it is a highschool team. Wilcox is the third best player on Maryland, the second best player at his position. All the other top college players drafted ahead of him ARE the leaders of their team. The talent level at college is lower than the NBA and he doesn't dominate them. I AM NOT SOLD ON WILCOX. Why are you?
Wilcox originally wasn't even supposed to be the starter for Maryland this season. He is young and he's playing with a bunch of "veterans." The only reason he doesn't dominate is because Maryland doesn't use him like they would if he was a senior or if Maryland was a team of young players. But I would say that <i>physically</i>, he is dominant over the other college players. His height+jumping ability allows him to reach a level above almost any player in college basketball. Anyone at his age, with those type of physical characteristics has a great deal of potential. The same thing happened to Corey Magette at Duke. Because his team was so talented he rarely had a chance to play as a freshman at Duke. But the NBA knew his talent and NBA potential were still great, so he left before ever even being a starter at Duke. Granted, he hasn't really proven himself yet.
Name me a Soph big man who is better than Wilcox. Juan Dixon and Baxter aren't highly rated prospects because Juan is too skinny, and Baxter is too short to play PF/C. I never said Wilcox is the better COLLEGE player than Dixon or Baxter. Again, there is a difference between the college game and the NBA game. Also, tell me what parts of Wilcox's game that you do not particularly like.
Thats why we shouldn't take anyone that hasn't proven it at the college level. I liked the Eddie Griffin deal because he proved it the first year in college. Our 1st pick shouldn't go to a guy that hasn't dominated the players around him when there are players like Butler, Jeffries, Gooden, Woods, Dunlavey that have dominated. I think there is a good chance we will take Wilcox with the first pick because of the Steve connection but I don't agree with the move because he hasn't shown anything to me. You guys are going on pure potential, well we have alot of potential in Cato and that has gone nowhere. And there are alot of other players that have pure potential. I don't know why you guys keep harping on Wilcox.
