By now we should all know Ming will be our 5 unless some disaster occurs in China. Yes, there will be some tension and debate, but in the end we should get our Yao. Next step is a solid all-around SF w/shooting skills. We could draft best one at 15 or parlay that pick and some players for a solid SF or better pick. Personally, I'd like a guy with solid court sense and a sweet shot (Dunleavy comes to mind). However, if we can get a bargain, CD should do it. Odom is definitely a talent, but we must way the risk of whether he will ever reach his potential (has to mature and get serious about being one of the best). Bringing home boy R. Lewis has its pluses, but I'm not sure he deserves max while we help him mature into a more consistent player. After those two key pieces we need a true enforcer. A mean, in-your-face defender...who'll set the tone on defense and kick-butt when we need it. With those 3 ingredients and nucleus of our team, we could build a solid play-off caliber contender. Thoughts?
If you mean draft an enforcer with the 15th, then there may only be one available ..... Amare Stoudamire. But man, he is R-A-W. Maybe packaging the pick with player(s) to move up and take Nene Hilario? How about sending Miami everything but Francis and Ming for Alonzo & Eddie Jones? Zo has got to be the ultimate enforcer in the game right now, sick and all.
I wouldn't trade Griffin for Zo straight up. Wouldn't do Cat for Eddie Jones either. And you're tossing in KT, Taylor, Cato and Norris, who -- regardless of this board's conventional wisdom -- each have value, even with some of their contracts. Getting rid of Rice's contract would obviously be a bonus, but Mourning will probably play another year or two at most. Griffin's got maybe fifteen years more to play. And according to ROCKET!!!'s recent post he's bulking up and in good shape. He will be our primary enforcer, if not this year then soon after. We're not going to trade any of our building blocks for an enforcer. An enforcer's a role player and we can pick one up for the MCE or some combination of MCE, #15 and/or KT, though I hope we can find meaningful minutes for him here instead. It's so great to see a player like KT develop with us, seemingly through sheer effort and will power. I hated to see Othella go and I'll hate it if KT has to go too.
Were there any enforcers in the league last year other than Oakley, K.Mart, and Kurt Thomas? (Pollard tried and Z. Randolph has potential) I think it's becoming a lost art and, with the allowance of the zone defense recently, probably unnecessary. Bulk to deny low post position plus adequate shot blocking (which is helped by acceptable perimeter d) is probably good enough now.
What about Melvin Ely at #15? He is actually one of the most accomplished big men in the draft. I watched some of his games early in the year and was mildly impressed but lost track of him later in the year . Could he bang? What about Christofferson at the #38? Sure he's stiff and slow but could be of service down low and he could give you 6 fouls on Shaq. He would have to take Collier's spot on the roster but I don't think he will ever see floor again if Ming is drafted anyway. GP
I have to agree. Draft the prospect with the most talent in Ming and then get your "bangers" later. Bangers like Pollard etc are nice ROLE players that can be had with MCE and such down the road. But if Ming pans out there is almost no way to be able to acquire someone of his talent down the road. Draft the star yourself and then add ROLE players via free agency down the road. We should draft Ming, get a decent small forward / combo guard such as Nachbar or Welsch at #15 (or trade #15 and KT to move up in the draft or for a veteran SF) and then acquire a banger down the road. I personally think before we start thinking about getting any "bangers" we should work on TEAM defense! That is what killed Dallas in the playoffs. It was not that Sacramento was killing Dallas inside banging away it was that Dallas was playing poor TEAM defense. Heck Lafrenz and NVE were not even there a WHOLE season. Sometimes good team D's need years of seasoning to play well. Not to mention Nellie has never been known as a defensive genious. Sacramento played decent TEAM defense on the Lakers and that is why they were able to handle Shaq (to a certain extent). Vlade is crafty (from years of experience) and the team played great TEAM defense meeting Shaq up high, not allowing him to set up down low and then double him to make him have to THINK and make decisions which in return dropped his production. The Rockets with Ming can do this but it requires the TEAM to make a committment. Ming is only ONE piece of the puzzle. The onus is on the collective unit to make a committment to play better team defense. I am sure the Mavs are thinking the same thing. They have improved every year since the pieces have been in place and I expect them to make strides this year. The same can be said for Sacramento. Patience! Bottom line....Ming has a lot of upside and I definitely think the Rockets should draft him. It is worth the gamble, and one that I think will pay off. Our team will still be VERY young and with a few years of seasoning we will be a force in the NBA. We are acquiring the building blocks for a great team here (we are getting the stars...and then add role players along the way). We are still building. One step at a time. Chris
