If I were the Rockets, I'd definitely be using the #1 to address their center needs, because if they postpone that until #15... 1997 NBA DRAFT: #15 Dallas Mavericks Select... Kelvin Cato 2000 NBA DRAFT: #15 Milwaukee Bucks Select... Jason Collier
Actually i hope it's used on Melvin Ely. he looks like he can be a great defender in the middle. If not trade for a small forward(Odom )
IMHO, the Rockets are not keeping the pick. They have 10 players already under contract for 2002-2003. Yao Ming makes 11. A MCE player and Oscar Torres makes the total 13. Given that 1st round picks have guaranteed contracts (3 years in length IIRC), is there a player available at #15 who can make enough impact over and above Torres and a MCE vet to warrant having a 14th contract? I personally don't think so.
there is no doubt that we will trade the pick. i think it may be #15 and moT for lewis. i know most of us, including me, want odom. i think that the clipps will not take on rices contract or take moT back. after LAC drafts #8(nene) and #12(borchardt, amere) they will not want kt. it will be very hard to make a trade work with them. on the other hand lewis wants to come to houston and may force a sign and trade were we can send moT to his second choice team, along with the #15. i know this cant happen on draft night. just dont be surprised if we trade our #15 pick to seattle for a future first rounder to asure us that we will get lewis. our linup: ming-cato-MCE griff-kt-collier lewis-rice-Tmo cat-os-#2 just to keep os on his toes (luke recker?) steve-mooch-brown later on we may use part of the MCE on a vet center to help ming along.
smoothie - the Lewis subject has been discussed all too frequently. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34197 Rashards contract with Seattle will make him a BYC player and impossible to trade for without a third team since both the Sonics and Rockets are over the cap. Rashard on the Rockets is at best a remote possibility.
Plus, even it could be done, I very seriously doubt that Seattle would trade Rashard Lewis for Mo Taylor and the 15. They could do so much better!
Why not do what other teams have done and pick a good euro player, who is under a euro team contract and who will not be available to come over here for a year or two. Seems like that strategy has paid off for some teams. I think we will pick up a decent player at 15 and given that there will be some trades thsi summer (hey one of the fours has got to go) ther may be enough room on the roster.
Probably somehting like MoT, Rice, Moochie + #15 for Rashard and Vin Baker [cause they wanna get rid of him] LOL Rocket River
Just because there have been recent duds at 15, doesn't mean that there is a curse. Look at people picked after 15: Last year, Parker, Tinsley, and Wallace were taken after 15. Turkeglu, Desmond Mason, Q-Richardson, and Mo Peterson were taken after 15 2 years ago. KT was taken after 15. It's not the pick, it's the team that makes the pick. There are gonna be good SF available, this team just needs to make the right choice. I believe we should take Chris Jefferies because he is an excellent defender and he proved he could score in College. But there will also be Nachbar and Welsch. Grizzard is a reach, but I doubt the Rockets will pay any attention to him
Actually if you throw Collier in with the bad #15 picks, you'll have to say Collier/Griffin for the #15 pick. Without drafting Collier, we don't get Griffin.
Leave for where? The Clipps, Bulls or Wiz? Those are the only teams that can pay him over the MCE. And I don't think any of them can Max him. Rashard has already stated he will not excercise his player option so that leaves only the following 4 options 1) A $7m-$9m contract with Chicago, Washington or LA Clippers. 2) The MCE (~$4.5m) with the team of his choice. 3) Re-sign with the Sonics for $7m-$9m (Seattle is on record that they will not Max him). 4) Tell Seattle to S&T you for as much as they can - but the trade has to appeal to the Sonics as well. Let's be perfectly clear, Rashard can "walk" but not if he wants big $.
