-Chase Budinger has a beautiful stride into his catch-and-shoot motion -- we know that -- but Wednesday night he also showed the athleticism to put it on the deck, weave through traffic, and finish strongly. He moved well without the ball to get open looks, and even absorbed a few bumps on defense to stay in front of his man, something he'll have to do this fall to stay in the Rockets' rotation. http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-42-82/Day-Six-Summer-League-Roundup.html
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - It was just three years ago that former Wildcat Chase Budinger shared the McDonald's All American MVP with Kevin Durant in his hometown of San Diego, Calif. Enamored by his shooting ability and 40-inch vertical leap, many scouts had him as a lottery pick lock whenever he decided to enter the NBA draft out of Arizona. After a stellar freshman year the forward seemingly proved them right but decided to return for his sophomore season to improve his stock. Three years and three coaches later, his first round dreams faded quickly when Detroit used their second round pick and chose Budinger 44th overall. They then traded the silky-smooth wing to the Houston Rockets for a second round pick and cash considerations. In the coming months the ex-Wildcat will be fighting for a roster spot as second round draft picks are not guaranteed to be on the roster come opening night. "I'm willing to do whatever they want me to do," Budinger said of his plans in the next few months, hoping to stick on the Rockets' roster. "If it means going back to Houston or getting some time off, it's going to be whatever the team wants." Budinger began his journey Friday, making his NBA debut at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev. Though it was only the summer league, the Rockets' forward couldn't fight the first game jitters. It showed in the first half when he missed a wide-open breakaway lay-up. He finished his NBA debut with 11 points, two assists and two rebounds in a sub-par showing. Budinger appeared to be more in rhythm on Saturday's day two of the summer league. He showed off his shooting ability by draining 9-10 from the field and ended the game with 25 points. "I was more comfortable today; my last game I had some jitters because it was my first NBA game," Budinger said after his second game. "I'm more comfortable playing with these guys, and I should get better with each game." The Rockets, a team that forced the NBA champions the Los Angeles Lakers to Game 7 of the Western conference semi-finals, rely upon their toughness and defense. Ironically, the knock on Budinger throughout his career at Arizona was that he wasn't tough enough and didn't play defense. "Right now, defensively I need to know the spacing and know what the other team is trying to do," Budinger said. "I made mistakes where they would suck me in and my guy would be wide open, that's something I have to get better at." Though some may question whether he can make a team that has a defensive mentality, one of Budinger's former teammates thinks otherwise. "I would tell Chase to be himself; they're looking for a guy like himself," said former UA point guard Mustafa Shakur, who is playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer league. "He's a guy they're looking for who can shoot the spot-up jumper in the corner and on the wing, which he does well." "With (Rockets' point guard) Aaron Brooks penetrating, he would be a great guy, and he would take some pressure off T-Mac when he returns," he added. "He just needs to be himself, and everything will take care of itself." http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/me...ster.Spots.In.Nba.Summer.League-3751754.shtml
Now that I've stepped off my soap box, you should also know that second-round pick Chase Budinger is looking like someone who may be able to contribute immediately. And the agile swingman out of Arizona sure will get every opportunity in Houston. Ron Artest is gone, having signed with the L.A. Lakers, and Tracy McGrady stands a good chance to be moved, too. And Artest and McGrady just happen to play the same positions as Budinger (as does veteran Shane Battier). Couple that with the fact Budinger is averaging 16 points on a remarkable 66 percent shooting from the field in Vegas (including 62 percent on 3-pointers), and you have to think the young man will get every opportunity to play. * Yes, I know the Rockets signed Trevor Ariza, who also plays the same position as Budinger. But we're talking about a guy who averaged a career-high 8.9 points per game last season. So Ariza is hardly a lock to play all 48 minutes every night. http://probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=646
The better question is what games have you been watching. When have u seen scola make a contested jumper? When you find it, please post it. I have seen boozer,brand,jefferson and guys like that triple threat a guy and pull a jimmy in someones grill. Its about creating space and shooting contested shots.The really good players can do this, the jud buschler types can't.
Scola is much better than a "jud buschler type." That's stupid. You don't like more than three players on the Rockets, think you're a better GM than Morey and root for winners like Tim Thomas and Ricky Davis. At what point do you follow another team?
Agree with you about that. I would like to make another comment about Chase,he shoots well but all those guys who say he is a good finisher around the basket seem wrong to me(not referring to you). His layups can be easily blocked, I'm not surprised that he fell into the 2nd round,because of his limited finishing ability,softness and defensive problems. However, I do feel that he should have gone around 35 or so instead of 44.
Why would I follow another team when I've followed the rox since 77? If you would read what I said, I never compared scola to jud. The topic was about having the ability to make contested shots in regards to chase. I was or we were talking about the difference in role players or guys that can excel. There isn't a premier offensive player who can't or don't make contested shots. Even the guys who are good like lewis,odom and guys like that can do it. Guys that need a lot of space like shane,reddick,mike mille dunleavyr jr, can only excel offensively to a point. That's why a guy like shane has such low fg attpts. He can't or don't have the confidence to shoot a contested shot. Even a guy like ariza who doensnt shoot a lot of contested shots, doesn't need nearly the room and space of a guy like shane. Now if you can't understand that and can't get past tim thomas or ricky davis, go back to playing your xbox and attempt to graduate high school.
Who in the world expects Budinger to be a premier offensive player? He was the 44th pick. He is supposed to be a role player. If he turns out anything like Mike Miller or Dunleavy Jr. 99.9% of this board would be ecstatic. In that case, why does he need to be able to make contested shots to be successful?
Let me ask u a question, we all know why the spurs have been successful to a point, but what has helped them maintain success is they found 2 all stars late in the draft in manu and parker. What helped detroit have that great run is they found prince late in the draft. What has helped dallas win 50 games for like 8 straight yrs is pulling drafting howard as the last pick and haoward becoming an all star. Morey can keep pulling the solid role players through the first or 2nd rd, but until he pulls a all star talent late in the draft or even in the middle of the draft, all these solid role players add up to nothing.
I think its a little unfair to hold all our picks to that standard. I mean youre talking about 2 of the best players in the game. For the picks he has been dealt, i think morey has done very well. Brooks in the late first. Landry in the second. Drafting donte green and exchanging him for artest, and then this year, having no picks at all and getting a great scorer in taylor, a nice prospect in buddinger, and a talented euro PG.
I'm not holding him to a higher standard, i'm just saying that when u always get the safe guy, u get safe results. DD always bring up the failures up the 8th or m 9th pick in the draft, but dirk,pierce,amare,and marion were all drafted in those spots. Every gm makes mistakes, but the good gm's relish the chance to get high talent. I mean the spurs gave Scola away to the rockets and they have a guy in splitter that is probably the most skillful guy in europe. The best way to build your team is still through the draft and supplement with fa's. I think morey has been solid, but solid doesn't win titles. If manu and parker were solid, the spurs would have 1 ring vs 4. Sooner or later, morey is going to have to draft a guy who becomes a all star. If he never does it, the rox will have to do what boston did and that really shortens your window.
i think chase can develop if he is in the right system with the right coach. he is still a long shot to be a contributor in this league, but one thing he got going for him is his shooting. he has the right coach and system. adelman is known to give young players a few looks and is unafraid to play rookies. peja, hedo, kevin martin all had their shots as young players under adelman and has developed into very good players. although i don't think chase has that kind of potential, but i think under adelman he can be a contributor in this league under the right circumstances
Oh my.. I am going to have some fun with this delightful nugget. Nothing personal, but this will be at your expense Lee. Let me ask you a question, how far can a Manu and Parker led Spurs go? Answer: about as far as a Francis and Mobley led Rockets. You think that HOFer sitting in the middle of the paint had something to do with their success? Plug in any run of the mill borderline allstar with Duncan and you have a winning team. You know, the same run of the mill borderline allstars that almost every team has. Whether acquired through trade, free agency, or lottery. You don't have to draft them in the bottom of the second round to have a successful team. What makes the Spurs special isn't that they drafted Manu and Parker late, its that they draft Timmy early. Wait wait wait... just in the other thread you were clamoring about how what made Detroit great was guys like Mike James, Okur, and Corlis freakin' Williams. Now conveniently in this thread you defy your own logic, and give all the credit to finding Prince late. Lets for the moment ignore the fact that your logic is wrong in both threads. But the fact that you contradict yourself in two adjacent threads is comical irony at its best. Ho Ho Ho. Howard has been in the league for 6 years. L. O. Freak'n. L. The above statement is mind boggling. It is mind numbing. Seriously my brain feels like jello after reading it. First off you, again, contradict your own logic. This seems to be the trend. Since Dallas has won nothing, that means pulling the allstar Howard late amounted to, nothing. Good job debunking one of your own examples. Secondly, how on earth can you hold it against any GM for not drafting allstars in the second round. I don't need to expound on this further. It is just as ludicrous an assertion as there can be. Just WOW. I guess 90% of all GMs, ever, have amounted to nothing. You are holding Morey up to a standard where it is impossible for him to succeed. Which I suspect is exactly what you intended. Good sir, you have defied your own logic. And now, bent the fabrics of the universe with your absurdity. With that I bid you goodnight, for I fear what strange and frightening new world I may awaken to after what I have witnessed 'tis fateful night.
CXbby, I think what leebigez was saying wasn't that picks like Prince and Howard were solely response for the success of those teams. He was simply saying those picks "helped" contribute to their success. In other words, without drafting a diamond in the rough like Howard, maybe the Mavericks don't have whatever number of 50-win seasons in a row. I don't think he necessarily meant Howard was there from day one. You are overanalyzing his words for some reason. I do agree with you about how difficult it is to find gems later in the draft and that it would be wrong to hold any GM to that standard. Even the ones that pulled it off once or twice aren't likely to be able to repeat it. I don't agree with the way you tried to make lee look bad. I think it made you look bad more than anything. You went overbaord trying to pick him apart instead of trying to get his general point or just disagreeing respectfully. As far as I'm concerned, lee is one of the best posters around here. I think you have to read his stuff w/out getting caught up in the detail. He makes a lot of insightful posts that are a breath of fresh air compared to the average posts around here (including my own). In my opinion, he has a strong understanding of the nuances of the game and it's readily apparent if you don't try to analyze every detail to death. He also doesn't go overboard trying to pick apart other posters or make them look bad. He says a harsh word or two here and there but considering the crap people throw at him, I'd say it's pretty commendable that he doesn't say more. I'm fairly sure he's above that kind of stuff based on what I've seen.
WTF is up with all the young Brent Barry comments??? Have you guys forgotten how versatile Barry was when he was younger? He was a 6'6 swingman with PG skills. He had the quickness, jump shot, ball handling, and court vision. If Budinger even comes close to that he's a very good player and a steal this low in the draft. I like this kid, I think he'll be an NBA player. That's good enough for the 44th pick. Maybe you guys are thinking of a younger (as in Budinger's age) version of the old Spurs Barry?
QFT. It's the originality that I enjoy reading. It gets boring reading the same "If Morey likes him, I like him too!" posts or the rampant overvaluing of players who hustle, especially those already on our team.
