Great read and great post. Should be interesting to see Brad Miller out there anchoring down the team when Yao sits out and guiding us a passing big who knows how the system works.
Great read, and he sounds really sharp, being able to react in real time is not easy. We are gonna have fun this year. DD
I'm actually pretty excited to see what Brad Miller can teach Yao about the high post offense, something I think he hasn't quite grasped yet. Also I wouldn't be surprised at all if Brad stayed on as one of the assistant coaches after he retires.
Kevin has been one of my favorite players for years now. I didn't know he was a Rip Hamilton fan. I can see the resemblance in the cutting off screens now. I can't wait to see him and Miller play off each other again.
Good stuff. Most of the negatives I hear about Kevin Martin from people (e.g., defense) seem to be an effect of the situation he was in at Sacramento. It'll be exciting to see how he plays with Yao.
Interesting point on the expectations guys on this team had. Other than Yao, the only other players on this roster drafted in the top 20: Shane Battier (6th in 2001) Jordan Hill (8th in 2009) Jared Jeffries (11th in 2002) Patrick Patterson (14th in 2010) Battier's value to the team increased with the trade, but he's been what he's always been expected to be: a solid starter/glue guy. Hill, Jeffries, and Patterson are probably all on the fringe of the rotation Our primary scoring options (outside of Yao) will be: Aaron Brooks (26th in 2007) Kevin Martin (26th in 2004) Luis Scola (56th in 2002) and the bench will be led by Kyle Lowry (24th in 2006), Courtney Lee (22nd in 2008), Chase Budinger (44th in 2009), with the backup big men likely being a pair of guy who went undrafted, Brad Miller and Chuck Hayes. Definitely seems a bit atypical. Just off the top of my head, a team like the Lakers is led by lotto picks in Bryant, Gasol, Odom, and Bynum. A team like Portland has Oden, Aldridge, Camby, Pryzbilla, Roy, Miller, and Bayless -- all drafted in the top dozen of the draft!
Wow. Thank god we have something else to talk about! I've gotta say that's one of the best interviews I've read in a long time. Excellent questions and follow ups, and terrific, intelligent responses from Kevin. You read that and can't help getting excited about what Martin will bring to the team this season. No only that, but the insight into Adelman's system and influence molding Martin, Martin's defense dictating his minutes on the court early in his career, the mentoring of Miller and his influence, a guy we just acquired, which is mind blowing when you think of the senergy that is going to be there, and what both Miller and Martin will bring to the team in terms of teaching Adelman's system the right way to our young players, like Millier did when he took Martin under his wing. The night and day difference of the team culture the Kings have post-Adelman, and the team culture Kevin found coming to the Rockets. The leadership he found from Battier and Yao, even with Yao not playing. The way Martin describes his role vis-à-vis Yao (and by implication Miller), which was what I wanted to hear. His description of the Rockets locker room, how the players in it came to be there, why Morey wanted them... intelligence just pouring out of the guy. Why would anyone want to move him? I cannot believe that will happen. Kevin Martin is perfect for his role on this team. Kudos to the OP! And NIKEstrad, unsurprisingly, finding completely different insightful things in the interview. (which I just read)
