Because they did good in the summer league, so people think that means the rookies are going to be awesome. I think they'll be okay... but nothing extraordinary.
Great post! Especially agreeing with quotes. Removing the obvious superstars, such as Shaq, Lebron, the chances of drafting a future superstar is like winning a lottery, tho odds aren't as astromical low as lotto. Here are some #1 overall drafts in the last 20 years who didnt live up to their #1 overall potential or became a true superstar. Some had a good year or two but they weren't the centerpiece on a chip run. 1993 - Chris Webber 1994 - Glenn Robinson 1995 - Joe Smith 1998 - Michael Olowokandi 1999 - Elton Brand 2000 - Kenyon Martin 2001 - Kwame Brown 2005 - Andrew Bogut 2007 - Greg Oden (waved this year by Blazers and ahead of Durant! No amount of scouting reports, summer league, or any other formula, moneyball can say for certain how a individule can performe in NBA. But teams can raise their odds of discovering one by: 1. Higher drafts 2. Number of drafts 3. Developing program (A prime example in Rondo. Rondo was drafted low and traded to Celtics before the season. If Rondo were to start his career under a different coach, he wouldn't be as the player he is today.) I like all our rookies, for their potential and attitudes. As much as I like them, the chances of any one of them becoming an impact player is extremely low. Sad but true. If Morey has to use any or even all four rookies in a trade for D12, I am all for it. ONLY and only if D12 will want to stay with Rox!
It's all about hope. Your mind runs wild with the possibilities of what they can do. Imagine Royce white as your Point forward. He gets matched up with a smaller pg, takes them into the post. Watch him make the unselfish awesome pass. Jeremy Lamb - what if he's the next coming of Kevin Martin without the p***y attitude. 23 points, 3 assist, 5 rebound 2 steals, and average defense. Completely reasonable to assume those numbers from him. Montejuanas. He's got legit size and speed for his position. Good touch. Nice hook shot. Plenty of attitude. Terrence Jones - I'm hoping for a Nicholas Batum or Ibaka contribution from the guy. Super long wing span. They've all got potential to be something pretty good. So what's to hate? Yeah, they could all be busts, but who knows. Why focus on the rain clouds next week, when it's clear out today?
He is the worst of the bunch at the moment. A pretty good bunch. This is only because it took him a couple of games to catch on. The other three(aside from that one bad game by D-Mo)were consistent throughout.
Their tomatoes. Don't the tomatoes from your own garden always taste better? Hope and... I think we all love the idea that WE picked these guys. They are ours now and if they turn out great then the thought of rubbing that $h1t in faces of all the teams that skipped them makes me smile.(Like Scola from the Spurs baby, I love that crap) There is the horrible sickly feeling I get when I think about them turning into all-starts on somebody else's team. lots of reasons to love our tomatoes
So you can only get excited about a finished product? That's really sad. I'm excited because I think it's the most talented set of rookies the Rockets have signed at one time in a long time. The potential has us excited, the possibility of what can be, added with tremendous play in the summer league has us salivating to watch these young men develop as basketball players. A player does not have to be a finished product for some of us to get excited. I was dancing in my living room when the Rockets drafted, Sampson, Dream, Eddie, Yao and when they traded for Francis even before any of those guys payed a second of NBA ball. Some turned into all-star HoF quality players and some were busts but all represented the possibility of something great for the Houston Rockets when they were acquired. I love watching young talented players develop and so do a lot off NBA fans, that's why the T-Pups were filling their arena for Ricky Rubio last season. I'm excited because the Rockets have some ultra-talented rookies coming in this season and win or lose its a lot more exciting getting to watch these young guys develop then watching a bunch of average players whose talent has topped out.
This. People here always think the worst of our rookies. Well, when was the last time we got rookies in the top 5 of SL Performers? Its not like we got rookies like Morris scoring 20 pts a night in SL and then suddenly he can't get on the court. This draft was deep, and the Rox managed to get several quality players in that draft. I think Lamb, DMO and Jones do have that star potential, while White could turn out to just be a "value" pick.
I can only speak for myself and what I think, but I don't think anyone is debating that these guys could potentially turn into very good players or even All-Star caliber players, I just think that it's odd how some of these people think that we for sure have the next Dirk, LeBron, KG, Nash etc... so we don't need any superstars. I think if Team X (maybe it's Orlando) is asking for too much then you say no and develop, but if we have to give up a young player or 2 in a package for an All-Star or 2 I don't see what the problem is. I think this mainly comes down to the optomists (KEEP THE ROOKIES...YAAAYY) vs. the Realists (Trading for or signing a DEFINITEsuperstar trumps HOPEFULLY developing an All-Star)
I'm on the realists side. It's not like morey's going to give away all the rooks for dwight. He's likely to keep at least 1-2 of them. Even if he did for whatever reason, we still have Lin, Parsons, and Patterson still developing (if not included in a Dwight trade). We'd still be a very young team regardless.
Maybe 10+ teams passed on these guys, but 30 something teams passed on Parsons. He turned out okay. Consider the earlier draft position and deep draft, seems like pretty good odds at least one turns into something. Potential.
I wasn't attached to our rookies - then I read this board and found out that: Jeremy Lamb is going to be better than Kevin Martin/is a clone of Hall of Famer Reggie Miller. Royce White is the next Lebron James. Terrence Jones is the next Dwight Howard (which is even more amazing when considering his drastically different stature) And Donatas Motiejunas is a combination of Dirk Nowitski, Arvydas Sabonis and Jesus.
