[AP] Rockets prepare for first opening round pick in three years

<font size="+1"><a href="http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/11998788.htm">Rockets prepare for first opening round pick in three years</a></font>
KRISTIE RIEKEN / Associated Press
Posted on Mon, Jun. 27, 2005


HOUSTON - The last time the Houston Rockets had a first-round pick in the NBA draft they snagged Yao Ming with the first pick overall.

Three years later, they finally have another first-round selection, but their 24th pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft won't garner even a stitch of the fanfare Yao's selection did.

The Rockets, who also picked Bostjan Nachbar in the first round in 2002, just hope to get a player who will end up on their roster.

"It's very hard to go out at 24 and target a position," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "You want to get somebody that can make the team. You get the best player that you can that can make the team and become a factor. For a team that's won 50-something games, that's not very easy."

"If we get somebody who can be a factor next year, then we'll be the luckiest franchise in the world."

Luck aside, it became clear after starting power forward Juwan Howard went out with a knee injury and missed the rest of the season with a viral infection in his heart that the team needed reinforcements at the position.

Clarence Weatherspoon, Ryan Bowen and Scott Padgett combined to replace Howard and averaged just 6.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in a first-round playoff series loss to Dallas.

Getting a low-post presence to team with Yao would undoubtedly benefit the Rockets, but is that kind of acquisition possible?

"If we can add rebounding or if we can add shooting or if we can add athleticism, that pick is going to be pretty good for us," Dawson said. "It's not actually looking for a position as much as for a player that can make our roster and become a rotation player."

Several strong power forwards could remain when the Rockets turn rolls around. Arizona State junior Ike Diogu is the player most often linked to Houston on the scores of mock draft boards dotting the Internet.

The 6-foot-8, 250-pound player who is said to have an 88-inch wingspan averaged 22.6 points and 9.8 rebounds last season. The Texas native is seen as an aggressive rebounder and is a 90 percent free throw shooter.

Other possible choices at the position are Wayne Simien of Kansas and Pittburgh's Chris Taft.

Simien, The Associated Press' Big 12 Player of the Year, has been compared to Howard. He averaged 19.4 points and 11.1 rebounds last season.

The 6-10 Taft, who left Pittsburgh after his sophomore season, had once been expected to be a lottery pick but his stock recently dropped after individual workouts for some teams.

The Rockets have seen results in the past with a 24th pick. Houston chose Sam Cassell at No. 24 in 1993 and there are several other players of note who were chosen by other teams at that spot. Among them, Rick Fox (1991), Latrell Sprewell (1992), Derek Fisher (1996) and Andrei Kirilenko (1999).

History like that might encourage Dawson to take more of a chance with the pick.

"We've always taken risks," he said. "I remember how we got booed when we took Sam Cassell at No. 24. It's more than a science. You've got to be lucky, too."

As for their picks in the last two drafts, the Rockets chose Malick Badiane of Senegal in 2003 with the 44th pick in the second round. Last year, the Rockets drafted Luis Flores at No. 55 and sent him to Dallas for the rights to Vasilis Spanoulis.

Badiane (Germany) and Spanoulis (Greece) have been playing well overseas, and Dawson indicated that he may want to bring them over this year.

"You want to bring them over when you have a summer league and get a look at them," he said. "Spanoulis had a great year this year. ... he became almost a star. Spanoulis is a point guard that has developed very well. He's made his shots and gotten his turnovers down.

"All I know is it's fun to watch them on film. I think they both can be NBA players. I hope it's this year, but who knows."