Aren't you glad we ended up with Battier??

Thabo would've been the wrong pick too.

 

these threads never get old

 

The fact that Rudy Gay was never in the Rockets' plans is very sad.

 

Gay had motivation problems in college. I'd say it's a pretty good policy to never stake your future on someone like that.

I like Bill Simmons' commentary on Gay in his trade value article:

48. Rudy Gay
Here's what bugs me about this one: With Gay improbably emerging as the first "gifted lottery pick who dropped solely because teams worried about his work ethic, only he matured after college and turned himself into a future All-Star" since ... um ... actually, I can't even remember the last guy who fits that description ... anyway, hasn't the door been opened for teams ignoring similar motivational red flags with other potential lottery picks because of Gay's success? We know we just spent the No. 5 pick on a forward who fell asleep on the bench during two March Madness games but, hey, it worked out for Memphis with Rudy Gay! In the long run, Gay's career might end up doing more damage than good. Let's keep an eye on this.

Hindsight is 20/20, but it was a smart move at the time. We're not the only team that passed on Gay.

 

And most of these teams have gotten much less out of their pick then we've gotten from Shane (in fact ... you could say all of them except Portland). As I said at the time, I think it was a smart deal for the short term. Over time, we'll end up regretting it if we never achieve any significant playoff success.

 

And unfortunately, about 9 out of 10 members of this board not only fail to understand this fact, they actively ignore it and pretend like Gay already had a Rockets hat on. But anyways, that's not on topic.

I always thought that Thabo was going to be similar to Reece Gaines, in that he's got good size and length, but his offensive limitations would catch up to him. If the Rockets can get past the first round this year, I think we would have gotten the better end of that deal.

 

Many including myself couldn't believe the Rockets were able to obtain Gay during the draft. I and many others wanted to keep him despite the so-called risks. I remember the general feeling amongst Houston Rockets fans was extreme joy when Gay was drafted and that joy was quickly turned into anger when the trade was announced. Do you remember the reaction of the crowd and Rockets players at the Toyota Center when the trade was announced? It wasn't a very positive one to say the least. So it's not about hingsight being 20/20 and it wasn't a smart move since the Rockets got bounced in the first round again. You don't really believe that Shane Battier is better than Rudy Gay, do you?

 

It's not about Rudy Gay at all!!! For the last freaking time, RUDY GAY WAS NEVER GOING TO BE A ROCKET!! If the Rockets had known they were going to keep the pick, they were going to pick Sefolosha. The ONLY reason Gay was chosen was because the Grizzlies TOLD us to pick him. The trade was ALREADY set, and they wanted Gay with the 8th pick. THAT'S ALL! I wish the Rockets had straight up traded the 8th pick for Battier, without picking Gay at all....at least then we wouldn't have all these stubborn people refusing to listen to the facts. I'm so tired of it.

 

You don't get it. The Rockets SHOULD have been ECSTATIC to draft Rudy Gay with, at the time, his potential and the need for length we had/have. The fact that they did not have him "in their plans" whatsoever is the problem.

It almost seems like they went against the obvious choice for whatever reason. It was obvious to me and many Rocket fans that they should have taken Rudy Gay and run for the hills. I know that is not the case, of course, but it defies all logic to me.

P.S. I wonder does Carol Dawson and Daryl Morey realize and admit their mistake with regard to that draft day decision? Hmmm.

 

battier should have been in the rox plans.. we needed someone who can get us past first round.. and everyone knows battier disappears in the playoffs..

 

Gay is better than Battier and will get way better in one or two years. With Gay, we would have been way better and that s the truth.

 

What's done is done. The Rockets screwed up; we all know it, so there's no reason to dwell in it any longer.

 

Well not right now. People were reacting based on potential, not how good the player was AT THE TIME. Hindsight is 20-20 has EVERYTHING to do with this. You say "it's not a smart move because we got bounced in the first round again." Well yeah... but we didn't know that was gonna happen at the time; the general consensus was that we WOULD make it out of the first round. If we could read the future things would be different, obviously...

Uhhhh... "whatever reason?" Are you kidding me with this? Did you not read that Bill Simmons quote? How many players with obvious work ethic/motivation problems in college have turned it around and had fabulous pro careers? GIVE ME A LIST.

 

what has gay accomplished except lose with a talented team...gasol and miller were starters on a 50 win memphis team just 2 seasons ago before gay was drafted. putting up numbers for an awful team is easy...battier last year in the playoffs played very well...look at his game 7 stats.

 

I am big Battier fan myself. But you just badmouthed a sophomore on a team full of veterans and rookie coach as if it is Gay's fault they haven't gotten anywhere. There success two years ago was with a completely different roster and system.

Look at Kobe or Yao's contribution their 2nd years in the league. Might as well badmouth Battier for playing on a talented underachieving team while you are at it.

 

Gay is a better player than Battier, period.....

 

Did he really fall asleep during TWO march madness games? God damn!

 

He's a better offensive player. But how do you judge that what he gives you on offense exceeds what Battier gives you on defense? I'm genuinely curious how you (and others) make that determination. You put a "period" at the end of that statement, so it must be something you're 100% sure of.

 

I don't know about others, but man it was so darn satisfying watching Battier destroy Gay on offense the last time we played them. Battier not only shut him down completely on the defensive end, but proceeded to punish him several times on the offensive end by exposing his utter lack of defensive IQ despite superior talent. At one time I had to do a double take - "Wait a minute, did I just see Battier beat Rudy Gay off the dribble? Say it ain't so."

I really don't get why people keep crying over Gay. The Rockets did not make a mistake anymore than any of the 5 or 6 other teams who passed on him did. He was never in their plans, and I for one am really glad that in one of the shallowest drafts of the past decade, they were able to get good value out of their pick by subtracting the useless Stromile Swift and adding a highly coveted role player like Battier.