I think you nailed it. Anyone who thinks CD announced to west who he wanted is just stupid. CD never told anyone who his 5 picks were. In fact the day before CD and the Rockets were trying to convince everyone that Gay was there man. But it doesn't take a genuis to figure out if you are bringing in Roy at the last minute for a personal workout and you are trying to move up that that is the man you want. Under CD the Rockets have always been hush hush about their deals. But you have to talk to people you want to trade with to make the deal and there is no controlling their big mouth or JVG's for that matter. Didn't Rocket management have to call Clutch to ask him to delete what JVG sputtered out in a simple breakfast meeting. If any Rocket member leaked anything it was Jeff Van Dummy because he wanted Battier and refused to play Gay! But it was more like west or maybe even Patterson figured it on his own. Rumors were already out that the Rockets wanted Roy and that Minny and the Rockets might swap picks and their you have it. It doesn't take a Rocket scientist (no pun intended) to figure out That Minny wanted Foye and Portland could nix the deal by selecting him and the rest is history. The biggest problem is Van r****d refused to play Gay and hates Stro. So instead of dumping JHo we lose Stro and GAY. Bad day in Rocket history.
That's a bit harsh calling people who think CD spilled it to West stupid. It's not as far a reach as you think. Jerry West seemed like he knew EXACTLY what was going on. If a deal was already in place b/w Rox and Griz, how could West not know who the Rox top 5 were? They celebrated after they found out the last of the Rox top 5 was taken. Seems like they knew to me. But that doesn't matter. I agree with you about the JVG part. It's his own stubborness that forced this trade in the first place. I have a feeling he is on the same term as Isiah Thomas... a 1 year window to show your system still works. CD and company gave and will give JVG what he wants this offseason...no more excuses for JVG.
I'm sure West knew the Rockets five most desired players were Roy, Morrison, Aldridge, Foye, and Thomas. Leading up the draft it was obvious. West may not have known for sure of the trade between the Minny & Houston but I bet he had a good idea that if he could get the Blazers to take Foye, he could force the trade he wanted to get the 8th pick. I bet a phone call was made and Portland/Memphis together figured out the odds were good for them to both get their man that way. It's a long shot, but it's a lot more plausible than "there was a leak".
in another article in HoopsHype Minnesota planned to trade with Portland all along swapping 6th and 7th so Minnesota can save some money for giving Foye the 7th pick salary instead of 6th pick salary how close are we dealing with Minnesota? i have no idea it's from Ford
Since there is no edit button(that I see)... I think it was obvious those were the Rocket's top 5 targets. West knew Gay was too much of a project for Houston to seriously consider him given the present climate up top in the org...
As soon as the Blazers made the deal with Boston, we had no hope of getting Roy. Either we deal with Atlanta, and Portland screws us over by taking Shelden Williams, or we deal with Minny and Portland screws us over by taking Foye. Either way, Portland forces itself into our trading partner, and makes them deal with them instead of us. We should have known that was going to happen and just dealt down with New Orleans or Seattle or someone and at least pick up Brewer and maybe Redick, or Brewer and a future pick. Winning that game in Denver was the worst thing to happen to us in years. Wow.
If West didn't know definitively (i.e. either a leak or CD straight up told him) who our 5 were, why couldn't CD just SAY that Gay was one of our 5 targeted players once it was apparent that Gay would be all that was left? If JVG doesn't want him, then we draft him anyway, but trade him once we find a better deal than Stro + Gay for Battier. Would that be too dishonorable? look bad? Is this impossible for some reason? How would West know for sure that Gay was NOT one of our targets? My head hurts. If this, then that, but unless that, on the condition of this, but they wanted him, but they knew this team wouldn't want him aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Mulholland Drive, NBA style.
Van Dufuss wouldn't play Brewer or Redick because his head is on the chopping block. He had to have the sure thing in Shane. Van Dufuss is the worst judge of talent in the league. You have to be a no talent "hard worker type" like Bowen to play for our idiot of a coach. The Rockets got punked by J. West and Portland. It's like a nightmare you can't wake up from watching our front office at work.
