Yeah, that's my point. Can we keep him suspended, and give him the 4th year, and then keep him suspended all this year and next year too, and not pay him? That would force Eddie into a corner if it could be done.
some picks turn out as busts due to poor skill development. some picks turn out as busts due to injuries. some picks turn out as busts due to psychological meltdown. all part of the profession i guess. we've been lucky in that the rockets have had a pretty good record with high draft picks. but some teams get perennial top picks and still go nowhere. all things considered, we're still quite fortunate.
Yes, the reason we have been quite fortunate is because we have basketball people who know basketball talent. And they just keep loading up the talent and running it out there. Sometimes the talent matures and becomes what they should become. And sometimes the talent melts down and is wasted. Nobody, including Jerry West, can identify who is gonna melt down consistently. But a lot of GM's cannot recognize superstar talent if it hit them in the face. When the Rockets traded for Stevie Francis, the league, the media, and the fans all doubted his superstar ability. The Rockets knew he had the talent and they made the trade to get him. When they drafted Yao, the Rockets knew he had the talent to be a superstar, so they took him, while half the league, and the players themselves, and the media were all doubting whether the Rockets should have chosen Yao over JW. I have to give the nod to what the Rockets did with the Eddie Griffin trade. In my opinion, Eddie does have more talent than the 3 players we gave up for him. It is unfortunate that he has problems and will not focus on his game. It looks like it isn't gonna work out. It didn't work out with Pippen either. But the Rockets people made all those deals because they understand the importance of premier impact players on the court. They keep putting this team in a position to succeed. CD and Rudy T have to be given credit for that. They acquired the superstar talents that we have now and had plenty of doubters while doing it.
I understand your frustration, and I now agree that we should allow him to become a restricted free agent after this season. However, I believe the Rockets should help him solve his emotional problems -- IMO they don't stem directly from his desire NOT to play but rather from a desire to shed the people who only care about him because he can play basketball. The big problem for him is that he believes EVERYONE cares ONLY about his basketball skills. This younster is literally a man-child crying out for help. I know that basketball is a "business," but the most solid businesses become that way by caring for their employees. (How's that for a conservative, Republican businessman?) However, I am serious. Basketball may not be the answer for this kid, but, then again, the majority seems intent on taking away one of his only two hopes for regaining his sanity -- fun in basketball. The better way will be to find faith in God, but then that's just my opinion.
Man, if someone had told me at two years ago that Eddie was going to be one of the most hated Rockets, and Cato one of the most liked, I would have told them they were nuts. What a waste of skin, height, and talent.
I think the Rockets should pick up his option, and keep him suspended. Then if he doesn't come around, we can just make him available for the Bobcats next summer and if they don't want him we can trade him for trash or keep him suspended. In the meantime, if he comes around we don't lose all that talent for nothing. It looks to me like the Rockets are holding the cards here, not much else that Eddie can do to force their hand at anything that hasn't already been done.
Loco Gringo, My sense is that EG doesn't like himself, and that it has nothing to to with JVG's regime. In fact JVG is exactly the right type of authoritarian no BS figure he needs. Would not be surprised if EG's problems are rooted in the drugs-depression- more drugs-more depression vortex. If that can be dealt with, the basketball will take care of itself. D R
I noticed on my cbs fantasy hoops site that the Chronicle had a rumor regarding Griff going to Boston in a trade. I haven't been keeping up lately due to work and I was wondering if this is "old" news or if this had any merit whatsoever. If it did have merit, what was the rumored deal?
I hate to agree with this because we are talking about a young guys life. But as a Rockets fan the timing is right, we are not going to win a championship this year and the loss will not be crushing talent wise. Any time Eddie spends on the court to develop is wasted and could be spent on hard workers like Braggs. We have the TE to replace the height and tallent if we can't get it done with what we have. I think we can get it done. This also sends a message that the Rockets are serious and if you think you are bigger than the team your wrong. Eddie, I had high hopes for you man, and I wish you the best of luck.... somewhere else.
After this morning's incident, I think we can safely assume this goes WAY beyond Griffin wanting a trade or having a problem with Van Gundy. The guy obviously has some serious off-the-court issues that have little to do with basketball.
i agree with most of you. We should trade Griffin. His attitude will not go with this new Rockets' team. If he doesn't want to work hard for this team, then I don't think the Rockets should keep him.
Who wants him? He's got some serious personal issues which some teams may overlook if he was a good player. He's not. Imagine Kwame Brown missing practice after practice then getting into shootouts at his house. Would anyone want him?
This has nothing to do with Eddie trying to force a trade. By these incidents he has rendered himself untradeable. This is much more serious than a guy who wants out of a team, he wants out of basketball. I say let him out.
I dont understand why people keep saying "Trade him". My guess is, EG has almost ZERO trade value. Dude has missed a game, not returned phone calls, no showed two practices that he was expected to be at and now this whole thing with gun shots at his house. At best, I think you are able to get a low 2nd round pick for him.
Well said. Let's extend his contract, and put him at the end of the bench, or on the injured/suspended list. We have plenty of other players. And there is not really a desperate need to start accumulating second round picks. Revisit the issue next summer. If we don't need him, and there is a market, package him with the trade exception.
dammit! thats what happens when you sign scrubby ex-maverick players from seton hall!!!! j/k btw, did you know that at seton hall the first major fire that involved a halogen lamp occured? some idiots (darwin award) and others () died because some people were hanging tapestries on top of their lamps. as a result, people died and many colleges don't allow halogen lamps in campus housing. aside from that, seton hall is a fine institution.
I bet you dont fell that way anymore Diddy! He just put salt on our wounds, the dumb idiot just cant get it done...Maybe he chose the wrong career.
What a waste of talent, especially if the shooting incident is true. It just sucks that a person with that much talent and opportunity to make lots of money ruins it for himself.
