Great post Rocket Dynasty. We are in agreement. We need to build the Rockets to win. And you've got to be able to see the future. The new rules have made it virtually impossible to control perimeter players. People have got to understand that more and more teams are going to go to the zone defense to control perimter penetration and especially against us with #11 on the blocks, and double especially if we have a bunch of slasher/defensive types on the perimeter and no SHOOTERS. It is going to be paramount that we have deadly shooters on the perimeter. Shooting is our #1 need by a mile. And the best shooter out there in free agency, available through trades, or in the draft...........is J.J. Redick. There is not as good a shooter walking around on this planet available for the Rockets to pick up.........unless somehow we are going to trade for Allen's ridiculous contract, which we aren't, so let's keep it real. There is not a better shooter available to us anywhere than Redick. Van Gundy may not like the zone, but it is here to stay. And he has to make the adjustments along with the other coaches. We are going to have to be able to play against the zone and we are also going to have to be able to play the zone as situations dictate it. If Van Gundy isn't willing to make that adjustment, it may cost him his job. Take Redick at #8, and if Brewer is still around at 10, work a trade with Seattle if we have to have him. There, I said it. If none of the big 6 fall, I think we've got to make sure we lock up Redick.
RD- People that want Brewer over Redick aren't picking him because he is taller and has a longer wingspan. We want him because of the versatility in his game, along w/ the 18ppg he scored in college (which he did in a variety of ways), he also grabbed 5rpg, had 3 assists, and had 2 steals a game. And please don't respond w/ epic long posts, they really unecessary and well to tell you the truth, 75% of the stuff you wrote is just ridiculous. Like McGrady posted, your posts are becoming more and more redundant and annoying. But I gotta run so maybe we'll continue this debate tomorrow. You should try to get out more RD, that long of a post on a Saturday night isn't good for anyone.
I'm in the middle of a mini-monsoon where I live, but thank you for your concern gucci, our social lives are important especially considering the pain the Houston sports season has brought.
RD, your post is ridiculous. For each good point you make you surround it with 10 points of silly exaggeration. For much of it you argue against a straw man. I won't reply because I don't want to bother reading it again because it's way too long. Question: How long did it take you to write it?
I know, I just am amazed that so few people seem to understand this. Maybe JVG is even now rubbing off on the fans. And everyone keeps bringing up Dallas. What about Miami? Shouldn't Miami be the blue print for the Rockets NOT Dallas? You know the team that has Shaq, not Dirk? A lot of people don't seem to understand that Brewer at this point would be a wondeful luxury, a luxury this team doesn't have, and like you said if they can get him at #10 then it's tremendous. But this team is not going to solve problems 1 through 5 which is the whole offense with Yao being swarmed and the zone, in fact it will hurt it if they draft Brewer. Carney can hit the 3, but he can't do much but hit open shots and dunk, and he's long and athletic, he's James Posey and that won't get it done. The team is built around Yao. The team isn't going anywhere until the Rockets get one major big time scorer (like Mike james) and one incredibly deadly outside from way downtown assassin like Redick. As long as you have Yao that's the reality with the new rules. And we won't be modeled after Dallas unless we have Dirk on the team. This point keeps being brought up, YES Josh Howard is good but he's on the team made for him. The whole reason those players work on Dallas is because Dirk on the perimeter gives them a free lane to the bucket, the Rockets are the exact opposite of that. It's like apples and oranges. The Rockets could use Brewer for sure, but he's not anywhere near the priority Redick or a guy like Mike James are. And you don't simply find shooters like that just around. A lot of people said just get Gansey or whatever. Well Wesley is probably better than him as a shooter and he wasn't nearly good enough to bust those zones. You also need someone that will demand that defender so Yao stops seeing those damn triple teams. Yao-Tmac-Redick and my goodness if you threw in Mike James........... It would be absolutely unstoppable. Many of us have pointed out the Rockets problem is not holing opponents down in scoring, it's hitting a shot and getting pressure off Yao. Brewer just isn't going to cut it for the basic need. It's hard to see why so many people cannot picture this? Sign james, draft Redick you have 4 guys out there that no one can matchup with. No one. It's a dominating offensive lineup. But people are so concerned that Redick might give up a layup or get posted on. So re-sign Bogans or draft a long athletiuc defender in round 2, James White can dunk from the free throw lane with the ball between his legs, he's 6-7. Draft him and make him D up or cut him. Shooters like Redick are almost as rare as big men like Yao. here's plenty of long athletes that could D up.
RD is right on. Diffeent teams require different players. We shouldn't be compared to Dallas. They are a bunch of 1 on1 players who create their own shots, not set up their teammates. JJ redick would be a terrible fit on the MAvs. However on a team like Miami, Phoenix or Houston where players are constantly being set up for open long range shots, JJ Redick is perfect. He is a better fit on the rockets than Brewer. We already have a swingman who can defend but can't shoot straight, his name is Bogans. the way I see it, by adding brewer to take all of those wide open shots, we improve on the 4th best opp ppg defense in the NBA (without tmac and yao) but we still are the lowest FG % and 3rd worst offense in the league. If the Rockets take anybody besides Roy or Gay or Tyrus over JJ they are high.
Whoa. RocketsDynasty and jopatmc on the same side. This is destined to be the biggest thread ever. Both in number of words and number of posts. Oh well. It's all in good fun.
Noone denies JJ can best fill the shooting need, but we should not repeat the failed Adrian Griffin/Pike experiment of getting specialists that contribute on one end but give it back on the other. We should be going after complete players that contribute positively on both ends. I think the reasonable expectation for JJ's 3pt % is around 35-40%, given that he will be not as athletic as his opponent in virtually every matchup. And I think it not unreasonable that Brewer/Carney would hit around 30% at least. That's around a 6% difference, or one in sixteen shots more goes in for JJ. That's on average an extra three points every four games or so. Is the extra three points every fourth game worth sacrificing some rebounding/assists/defense in every single game? And while JJ could also sink the 15-20 footer if teams guard the 3-pointer, I would counterpoint that a Brewer could create a basket within the paint instead of settling for the 20 footer, and draw free throws, generating possible foul trouble. When the refs are whistle-happy, you want to cash in on the free-throw bonanza and not just settle for perimeter shots all the time. With T-Mac's physical condition and his propensity to shoot on the perimeter, we need some creators and slashing to achieve balance in the offense. Finally, as last year showed, we are not close to being able to compete with a team like Phoenix. With them, you will need as much of your team able to competently defend the perimeter shot as possible, and if you draft JJ, you now have both Yao and JJ with inferior lateral quickness. Add Juwan to the mix and it's a recipe for disaster. Adding good perimeter defenders is the key, but you can't just throw a Bogans out there, because you need a highly productive offense to beat Phoenix. I like the idea of Brewer and James in there; Phoenix will not easily get their bread-and-butter threes. Finally, would you ever really want JJ in for the final two minutes of a close game when every defensive stop is crucial? No, you'd sub him out or he'll be sure to be exploited. With Brewer, you'd actually like him out there for defense, and on offense, even if he turns out nothing special on offense, he can always throw it to Yao or T-Mac and let them work their magic.
Guys in all seriousness, if you don't understand JJ would be on the same team as Yao...........then this debate is just pointless. 35-40 percent 3's for Redick due to not being athletic or whatever, seriously this is just too hard to fathom. The guy shot 42% against double teams and traps in college against ACC athletes that aren't THAT inferior to NBA athletes. Considering he would be on a team with Yao and T-Mac, and considering how quick his release is, how PURE his shot is, it's almost incomprehensible how he would shoot under 45%. See this is the problem right here. Many members here are not visualizing the offense. Redick is a guy that on a team like Phoenix, Miami, Houston could be bombing in 12-15 points barrages regularly at a time in 2 or 3 minute spans ala Reggie Miller or T-Mac. If you aren't putting that together you are not realizing the shooter Redick is or you are not thinking in terms of him as a combo with Yao and Tmac and possibly James. Even if he was the worst defender in NBA history he would be one of the most dangerous weapons off the bench ever on THIS team. He's the kind of guy on this team that could single handedly erase a deficit or start a run by himself off open shots and FORCE the other team to adjust. He's the player that would force other teams to adjust. A lot of people are worried about the Rockets adjusting, but he's the guy you would have to adjust to. This guy has even the slightest daylight or time and he's out there it's going to be 3 points on the board. Teams like SA Dallas even the Suns would be making adjustments to deal with it. It isn't even an issue of a percentage of shots. You leave him open put 3 points on the board. You stay on him, put him and Yao and T-Mac and heaven forbid someone like Mike James and maybe Hayes or Stro at PF and guess what? No more of these gimmicky zones and collapsing and sandwiches on yao and trapping T-Mac. Redick let's Yao be Yao. Redick let's T-Mac be T-Mac. Brewer just takes the ball away from T-Mac and gives Yao another brick laying target to pass out to. You take a defender off Yao and T-Mac PLUS you have 3 points on the board the moment someone leaves Redick and you have yourself what the Lakers had when they won 67 games in 2000.
i can't believe i'm increasing the size of this thread... hmmm... so J.J. Redick = old Glen Rice? wasn't old Rice on the Rockets. Did he work his magic with them? Yao = 2000 MVP Shaq? even Yoafs will have a hard time arguing that. brokeback TMac = 21 year old Kobe? is even a healthy but jump-shooting TMac = 21 year old Kobe? Rafer = Ron Harper? Maybe Rafer = Fisher without a shot and less defense but better passing and handles. Juwon = A.C. Green (ding! ding! ding! ding! ding!). of course i could compare Juwon to Horry and we all know where that comparison leads. and the biggest one of all: Van Grundy = Zen Master Phil? what is it? 6 rings then, 9 rings now, and the playoffs every year he has coached. hmmm...
Redick averaged more FTA per game than Brewer, so there is no basis for your assertion that Brewer will draw more free throws in the NBA. There is also little chance that Brewer is going to be creating points in the paint, especially on the Rockets. There are already going to be two defenders in the paint guarding Yao, and everyone will play Brewer to drive because his shooting is sub-par. Brewer will get the same shots that Bogans was getting last season, decent looks at 3 pointers, and likely with the same outcome (about .325 shooting).
Again failure to visualize. Who will guard Yao one on one? Who will guard T-Mac one on one? Who do you leave open? JJ? If they sign Mike James? Or do they just let Swift stand open under the basket awaiting a pass? Why is Brewer the only guy that could cut to the basket? See it isn't even about the players, it's about what will the defense do? So many people here are not thinking in terms of defensive strategy against the Rockets. And on the defense of Redick, it doesn't even matter what he did on D, because the other team would have to ADJUST to him, which means taking out scorers and putting in defenders, which in turn would make it impossible to keep up on offense. And we already have one of the best teams defensively with Yao and Deke clogging the paint. Also at SOME point on this whole getting lit up on the perimeter issue, at SOME point T-Mac might have to guard someone. The Lakers won 3 titles with Shaq and Kobe and shooters and OFFENSE. Miami is in the finals with Shaq and Wade some shooting and OFFENSE. Why does everyone think a team with Yao and T-Mac should suddenly be playing all the games in 80 point range, which seems the view, just keep adding defenders and keep taking away shooters. You have Yao, the new rules, the zone allowed, and guys getting open shots all game long. 94-95 Rockets had one real perimeter athlete in Horry and Clyde who was less athletic than T-Mac at that point. The rest of the team was scorers and shooters, hell people can argue all they want but Redick is probably more athletic than Cassell ever was. And as for Dallas.............. When did we beat them? It's when we scored and guys hit open shots, they freed up Yao, freed up the pick and roll, guys made them pay for doubling...............when the games were HIGH SCORING not the other way around, when the team speed and athleticism became an issue. And why did it? Because no one could hit an open shot. Does adding some athletes solve that problem? Not really because again we don't have Dirk we have Yao. How many times does the point about the zone have to brought up? About the hand checking rules? JVG never won with the Knicks even in those old days, and he will never win playing that way now. We aren't going to have a bunch of one on one drivers cutting to the rim like Dallas because Yao is on the floor. It's just like Miami there's only room for Shaq/Wade and some shooting. If Dirk was on the Rockets Brewer would make more sense, just like if Yao was on Dallas Redick would make more sense for them. This isn't rocket science, it's basic X's and O's. It's simple. How is a team going to stop Yao-T-Mac-Redick and if they can get James? We already KNOW what the blue print is. It's a team with Yao-TMac some rebounding, some D and guys that make a freaking shot, but in all honesty Yao and T-Mac are so damn good all you need is just someone to hit the damn shots. But that's IT. The defense KNOWS that and the new rules are designed FOR that. So you keep adding guys that aren't shooters it's like you are gift wrapping the D for the other team. How is this such a difficult thing to get? It's simple play Houston load up on Yao and T-Mac force guys to shoot jumpers with the zone and win the game. OR those guys hit shots and you lose, OR you then adjust and then T-Mac and Yao abuse you and THEN the pick and roll opens up too. BUT that won't happen without legit big time deadly shooters. T-Mac and yao can get 35 points each it's still a loss.
rockets dynasty you're one tenacious b*stard on this jj redick. anyways i don't think we'll take him, but of all the opinions i've read over brewer, redick, carney, etc. you've done the most to convince me on this guy, right or wrong. i hope we take the gamble on him but it doesn't sound like it will happen.
Forget Redick. Draft Brewer at #8 and Gansey at #32. <table border="1" cellspacing=5> <tr><td /><td>%min</td><td>ORtg (%poss)</td><td>eFG% (%shots)</td><td>OR%</td><td>DR%</td><td>FTRate</td><td>Ast%</td><td>TO%</td><td>%Blk</td><td>%Stl</td></tr> <tr><td>Redick</td><td>92.5</td><td>120.2 (29.2)</td><td>57.8 (34.6)</td><td>0.7</td><td>5.0</td><td>39.8</td><td>15.8</td><td>12.9</td><td>0.1</td><td>2.3</td></tr><tr><td>Gansey</td><td>84.1</td><td>123.8 (22.1)</td><td>65.1 (23.5)</td><td>7.0</td><td>14.2</td><td>28.3</td><td>12.9</td><td>10.8</td><td>1.0</td><td>3.0</td></tr> </table> Gansey's scoring efficiency is pretty much even with Redick's. And Gansey's eFG% has been better than Redick's in each of his 3 years in college (Gansey sat out a year after transferring). And two out of the three years he had a higher FG% AND 3pt% than JJ. Not to mention the fact that Gansey is a phenomenal rebounder for a guard (averaging 5 or more rebounds every single season). And pretty much every single mock I've seen has him avaliable at our 2nd round pick. To me the choice is clear: Brewer + Gansey > Redick + Anyone else avaliable at #32.
My thinking exactly. Plus keep in mind, that if you have Brewer out there you also are going to have a shooter like Mike James in the lineup. So we are not going to be hurting for shooting there and we will have plenty of defense at the other end. We need even more shooting? Just bring a gunner off the bench (Gansey) for 10-15 mins while guys like Tmac are resting. Why not have the best of both worlds? Brewer + Gansey (combined skillset) > Redick + anyone else at #32.
I'd like to read Rocket Dynasty's comments on Gansey. In my opinion, Gansey is slow and cannot get off his own shot. He's got a slow release and slow mechanics. You didn't see him running around like a fly on crack to get open, demand the ball, and knock down the shot. His shots came from being left open. J.J. wasn't left open. He got open. I just don't see it. Not to mention range. J.J. has NBA range. He's carrying around an M-16, while Gansey is toting a pellet gun. Gansey does not have the range, accuracy, the quick release, nor the ability to free himself up to receive the basketball, nor the ability to juke around and free himself up when he has the basketball and get off the shot. If Gansey was anywhere near J.J.'s class, don't you think he'd be a first rounder at least?
Concerning the draft, looks like the Redick discussion is almost this year's equivalent of last year's heated Stromile Swift debates, at least so far. Last year, I'd say around 85% of people wanted Stro, 10% were ambivalent and 5% of us were passionately against him. This year, Brewer is the forum's choice with Redick, Shelden Williams and Carney far behind him.
