clutch: source says rockets want 1 of 4-5 PG's expected to go lottery

IMO Harden is the most overrated player in this draft. He and Kyle Singler were like the only two players in the Rivals top 12 for his class not to go pro after one year, and he got completely shut down by Syracuse. He didn't look to have the footspeed nor the length to get by his man, and at his height (6"4 w/o shoes from the NBA draft camp) he will actually be undersized for his position. Wafer is a little taller and probably a little better at this point than Harden in every facet of his game.

This has turned out to be a deep draft for small quick PG's in the Paul/Parker/Jameer/Brooks mold, but it's still an off-year for the draft for a reason. The freshman class was pretty awful, and the only guys coming out are guys that are only coming out because they know the competition will be harder next year--it's not like Jrue Holiday or BJ Mullens did anything special this year. So what you have dominating the top of this draft are sophomores that missed the boat on their year in Griffin and Harden, and yes it hurts both guys that they had to wait till most of their top peers (Rose, Gordon, Beasley, Mayo, Love, etc.) were out of the NCAAs before they began to dominate it. In my mind if Morey is really looking at the top of the draft, he's looking at Rubio and Evans and no one else.

 

I think the only way we're seeing the likes of Kevin Martin is if we're taking BOTH Thomas's and Udrih's contracts with Martin for McGrady. Which, by the way, works out.

It doesn't seem worth it, because that saddles us with 2 crap contracts for the next few years. But Martin's a legit 20-25 points a night, and when he doesn't have to shoulder the whole load (like in '07-'08), you're looking at 45% and 40% from 3. Plus he doesn't have to dominate the ball like McGrady, and keep in mind those career best numbers from a season ago were put up with Artest as his teammate.

If we're in win-now mode, we couldn't do much better than Kevin Martin to bet the farm (and the next few years' worth of cap space) on.

 

This is why it doesn't add up. We trade for Shane, so we can win now, but then we give up valuable resources to get a high draft pick, three years later? No, it's illogical. What makes sense is the Rockets buying a middle to low first round pick, and drafting a guy to help fill out our roster and give us depth, then use Tracy's expiring for a nice veteran (or two) that have playoff experience and enough gas in the tank to get us over the hump.

For Morey to cough up what it would take to draft in the top five would mean that he thinks a certain rookie is a can't miss all star or that he no longer thinks the Rockets should build around Yao, or possibly both.

 

Umm what does that have to do with anything?

 

Would JVG choose a rookie over a vet?

Also there was an article from a year or so ago that suggested the Grizzlies had hoodwinked some teams regarding Gay. I think it was claimed they spread the news on Gay throwing a tantrum at a pre-draft workout which raised the red flag for some teams.

 

So you're saying that if Blake Griffin came out last year (I don't follow the NCAA so I'm assuming he's a soph based on your post), Griffin would have come after Rose, Beasley and Mayo? Considering Beasley and Mayo are both undersized and have off-court issues surrounding them, I doubt that Miami would have settled on Beasley had Griffin been available. Dude is as can't miss as they as come: adequate length, insane work ethic, amazing hops, shooting skills, and a semblance of a post game.

Harden is getting a good look because he really looks like a Brandon Roy clone. Just like Roy he he's good at so many things, and that versatility compensates for the fact that he isn't great at anything.

What exactly determines footspeed? Isn't it tracked by lateral quickness and dashing ability? Why don't you check out his draft combine results? Considering Harden was able to hang with the big boys in the athletic department, I doubt your statement about him "not being able to get by" an average college defender to be indicative of his future career performance. Everybody gets shutdown sometimes, just ask Kobe.

 

If we make a major trade to get in the top 5 and we take on salary, you can bet that whoever Morey drafts, Morey thinks they are very, very, very special. That is why I say he is going after Rubio. I am guessing Morey thinks he is very, very special, and he is willing to go to great lengths to acquire him. If Rubio is gone by Sacramento's pick, I think it would be pretty easy to pull off a McGrady trade to Sacramento for their pick. Don't think it will land us Martin. But we may be able to get Francisco Garcia in combination with Kenny Thomas and Nocioni and the #4 for McGrady. I would like that trade as well. We may have to throw them Lowry for Mikki Moore but that would work for us too. McGrady and Lowry and $3 million cash to Sacramento for Garcia, Nocioni, Thomas, and their #4.

Brooks/Rubio or Curry
Battier/Garcia
Artest/Nocioni
Yao/Mikki Moore/Hayes
Scola/Landry




Kevin Martin would be a dream and would cost too much young talent.

 

Mikki Moore was bought out by the Kings finished the season with the Celtics

 

Baron Davis has had more post season success as the best player than every rocket. He has led the hornets to the 2rd twice and led the warriors there also. Where did u get ur info from?

 

Actually the reason Rockets traded away that pick was because Morey was the assistant GM and wanted Brandon Roy who by his analysis was the best player in the draft and most ready to contribute right away. However, Portland jumped in and made the deal with Minnesota. At the time CD was reluctant to commit too much for Roy and thus Morey was unable to get his player.

This time around Morey has seen something similar in the draft that he wants to go out and acquire but right now he is bluffing 3 teams to set the stage where he has multiple deals in place for the same player depending on where he lands. He is talking to the Grizzlies, Wizards and Kings trying to predict how they will draft thus he can make his move ahead of time. Morey is smart and laying out his trap bait for other GMs. Its kind of like that statiscal model which predicts x number of players selected outside of top 3 that go on to become instant success stories in the NBA. Morey is using that to get what we wants without paying too much.

 

A lot of people like Harden and a lot like Evans but you can't go wrong with either of them to me. But as of right now I would take 1st if he was available.

 

^edit dammit.

 

Everyone still talks of Brooks as though he is our Point Guard!!
Brooks is a shooting Guard who is athletic & has speed.
He is a scorer, not a passer nor a playmaker, so he can't be a Point Guard,
even if he plays in that position.
Surely there is room for him on our roster.

 

no one here can predict what the evil genius Dr. Morey will do, because we aren't geniuses and we don't have his kind of resources

it sure is fun to try though

 

when has a rumored morey transaction ever come true? the guy never does what the rumor is. all this tells me is that he is working hard to pull off a major transaction.

 

Obviously, the rockets is not the only team to look for a lottery pick pg.

http://dimemag.com/2009/06/nba-draft-09-rumor-blazers-trying-to-get-stephen-curry/

 

btw, I think the lakers will join the competition soon.

 

I don't know how I can take any of your arguments seriously after you confessed that you don't watch college basketball, but I will try to answer impartially your questions about how both players were perceived as college players, especially at the time just before the draft last year.

Harden and Griffin are both sophomore players, and they are the best of the remaining (along with say Kyle Singler and Dejuan Blair) players from their high school class. As I recall both Harden and Griffin tried out in the draft camp and pulled out when it was apparent they would not get drafted as high as they wanted. Griffin had the much more difficult decision as he was projected to go late in the lottery. Teams knew he had potential but had not demonstrated enough of it yet, and there was no way in hell he was getting picked ahead of Beasley. As great a year as Griffin had Beasley had a historic year for the Big 12 esp in terms of rebounding.

And as for James Harden...people knew that both he and Griffin would own the NCAA this year but they were clearly a notch below the other freshmen that left after one year, among them Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, and OJ Mayo. Hence the rationale behind calling this year a "down" year.

If you want a good comparison for Harden, I would be more apt to put him around the level of Donte Greene and JJ Hickson, who were in the same class as him, rated just above him in their Rivals high school class, but left after one year as freshmen when they legitimately needed more years in college to develop their games. If they had stayed for their sophomore years, they might arguably be just as high if not higher than Griffin and Harden on this year's draft board.

 

If the Rox do trade into the first round Patty Mills or Toney Douglas would be real good additions if they decided to get them.