ClutchFans Rockets Draft Thread (Rockets select Luther Head at 24)

At the #24 pick, here is my wish list.

1. Warrick
2. Diogu
3. Simien
4. Hodge
5. Blatche
6. Jack

All of these guys are solid no nonsense guys that are self motivated and hard-working with the exception of Blatche the only reason he is in there is because his potential is worth the risk if one of our top 4 picks is not on the board. Picking potential after the top 10 picks is a mistake in my opinion but sometimes you take a chance.

One more thing. I think if we can trade next years pick for a pick this year then I am all for it as I believe the draft will be sub par next season because of the new draft rules.

 

Actually, with all the talk about how deep this draft is, I am beginning to wonder what is going to happen AFTER the draft..

Is it like the NFL, where, as soon as the draft is over, the GMs are on the phone with anyone they had pegged on their boards, but remained undfrafted, trying to sign these guys as FAs?

Since the NBA draft is usually so weak, I never paid much attention to this aspect of it.

How does it work exactly in the NBA?

I could see some seriously good players winding up not being drafted, and then actually being able to pick the best destinations for themselves.

It may even not be that big of a deal that we don't have a 2nd rd pick.

And, taking the NBDL under consideration, can a team have MORE than 15 players under contract at any given time? or is that the limit?

Unless we've all just been hoodwinked by the hype machine, this year's draft looks to be the strongest, overall, I have ever seen. Looks like there might be an embarassment of riches in the undrafted pool.

 

Can't help but wonder if the Rockets are targeting Ike Diogu.

ESPN the Magazine had an article on the guy. He worked out for two other teams that measured his height at 6'8" or close to that. The Rockets had him at 6'6".

Now, that's a bit of a disparity, isn't it? And then to make sure that information gets out there, when the Rockets are so secretive about their draft workouts.

 

were signing a PF in free agency

... I say we go for a sleeper shooting guard like Luther Head - who can contribute now as a shooter off the bench, but can develop into a point guard down the line (after Chicago, he is starting to draw comparisons to Gilber Arenas)

 

From Yahoo Sports:

Wayne Simien Draft Capsule

June 27, 2005

VITALS: 6-9, 255, Kansas

OVERVIEW: Simien finished his collegiate career 11th on the Kansas all-time scoring list with 1,593 points despite missing a full year - 32 games - with numerous injuries. This past season, the power forward led the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding with 19.4 points and 11.1 boards despite missing four games due to surgery on his left thumb. Named the Big 12 Player of the Year, he was the only player in the league to average a double-double in those categories. Simien also was one of four finalists for the Naismith Award. Posting 59 career double-doubles, he finished seventh on the Jayhawks' all-time rebounding list with 884 boards.

LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Simien is a safe pick for any team anywhere in the draft. If he gets picked in the teens, you will know it is because that team decided to stop rolling the dice on young players with potential and instead decided to pick someone it knows can play. Simien could go in the high teens, but our feeling is that he will last until about 19, where Memphis is picking, or in the early 20s. Sacramento (23), Houston (24) and Seattle (25) would all be great fits for Simien.

COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Charles Oakley

COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Brian Grant

ROLE PROJECTION: Eventual starting power forward.

POSITIVES: Simien is a very conscientious player who rarely breaks a play, misses a defensive assignment or loses his composure. He works very hard on the defensive boards and is an excellent finisher around the basket. His offensive game has grown and now includes a facing jumper to go with a strong post-up game. From the time he was a high school star, NBA teams have been charting his progress, due to his NBA-ready physique and no-nonsense approach to the game. Simien is a coach's dream.

 

My final draft: 100 Grand to the person who comes closest, and don't expect me to keep score. You gonna have do that yourself.

Marvin Williams, SF 1 MIL 1
Andrew Bogut, C 2 ATL 2
Chris Paul, PG 3 POR 3
Deron Williams, PG 4 NO 4
Gerald Green, SF 5-Char 5
Raymond Felton, PG 6 UTA 6
Hakim Warrick, SF 7 TOR 7
Channing Frye, C 8 NY 8
C. Villanueva, PF 9 GS 9
Antoine Wright, SF 10 LAL 10
Martell Webster, SF 11 ORL 11
Jarrett Jack, PG 12 LAC 12
M. Andriuskevicius, C 13 CHA 13
Johan Petro, C 14 MIN 14
Fran Vazquez, PF 15 NJ 15
Y. Korolev, PF 16 TOR 16
Danny Granger, SF 17 IND 17
Roko Leni-Ukic, PG 18 BOS 18
Joey Graham, SF 19 MEM 19
Sean May, PF 20 DEN 20
Andrew Bynum, C 21 PHO 21
CJ Miles 6-6 210 SG TX HSSr22 DEN 22
Wayen Simien 23 SAC 23
Rashad McCants, SG 24 HOU 24
Ike Diogu, F 25 SEA 25
Ersan Ilyasova, F 26 DET 26
Andray Blatche, PF 27 UTA 27
Francisco Garcia, SG 28 SA 28
Chris Taft 29 MIA 29
Luther Head 30 NY 30

 

Someone is going to come closest and then you have to give away $100,000 no matter what. People should just try, its like a free lottery...........








Unless you mean something else *Cough* *Chocolate* *Cough*

 

Oakley at best and Grant at worse? With a #24? Gee, it sounds like a no-brainer. Something I am afraid the folks in Sacramento are also thinking since they have pretty similar needs as us...

 

I hope we pick Jarrett Jack. Got lots of heart. I think we are missing that kind of player on our team.

 

But you don't have to sign a player after you draft him. I'm pretty sure that you can trade the draft rights to somebody else without waiting. Unless there is a particular rule that forbids it.

 

i dont know if it means much, but a few mock drafts now have the rockets taking luther head.

 

Oakley at best and Grant at worst? Please, these scouting reports are jokes. They think that everyone will be starters at worst.

Luther Head would be a very good pickup. Great athleticism and if he can make the Arenas-switch then he can be a good starter in the league. Even if he stays at SG, he'll most likely be an upgrade over Wesley.

 

McCants was not even a true PTP in college, let alone in the league. The best he can become is a Josh Howard, and the downside is fellow UNC brother Joe Forte.

 

Raymond Felton was the best player on the UNC team. Next was McCants, then May, Marvin, and so on. McCants is a shooter/scorer -- he'll be in the league a long time just based on that. Howard IMO is a terrible comparison, as is Forte -- but I've only watched him play every game for the last two years, so..

 

I'm kinda leaning toward Luther Head myself, he is a phenomanal athlete, plays tough defense and can shoot the ball. He has alot of the things CD said they are looking for and he probably will be the best available player when #24 rolls around. Some say the Pistons are in love with him. JVG may hit the nail on the Head with this one.

 

I am not saying that McCants is a Howard or Forte type player. I am just using them as an example on what I think his ceiling and floor as a player is. The better comparison will be Jerry Stackhouse, but I don't see McCants having that kind of career.

Marvin is UNC's best player, at least the one with the best potential. Raymond Felton is all right. He will be another Jeff McInnis type guy down the road: a solid role player on a decent team, and that's it.

 

I'll take a Josh Howard type of player any day! McCants will be in the league a while I am sure... but J Howard changes games (DEFENSIVELY). He is only gonna get better.

If McCants had J Stackhouses size we would not be talking about selecting him. He would be in the lotto.

 

Marvin came off the bench, how does that make him our best player? Yes, he has the most potential -- but he wasn't even the 3rd best player on the team.

McCants lacks the size to be a true all-star, but he still should be a great player and make a difference on any team that drafts him.

And you heard it here first, Felton will be better than Chris Paul He's a bigger version of TJ Ford, with a better shot and vision IMO. Felton's one knock throughout was that he couldn't shoot, but his last year shows how far he's come -- he was knocking it down consistently from NBA range in the tourny.

 

I wish I shared the enthusiasm of those on this board. I have to confess that I simply have lost faith in this team's ability to spot talent especially if it's Dawson doing the picking. My head is telling me that they will somehow manage to botch this pick as they have done so many other times. Today's Chronicle listed their first round picks since 1990 and dear God, it was most depressing. Here is a recap:

1990: Dave Jamerson
1991: John Turner
1992: Robert Horry
1993: Sam Cassell
1997: Rodrick Rhodes
1998: Michael Dickerson, Bryce Drew, Mirsad Turkcan
1999: Kenny Thomas
2000: Jason Collier
2001: Eddie Griffin
2002: Yao Ming,Bostjan Nachbar

They've had no first round picks since the Ming draft (traded away). No wonder there's a talent void on this team.

 

The Rockets were able to get good talent at the end of the first round in '93 and '99. In 2005 we are due for another one.