Mock Draft Mania: The readers strike back! by Chad Ford Send an Email to Chad Ford Also Below: The long road to China Inside the NBA Draft: Mock Draft Mania NBA playoff power rankings: The giant is no longer asleep The e-mails came pouring in after Insider's first mock draft was released Wednesday. I can't reprint them all, but there were several themes that seemed to stand out. First, most of you think the Rockets are better off trading their pick than drafting Yao Ming. Second, everyone has a trade idea for the Bulls. Maybe I'll bundle them all together and send them onto Jerry Krause. He did say he's willing to listen to any suggestion, though I feel pretty confident that a Kevin Garnett-for-Marcus Fizer trade won't happen (sorry Matt). Finally, obviously, you all think I'm crazy . . . Q: I know the Rockets say they're going to draft Yao Ming, but are they crazy? He's more trouble than he's worth. Even if he is good, all of the restrictions that will be placed on him will push back his development. With so much trade talk swirling around, don't you think the Rockets could make a better deal? -- Dave, Galveston, Tex. FORD: The Rockets are in for a tortured negotiation over Yao. You think Allen Iverson has a posse? Yao's got more handlers than Krause has chins. The Shanghai Sharks have already started their posturing (see next item) and we still have six weeks to go. The reason the Rockets are so high on Yao is obvious. The Sharks are demanding that Houston sends one of its players over to China as compensation. Even the biggest Yao cynics have got to love a Yao "The Great Wall of China" for Kelvin "The Great Jack Squat" Cato trade. Seriously, Rudy T and the rest of the Rockets love his game. But if things get too nasty, there are a number of teams that want Jay Williams and will pay handsomely for him. Here is, in my opinion, is the best deal they could get for the No. 1 pick. Antonio McDyess and the No. 5 pick for Mo Taylor, Eddie Griffin, Jason Collier and the No. 1: The Nuggets are very nervous that McDyess bolts next year. McDyess gives them an All-Star four and they still have the No. 5 pick to draft a small forward stud like Caron Butler or Mike Dunleavy. The Nuggets would draft Jay Williams as their starting point guard, and eventually have Griffin as the top small forward. The downside for the Nuggets is taking on the remaining six years of Taylor's huge deal. ------------------------------------------------------ The long road to China The Rockets got a little taste of what the next few weeks will be like as they try to secure the release of Yao Ming from the Shanghai Sharks. While the team was busy preparing to meet with Yao's latest representative, Erik Zhang, the Sharks were busy bad mouthing the Rockets to the Chicago Tribune. Sharks general manager Li Yao-min said he hadn't heard from Houston. And he reminded the NBA that the Sharks, as Yao's Chinese team, have veto power over any deal. "Up to now Houston hasn't made any contact, so we have to conclude that Houston doesn't really want Yao Ming, or even if they do, maybe our club disagrees," Li said in a telephone interview with the Tribune. Li's Sharks are trying to get millions in a cash payment from whatever team drafts Yao, the Houston Chronicle reported today. In addition, among other things, they're seeking an American player as compensation for losing Yao. "If Americans want to get more influence and impact for basketball in the outside world, they will have to find players from outside the U.S.," Li told the Tribune. "Asia is the most populated continent and the game is growing fast here. Yao Ming will inevitably become the best bridge for the American NBA if they want to open the Asian market." Li did have kind words to say about the Bulls, one of the two teams Yao gave a private workout to. "I have to say that the Chicago Bulls had the biggest impact in China of all the NBA teams," he said. "I think if Yao Ming can play for the team Michael Jordan used to play for, it would be a great honor." The Rockets won't be dissuaded that easily. They've been busy preparing a videotape for Zhang to take to Yao. The tape includes comments of Asian business, community, political and media members and leaders speaking to introduce Yao to Houston. "I invited them, so I feel pretty good about it," Rockets GM Carroll Dawson told the Chronicle of Zhang and Huizinga's visit today. "I thought we ought to meet. Erik's going over to China for a month. He's leaving Saturday, so I thought it was important to get him in here and give him something to tell Yao." Rockets chief operating officer George Postolos said the team has been flooded with e-mails and calls urging the team to draft Yao. "There has been an incredible outpouring of excitement and enthusiasm in Houston, and particularly in the Asian community, about the possibility of Yao Ming playing basketball for the Rockets," Postolos said. "We have been deluged with letters and phone calls and e-mails from fans and community leaders urging us to draft Yao Ming and urging him, on the other hand, to come here enthusiastically."
This Ming sh*t is starting to bother me if its true. As for the Mcdyess trade..no shot would I do that if Grif was in the deal
Why not?? I think that Griffen and McDyess are going to about on the same level but it's going to take several years for Griffen to get there. In addition we slide down to the #5 to select our SF and we are able to get rid of fatasses contract to boot. I like it! The only thing that I'm worried about is McDyess possible leaving when he is a free agent next year, but then again most players enjoy playing for the rockets and want to stay.
Hold up, nevermind. Looking it over again it's not as good as I originally thought. The Rockets need a little more. Maybe a conditional pick or something.
exactly Shady...I think that if Denver is going to lose Dice for nothing potentially, then the #1 and Mo ****** would be a good parting gift
The only reason all these people are putting down Ming is because they can't pick him. Geez. Gotta love the Chicago media, too. If the Bulls had the #1 pick, it would be MING MING MING!!! But, it's the Rockets, so of course everyone's going to dog him. This China basketball guy is just talking out of his @$$ as well. Here's all I care about: 1. Does Ming want to play in the NBA? <check> 2. Would Ming be happy on the Rockets? <check> 3. Is Ming 7'5"? <check> 4. Did Ming average 32 points and 19 rebounds in the CBL? <check> 5. Did Ming avg 39.8 points, 21 rebounds in the CBL playoffs? <check>
If Dyess said he wants to leave Denver, the Nuggets coulda cut short his return last season so that their Grade A Prime Cut Trade Bait wouldn't risk (further) injury. Maybe he's OK by now. Wishful thinking, but there you go.
Man, I'd definitely take McDyess and the 5th for the 1st and those mentioned, sans Griffin. Throw in someone else and another pick as well. Take Butler or Woods with the 5th pick, and you have a pretty scary rotation. C-Cato PF-McDyess SF-Woods SG-Mobley PG-Francis With Griffin, Rice, KT, Moochie, veteran big man rounding it out. That's a playoff team, and a pretty damn good one at that.
I agree with you, the guy had a major new injury, if i was a GM this trade proposal would be at the bottom of my list.
How good is McDyess...really? It's hard to believe he's a seven-year veteran. Okay, we'll say six, because he pretty much missed this whole season. But out of six years he's only averaged twenty or more points per game twice. He's only averaged double-digit rebounds twice. He doesn't seem to be an outstanding shotblocker. Obviously he is a definite talent, but has he ever even reached his potential? After seven years and some serious injuries, I don't think he's going to get better, but he'll probably only get worse. The best thing he's always had going for him is his athleticism, and I wonder if he still has it after the injuries. In short: NO THANKS.
Well actually they already have one of the 2 chinese players currently in the league. But Denver would draft Jay Williams not Ming so it is really a moot point. CK
I read the entire Chicago Tribune article (I've got the paper right next to me at work; hmmmn, work, maybe I'll do some today). Some things to remember: the GM of the Shanghai Sharks is talking to the Chicago Trib. So he's gonna say nice butt-kissing statements. Especially to MJ's old club. And, of course, the Sharks are gonna try to put the screws to the Rockets, especially if they think pressure will force us to take a pass on Ming. But the general tone of the article implies, The Rockets need to call us, quick. Which is only true. As far as McDyess: we can do much better with the #1 pick.
Houston: 245,418 Asians Denver: 78,976 Asians That is one hell of a big difference. Don't know the accuracy of this website, but... http://mumford1.dyndns.org/cen2000/AsianPop/AsianSort/asnSort.html
MadMax, the funny thing is, I really don't care what they do. I think nearly any move they make will be a positive one. They can take Ming who has obvious tremendous upside, and even if he doesn't work out, we'll have media attention and sell outs again. They can take Jay Williams, move Mobley to bench, and have one of the quickest and dynamic backcourts in the league with three players who could easily put up 25 points a night. They could trade down, get a good big man and take a small forward like Dunleavy, Woods, or Butler. I'm leaning more towards the last option, especially if we can get a player like McDyess and a decent lottery pick. I think that most of the time, there is no sure thing in a draft, no matter what the scouts or anyone else has to say. Ming could bust just as easily as Williams or Dunleavy in my opinion. So as long as we don't trade the pick for Scottie Pippen and a 2nd round pick, I think the Rockets will make the right move, regardless of what it is.
Why not this trade? DENVER TRADES Antonio McDyess (~ 12.5 $) James Posey (~ 2.0 $) Zendon Hamilton (~ 2.0 $) Pick #5 HOUSTON TRADES Maurice Taylor (~ 6.5 $) Kenny Thomas (~ 1.0 $) Glen Rice (~ 9.0 $) Pick #1 Pick Woods with the #5 Pick Grizzard with the #15 NEW ROCKETS ROTATION: C-Cato-Hamilton-Griffin F-McDyess-Griffin-Morris F-Woods-Posey-Morris G-Mobley-Norris-Posey G-Francis-Norris-Brown We would also have the #53 pick,Collier and perhaps Torres. That would be a sure playoff team!
german rocketfan, that's probably the best proposal that I've seen involving the Nuggets. I'd still rather deal with the Clippers, if a deal had to be made. That trade in the article involving Griffin is just about ridiculous. Mcdyess hasn't played in over a year. Nobody really knows how good he's going to be when he returns, and if he can stay healthy. Right now, I think Griffin is of more value than Mcdyess, and obviously the #1 is better than the #5. Then we're going to throw in a starting caliber PF and another bench player? Huh?
