Guess who the Rockets will end up with on draft night

I predict we trade the 14 for a late-teens to mid-twenties pick this year and a lotto-protected first in 2012. Our trade partner will be a marginal playoff team that needs help now.

-We'll draft Marshon Brooks or Jeremy Tyler with that pick.
-We'll draft Mirotic, Darius Morris, or Josh Selby with the 23
-The 38 will be some no-name completely off the radar who nonetheless becomes a rotation player

 

I think the Rockets staying put and draft:
14: Alec Burks
23: Darius Morris
38: Jeremy Tyler or Nikola Vucevic

 

If Alec Burks actually falls to 14, then moving Martin for #2 is a no-brainer.

 

1. Trade with Minnesota. Love & Darko to Houston. Houston sends. Bud, Scola, Hill plus 14th & 38th pick


2. 23th pick: Darius Morris

 

I think it's a little wishful thinking that we will be able to move all the way up to the top 5 range. Teams that bad usually want to hold on to those picks unless overwhelmed, and I am not sure Morey is willing to pay that premium. Instead, it would be much more practical to move up to the 8-10 range, where I see a handful of very solid talents:

Kwahi Leonard
Marcus Morris
Jan Vesley
Bismack Biyombo
Donatas Montiejunas

Of those, I think I like Marcus Morris the most. I know I am flip flopping a little from earlier when I had us taking Leonard, but Marcus has grown on me. Am I crazy for thinking he is better than Derrick Williams? Williams is more athletic with the better NBA body, but I think Morris is more skilled and will transition to the SF position smoother. They put up very similar numbers when adjusted for pace and minutes.

The biggest need for this team in terms of position is SF and C. In terms of skillset it is a shot creator and a rim protector. For a rim protecting C, I think it is better to go the trade route(Asik) instead of moving up this draft. The cost may simply not be worth it for the latter. For our other need, I think Marcus Morris would fit perfectly as a shot creating SF in the mold of a Paul Pierce or poor man's Carmelo.

Lowry
Martin
Morris
Patterson
Asik

I think that lineup is top 10 offense as well as top 10 defense.

 

We have a legit shot at Bismark at #14.

 

While he physically measures out with some rediculous numbers (7' 6.16" wingspan, 9' 3.42" standing reach at a little over 6'9" in shoes? Are you freakin' kidding me??), the guy shoots FT's at 55%. He has no jumper worth mentioning. What he would do is give us someone to protect the rim and rebound. Lord, do we need that! The guy is intriguing, but does he move well without the ball? Can he be taught to, you know, make a pass? Anyone know?

 

Everyone around here seems to be raving about his motor being through the roof. A high-energy guy is never bad.

If we can't move up, it would be sweet to end up drafting Biyambo and Vucevic. I'm going with the latter if it has to be one or the other.

I'm more than content with Morris at 14. It seems like he'll go before though..

I've seen Morris some and he doesn't seem to be quick enough to guard the 3. I think he's a 4 that can spread the floor some with his range. Any thoughts?

 

Biyambo and Vucevic would give us size at the 5 spot. As you said, if we can't move up, we could do a lot worse. I don't see Morris as a SF and we have Patterson, who may end up being as good at the 4 as Morris might turn out to be, so I have to disagree with CXbby here, although Morey may see him as the best player available if he's there at 14, and take him anyway. That would bug me a little since we need a 5 and a 3, but Morris is a very nice player if it plays out that way. Perhaps he would make Patterson available for a trade. (not that I want to move him, but he's shown value and potential this season)

 

I'm thinking Scola is 100% on the way out if Marcus slips to us. Not Patterson.

 

It could happen. After the McHale hire, nothing would surprise me this off-season. Well, it would take a heck of a lot, at any rate. ;-)-

 

I don't think he will slip that far either. Like I said I think he's in that group that's in the 8-10 range, so we would have to trade up to get him. Something like:

Scola to Sacromento or Detroit for the 7th or 8th pick. Draft Morris. Package the 14th pick with Budinger or T-Will to get high enough to draft Donatas Montiejunas, probably only a few spots up. Then do the rumored Lee for Asik swap.

Lowry/Dragic
Martin
Morris/Budinger or Williams
Patterson/Montiejunas
Asik/Hayes

I'll have to disagree with you and Deckard here. If Chase Budinger can guard the 3, then Morris can too. Marcus Morris, not his twin Markieff, who is a 4 for sure. Marcus on the other hand was a natural 3 who played out of position in college. He has the perimeter skills of a 3 and good enough ball handling. In fact he only started playing in the post after tutelage by Danny Manning in college. Don't be fooled by his 59%FG either. He takes as many jumpers from outside as he scores downlow, which makes that efficiency even more impressive. The thing I like the most about him, however, is his ability to create his own shot, something the team lacks sorely besides rim protection. Aside from Kemba Walker and Jimmer, I think Morris might be the best shot creator in the draft. Lastly, I love his toughness. He is a Philly kid like Lowry and plays the game in the same fashion with reckless abandon.

Like I said, I am very high on him and think he might end up better than Derrick Williams, who has a similar type game. That is obviously not conventional wisdom, and some maybe put back by trading Scola for him, but I really see star qualities in him. He is not someone who will wow you with athleticism, and there is confusion about his postion, wing span, and he is a little older than others in the lottery, all contributing to where he may end up getting picked. But if we can get him in the 8-10 range I think he will surprise people like Brandon Roy did, or another SF with a similar game who got picked 10th out of Kansas a few years back named Paul Pierce. Not a superstar, but his ceiling could be an allstar good enough to build a championship team around. IMHO.

 

Hard to find video of this guy besides this one on his freshman year.

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OgDt0AeWo-w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That is a NBA SF. A SF who will bull you over in the post, but a SF nonetheless. That little turnaround fadeaway he does at 1:40 mark is a Kobe move. His game reminds me of Pierce/Caron Butler/Carmelo. I also recall Morey being very high on Kansas when asked during March Madness, because they had quality NBA talent. With Marcus being the best player on that team, you would have to think we have some interest.

EDIT:

Here is another video of both Marcus and Markieff. Marcus is #22, the one displaying perimeter skills. I don't think he will have a problem transitioning to SF at all. The question is will he be an allstar like I think he will?

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lD6fC5SqLy0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

I think BB moves very well without the ball. Motor+good basket IQ. He's not the typical raw African big man, he already knows the game.

CXbby, interesting what you say. Certainly he has a good first step and moves that are natural on some NBA SFs. But he has played always inside, right? Does he know how to defend outside? Does he have a quick and effective release to play outside? Has the range? ...


Guess #1:

- Rockets can't move up and end getting Motiejunas at #14.
- At #23, Harris or Vucevic if they are still available. If they are not, they move down a little bit to get Bertans or Mirotic.
- At #38 (if not earlier with the help of cash), no idea, but presumably, a player who has fallen unexpectedly, like Budinger.

Guess #2:

- Rockets move up 1-3 positions (with the 14th pick) to assure Biyombo, once he passes the 10th and they see that is reachable.

- With 23, same as above.

 

ill take ja juan johnson!!!

 

Rockets give up all picks!

Rockets trade all 3 #1 draft picks and 2 players for Superman Dwight Howard. Yao is also signed again for one year at one million. Rockets also might get Kevin Love instead of Dwight Howard. Think! The Rockets do not want a newbie. They already have players with 3 to 4 good years of experience or more. We must get Love or Howard so forget getting anyone in the draft. All will be traded. Neither Howard or Love can win much in the playoffs where they are and those 2 teams need more than those two. Watch and see!

 

Scenario 1
Stay pat draft:
14: Donatas Motiejunas
23: Tyler Honeycutt
38: Malcom Lee



Scenario 2:
Rockets trade Luis Scola + Terrence Williams + 14th overall for Wolves 2nd overall and salary fillers.

2nd- Enes Kanter
23rd- Daruis Morris
38th- Jimmy Butler



Scenario 3: (DREAM SCENARIO)

Cavs take Williams or Kanter 1. Rockets acquire 2nd overall pick with Kyle Lowry, Budinger and 14th/23rd.

Rockets take Duke PG Kyrie Irving. Then select Malcom Lee with the 38th overall pick.

Rockets get a great young PG with bucket loads of potential. They give him the ball and let him play from day 1.

 

Actually, he only started playing inside at college. Before that in prep school he was primarily a perimeter player. Just found this video of the Morris twins. Markieff is the one in the red shorts, who will be a stretch 4 in the NBA. Marcus on the other hand, in the blue, is most definitely a 3.

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A second unit of Patterson-Biyombo as our frontcourt would be amazing.

Both can run the floor, and MY GOD would the other guards be afraid to even try to penetrate the lane with a freakin' Masaï waiting to block those shots!

 

Biyombo/Valanciunas & Marshon Brooks