How come Steve is so old?

I was just checking some player bios and it struck me that Stevie is only 10 months younger than Duncan!? How is that possible? Duncan stayed four years in school and was drafted 2 years before Steve. Duncan was drafted in 1997 as a senior, and Steve was drafted in 1999 as underclassman. Steve should be 3-4 years younger than Duncan based on this.

 

I forgot that Steve was at JuCo for 2 years. I knew he spent only a year in MD and thought he was younger when he got drafted.
Well, for a 25 year old guard, Steve looks rathet raw. He doesn't understand the game very well and makes stupid decisions all the time. Also, he drinks. I don't think the guy is a cornerstone of a championship team. I say, trade him.

If we were sure that Ming is coming to the NBA, and that his feet are not made of the same material as those of Zydrunas Iglauskas, then the "Francis for Ming and Crawford" deal looks like a no-brainer for the Rockets. Wouldnt it be ironic! Chicago, in the middile of their rebuilding last year, traded the 1999 #1 pick and co-rookie of the year to start rebuilding all-over again. The next year the Rockets in the middle of their rebuilding, trade the 1999 #2 pick and co-rookie of the year to start rebuilding all-over again. Who do they trade with? Chicago. Spooky.

As much bad press as Jerry Krause got last summer, the jury is still out for that deal. Brand is absolutely solid and a good citizen, but he is as good now as he will ever be and i don't see that as being enough to lead a team to the championship. Chandler, on the other hand could be something really special in the future.
Same story with Steve Francis, at 25 he is probably peaking now and I don't see a championship team built around him.

Remember the Randy Johnson deal in the summer of 1998. We all thought that we robbed the mariners back then. Well, last year they broke all kinds of records with Garcia and Guilen. So, in the long term it is often worth rolling the dice and trading a proven commodity for prospects.