After watching the Rockets last Summer league game and seeing how well Chase just fits on this team, I had to ask myself why did 30 other gm's pass on him ( yes I am including us because we passed on him twice. I mean if you were looking for a shooting guard/SF how could you not seriously consider Budinger. Okay I understand taking Derozan and Harden, those are guys you hope become the next Brandon Roys or Caron Butlers. But look at a guy like Gerald Henderson, he clearly doesn't have the shooting touch of Budinger. Yeah he might be a little more athletic but not to the point he can create on his own shot, not anymore than Chase. He has a little better handles but Chase seems to have a more complete game and a better vision on the court as well as being a better passer. Maybe Henderson benefited from being on a winning program that has produced some stars. But what else made one team draft Henderson and 30 others skip Chase. We were guilty of it too. Okay so he doesn't really create his own shot. But in the whole draft only a handful of guys can ever do that. I know everyone thinks their pick is always undervalued and should have gone sooner. But I don't think that is the case here. I watched tape of this kid and he seems to have played the type of game he showed in the summer league always. He can get his shot off on the run, has a quick release and plays team basketball almost selfless. Maybe that's the problem, he looks almost like he doesn't care but out of all the guys on our summer league he seems to have picked up the offense the best. I don't remember seeing him force anything outside of the offense accept towards the end of one game against Portland. When we needed a score to secure the victory and then he took it upon on himself to go to the basket and get it. Otherwise he was always playing under control as a great teammate. Taking only what was available and quickly moving the ball when he wasn't open. Yes they were better overall sg/sf's in the draft and I definitely would have taken Harden and probably Derozan over Chase even now but I just don't see a better sg/sf for this particular team and will always wonder why no one else grabbed him earlier. Of course as they hindsigght is 20/20
probably because everyone though he was soft and would end up being a jason kapono at best. then again, what other white guy has had the shooting tough and the vertical budinger has? last i can remember is a young brent barry, but even then their games are only somewhat similar. i dont think anyone seen the best budinger has to offer. if he could work on his slashing he would be an amazing role player.
I've been following Chase since his early days at Zona. I think he has the tools to be a really good player. Maybe, just maybe all star potential. but thats just me.
Summer league pace and intensity suits Budinger's style. We'll see how he does against NBA defenses where he has to grind it out just to catch the ball and defenders go at his weak handles... while exerting tremendous energy defensively on most posessions. This translates into a very streaky player along the lines of Kapono, Wally.
speaking of stepped on... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JBgyvFRBkDU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JBgyvFRBkDU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
1) White 2) Declining stock since HS 3) Defensive liability (below average at least) 4) Sh$%^y workout 5) Weak mentally
