Are you forgetting when he averaged 25 points a game in Dallas and was the go to guy? he was leading all the 2 guards that year in scoring. Yeah that was a ways back but when he left Dallas he was never a go to guy so his scoring dropped. Any player you put in denver that could shoot was a go to guy in Denver. But most of the looks were actually taken by Ricky Davis, than Posey.
In this day of FAs, you don't care about that as much as 10 yrs ago. There will be another FA that comes around by the time JJ retires. It might very well be Posey himself.
RIET - In order for the pick to be #14, the Rockets would have to have the worst record of any playoff team East and West! Considering that teams in the EC compete for playoff spots when they are sub .500, I just don't see this as very realistic. The Suns picked #17 last season and I say (barring major injury) that #17 is our most likely probability for next summer. Regarding Euros deepening the draft, go look at some of the projections like nbadraft and see what is at 14 thru 17. Now, tell me you are convinced that some team will give us a Posey or young JJ for that pick. I, for one, doubt it. We stand a far better chance of prying a Battier or Mike Miller type player from some team with the trade exception than we do a #15 or 16 pick.
NBADraft.net etc have no clue what Euros will be available for the draft next year right now so it's premature. There is just a much greater pool of players now than 10 years ago. That's a good thing. Look at some of the Euros in the past 3 or 4 years. We couldnt use a Tony Parker, Emmanuel Ginobili, Andrei Kirlenko, Mehmet Okur, etc. ? That's only a small sample as other Euro players already drafted start coming into the league. Marko Jaric would be a very nice complimentary player. Plus it allows current college players to slip. Id take a Zach Randolph (drafted at 19) over a Eddie Griffin anyday. The draft is hit and miss but everytime you pick, you can strike gold or at least an opportunity to fill a need. When you trade or go through free agency, it's always contingent on some other 3rd party. You don't have that barrier when you draft.
IMO, we used Anderson wrong. Rudy had Anderson sitting on the 3-point line. Anyone remember Anderson's strong points? That would be running the fast-break, cutting and post play. Yes, Utah used him in the post plays and he was very good at that. He was also good a cutting to the basket. Something our offense never did. Rudy tried to turn him into a "Air Bullard," like he does with all small forwards that came to the Rockets. And fast-breaks almost never happened. Posey was not a great 3 point shooter. But he was a great slasher and runner. He loved to drive and was good at it. JJ seems to have the best of both skills. He can shoot the 3 and he can run and slash. Plus he's the strongest of the two. Although, I think that Posey was the fastest on the break (with those long legs/arms). P.S. Here's a story of how I think Anderson was picked for our team... Rudy: Wow, Bullard can shoot the 3! (Fastforward a few years...) Rudy: Hi, Shandon Anderson. I'm Rudy. You're a small foward, right? Anderson: Yeah... Rudy: ...(thinks back to the time he saw Bullard shoot 3s)...(Bullard + small foward = 3s!, hmmm, Anderson + small forard = 3s!)...great! Rudy: Remember what Bullard did for us? Anderson: Yeah... Rudy: Do that.
RIET - you have missed the point entirely and totally ignored the fact about a 14 pick being the Rox making the playoffs but having a worse record than every EC team. For every Parker, Ginobilli, and Jaric, there's a Nachbar, Turkcan, Rebraca or Zwikker. The most important oart of anything you said is: The barriers you have in the draft are numerous and include whether a player or players are available at the spot you have, whether or nor someone will trade with you, whether you pick is a bust, whether someone is going to convey you a pick now or in the future and (since draft picks have no $ value capwise) if you can match salaries if there are traded players with contracts. The trade exception allows the Rockets to broker draft day deals without guesswork...it is their choice to accept the offers wherein with the pick they are subjected to the whims of other teams. Not only is the TE more valuable during the draft but it has value after the draft and more value at the trade deadline as seldom does a team give away a pick that following summer...it is almost always conveyed in the future and has protection. I give. To me the answer is obvious about which has more value. IMO, you are just being hard-headed. Just like when you were defending Glen Rice's having value and now it looks like the Jazz will cut him.
My concern with Jim Jackson has nothing to do with talent. On that front, I'm pretty sure he's better than any small forward we've had for a while now. But, I'm not convinced his head's on straight. Rudy said that his lockerroom issues are a thing of the past. But, why was Sacramento able to pick him up mid-season on a 10-day? And, after playing so well for them, why didn't the Kings re-sign him? Why did he sit so long unsigned this offseason? Why could the Rockets snap him up for half the exception? I think there are a lot of folks -- including the team that knew him best recently -- who are still leary of his attitude.
Jim Jackson can consistently hit the open jumper and create his own shot if need be. Shandon Anderson is just a slasher. In my opinion, Jim Jackson is a polished version of James Posey. Although Posey is probably more athletic, Jackson's defense and offense are not as volatile as Posey's seemed to be.
I think those are legitimate concerns, but maybe he was just waiting for the best opportunity to come (i.e., sign a long term deal with a play-off caliber team). He was quoted as saying that he wants to stay with a team for a while instead of finishing his career as a nomad. It is quite possible with today's economics that no team was willing to offer him more than a one year contract. Longer terms might have been from non-playoff level teams only. As far as Sac, I think they were looking to shed as many contracts as possible (see Keon Clark, Hedo etc), while looking for a possible replacement for Vlade. Anyway, I do like the addition of Jim Jackson and feel that we have upgraded the swing position.
First of all. Who cares if it's 14, 15 or 16. There are quality players available at those spots in almost every draft. Let's look at players taken between the 1999-2000 drafts. I picked these years because the Euro Players were heavily drafted and their success/failure status can be determined. The 2001 and 2002 players are still works in progress. 1999 16. Ron Artest 18. James Posey 22. Kenny Thomas 23. Devean George 24. Andrei Kirilenko 40. Gordon Giricek 57. Emmanuel Ginobili 2000 Draft 16. Turkoglu 17. Desmond Mason 18. Q. Richardson 19. Jamaal Magliore 21. Morris Peterson 23. Deshawn Stevenson 25. Jake Tsaklalides 30. Marko Jaric 43. Michael Redd In a 2 year time frame 1/2 the teams in the NBA found good role players to fill their roster: Houston Indiana Denver Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Utah Dallas San Antonio Sacramento Seattle New Orleans Toronto Phoenix Milwaukee Second, Glenn Rice only has value as an expiring contract coming off the books after next season. The Jazz don't give a crap whether he played or not. Last, we have John worthless Amaechi's $2.8 million contract. He'll play 0 minutes. So what's worse? A mid first round guaranteed contract for 3 years at $1.5 million or a 2 year contract for $2.8 million/year for 2 years.
You can complain about how Rudy used Shandn Andersn all you want, but Rudy needed good shooters for his system. When we made our outside shots, we generally won. Well, with Yao Ming and the zone, good shooters are even more necessary. I don't see how anyone can argue that picking up two guys who can shoot better than Posey for less money and shorter term contracts could be a bad thing. In addition, if the clubhouse WAS out of control thanks to lax discipline, turning at least 1/3rd of the team over in the last two years should help when Van Gundy is trying to implement the new regime.
But we didn't "generally win," very often, now did we? The offensive philosophy was weak. Remember, you are defending the "guys standing out on the 3-point line" offense. Stagnate and predicable. By the way, I love the Pike and JJ additions.
If we get a 14 pick, then we are out of the playoff again(the 6th in East has about same % as 8th or 9th in the West). I don't think that is very possible. If you are obsessed with young talent, just looked at Bulls and Clippers in the past 5-6 years. I guess they grew together and they suck together. I remember you are upset that Rox didn't match for Posey. Don't let it blind you. This deal with JJ is much more reasonable than Posey's. Now we even have trade money and we can use it to improve 4. If EG and Tylor get better, we can also use that money on 2 or 3, because we are not overcommited on either position. A $24 mil/4 year contract on a subpar 3 starter would be harder to move.
