I suppose it's a good thing Gaines was chosen #15, then But seriously, I do worry about Gaines. There are a ton of players who don't get a lot of PT on veteran filled teams, then blossom when given minutes. Michael Redd, Flip Murray, Zach Randolph, and Tayshaun Prince come to mind (I hope Boki will be a guy like that). But when you're a rookie with potential who doesn't get minutes on the worst team in the league, there's a problem. I'm afraid Gaines may just be another Jeryl Sasser.
We didn't have a summer team, because Gaines and maybe Boki were the only ones available from the Rockets to play. That being said, I don't know why those 2 didn't play for another sumer team. Devon George played for our RMR team for a couple of years. There were others, but I can't remember who at the moment.
I haven't seen Gaines play either, but a while back I asked about Reece Gaines here and there, on different message boards... Two things that I remember that kept getting repeated: - He's a very good shooter. At 6'6 and can shoot? That sounds really good. - His ball handling skills are not up to par for a PG. When it comes to his handles, he's closer to a SG. The way I see it, if this guys has seriously been working on his game this summer, polishing his PG skills, and keeping his shooting tuned up, then he could be a surprise. However, only an unfortunate incident would get JVG to give Gaines minutes at PG. Oh, and we'd have to trade Lue as well. How will Gaines get minutes with Ward, Sura and Lue all on the roster? We need to get rid of Lue and Pike to make a tiny bit of room for Gaines. That way, Sura gets a few more minutes at SG/SF and Gaines gets some minutes at backup PG.
I hope Gaines becomes a solid player. I believe he can be one, but no one knows whether or not he will be one. And I believe the reason we don't have a summer league team is because it was pointless to put one together just for Gaines. I don't hink it was anything against him. In fact, JVG told him to forget about last year. I hope that encourages him to try really hard to break into the rotation.
The difference is .... Today players come into the league and are NOT READY to play in the NBA. It is all up to them, do they work hard to get better, or sit on their bums and collect a check? Reece, Boki, Malick...all have the athletic talent, do they have the resolve to become solid NBA players. That is the real question...... I am interested in Reece, but it is all up to him. DD
Alaskanwoman, I've been consitently informed by a friend of mine that works with the Rockets that JVG did not like Mobley. JVG is a very controlling coach. Mobley did the best he could, but he does not have the basketball IQ to play in a JVG system. I really like Mobley. I've always wanted him to be good, but I was told even before last season, that Mobley and Francis would be traded. Francis knew he would be traded. Remember that interview after the last team meeting? But, seriously, I was stunned to hear that Mobley could not run the plays as they were designed by JVG. And that is the main reason that the Rockets went active to make a trade. Mobley was good defensively, no argument there. But, offense wins games. Defense wins Championships. Remember all those turnovers? Somebody or somebodies weren't getting the system. Good luck Mobley. I'm still voting for you in the All-Star game every day until the all star voting deadline once voting starts.
Seems to me like T-Mac said. I'm not going to re-sign with the Magic. The Rockets are the only team I'll sign an extension with. The Rockets would have been crazy not to make the trade happen. I'm not sure how "active to make a trade" they were. And to the original post, I've got high hopes for Gaines as well. Though I certainly wouldn't say I thought he is better than Sura. At best, he's our 3rd best guard. As far as Gaines not getting minutes with the magic goes, what the hell do the Magic know about basketball? They hired a freaking hockey player to be their GM and then passed on Emeka Okafur. Seems like they might want someone they KNOW is going to be good now like Emeka instead of hoping a high school kid develops into a superstar, just in time for his contract to be up in Orlando and bolt like every other great player they've ever had. (Grant Hill doesn't count because he only plays during leap years)
Every year, the thing I heard most about Mobley was, "This is as good as he is going to get." Popular opinion has been that he has no potential, that he was merely a solid player with no upside. Oddly, he seemed to improve every year. The lesson is, popular opinion means crap.
I agree totally. Just about everyone in the NBA has buckets of athletic talent. The problem is they don't know how to play basketball. If someone has all the athletic talent in the world, but doesn't know how to swim; throw him into the pool & he's going to drown. There's a lot of NBA players & teams drowning on the court.
Not to beat a dead horse, but I subscribe to the following equation: Horry > Minor NBA Executive Opinion > Popular Opinion Gaines' stats were virtually identical to Wade's in the summer league, scary identical. My hope is that the Magic were simply wrong on their assessment of Gaines. Afterall, this is the same organization that traded a twenty-five year old superstar, at a time when he is entering his prime
And keep in mind that we need completely different skills from our PG. Pretty much, he needs to: * Get the ball in to Yao. * Play tough defense. * Not turn it over. Physically, at least, Gaines has the tools for the first two. This could be a steal. There might be a reason that CD was supposedly firm in insisting that Gaines be part of the package.
I watched what little there was to watch of Gaines last year when T-Mac exploded in Orlando. His ball handling and decision making is nowhere near good enough to consider him PG material. You're correct in that he's closer ot a 2 or 3 (swingman type maybe) in terms of skills. That said, the reason I don't hold out much hope for him as a PG is that I believe that you don't learn how to play the position at the pro level - you refine what you already know and while he looked good as a PG in college, looking good in the NBA is a different matter altogether. While his stats are comparable to the Heat's Wade, he simply not in Wade's class as a PG. He is athletic but then everyone is these days. His problem is in playing the position and he's in a situation where he will have to prove that he can either cut it or not cut it. After all, he would certainly not be the first college player who couldn't make it in the NBA.
I just don't get all the Boki support. All this hoopla and he hasn't impressed me at all. He obviously is doing something right or else he would be gone. Perhaps he does well during practice, but is just not an NBA caliber player. Perhaps I'm wrong.
He's had to play behind Jim Jackson and James Posey. There weren't a lot of minutes for someone that would foul a lot on D and make rookie mistakes. But there have been plenty of instances where players get stuck behind veterans for the early part of their careers and then break out in their second or third year. I'm hoping Boki is cut from that mold. Gaines' situation is a little bit different. He was on the worst team in the league, and was beat out for a starting job for a second year rookie in Keith Bogans. There's something wrong there.
I'm with you on everything, but anyone can be as good a PG as Wade. 6 assists and 4 turnovers is not what we're aspiring to. No doubt in my mind Gaines can do that right now. We're looking for someone with a damn good ratio, good defense, and can hit an open shot.
