Rockets sign Chuck Hayes for the remainder of the season

i watch every second of every rockets game no matter what the score or who is hurt but like mrrolo said, hayes has brought a new excitement to these games for me. it's fun to watch smart players who hustle and rebound and that's what he does best.

 

Chuck Hayes is a like another Larry "Mr. Mean" Smith. Rabid, Relentless, Rebounder! Awesome.

 

I am a BIG fan of Hayes. He is instantly moving up my favorite player depth chart. I am glad we signed him for the full season. I see him as a nice guy to have off the bench. He can be a rotational guy. Those are the types of energy guys that are great off the bench.

Hey, look at Hayes as a 2nd round pick. To add a guys like Luther Head and Hayes to this team this year is a nice bonus. Perhaps we get another good draft pick this year in the draft (lottery pick?) and then bring over V-Span. That would be FOUR YOUNG players added to this team in a very short time. We are getting younger and quicker, just taking some time.

 

Rockets sign Hayes

Forward Chuck Hayes thought he had a good chance of landing a second 10-day contract. He was wrong. The Rockets did not consider it.

They instead signed Hayes, 6-6, for the rest of the season Saturday and then lamented it was too late to have had him around for the first 36 games.

"Not that he doesn't make mistakes, but he's a good screener, smart defender, strong with the ball," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "My only regret is we made a huge mistake not having him here all along. We liked him from summer league. We liked him in training camp. It's my mistake we didn't have him all the way through. Just with him we would have won a couple more games."

The Rockets were at the maximum of 15 players when they released Hayes and did not want to cut Dion Glover while he was hurt so they would not have to guarantee his contract. When they did cut Glover on Dec. 5, Hayes had sprained his left ankle.

"I was excited, but we've just lost a game so it feels bittersweet," said Hayes, who averages eight points and eight rebounds. "I thought it would be another 10-day. It feels good. It lets me know my work is appreciated and that's what they expect day in, day out."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3620349.html

 

High praise there from JVG.

 

I hope Hayes does maintain the high energy and hustle. That attitude will help this team in intangible ways. I recall Darvin Hamm or Bo Outlaw ( someone mentioned him earlier) as a enegrey spark off the bench with the ability to rebound, disrupt plays on defense with hustle and effort.

Hopefully Hayes can do that for us.

 

hayes' arrival has lit a fire under all the other guys playing pf. it's time to trade jho for a swingman. swift-hayes-baxter is now comparable to seattle's 3 guy rotation at pf.

 

http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?...519&format=html

Tuesday June 28, 2005

Vaught's Views: A look at the NBA draft

By LARRY VAUGHT
Sports Editor

As the countdown to tonight's NBA draft approaches, a few random thoughts on what fans in the Bluegrass are continuing to ponder.


* Randolph Morris.


Did he make a mistake leaving Kentucky after a good, but not spectacular, freshman season? The guess here is yes.


While Morris continues to believe he's going to be a first-round pick - and the guess here is that at least one team has assured him and his parents that he will be picked that high - it's not likely to happen. NBADraft.net has Morris going to the Los Angeles Lakers with the 37th overall pick, the seventh choice in round two, in its mock draft.


Granted, mock drafts are not always accurate, but it's just hard to find a way to project Morris in the first round when NBA scouts have questions about his rebounding and work ethic. The second round looks like the right place for him and means no guaranteed money or roster spot and a lot of second thoughts about not coming back to UK.


* Kelenna Azubuike.


If Morris made a mistake, Azubuike may have made a bigger one by leaving after his junior season. He's not projected to go in the first two rounds, an indication that NBA scouts worry that he can't produce his own shot. He certainly will have a chance to make a roster as a free agent or go overseas and play. But another year at Kentucky could have done the same for his draft status as coming back for a fourth year did for Tayshaun Prince and Keith Bogans.


* Francisco Garcia.


One player who didn't make a mistake by leaving early for the NBA is Garcia. He may not go in the upper half of the first round, but there's no doubt he'll be picked in round one and become an instant millionaire with a guaranteed contract. The 6-7 Garcia had the blessings of Louisville coach Rick Pitino to leave school and take care of his family. Pitino's NBA connections and Garcia's versatility make him a lock to go in the last third of round one.


* Chuck Hayes and Ellis Myles.


The two undersized power forwards won't be drafted, but both could end up on a NBA roster because they will rebound, play defense and get physical. Both have impressed NBA scouts with their all-around play just as they did Kentucky and Louisville fans during their collegiate careers. Look for both to have a lot of free agent offers soon after the draft ends.


* Rex Chapman.


No, the former UK star is not draft eligible again. But he's going to have a big say in the success new Minnesota coach Dwane Casey, a former UK player and assistant coach, has.


The Timberwolves hired Chapman, the director of basketball operations at Phoenix until he resigned June 15, as a consultant for tonight's draft. Since Minnesota has only two picks, it's unlikely the Timberwolves hired Chapman to work just one week. Instead, odds are he'll end up in the front office and involved in the team's day-to-day operations.


Chapman played at Kentucky under Casey and now he's likely going to have a chance to help his former coach turn around a franchise that may need only minor tweaking to climb back into playoff contention.

Copyright The Advocate-Messenger 2005

 

http://www.ukathletics.com/chuckhayes/hayes_words.html

The Word on Hayes
"Chuck is one of the hardest working forwards in the country. He doesn't get the hype. He just gets the boards. He's about as perfect a player for Tubby Smith as there is in college basketball. Every team would love to have a Hayes creating havoc in the lane.''
- Andy Katz, ESPN.com Senior Writer

To me, a 6-6 guy like Chuck Hayes is dynamite. He can rebound, he got a little shot, he can take it to the hole, he is strong, heis tough. He is one of my favorite players in the country.?
- Michigan State coach Tom Izzo

There are times when he (Hayes) pulls me aside to tell me what I should be thinking or what I should be doing in certain situations. He pushes me to be the best player I can be in every aspect of the game.?
- UK freshman center Randolph Morris

If I had Chucks, I will be the happiest man in the world.?
- Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith

Maybe this is the year that even those outside the coaching fraternity discover that Hayes is a great player too.?
- Phil Taylor, Sports Illustrated, Nov. 22, 2004

Chuck Hayes is this team's rock. The 6'6", 247- pound senior is an ace defender, rebounder, and can even score and pass. He's the epitome of an overachiever and a leader, perfect for a Tubby Smith-coached team and one of the nation's underrated players.?
- Mike Mears, ***********.com

Hayes is a man out on the floor. He is versatile and has talent, but what sets him apart is his mature approach to the game. Hayes looks to make the right play in every situation, not the right play for him. He is disciplined, he guards people, he rebounds, and he goes after it on both ends. Chuck Hayes is a great teammate, and could play for any team in America ... and that team would be much better for having him. It is no wonder that Kentucky wins big games without big names, when Tubby Smith has a guy with such a huge heart as Chuck Hayes.?
- Jay Bilas

He is a star in my book. Any coach would give his right arm to have a Chuck Hayes. He might not fit the computer printout of a great player, but he finds ways to win games for you.?
- Tom Izzo, Michigan State Coach - Sports Illustrated, Nov. 22, 2004

Hayes winds up with the ball more than anyone else because he wants it more than anyone else. You can find dozens of players more talented than Chuckie on the Spot, but you can find five more enthusiastic about doing the dirty work that wins games.?
- Pat Forde, ESPN.com

"There is one common denominator in our practice and that is whatever team Chuck is on wins. It doesn matter who else you put around him, Chuck wins. Hel be the guy to do the little things.?
- Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith

Chuck is just a beast. He is one of the premier players in the country. He scores and he has a good mid-range game. He is a perfect example of what great about college athletics. He just an unbelievable human being."
- Tennessee Tech Head Coach Mike Sutton

 

GM's knew about his then impending legal troubles.

 

Chuck is the type of player that will excel when he plays with other GREAT players.

He is a VERY good complimentary player, not someone who would excel in a situation where he has to be the man, but someone who can compliment the man....in a great way.

Rebounds, Picks, rolls, etc..etc..etc....

I think he already has more points of the pick and roll with Tmac than anyone else on the entire team.

Heck, I wish Yao was as good at that as Chuck is.........

DD

 

I'm excited about this pick up. No, he's probably never going to be a full-time starter in the NBA, but quality back ups on affordable contracts are valuable too. As far as I'm concerned, Chuck Hayes is a prize. I'd be thrilled if he has a Bo Outlaw like career with the Rockets.

 

From the first time I saw this kid play, I was excited. He is legit. Undersized, yes, but maybe in Charles Barkley kind of way. He weighs almost 250 and elevates like a much smaller player. My prediction, he is more than a back up player. Whether he starts or not is not an issue, he is going to get major minutes. Perhaps the first real "find" for the Rockets since, well, Luther Head.

 

Hayes reminds me of a poor mans Dennis Rodman because of his defense and rebounding. He has that innate sense to know where to go for rebounds and a quick leaping ability. Chuck Hayes is here to stay.

 

Hayes showed good effort tin the Miami game today. He rebounded, good second effort put backs. Excellent hustle.

A good investment-for less than league minimum for a veteran ( if the veteran min is still 1,000,000) pro rated for 40 games is less than 1/2 mil

 

Hayes isn't even a veteran. The minimum for a rookie is more like $500,000. So cut that in half again.

 

23 minutes, with 10 rebounds, 6 offensive, 6 points, and only 1 turnover. He should have had a double-double... Hayes was shafted royally by the refs. Rookies don't get any breaks at all.

 

Also, vets know how to get the rookies in foul trouble.

Not to worry... if Hayes is a quick study, the sneaker will be on the other foot before too long.