This has been said too many times but needs to be said again.... Tyrus Thomas = Stromile Swift II. The Rockets have the original and are unable to do anything with him, why take the next one? He looks like he has a "motor" but once he sees the dollars the motor will disappear and he'll play as lethargically and stupidly as Swift.
I disagree that Thomas is a Swift-clone because the kid does play very hard, is ultra competitive, and has decent awareness on the court. As good as his athleticism is, he does not simply rely on it. But, being a SEC fan who watched many of his games, I will say the tournament was really the only time I saw the kid hit jumpers with any regularity and those were more like 12-14 feet, not 15-17. He has no real handle, no passing skills, and a very limited mid-range jumper. I just don't see how he can play the three in the NBA. Now, he could be a solid four, but a lack of size means he must--emphasize MUST--either add some weight or play with an unreal intensity. Either way, I don't see Thomas contributing significantly to a team until his second contract and the Rox don't have that much time. Gay is a mixed bag, too. He has great athleticism, can hit his jumpers out to the arc, can finish around the rim, run the floor, and defend the wing easily, as well as the high-post against weaker fours. He has enough upside that you almost have to take your chances with him and move McGrady to the two. It would negate the need for a longer wing, would enable Head to serve as the backup there, and would enable McGrady to slide down into the frontcourt when Gay is not in the game. Gay could also play some limited four, too. My only concern is how playing the two would effect McGrady's back since he must play with a lower center of gravity against smaller players and would have to run considerably more. If we had Gay, I think you find a backup one with your MLE, then roll with Howard, Swift, and Hayes, plus spot duty from Gay, at the four. If Yao and Mac are healthy, then that is a very impressive team.
For someone who hasn't posted alot here this is an excellent start! Very insightful bb commentary. While both are top flight athletes, I too would lean towards Gay with his excellent size and slightly longer track record as a 3/4 against stiff college competition vs. Thomas as a 4/3 who is a bit smallish (which is easier to find witness Chuck Hayes). Having said that, I'd be happy to trade up and take either player that was available if the Rockets brass was bold enough to pull it off I'd stand up and applaude the move on draft day! If we manage to trade up into the top 5 I'd roll the dice with any of the top six bpa and be grateful to the Rockets management for their foresight! What an excellent thread! I truely hope we are so fortunate as to pull this off!
I'm not sure we were watching the same guy play. He has a 15-17 foot jumper that he "can drill with regularity"? That's news to me. The guy I saw out there was simply jumping over everybody and shining simply because noone was even on his level athletically. He has no handle to speak of for an alleged NBA small forward. If he were 6'10, he would be worth the gamble. As it stands, pun intended, at 6'7, he's simply not worth the investment of a top 5 pick in the draft. He would get eaten up as a power forward and simply does not have any semblance of a perimeter game to succeed at small forward. Energy is nice - but that's in the middle of the draft - not at the top of it. It would be a huge mistake for this Rockets team to trade up for this guy when they are so desperately in need of a 3rd scorer or shooter. Now the counter argument might be made to point those who hold my opinion in the direction of one Shawn Marion and his success with similar athletic gifts/deficiencies. 1) Marion is a legit 6'9, a full two inches taller than our friend Tyrus. 2) It is an absolute miracle that with no shooting ability whatsoever Marion is able to be a consistent 3 point threat. It is quite a stretch to bank on Thomas developing that as well. 3) We've seen how Marion can become an absolute non factor in the half court. For a Rockets team that likes to slow down the pace, he and even to a greater degree Tyrus Thomas would be hard pressed to score. Avoid Tyrus Thomas at all costs.
Rudy Gay will turn out to be the best player in the draft hands down. I don't know why he's not the cinch #1 pick. He's the only player that has SUPERSTAR potential IMO. The main knock on him is his "motor", and that he would "disappear in games", but I'm not worried about it. I've heard a few interviews with him and his answer to that was "it's a team game, sometimes I have to get my teammates more involved so I don't shoot as much". He said he thinks he'll be a better pro than college player and I think he will too. And apparently Portland worked out Gay and Morrison together and had them play a little 1 on 1 and Gay embarrased Morrison who had to pick up his jock after the session. If we have any chance to get him we should DO IT immediately! He would be the PERFECT #3 option that we're missing!
I would not avoid Tyrus at the eight pick. I would love to have him rebounding next to Yao. I haven't seen him enough to know if he is disciplined on defense.
Maybe Thomas and Swift can form one mega person...or it can be like A Christmas Carol, and Thomas will see his possible future in Swift and get scared into changing his attitude.
Morrison may not be a bust in this draft, but his college game aint going to xfer well to the pros. He will need picks or other open looks to score, which should limit his scoring options. He will not be a player who others will clear out for to take the game's last shot. Watching the vids on ESPN, Rudy Gay stood out as a NBA ready and near all* player. He is 6'9". He elevates for his shot. And his shot is a rainbow j and true. I could easily see Gay getting the call for the last shot of the game. His only limitation that I could see is that he really will only play one traditional position, the 3. Any minutes at 4 will be against the Eddie Griffins and Robert Horrys of the NBA. His low motor limitation is actually a plus, at least for the Rockets, since he will be playing 3rd fiddle to Yao and TMac. Tyrus Thomas, if he has a future in the NBA, will be at the 3, where he has potential to be as good as Gay. He has the build of the prottypical NBA 3 and I don't think that will change. Thomas played guard in high school and can jump out of a gym, so it could happen. Maybe worth a flier at the 8th? It would be a big gamble if the Rockets do pick him at 8.
to help your imaginations out a bit (yes, the guy is a Beast) RUDY GAY <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yCso8qP_Mm4"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yCso8qP_Mm4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
I am not going to get too excited about Rudy Gay. It is highly unlikely a kid with his upside will slide that far. I would still be more comfortable with Ronnie Brewer or even Sheldon Williams over Thomas--he just doesn't fit unless we believe he can play the four, which I don't see happening right now.
Keep dreamin... PG - M.James/ R.Alston SG- B.Roy/L.Head SF - T.McGrady/ R.Gay PF- R.Gay/ S.Swift C- Yao That's good for 55 wins.
I doubt we'll get either one. Maybe, if we move up. Lots of maybes this time of year, which makes it a lot of fun. Can the Rocks get lucky again? Maybe, maybe no.
I'll repeat myself: It's amazing how the worm turns. After the NCAA tournament, I don't remember anyone else here singing Gay's praises. It was all Tyrus Thomas, LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. Gay's "motor" was hung around his neck like a millstone. Now everybody wants him to be a Rocket. All this talking about Gay has really raised my hopes. Since April, this is the guy I would have drafted #1 as the Rockets GM if we had won the lottery. If we somehow get this sick athletic freak of nature (who can also finish without dunking and shoot from outside), it will be the main story of the offseason. I don't care what we do in free agency or trades.
You can say "he'll lose his motor once he sees the money" about any player in the draft. There's no evidence for why it applies more to Thomas. Swift wasn't half the shotblocker or fundamental rebounder (I'm talking hands and technique) that Thomas was in college.
Did you watch him for more than the tournament? I don't mean to assume, but your reflection of his game seems like someone that watched a select few of the high profile games and didn't see him with regularity. He has a mid-range jumper. I don't think he'd get eaten up as a power forward at all. He has the kind of leaping ability as well as the hands to offset his somewhat small size and rebound the ball with the best of them. Tyrus Thomas may have energy, but that's not what he's about. He's a presence as a rebounder and particularly a shotblocker who can absolutely change the way the game is played for opposing offenses and is perfect for the four spot in the NBA's changing climate. As a SF, I'll agree with you, I wouldn't want any part of him. But if the Rockets are looking at him as a PF, which I believe they are, I'd be all over him. You don't find a defensive presence and game-changer like Tyrus Thomas very easily.
Also, what makes Stromile Swift Stromile Swift is his general immaturity, lack of work ethic and his lack of a feel for the game. If you actually look at the evidence (and not just the superficial stuff like athletic PF from LSU), you'll see that there's a much better case to label Rudy Gay the next Stromile Swift than Tyrus Thomas. Much better. That said, I don't think Gay will be that kind of a bust. I'm just pointing it out because the Thomas/Swift comparisons are laughable. There's no evidence whatosever that shows Thomas lacking work ethic or heart and anyone making the comparison is being extremely superficial.
