Instead of saying that Rudy and Carroll are the best "draft men" in the NBA. How about we just say they are the best "personel men"? I think all NBA scouts, GMs and coaches can, more often that not, agree on who the top 5 or 10 players in a draft are. However, its when the pool starts to get thin is when Rudy and Carroll do their magic. However, it can be said that we have made some stinker first round picks (Collier, Langhi, Mirsad Turckan, Rhodes, and John Turner (may have been picked by Cheney). I think that is balanced out by some our 2nd round picks(Mobley, Harrington, Livingston). Rudy and Carroll really do their best work outside of the draft!
NewYorker and ricerocket, So what, who cares? The indisputable fact remains the same Rudy T acquired those players as un-proven talent (players that had yet to play or practice even 1 second of NBA ball). Maybe they were lucky enough to pick ahead of someone else maybe they lucked into a trade. But guess what? It does not matter because Rudy T still managed to acquire those players as un-proven rookies. End of story. BTW, don’t give me that crap about West having worse draft positions than Rudy T because it is not true. Just take two seconds of your time to look at the break down on the first page of this thread. Once again just another indisputable fact. Both of you have lost this debate because you have failed to show me even one other GM, Coach or Organization that has acquired them same type of talent over the last eleven years as Rudy. from ricerocket Oh, right. And this staff figured that out about Lewis Lloyd, John Lucas and Vernon Maxwell before they dealt with them too... As if I needed any more clues that you don’t have the slightest idea about the Rockets organization. Next time you challenge me in a debate do your homework first. If you want to lay blame about who is responsible for those three players then you need to ask Ray Patterson, Bill Fitch and Don Chaney. Damn dude Rudy T was still a player when the Rockets drafted John Lucas in 76! Not only was Bill Fitch and Don Chaney the coaches when Lloyd and Maxwell were acquired but they were veterans with an extended track record before ever coming to the Rockets so they don’t really belong in this thread in the first place.
Let's take a look going up to before the last 2 drafts (too early to tell). Orlando (starting in 1992-2000) Shaq (#1 overall) Litterial Green- 2nd round Geert Hammink (#26) Hardaway (#3 via trade) Brooks Thompson (#27) Rodney Dent (2nd round) David Vaughn (#25) Brian Evans (#27) Amal McCaskill (2nd round) Johnny Taylor (#17) Eric Washington (2nd round) Michael Doleac (#12) Keon Clark (#13-was he traded immediately?) Matt Harpring (#15) Miles Simon (2nd round) Corey Maggette (#13 via trade) Laron Profit (2nd round) Mike Miller (#5) Toronto (1995 to 2000) Damon Stoudamire (#7) Jimmy King (2nd round) Marcus Camby (#2) Tracy McGrady (#9) Vince Carter (#5) Tyson Wheeler (2nd round) Alek Radojevic (#12) Morris Peterson (#21) DeeAndre Hulett (2nd round) What do I see? Orlando did well with a couple top 3 picks (Shaq/Penny), and M. Miller is about the only good guy from his draft. Doleac is so-so for a lotto pick, Harpring was pretty good, and Maggette was a good talent but they didn't have time to develop him. Profit and McCaskill, a couple of last guys off the bench were the only late first/early 2nds who have had any significance whatsoever. For Toronto, Stoudamire was a solid pick. Camby is a decent player but a horrible pick for a #2 overall. T-Mac and Vince were both great picks, and Morris Peterson has been excellent for a #21, but no 2nd rounders developed, and only one good non-lotto pick. Let's give them more time, but have only one non-lotto pick amounting to ANYTHING. Can't consider them better than the Rockets who in only going back a couple years, have pulled Mobley and KT out of the draft.
