This is a response to the thread in the GARM concerning the usual tanking vs. mediocrity vs. competitive season posts. One person commented that they would rather have a top 5 pick in the draft than to have a competitive season (with which I disagree for what I believe to be obvious reasons). So this thread is for the tankers. Let's pretend the Rockets tanked this season and earned themselves pick number 5 in the draft. Who do you draft with your number 5 pick? I think this should be a fun thread to look back on in a couple of years and see how it pans out for you. Congratulations. You have had a year of unwatchable ball. No free agent wants to come to your wreck of an organization. You have Pick #5. Who do you draft?
Interesting because Houston's trade-up targets the past two seasons went exactly at pick #5: DeMarcus Cousins (2010) and Jonas Valanciunas (2011). That is a very, very promising frontline right there. Instead, what we got was Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris and two years of watchable ball.
I imagine we won't know that until we get closer to the draft -- GMs gather a ton of first-hand knowledge about these prospects in May and June. Bradley Beal intrigues me... Andre Drummond (who has question marks) could drop, similar to DeMarcus Cousins. If you're at 5, you could possibly trade up to 2-4 also. I understand your thread, but I think it looks at only one scenario. If you're high (or low) enough to get the 5th pick, you have a fair shot of landing a top 3 pick in the lottery. Whoever lands the #1 pick is scoring a jackpot. I also don't believe that having a bad season makes your team a "wreck of an organization." The Clippers, after years and years of losing seasons and terrible moves, were a wreck of an organization, and this past summer became the place to be. One draft pick can change it all. Personally, for where the Rockets are at right now, I'd take the 5th pick of the draft over 8th seed of the playoffs and no pick. I think they need building blocks, but again, that's just me. I just don't think this one limited scenario though tells the whole story. It's kind of like saying: What if the Rockets make the playoffs, lose in the first round, lose their draft pick, Dragic and Camby walk and the Rockets strike out in free agency (again) and trades (again)? Congratulations. You have had a year of watchable ball... and you've lost another year in a rebuilding effort.
The Rockets love their articulate and high character guys. Jason Friedman couldn't stop mentioning how Patterson (6th on Rockets draft board) blew the Rockets front office away with his interview. So the Rockets pull another draft surprise and select... <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oSTCbvYUdVM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> A bit of Battier about him. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BETVGKj6G2Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This one is from 2 years ago. It made me think of... <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6CaMngt45UQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The truth is free agents wont come to the current "competitive" Rockets. Even the fans wont come to see the Rockets. Rockets games are not on national TV anymore. Stop bragging the fake competitiveness. Grabbing the #5 pick is way better than anything that Rockets have now.
In my 12ish years here, I don't recall ever seeing Clutch post so often and recurringly, with the same conclusion each time, about a topic as he has about the tank vs no-tank debate of 2011-2012. I happen to agree 100% with his viewpoint. Cousins and Jonas... If only! It doesn't matter who we - the fans - would pick. Part of the tank argument, the swaying factor for me, is that DM has been such an effective drafter. Some misses, sure, but on the whole I'd freaking love to see what he could do wih a top 5 pick. As is I'd be happy to see him flip Martin, Lowry plus picks for a top draft slot. Maybe the Wizards or Bobcats finally grow tired off swinging and missing in the lotto and would bite on legit, established players to make them competitive. Certainly not if the #1 pick, but for any other pick I think I makes sense for those squads.
Im not sure I would agree that the clippers are the place to be. The clippers are just an overrated team that gonna lose first round in the playoffs. After this year they will be irrelevant again.
I think an argument could be made that the Clippers are the ones getting one year of watchable ball. They are still a wreck of an organization, so we'll see.
We really just didn't have the pieces to make a trade-up happen. This year I think we will. Lowry or Martin. Knicks Pick Future Picks (Ours and Mavs) Young former lotto(Patterson and Morris) Think the options to move up are there.
The tanking vs. staying competitive for a mediocre playoff spot is a very good conversation. You want to stay as competitive as possible in the spirit of the game, yet when you see an above average franchise, like the Spurs, the Lakers, the Colts, or etc endure a bad season or end up with an insanely high pick. It's like ok, what's the point. You do not worry about the perpetually bad teams as much, because they tend to stay bad, unless they net good to exceptional players, sort of like Chicago or Oklahoma City. Both franchise got both, and they became very attractive places to play. For some reason, it seems like that's about to happen to Portland again for the 2nd or 3rd time in their history. First time with Bill Walton, that team would've been easily the best in the West, if he were able to stay healthy. The 2nd time came with the draft pick of Clyde Drexler and later on the sell to Paul Allen and the emergence of Rick Adelman. Third, came in the mid-90s with Bob Whitsitt, when he had task of turning an aging Blazers team in to a competitive contender. They were sort of blowing the team up by letting their free agent stars walk away, and let Drexler be traded to a contender. In the midst of those transactions, they never really blew This link has negative slant to it, because it fails to mention that the Blazers also acquired Steve Smith, Scottie Pippen, Detlef Schrempf, and activated Aryvdas Sabonis. The Jailblazer thing sort of overshadowed his success. The biggest reasons those teams did not get over the hump was them lacking chemistry and being a rather dysfunctional bunch. They should've had a better series against the Spurs, while they should've taken the Lakers, out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Whitsitt If Brandon Roy stayed healthy, this might have been the year that Portland could've finally had another real shot at the Finals. The Blazers might have even been better or than Oklahoma City. Though, those are just lost dreams for Portland. Still . . .if the Blazers play their cards right, they can end up with NBA's next powerhouse team with chance to add 3 really good players in the offseason. 2 by draft and 1 by free agency or 1 draft pick, 1 trade, and 1 by free agency. Any combination of players you see in top 5 - 12, could be suiting up for the Blazers, while they will probably look at capturing Deron Williams or even Jeremy Lin. If Lin does not resign with the Knicks seson, I guarantee that he will be in Portland, it's a really good fit for him. If they fail at both, they can settle for Kendall Marshall through the draft. Lastly as much gloom and doom that some harp on or throw at the Trailblazers, they've only missed the playoffs six times, since 1976-77. I'll even say they haven't had problems getting really good players, either or free agents, now or then.
My top five are Davis, Robinson, Kidd-Gilcrest, Beal, and Sullinger. Whoever is left from that list. Sullinger is a guy that I want who may slide because he is short. Morey is the King of getting undersized players that can play.
MKG, Beal, Robinson and Drummond all have all star potential and one of them has to be there at 5 unless Drummond decides not to come out. I'd be fine with any of those players because each one fills a need on this team. With McHale as his coach Drummond could blossom into a superstar.
No, not really... Most of their major pieces are under contract and coming back next season. They'll be a top 5 seed next season on talent alone. If they can somehow add a good SG, they'll be very dangerous. On top of all this, they haven't even maxed out their talent yet.
Their organization is a joke and the karma of the basketball gods will smite them and smite them good. With their superstars their record today is a two game advantage over the superstarless Rockets. But, they will get a couple to a few years of watchable ball out of it.
Wait I forgot about all of those FAs like Gortat and Bosh busting the door down to sign here when the Rockets were watchable. Remind me again please..... Anyway I trust Morey he lusted after both Cousins and Rubio and both have been proven to be worthy top 5 picks. Just gimmee a top 5 pick and let Morey make the selection.
