Valanciunas' team believes that Rockets would select him if he can't reach a buyout

http://twitter.com/chadfordinsider

 

Fall baby, fall..

 

So if he doesn't play with us next season, go with Nicola at C?

 

We have a center. Chuck Hayes be his name. Whatever big man the team brings in will have to beat out Chuck Hayes for his minutes. I think Thabeet and Hill (and Brad Miller) have tought us that just because you are big doesn't mean you are better.

Anyhow, looks like good news. Most of the other lotto teams don't want to wait a year for talent infusion. The Rockets can and have tended to look more long-term. They got a decent enough rotation (at least a above .500 rotation) so that a rookie would have had to earned his minutes anyway. So, maybe he'll fall to 14. Even if he doesn't fall all the way, maybe the Rockets can trade up for, say, the 10th pick or 8th pick or whatever to snatch him up. Much easier than to trade for the 4th. In any case, more sleepless nights for Daryl Morey's fat face.

 

Forget that. Don't want another Rubio situation happening. And I wanna see what our rookie(s) can do this year not in 2013 or whenever. Might now even be around by then.

 

I'd be all for it, especially when facing a lockout-shortened season. I'd consider this our best case scenario if we stay at #14.

 

You don't want to draft the most talented player available, who happens to fill our biggest need, because you'd have to wait one year for him?

I'm willing to wait.

 

I LIKE IT

 

Reminds of when the Sacramento Kings took some foreign kid with the #14 pick in 1996, even though they knew he couldn't come over right away. They took him because they thought he was the best player available and would have gone higher if not for his buyout issues.

Two years later, Peja Stojakovic began his NBA career, which included a Most Improved Player award (2001), three All-Star appearances (2002, 2003, 2004) and a top-5 finish for MVP in 2004.


Yeah, . . . I'd be willing to wait for the best player on the board at #14.

 

Also reminds me of when the Portland Blazers took some Lithuanian big kid with the 24th pick in 1986. They took him because they thought he was the best player available and would have gone higher if not for the Iron Curtain.

In 1995, Arvydas Sabonis began his NBA career, in which he performed at an elite level despite injuries.

Yeah.... I'd be willing to wait for the best player on the board at #14.

 

I'd wait, I mean, we don't need three rookies in the rotation. Take this kid, let him build up his game for another year and choose a big man at 23.

 

If the Rockets take Valanciunas at #14, there's no need to go for another big man at #23 . . . unless he's the best player available on the board.

The Rockets will/could have Yao Ming, Chuck Hayes, Brad Miller, Hasheem Thabeet, Jordan Hill and (in another year) Jonas Valanciunas ALL able to play center. Why needlessly add another name to that list?

Again, if a big man is the best player available, then you take him, damn the consequences with depth at the center position. But they should take the best player available on the board, regardless of position.

 

You think Miller and his $1 million guaranteed will still be here after July 1st next year?

 

No frickin' way.

Before July 1, 2012, Brad Miller will either (a) retire, (b) be waived or (c) be traded as a financial asset.

And he's only guaranteed $878,000 for 2012-13!

 

Sure you have Thabeet, Hill, Yao, Miller, and Hayes but thats just a case of having quantity, not necessarily quality.

Yao may or may not be here(or may be hurt)

Chuck may or may not be here(FA). How optimistic or pessimistic are we on him returning?

Brad Miller out until January(though we dont know when/if the season will start. And what are the odds we buy him out before the start of 2012-2013 season? I think we're looking at the end of the B-Miller experiment after this year)

Hasheem Thabeet - are we counting on this guy for anything besides 6 fouls in 10 minutes? How long do we expect him to stick around? A year at most? Two?

Jordan Hill - Not sure where people(more importantly the org.) stand on him. He's just kinda there, ha.

With that said, at 23(or 38 or where ever they're drafting), not saying they MUST draft a big there(another big if they were to take JV).

 

Yao doesn't count since odds are he won't be a factor, Chuck is a 4 we need to stop with him at the center spot, Brad won't be here until Jan at the earliest and even them how much does the guy have left and Jordan proved he is a 4 not a five. That leaves Thabeet, sorry not going to bank the season on him.
Rox need to pick up a five for THIS season and Daryl hasn't proven he can do that via free agency.

Besides, you can NEVER have enough big men and I mean centers not PFs trying to play center.

 

Rockets need to look at bringing another big man in regardless but I agree with Bima that at pick #23 we should not be trying to fill holes but rather grateful and quality player, even a PG, be there.

 

It would be fun if we draft Jonas at 14 and Mirotec at 23, and stash them both. Major assets for a Dwight sign and trade next summer (if there is a sign and trade in the next CBA).

 

Rockets are dumb for showing their cards like this. If you like him alot then ok, keep your mouth shut, now that every team knows who we are after, a team that likes him just as much in the 15 to 20 range to could leap frog us. But I prefer the other Euro to be honest.

 

I would be incredibly happy with Valanciunas and Mirotic even if it makes for a boring 2011-2012 season.