Jason Collier sticks out for me because we all had so much invested in that draft. Everyone sighed when Rudy traded the #9 pick for #15, and a 2001 1st rounder (#23). So in the BBS chat, we started coming up with possibilities at #15. Prior to the draft, there was some sentiment that we should go for guys like Moiso, Mihm, or DerMarr Johnson at #9. Mihm and Moiso were already gone, and Moiso was a bum, so Rudy promptly traded the pick, expecting to take Etan Thomas from Syracuse at #15. But...Dallas took Thomas at #15, and there was a meltdown in the Rockets' war room. Stumbling to find a big man, Rudy took Collier, who was projected to be drafted late in the 1st round, at #15. The BBS was freaking pissed off. Right before the #15 pick, in the BBS chat we were discussing guys like Quentin, Desmond, and Magloire who were still on the board. However, Rudy's loyalty to Cuttino (FA that summer) kept us from drafting the best player available (Mason and Q, both 2 guards), and instead took a big man. Rudy's love affair with the big man that can shoot cost us once more. There wasn't a single person on this board (except for the Cat) who thought that Collier wouldn't be a bust.
Used to be we could write off the Collier draft to the fact that the extra pick helped us land Griffin. Now we can b**** that if hadn't have made that trade, we'd have Richard Jefferson. Hopefully we can write it off again one day.
Ginobilli also happens to play on a TEAM. Seriously, how successful do you think he would be playing for the Rox. Besides, with Rudy coaching you actually think he's gonna get PT? I don't think Ginobilli was drafted last year either. Could be wrong though.
R-Man95 - I'm with you. Here's hoping EG develops once he is old enough to legally buy alcohol! I am still trying to figure out how good Jefferson is in the absence of Kidd. Worst pick pre-1990: unquestionably passing over Clyde Drexler and taking Rodney McCray Worst pick post-1990: not finding a way to turn one of 3 picks in the teens into Rashard Lewis. Lewis wasn't picked until the early 30's so it's not like he was on every teams wish list. If 18 was still too high, swap a 20-something and a second rounder for 18. Oh, well....hindsight's 20-20.
I don't know about the biggest draft mistake ever, But the Rockets worst pick ever was Collier at 15. I know it was a weak class but Collier at 15. What a joke!
I think Morris Peterson was available. Would have been an OK 3 for us for many years. That was the guy I wanted, although his shooting has been at Posey level this year.
I have to cast my vote for not picking Lewis with 1 of the 3 first round 98 picks. They had 2 picks to get the now players they wanted and the other pick to get the hometown boy with a great upside to sell tickets.
Actually, Hakeem said in his book that the Portland offer in 1984 was the #2 plus Drexler for Sampson. (Drexler had an okay, but not stellar, first season). So we would have had Dream, Jordan, Drexler and McCray. If the Rockets would have taken that deal, you wouldn't be able to even see the roof of Compaq with all the banners in the way.
Should have drafted Drexler then traded Sampson the #2 pick, then picked Barkley (not Jordan) and had the big three for their entire careers. Olajuwon, Barkley, and Drexler plus nine scrubs = every championship from around 87 to 95.
The Sampson trade I regret not making was the Dumars one...by then it was obvious that the Great Experiment wasn't really working, mainly due to Sampson's knees...the draft picks, at the time, would have relieved the rest of the league. We had something going on with the Twin Towers that had the rest of the league terrified, and the fact that it didn't work out doesn't mean it wasn't worth trying. I fully support the fact that we tried something revolutionary...it could have been something which redefined the game...it's always easy to re-evaluate draft decisions, but the basic philosophy which lead us to attempt the Twin Towers experiment is the exact kind of thinking I want in the guy running my team; pro sports is designed so that the conservative move usually rewards you with graduation towards the middle; ie. if you're up it brings you back to the middle over time, if you're down it brings you up to the middle..We took a shot at greatness, and almost made it.
John Stockton was also taken in that draft like the #12 pick I believe. So we could have had the all time assist, steal, and shotblocking leaders and then had that scrub Drexler. Can you imagine Stockton and Drexler as you're starting backcourt for their careers? With Hakeem in the middle?? Jesus Please us...... I'll still add on to the Rashard Lewis contingent as dumbest move ever. It was like they had some personal issue with him. I mean it was awful pick after pick and I was just yelling at the TV, even my girlfriend at the time who knew nothing of basketball couldn't believe it. I called into 610am one time and asked Feigen if Rashard would have been available when the Rockets picked in the second round did he think they would have passed him over a fourth time? Feigen said that Mobley was the guy they had had targeted there for awhile, but it might have gotten interesting.
although '83 draft was bad, I think the most recent draft a few years back was bad too passing on Rashard Lewis for M. Turksdan and B. Drew?...wow Imagine a sharp shooter like Lewis playing the 3 spot for us. Just what we need...
Passing on Lewis has to be the worst move. Passing on Andrei Kirilenko in the 99 draft looks pretty dumb now. But lots of teams passed on him. And KT was pretty good for the rockets
I'm sure that there is some draft moment that was much worse, but the one that upset me the most was the Langhi/ Najera trade. For the past two years, I had watched Najera beat up on UT hating him with every ounce of my being. But when I saw he was drafted by the Rockets, I was really excited because I knew there was nobody out there that would play harder than that guy. But we traded him. And not only did we trade him, but we tossed in a draft pick too. Yes, very upset about that draft moment.
