What has Collier even accomplished as a Houston Rocket? I mean he and Langi are the two Rockets who have sat on the bench the longest? What has Collier done for the Rockets since he has been drafted?
I wonder the exact same thing. Hopefully he can get some kind of playing time this year and maybe progress a little bit. The guy is somewhat talented.
They have done a good job keeping the seats warm for the players so they can sit on warm seats during time-outs? Seriously, I believe Collier's development has been hurt by injuries. Langhi was a second rounder, and its unusual that second rounders do much in the NBA (see Morris, Terence). Sure, it would have been great if Collier had been able to provide the high-post, shooting and passing type of C that would have complemented the low-post defensive C we hope Cato provides. He didn't, and probably won't. Luckily it was only a rookie contract, and not a FA signing (eg. Cato, Kelvin and Taylor, Mo).
If we didn't get Collier, we would not have had one of the 3 draft picks that was used to acquire Eddie Griffin. We got Collier because we didn't want anyone that year, and the trade allowed us to get a pick the next year.
Collier is a Rocket because the Bucks were stupid enough to give us a first round pick if we'd trade big stiffs with them. Not a bad deal when you consider that pick helped us get Griff, right?
Wow, now that you put it that way-Jason Collier has proved very valuable. He helped us land Griffin because of the extra pick last year. Plus he played so poorly it helped contribute to us having the 5th worst record last year, and that landed us Ming. Think about it, if we had not screwed up in that draft a few years ago, the Rockets would not be in the position we are in now with such a promising line-up. Thanks Jason! Thanks Cato, Mo, Glen, etc...
That was a good move... if you don't trade for Collier, who do you take at 9? Moiso, Etan Thomas, Joel Pryzbilla? It's not as if they've accomplished much or shown much potential either. The 2000 draft was one of the worst drafts ever. To be able to see that (others couldn't at the time) and trade for a similar player AND a mid-first in a much deeper draft is a brilliant move that few GM's would make. As mentioned, that mid-first was one of the picks that got us Eddie Griffin... The only argument you could make is that Rudy should've taken Turkoglu at 15, but after the Turkcan incident, I don't know if they were ready to take a chance on a Euro so soon. Plus, if you have Turkoglu, you probably wouldn't have Nachbar now. I'd rather have Nachbar.
