Look at Jazz, I hate this team so much, but how they find all these undrafted PG, Carlos Arroyo and then Keith McLeod. Are they really good or just fits better in Sloan's system? Why can't Rockets finds a good PG and with less value?? And most of Jazz's current roster are in late 1st round or second round, (yes, I know, some of them are free agent with huge money), but most of Rockets are in early 1st round with some aged. (Kirilenko 1st round, 24th, 1999) (Boozer, 2nd round, 35th, 2002) (Giricek, 2nd round, 40th, 1999) (Harpring, 1 st round, 15th, 1998) (Okur, 2nd round, 38th, 2001) (Arroyo, none, 2001) (McLeod, none, 2003) (Bell, none, 2000) (Yao, 1st round, 1st, 2001) (Taylor, 1st, 14th, 1997) (Lue, 1st, 23nd, 1998) (McGrady, 1st, 9th, 1997) (Nachbar, 1st, 15th, 2002) (Howard, 1st, 5th, 1994) (Jackson, 1st, 4th, 1992) (Mutombo, 1st, 4th, 1992)
How about the Spurs, who have a pretty low salary total Parker 28st Ginobili 57th Bowen undrafted Nesterovic 17th Barry 15th Udrih 28th Rose 44th Brown undrafted Pop is not only a great coach, also a great eye for talents.
Now the spurs are a team that seems to keep hitting home runs with low level picks. They are going to be a good team to battle against in the coming years.
And lets say the Spurs never got Duncan, would the same group of guys the spurs have (minus Duncan of course) be as good? Or does Duncan make that group of guys better? Shall we say, like Hakeem made a bunch of no namers better a couple of years back (93-94)????
First of all, the original list is not mentioning the ages of the players. A lot of our players are way past their primes. If we had JJ, J. Howard, and Deke all in their primes, in addition to Yao and T-Mac, it would be on paper a much superior team to the Jazz. Granted, their might be chemistry issues, but the upside of such a team would be amazing. Also, Utah is a special case. They have special system, and don't look for the same type of players the rest of the NBA do. Kind of like how the Steelers have always managed to find LBs for their 3-4 schemes in later rounds, or the Broncos can manage to turn seemingly any RB in 1000 yd rushers. So they can manage to get value. Of course, they also blow a lot of 1st round picks too, so they're not exactly turing everything into gold. They just get value for their drafting place much better than other teams.
GSW is bad team all the time, because GSW skip McGrady in 1997 by drafted Foyle, http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1997&lg=N And in 1998, GSW drafted Vince Carter and traded to Toronto for Antwan Jamison, Magics drafted Doleac and Keon Clark in 12th, and 13th picks. And Rockets drafted Michael Dickerson, Bryce Drew, and ??Mirsad Turskcan?, in 14th, 16th, and 18th, picks. In that year, we have Ricky Davis in 21st, Brian Skinner in 22nd, Al Harrington in 25th, Ruben Patterson, Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston, and our Cuttino Mobley all in second round!!!! Rockets and Magics had total six picks in first round of 1998, and can't drafted one good player!!!! very bad example of drafting players, and who is Mirsad Tuskcan anyway? http://www.basketballreference.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1998&lg=N
Good team can draft VERY good player in first round, and good player in second round. (Like SA) Bad team always draft bad players in first round. (Washington's Kwame Brown, Clippers's Michael Olowokandi are example) but Rockets is really bad in picks 10th to 29th for past 8 years. Only Yao, and Mobley (second round) as a starter. Picks 10th to 29th for rockets (1997 Rodrick Rhodes 24th) (1998 Dickerson 14th, Bryce Drew 16th, Mirsad Turkcan 18th) (1999 Kenny Thomas 22nd (he is ok but Kirilenko in 24th, SA's Ginobili in late second round )) (2000 Jason Collier 15th (Turkoglu in 16th, Desmond Mason in 17th, Quentin Richardson in 18th, Jamaal Magloire in 19th)) (2001 Richard Jefferson 13th (finally, good pick but why trade for EG?), Jason Collins 18th, Brandon Armstrong 23nd (SAS' Tony Parker in 28th, Gilbert Arenas in 30th, and Mehmet Okur in 37th) (2002 Nachbar 15th (Det drafted Tayshaun Prince in 23nd, Boozer in 34th)) (2003 none) (2004 none) Look at how many picks we wasted, you may say other team also cannot draft, but most of them are bad teams. If Rockets want to become like SA or Pistons, we should able to draft "good" players (10th to second round)just like them. but in past 7 years, only Nachbar here!!! not to greedy, If in past 7 years we were able to just drafted two or three good players, plus tmac and yao, we already a best team!!!!!!
