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The Rockets have done everything but run an ad in Craigs List over their desire for a pick in this draft. Why?
The team has 12 players under contract and seemingly wants to bring back its 2 Free Agents. That's 14 players and the Rox like to leave the 15nth roster spot open for injury replacement,2 for 1 trades,etc. There's really no room for a rookie.
Yet the team has made it clear that cash,players or taking on contracts is not a problem toward getting a draft pick. Since no team is going to trade a First for Cook,Dorsey<White or Barry,that means the team is willing to trade a rotation player for a First.

It makes no sense unless there are 1 or 2 players the team REALLY likes. Somebody in the 24-36 range(buying a pick) and/or somebody in the low-to-mid teens(trade). The earlier pick is for someone the team thinks can either play right now-or at least has more upside than the rotation player they traded away. While the lower pick would likely be on someone the team could stash in Europe or D-League while he developes.

For the24-36 range my candidates are Calathes(Barry replacement in a yr?),Jermaine Taylor(Senior,scoring machine) or Micah Downs(project defender,3pt shooter,fast break finisher).
For the teens I'd say B.J.Mullens but he seems too raw for a Morey pick.

Who do you think the Rockets lust after?

Not sure what Morey has in mind, but I highly doubt that we end up with a lottery pick. Among non-lottery projected players, I like Terrence Williams (versatile, high IQ), Eric Maynor (best true PG not named Rubio), and to a lesser extent, Chase Budinger (similar to Williams but with less certainty). I also like Danny Green who's projected to be taken in the 2nd round.

tisbee wrote:The Rockets have done everything but run an ad in Craigs List over their desire for a pick in this draft. Why?
The team has 12 players under contract and seemingly wants to bring back its 2 Free Agents. That's 14 players and the Rox like to leave the 15nth roster spot open for injury replacement,2 for 1 trades,etc. There's really no room for a rookie.
Yet the team has made it clear that cash,players or taking on contracts is not a problem toward getting a draft pick. Since no team is going to trade a First for Cook,Dorsey<White or Barry,that means the team is willing to trade a rotation player for a First.

It makes no sense unless there are 1 or 2 players the team REALLY likes. Somebody in the 24-36 range(buying a pick) and/or somebody in the low-to-mid teens(trade). The earlier pick is for someone the team thinks can either play right now-or at least has more upside than the rotation player they traded away. While the lower pick would likely be on someone the team could stash in Europe or D-League while he developes.

For the24-36 range my candidates are Calathes(Barry replacement in a yr?),Jermaine
Taylor(Senior,scoring machine) or Micah Downs(project defender,3pt shooter,fast break finisher).
For the teens I'd say B.J.Mullens but he seems too raw for a Morey pick.

Who do you think the Rockets lust after?

I think Morey has earned earned are trust in knowing what is right.

Morey is all about VALUE. This PG pick rumor could lead to something else.....

tisbee wrote:The Rockets have done everything but run an ad in Craigs List over their desire for a pick in this draft. Why?
The team has 12 players under contract and seemingly wants to bring back its 2 Free Agents. That's 14 players and the Rox like to leave the 15nth roster spot open for injury replacement,2 for 1 trades,etc. There's really no room for a rookie.
Yet the team has made it clear that cash,players or taking on contracts is not a problem toward getting a draft pick. Since no team is going to trade a First for Cook,Dorsey<White or Barry,that means the team is willing to trade a rotation player for a First.

It makes no sense unless there are 1 or 2 players the team REALLY likes. Somebody in the 24-36 range(buying a pick) and/or somebody in the low-to-mid teens(trade). The earlier pick is for someone the team thinks can either play right now-or at least has more upside than the rotation player they traded away. While the lower pick would likely be on someone the team could stash in Europe or D-League while he developes.

For the24-36 range my candidates are Calathes(Barry replacement in a yr?),Jermaine Taylor(Senior,scoring machine) or Micah Downs(project defender,3pt shooter,fast break finisher).
For the teens I'd say B.J.Mullens but he seems too raw for a Morey pick.

Who do you think the Rockets lust after?

You know, I thought about this all weekend and still don't have a good answer.

My best guess is "because rookie contracts keep total salary low and provide flexibility" over actually filling any apparent need.

Moofs,
I thought about the low salary too,but if they're only going to keep 14,they don't need a low salary.
And a vet min is a hair less than what a late First gets and if they just needed a cheap,warm body they could bring over Leunen or Newley on an inexpesive Second Rd salary.
There has to be something more.

I trust Morey has a plan and a back-up plan,and a back-up to the back-up.
I could see strictly buying a late First,then packaging that player to a team that couldn't afford to buy the pick. But from the constant talk from the Rockets,it would seem they have somebody in mind,and from there they have a trade pretty much worked out to clear roster space/get a back-up C,whatever. I'm that kid asking are we there yet? I want to know now!

T-Mac United wrote:Chase Budinger (similar to Williams but with less certainty).

2 months ago, my brother and I had dinner with one of the better NBA GMs (NOT D-Morey). I specifically asked him about Budinger. His response was telling: "No GM who wants to keep his job will touch Chase Budinger. He's worthless. Hell, I wouldn't pick him if he paid us."

Apparently, the "universal truth" about Budinger is he's a million dollar talent with a 5 cent heart. If you go back and look at his play, that's a hard assessment to deny.

Ok Ribalding, I'd always wanted to catch you for drinks when i lived like 4 blocks away from you, but now you definitely need to let me know when and where.

Following up on Ribalding's take,there was an account posted a week or so ago on a workout and the writer stated Budinger looked scared to death going up against one player who was playing tenacious defense.

It seems we're trying to use Landry to try to acquire a lottery pick.

Morey is a gangsta.

Landry is going no where. Its nice that he is potentially worth a lotty pick, though there isnt much to look foward too.

Does Budinger still have Aubrey Coleman's footprint on his face?

According to Chad Ford, Darryl Morey has contacted Grizzlies, Thunder, Kings and Wolves about trying to get into the lottery. Rockets are trying to trade Tracy McGrady and Aaron Brooks. Carl Landry and Shane Battier were also mentioned as possible trade pieces. The Rockets are also making a run at Amare Stoudemire.

Possibly to draft a PG to replace Brooks if we trade him in the rumored Amare deal.

If the rumored deal is the rumored deal with amare, I'd assume Barbosa would be the new PG.

He's every bit of a PG that Brooks is.

I don't know if we would pick a PG if the Amare trade went through.

Lowry/Barbosa

would likely be the PG rotation. There was some speculation the Nets were shopping their pick and had some interest in Landry, I could see that going down since Amare/Yao/Scola would take up all the minutes at the PF/C minutes and we might pick up another wing in the likes of a DeRozan if he slipped, or Henderson/Johnson. I doubt the Nets would do the deal though... but everything at this point is speculation.