Rockets Draft Talk

[wadero]

We will be in the lottery. Most Mocks have us at 13 or 14. So my question unless we luck out like with YAo. Who do you wants to draft and why. Please be specific as why we need this player.
My Pick Is Donatas Motiejunas He and Scola would be a great tandem as there is no legit 5 to back up YAo.

Versatile lefty bigman with a high ceiling ... Has a lot of potential due to his size, agility and offensive development ... A finesse 4-man with excellent versatility, but shows the toughness to play inside with contact ... Shows a strong ability to run the floor and change directions, start and stop ... Has great legs (strong) and feet (quick) ... Has inside/outside ability with the ability to defend inside and play with his back to the basket, as well as knock down shots on the perimeter ... His outside shot has both range and consistency, and he has begun to develop some excellent moves including a jump hook, a turnaround fadeaway as well as fakes to draw opponents off their feet and excellent footwork

[HTown_TMac]

We would be 14th, unless we win the lottery (top 3 pick)

And if we win the lottery no way we pick Motiejunas, but I dont know who I want outside Udoh (14th)

[TMU]

14th from the bottom.

0.5% chance of getting the 1st pick.
0.6% chance of getting the 2nd pick.
0.7% chance of getting the 3rd pick.

So, 1.8% chance of getting a top 3 pick. In other words, let's not even think about getting one.

[HTown_TMac]

But there is always a possibility

[texasholdem]

we should send Steve Francis to the lottery drawing., last time he went we got the #1 pick.

[Moreyball]

If we are going 13 or 14 then Xavier Henry, if Morey is looking for a big Udoh would be a fine choice.
Henry would be a nice guy to have for when Martin misses a game or two here and there.

[spolgar]

Xavier Henry, IMHO, after seeing him all year (I live in Lawrence), is a project.

IMHO, he should stay in college for another year, work on left and right handles, dribble penetration and finishing at the rim. He could showcase himself be a much better guard if he waits another year, this time without someone like Collins dominating the offense. Right now the consensus is that he's not athletic enough 2 with a good stroke. We have a few folks that can do what he does already. Plus, despite his willingness to play defense, this is the one area where all rookies start off pretty abysmally across the board, so he's not ready to contribute on either end.

If you want a backup 5, you want Cole Aldrich if he falls far enough. He is however, offensively challenged, having the same go to post up repertoire as Shane Battier (a no frills Right Jump Hook). If he falls that far, I say take him. He's got crazy long arms, good size and decent strength. If he's unlucky he'll have an eric montross-ish career, but I see him doing as good as Jeff Foster/Joe Pryzbilla if he continues to work.

I think Sherron Collins is a good second round pick. It sucks that his career ended that way, but he is the most talented point guard to come out of KU in a while. Absurd handles, nba range, body built like a steak, gave Derrick Rose fits 2 years ago whilst _recovering from surgery_. But, he can't see the court for ****... Do you guys want a Nate Robinson type as your third guard ?

[rocketsfan1]

IMO OPINION I WOULD LOVE TO GET DEMARCUS COUSINs...it's a long shot but hey it's who i want...

[aznkillabeezZz]

wow 14th kinda sux. a few picks lower would've been the bomb

[rocketsballin]

arent we gonna be 15? now that we have the best record out of the lottery teams? of corse we can get the top 3 but i can also win the lottery , we have a bad draft pick but at least its not the 28th . i dun care wat we get i dunno wats gonna happen to this team, changes need to be made. i know we defiinitley need a backup center w/ REAL SIZE!!!!111

[Moreyball]

I want no part of Cole Aldrich, If I'm Morey and draft a big its someone with a strong post up game who can run in transition. I see neither with Aldrich.

Rockets don't have a second rd pick so it doesn't matter.

[Optimism Prime]

wow 14th kinda sux. a few picks lower would've been the bomb

It's Morey. He'll do something that will have us all shaking our heads for months until the inevitable "a-ha!" moment when we realize that he knows more about basketball than us.

Want proof? Look at our whole team!

PG: A 6-foot shoot-first guard backed up by someone who couldn't crack the third string in Memphis.
SG: A phenomenal (and phenomenally weird) scorer backed up by "a volleyball player"--and all we had to give up was a washed-up albatross contract with an over-inflated sense of self.
SF: Role-player asked to carry the team for a few months, backed up by perhaps the most intelligent man in the league (that we traded someone who's going to get MAJOR cash this summer for)
PF: 30-year old remarkably unathletic player backed up by a rookie who got next to no playing time in NY; only been playing since his junior year of high school.
C: One of the only players Morey didn't bring in, and someone a foot shorter than him with no offensive game, but who may be pound-for-pound the best defender in the league.

.....

.....

.....

Does that seem like the kind of team that works to you?

It's too early to predict who he'll take. Hell, it's too early to even THINK about it. He'll do something we don't expect, and it'll work out.

[Joseph17]

I really don't follow college basketball, but I think they should either draft a backup big who could rebound and block shots or a pg who could shoot.
Edit: I just looked at nbadraft.net and Hassan Whiteside seems like he would be good for the Rockets.

[aznkillabeezZz]

wow 14th kinda sux. a few picks lower would've been the bomb

It's Morey. He'll do something that will have us all shaking our heads for months until the inevitable "a-ha!" moment when we realize that he knows more about basketball than us.

Want proof? Look at our whole team!

PG: A 6-foot shoot-first guard backed up by someone who couldn't crack the third string in Memphis.
SG: A phenomenal (and phenomenally weird) scorer backed up by "a volleyball player"--and all we had to give up was a washed-up albatross contract with an over-inflated sense of self.
SF: Role-player asked to carry the team for a few months, backed up by perhaps the most intelligent man in the league (that we traded someone who's going to get MAJOR cash this summer for)
PF: 30-year old remarkably unathletic player backed up by a rookie who got next to no playing time in NY; only been playing since his junior year of high school.
C: One of the only players Morey didn't bring in, and someone a foot shorter than him with no offensive game, but who may be pound-for-pound the best defender in the league.

.....

.....

.....

Does that seem like the kind of team that works to you?

It's too early to predict who he'll take. Hell, it's too early to even THINK about it. He'll do something we don't expect, and it'll work out.

no duh. But imagine what pick he'd get that are a few picks lower.

[TMU]

In the past Morey has drafted, acquired, or played rookies with plenty of college experience.

Aaron Brooks - Oregon, Senior
Carl Landry - Purdue, Junior
Mike Harris - Rice, Senior
Joey Dorsey - Memphis, Senior
Jordan Hill - Arizona, Junior
Chase Budinger - Arizona, Junior
Jermaine Taylor - UCF, Senior
Garrett Temple - LSU, Senior
Maarty Leunen - Oregon, Senior

So I'm not sure if we'll draft someone like Xavier Henry who's not only a freshman but also needs plenty of work for the NBA. But to answer your question, I really don't know who we're getting. I guess we can make a logical guess via process of elimination.

[tisbee]

Epke Udoh looks like the best fit. More of a C w/good low post moves,nice passing ability and decent defender/shot-blocker. "Old" at 23,but Morey has shown he doesn't mind drafting older players,esp bigs.
Motiejunas looks more like a project and Draft Express has serious concerns about his defense. A good pick late in 20s range,too much of a project gor low teens.
(FWIW,Feigen answering a question on his blog listed Udoh first,then Motiejunas and a couple of others in his guess on Rockets draft. Feigens' pretty tight w/the Front Office.)
I guess their pick depends on how they see Hill. If they think he's a 4 they draft a center,if they think he's a center they go w/a PF.
A bought second Rd pick might be Trevor Booker. Strong under-sized PF who likes to play inside and has a decent jumper.

It's prob 50% at best that the Rockets end up drafting at their assigned spot. Rockets could throw cash at a NO to swap,or could include one of the NY picks if they want to move up.
Me,I think Morey and crew are praying for Minn to get the #1 pick. Minn would have to draft Wall and that frees up Rubio. Hou can draft a C for Minn,trade him and one or two more Firsts for Rubio. Trade Brooks to Portland for Rudy Fernandez.

[kam_soluusar]

We trade the pick to sacramento for carl landry.

[Guy986]

I want whoever Morey wants.

[teamjosh04]

Ekpe Udoh would make a ton of sense, but he might be off the board by the 14th pick. Same can be said about Patrick Patterson or Jan Vesely.

If they are all off the board, you have to look at Xavier Henry. He doesnt have the experience of past Morey picks, but he already has a NBA body and the shooting ability that could allow him to step into the rotational sooner, rather than later.

Beyond that, I dont see anyone else who makes much sense for them. If Morey trades down, Damion James, James Anderson, Larry Sanders, and Quincy Pondexter all could be reasonable, experienced selections.

[TMACFORMVP]

I've heard of this Udoh guy, and he seems pretty interesting. I honestly don't know much about him though. I feel, if we keep the pick, I'd want a big man capable of being a future starting C in this league to replace Yao if he were to deem unreliable next year as well.