Rockets Pre Lockout Roster

Showtime16 · June 29, 2011

Starter Ratings:A All Star B Potential All Star C Good Starter D Need up grade should come off bench F Has potential but not ready

Bench Ratings:A Could be starter B 6th man material C Good role player D Prospect/or weak role player

F Mob up Duty NBDL

PG Kyle Lowry:Did a solid job in his first season as an undisputed starter he is a capable defender and decent offense player, but he won't get the Rockets to the next level. (C-)

SG Kevin Martin:Is the Rockets number one offensive player and he excels on that side of the floor, but his defense is becoming a liability. He is a good player but is suited to be a number 2 guy not the guy. (B)

SF Chase Budinger:Is an athletic slasher on the wing, but is more suited as a high energy guy off the bench. He is not a good defender and he is an inconstant shooter. (D-)

PF Louis Scola: Is a good player that does everything good but nothing great and there has been talk of the Rockets trading him to allow more playing time for young forwards. (C+)

C Chuck Hayes:Chuck gives a valiant effort and was second in the voting for DPOY, but he is not a true starter at Center only 6"6. Would be better suited coming off the bench. (D)

Bench

PF Pat Patterson: Had a good Rookie season and should challenge Scola for starting PF job. (B+)

F/C Donatas Motiejunas:Ton of potential in D-Mo should offer some instant Offense off the bench.(B-)

F Marcus Morris: Another forward to add to the logjam at the position not sure how he will do. (C-)

F/G Terrence Williams:Showed flashes of being a player with Nets. The Rockets need to give him a shot.(B)

PG Goran Dragic: Good offensive player over 50% from beyond the Arc, but might be worst defender in NBA ©

SG Courtney Lee: Could be a huge contributor if he plays like he did in Orlando.©

PG Johny Flynn:Makes Rockets 3 deep at PG spot. He is quick with potential but needs to be consistent.(C-)

SF Chandler Parsons: Is a project that could turn out to be a still has high IQ and does a lot of things good nothing great. (D)

PF Jordan Hill: Has potential doesn't play hard bad work habits. Rockets may look to trade Hill. (D)

C Hasheem Thabeet: Tall 7"3 young athletic player with no skill set.(D-)

F Marqus Blakely: Nothing special here keep looking. (F)

C Yao Ming: Will he ever play again? IDK! Sign him? Let him go?(A-)-(F)+(C+)

Bottom Line: Rockets didn't address biggest need in draft C. So they have to wait till after new deal gets done to sign a FA C.Chuck Hayes is the only C on the roster unless you include Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet. Lowry and K-Mart make a very capable backcourt with Courtney Lee Dragic and now Johny Flynn adding depth. The forward spots are loaded with depth. Scola is starting PF for now, but he is rumored to be trade bait so that 2nd year man Pat Patterson and Rookies Marcus Morris and Donatas DMO Motiejunas can have more minuets. Terrence Williams and Chase Budinger will fight for SF minutes with rookies Marcus Morris and Chandler Parsons. With the team they have now they have an influx at the forward spots. Motiejunas has the most upside and promise reminding some GMs of a young Dirk. D Mo can play SF PF and maybe even C making him very versatile.The Rockets still have work to do in the off season to balance out their roster.

2012 Pre Lockout Playoff Prediction OUT (Stock Neutral)

htown11 · June 29, 2011

I don't think I grasp your logic on most of these grades. Kyle Lowry at a C- after a brilliant year in which he broke out into a legit starter???

No logical way D-Mo can have a higher grade. The guy has not played a single game you don't even know what your going to get out of him, he could be a huge bust. Potential does not justify a higher grade, performance does, and D-Mo has yet to perform.

Same with Flynn.... putting him at the same level as Kyle make no sense Flynn had a decent rookie year and a horrid past season. He's the third stringer on this team the Rockets don't even want the guy.

I'm a Twill fan I really do want to see him get out on the court and make plays because we know he can, but giving him a B is overly generous imo even though his situation is unique because he got thrown in the doghouse as opposed to just sucking. I'm pro T Will I like that athleticism/play-making ability type player something the Rockets haven't really had since a healthy Tmac.

Also Chuck Hayes at a D is just criminal! Look I know this guy is not a starter and I know he's 6'6 but he defies logic on the defensive end and not trying to say much about his offensive game but give him some props on fixing that free throw and learning how to finish around the rim. I hope the Rockets bring him back along with a legit starter like DeAndre or Gasol in free agency.

The only way the Rockets will prove to fans that they are heading in the right direction is if they throw money at Gasol, other than that we will be going through the motions yet again in an endless cycle that will lead to the 8th seed or the 14th pick. You have to make a statement or you have to blow it up but the fans can't sit in the middle much longer. Morey admitted trying to rebuild while staying decent has never really worked, yet Les wants to do that..... it's the bosses call, but history shows it's not a smart one.

The ones I do agree with you on is Budinger (although I give him a C) who clearly is not starting material, Jordan Hill who has no passion for the game, and Thabeet who seems like the definition of bust.

Anyway if the Rockets don't pickup a center in free agency I have a hard time believing next season will be any different, quite possibly worst. Who knows.... the bigger obstacle is the lockout.

Dash · June 29, 2011

Yeah some of these grades don't really make any sense.

The only way the Rockets will prove to fans that they are heading in the right direction is if they throw money at Gasol, other than that we will be going through the motions yet again in an endless cycle that will lead to the 8th seed or the 14th pick. You have to make a statement or you have to blow it up but the fans can't sit in the middle much longer. Morey admitted trying to rebuild while staying decent has never really worked, yet Les wants to do that..... it's the bosses call, but history shows it's not a smart one.

As a fan who spent a majority of the past season pouting about being a mediocre team and not getting high draft pick, I have to agree. Morey has made some great picks at the 14th slot in Patrick Patterson and Marcus Morris and always manages to get a few other nice pieces later in the draft (Budinger, Motiejunas, Landy etc), but you have to wonder if the Rockets picked a rebuilding path and lost about a dozen more games, they could be the ones with Kyrie Irving instead. The 2012 draft class looks absolutely stacked, there is no reason for us to be gunning for the playoffs (Nets own our lottery protected pick) with that many good looking prospects.

The ones I do agree with you on is Budinger (although I give him a C) who clearly is not starting material, Jordan Hill who has no passion for the game, and Thabeet who seems like the definition of bust.

I love Budinger as a sixth man and do think that he could make it as an NBA starter but not in the same lineup as Kevin Martin and Luis Scola.

Morey praised Jordan Hill's work ethic last summer (leading to high expectations for Jordan from Rockets fans) and Patterson also said that he was very impressed with Hill's work ethic just a few days ago. I don't think its been a matter of a love for the game but rather a severe loss of confidence.

As for Thabeet...well apparently he's been working pretty hard on his game along with McHale. Hope Dream is able to work with him this summer too.

Showtime16 · June 29, 2011

I graded Motiejunas high because I think he will be good off the bench he is a B player off the bench he would be a D or F as a Starter so he is not graded higher then Lowry. Lowry got a C witch is a solid starter which is what he is he is not an All Star PG. Again Flynn is a backup C not a starting C read the difference man. I gave T-Will the benefit of the doubt because I feel that if given the shot he could be a great player off the bench. If Chuck who is my favorite player on the Rockets! Came off the Bench he would be a C player, but despite the ample amount of heart he has he is not a starting C. I agree the Rockets will finish with a Record similar to or worst then last season hint their stock being Neutral.

Edited June 29, 2011 by Showtime16

Showtime16 · July 5, 2011

I graded Motiejunas high because I think he will be good off the bench he is a B player off the bench he would be a D or F as a Starter so he is not graded higher then Lowry. Lowry got a C witch is a solid starter which is what he is he is not an All Star PG. Again Flynn is a backup C not a starting C read the difference man. I gave T-Will the benefit of the doubt because I feel that if given the shot he could be a great player off the bench. If Chuck who is my favorite player on the Rockets! Came off the Bench he would be a C player, but despite the ample amount of heart he has he is not a starting C. I agree the Rockets will finish with a Record similar to or worst then last season hint their stock being Neutral.