THETRUTHSPORTS

 

Last night during the 2012 NBA Draft I was pleasantly surprised the Houston Rockets stayed put. There had been sources saying all sorts of trade scenarios the Rockets were involved in. But when it came time for the Rockets to draft at #12, Jeremy Lamb sitting in the green room was to overwhelming to miss. The next pick was Royce White, a type of player Daryl Morey and the Rockets have fawned over for the last couple of years. Undersized power forward, has decent handles, can shoot from 15 feet, high basketball IQ. The third pick Terrance Jones played at Kentucky, and the Rockets have a contract with Kansas, and Kentucky guaranteeing them they will draft their players. It’s true, has to be.

Here are highlight mixes for Jeremy Lamb, and Royce White. Enjoy the insane difference in music selections.

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After the Houston Rockets drafted Yao Ming with the number one pick in the 2002 NBA Draft they chose Bostjan Nachbar, and then the Rockets fell into an abyss of injuries, bad trades and role players.

The Rockets had no picks in 2003, No picks in 2004, Luther Head in 2005, Rudy Gay in 2006 (traded for Shane Battier), Aaron Brooks in 2007, Nicolas Batum (traded for  Donte Greene Sam Young and Joey Dorsey) in 2008, No picks in 2009,  Patrick Patterson in 2010, and Marcus Morris, Nikola Mirotic last season.

Looking back there wasn’t one draft where you had any idea that any of the addition would blossom into a star you understood there necessity to the team. The current Houston Rockets have every known necessity a basketball team could possibly need.

Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, and Terrance Jones are just what the Rockets needed. Three young “accomplished rookies” inserted into a lineup that includes Luis Scola, maybe Kyle Lowry, Marcus Camby and you don’t wanna know, has to be a step in the right direction.

Of course the Rockets were attempting to “rent” Dwight Howard for the season, its what desperate teams do. Dwight would have been an All-Star for the Western Conference, Houston Rockets. The 2013 NBA All-Star Game just-so happens to be in Houston. Dwight would have filled the seats all season  while the Morey would have fooled some owner out of a player of equal (okay slightly less) talent to join him.

“It Doesn’t Hurt To Try” a new book by Rockets GM Daryl Morey

What Houston, and the Rockets need are exceptional players that are entertaining to watch and attract national attention. The Rockets 10 years ago sat on the mountain top as the ambassador to China and a television revenue that no one was allowed to count. This years draft doesn’t match the hype or the reward from then, but the reward may be more closely related to precious metals the Rockets earned in 94-95, AND 95-96, then the back stabbing reward of media attention. Houston will get there All-Star, just not this year.