The Houston Rockets picked up another scoring power forward and a like-the-clouds-above shooting big man in the 2011 NBA Draft. Is that enough to sink their draft grades? Let's find out!
2011 NBA Draft Grades: Rockets Collect Critiques With Marcus Morris, Donatas Motiejunas
Gained: Marcus Morris, Donatas Motiejunas, Jonny Flynn.
Gave up: Rights of Nikola Mirotic, 2013 first-round pick, Brad Miller.
Synopsis: The Rockets end up taking on about $2 million over two years by taking Flynn for Miller (who may never play again thanks to offseason microfracture surgery); Houston's 2011-12 payroll actually shrinks about $2 million, but Flynn's 2012-13 salary makes up for it. Mirotic wasn't coming over any time soon and ends up in the Chicago Bulls' pipeline; Motiejunas should make the leap more quickly.
But Morris is the prize here, and the Rockets have been convinced by the Jayhawk’s camp that Marcus is a small forward. He might not have a deep jumper, but his face-up skills are polished and no one will accuse him of not being a tough hombre. This isn’t your classic “I’m afraid of contact so I’ll be a small forward” situation. Morris can bang.
The question is whether a scoring small forward is even needed, given the presence of Kevin Martin (a brilliant scorer) at shooting guard. A defender like Chris Singleton or Kawhi Leonard might have been a better match.
A flyer on a young point guard who is leaving the worst organization in pro basketball (non-Clippers division) ain't so bad either.
Grade: B.
For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake.
Hit our 2011 NBA Draft hub for full coverage of the aftermath.
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