The Chase Down Block

Chasing Down The Latest NBA News

← Pacers Acquire George Hill From The Spurs Cavs Acquire A King To Play Small Forward, Deal Hickson →

Jonny Flynn was drafted into just about the worst situation possible back in 2009 – even Kyrie Irving will be in a better one next season. Not only did his team have a large dearth of talent but the Timberwolves had just hired a coach that insisted on installing the Triangle Offense on a team with Kevin Love as its best player. Lets forget the fact the Triangle has only been successful with two teams (one had Michael Jordan, the other had Kobe Bryant), so team success was a far fetched idea when Kurt Rambis was brought on, but individual success for any point guard that’s forced to run the Triangle is nearly impossible, especially for a young one fresh out of college where he spent the majority of his time making plays with his dribble and scoring on the move.

The Rockets recognized that and with Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio coming over next season to run things in Minnesota, the Timberwolves felt it was right to move Flynn. David Kahn mentioned how Flynn’s trade value was virtually non-existent but I think he missed on that assumption. Flynn is a good young player and I’m sure most scouts and GM’s around the league saw Flynn’s poor numbers as a bi-product of an awful situation rather than Flynn being a failure himself.

Thus, Daryl Morey stole Flynn from Minnesota by dealing Brad Miller and the 23rd overall pick in the draft (later dealt to Chicago) to get Flynn and a first round pick in Donatas Motiejunas. Flynn may be entering into a crowded situation at the point guard spot in Houston with Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic both claiming a stake in the franchise’s future at his position but the Rockets clearly saw something in Flynn and whether they traded for him to make him their third guard or to flip him in the future for more than they had to give Minnesota, this was a great deal for Houston.

Don’t sleep on Motiejunas, either. Attitude issues aside, Motiejunas is compared to Dirk and Andrea Bargnani because of his ability to shoot the ball from outside. Like Dirk and Bargnani he’s seven feet tall and he has range on his jumpshot. The Rockets do a great job of stockpiling talent and that’s what they’ve done with this pick. Luis Scola has a firm grasp on the power forward position for now but Houston’s current starting center is six-foot-six Chuck Hayes. Hayes is a good player but obviously he’s tremendously undersized.

Here’s the situation for the rest of their big men: Hasheem Thabeet (awful, still young, but awful), Yao Ming (not looking good for the gentle giant), Jordan Hill (a raw athlete with little skills outside of hustle at this point), and Patrick Patterson (a skilled big man that I think can carry a second unit). Motiejunas seems to be more talented than any of those guys right now and he’s got a bright future ahead of him if he can bulk up to play center and mature a bit.

The Chase Down Block Chris Berry Interactive Chris Berry Interactive