# With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head



## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

Any thoughts on Luther Head? I thought for sure they were going to draft simeon. oh well this guy head will really help us next year. Defensively and passing help with turnovers. This guy is mature he is ready pro and no need to worry about where his "head" is at.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

*Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*

The Rockets hoped to break their streak of terrible draft picks by selecting Illinois guard Luther Head. We wanted athleticism, and well, we got it. He was the most athletic PG @ the draft combine. However I don't know why we add another "combo" guard instead of a defined SG, PG, or PF. Luther Head did 14 reps of the 185 benchpress, and has an impressive 38.5" vertical. I hope he gets some playing time, I want to see what he can do. I'm praying he is a STEAL not a BUST. 

I also think this means the end of either Mike James or David Wesley with the Rockets. Probably Mike James & others sent out for a PF.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

lol we made the same thread at hte same time...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

Threads merged (mod power!!)

I'm at work rite now so can't really comment much.... but from the sounds of it we got the guy we wanted all along, and he'll be a solid player in this league. I said I would be happy if our pick would just make our rotation, and I think Head can do just that.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

I think he'll fit in well as a role player, but like Sherwin was suggesting, this means that one of the Guards will be moved. If not, then Head will be stashed away on the bench, because I doubt he'd out play Mike James. 


It's going to be interesting to see what the Rockets do with Sura/James/Wesley/Barry/Head. Maybe Barry isn't coming back?


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

i think it will be interesting to see who they keep.
sura would be a good choice to trade depending on his health. i heard hes getting/got back surgery and should be more like his was earlier in the season for next. if he is still hurting he seems like a good choice to be traded.
james works a better bench player being able to spark on offense but shouldnt be running one full time. With a healthy sura as a starter and head (if hes not a bust) as a back up, he could be part of a trade for a pf the rockets want.
wesley being traded will leave a whole for starting sg that needs to be filled or a whole at sf if tmac moves back to guard. james could feasibly move to a 2 guard but would hurt our perimeter defense to lose wesley without finding another wing defender.
barry should be cheap to keep since he doesnt want to play any where else. if we dont sign him he is retiring so unlike the rest of the players we cant trade him for anyone else we might want.

i dont really know a lot about head, but hopefully he will work out.


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## theRockisOurs (May 27, 2005)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

Well, I think the Rockets made a solid decision here. It came down to the best player available between Head and Simien. Simien is good, but I'm thinking free agency will land us a better choice at pf. (what are those expiring contracts good for anyways?) Head gives us much needed energy and perimeter defense that our backcourt lacked. And yes, one of the guards will leave. On 610, CD mentioned MAJOR offseason moves...so prepare for some changes. All in all, Head is a good pick. 


****prays Head will not be a bust****


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

D Lindsey commenting that Luther Head drafting will make more sense once the franchise enacts its plan of action for the offseason.

I doubt Sura is tradeable, with his age and injuries. Wesley is also pretty old to trade for any quality players. Sura is tough and a good PG for us. Let's not forget how poorly we did in the season without him. I'd keep him unless another team really wanted him in exchange for a good PF.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

When will we start making offseason moves? I can't wait (even though i love all our players, I want to see what our future holds, and I like the excitement of trades)


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*



sherwin said:


> When will we start making offseason moves? I can't wait (even though i love all our players, I want to see what our future holds, and I like the excitement of trades)




I think July 1st is when the free agent "recruiting" can begin, and sometime in Mid July the actual free agent signings will begin.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*

I think Head is a great pick, because he's proven he can play off the ball and with T-Mac that's important. He can make shots and I think Houston should be ecstatic with him.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*



HKF said:


> I think Head is a great pick, because he's proven he can play off the ball and with T-Mac that's important. He can make shots and I think Houston should be ecstatic with him.


I'm ecstatic about the fact that fans can be shouting "Give me some Head!" next season :laugh:


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*



sherwin said:


> I also think this means the end of either Mike James or David Wesley with the Rockets. Probably Mike James & others sent out for a PF.


As of now, Head is a tweener. Just like James and Wesley, who are both udnersized SG's. He has a very similar game to James, with the potential to be much better (great work ethic). I don't think the Rockets can afford to lose James right now, a finisher, shooter and defender. Wesley and Sura seem far more vulnerable right now, as they lack the athleticism, finishing and consistent shooting the Rockets are looking for. 

Trading Wesley: We lose our best perimeter defender not named McGrady, but he is undersized and an expiring contract who would not likely be resigned.

Trading Sura: We lose much needed size in the backcourt, rebounding and a fierce competitor. However, his shooting can be frustrating at times and his defense is very poor. 

Who knows how much PT Van Gundy will give a rookie, no matter how fast Head develops. For that reason I think we will hold onto James and trade Wesley, a borderline 2 guard. He could be packaged with other expiring contracts, like Moochie and Weatherspoon.

FA needs: 
Solid defender at the 2-3 spot who is in the 6'5-6'8 range (Raja Bell, Greg Buckner)
A PF that can rebound/defend and possibly backup Yao

Unfortunately we seem set at the 1, even though we STILL don't have a true PG.


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## LX (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*

Head a great pickup for the Rockets. 

He is a good 3 point shooter and a good passer. Sure he's a tweener but the guy has a ton of heart and is going to be a very high energy player and he moves very well without the ball. Y'all pretty much already summed it up for me really lol.


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

> I'm ecstatic about the fact that fans can be shouting "Give me some Head!" next season


That is pretty funny.I really think that will catch on in some form or fashion. I was thinking how this is going to affect spanoulis coming over this year. It should be interesting to see head and spanoulis battling each other for a rotation spot. I just hope that there will be no lockout that would just totally suck.

Player reps need to start using thier "heads" and dont make a bone "headed" move like the NHL did.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

hitokiri315 said:


> I just hope that there will be no lockout that would just totally suck.


There won't, a new CBA has already been agreed upon.


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## farhan007 (Jun 6, 2003)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*



Mr. Roger's Cardigan said:


> Unfortunately we seem set at the 1, even though we STILL don't have a true PG.


with the personel the rockets have, there is no need for a true one. We just need backcourt players who are capable of dribbling down the court and giving it to the superstars. Mcgrady is actually our main "pg".


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*



KokoTheMonkey said:


> I think he'll fit in well as a role player, but like Sherwin was suggesting, this means that one of the Guards will be moved. If not, then Head will be stashed away on the bench, because I doubt he'd out play Mike James.


I think next year will be a trial year for Head, like MRC mentioned he's probably in our long term plans, perhaps as a replacement for the aging Wesley. Not too worried about him getting enough minutes next year - if he plays well enough he'll earn his time over the likes of Sura and James. James is a great 6th man, I love him on the team, but he's not our answer at starting PG, and neither is the often-injured Sura. I hope Head can prove he can run the point and eventually take that spot.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

I said it on the other post today. D Wes is out.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

...All those draft sites are saying Head's a good defender.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

If you wanted athleticism you got it. He was playing some PG in the Pre-Draft camp and impressed quite a bit of teams. He didnt play much with the ball in his hands last year as Deron Williams and Dee Brown had the ball. He is a good passer. He's good defensively. He's got some pretty good hops too. He's got some heart and loves to compete. He wasnt that good in college until his senior year to be honest. He had a burglary incident at Illinois but that's well in the past and we gave him another chance. He shined his senior year.. He can definently play off the play and that would help T-Mac. He can make shots. You should be happy with him because he's gonna be a solid player and probably one of the steal's of the draft. 

I used to "Watch Illinois basketball for Head" :rofl:


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## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*



farhan007 said:


> with the personel the rockets have, there is no need for a true one. We just need backcourt players who are capable of dribbling down the court and giving it to the superstars. Mcgrady is actually our main "pg".


 no...

this team needs a pg in the worst way.....i dont know about head's pg skills...but the last thing this team needs is another converted PG...

the sooner this team gets a real PG the sooner Yao Mania will stop saying "next year, Yao's going to be great"


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*

Yeah, I'm still waiting for Bob Sura to successfully complete a pass to Yao in the post. Didn't happen last season, maybe 2006 brings fortune.


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## Pasha The Great (Apr 9, 2005)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*

Does anyone have a clip of Luther Head playing for Illinois?


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

*Re: Rockets draft Luther Head... your thoughts?*



Pasha The Great said:


> Does anyone have a clip of Luther Head playing for Illinois?


Not really.. But heres the Illini thread I had if you wanna look through it somewhat about Luther.


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

According to http://nbadraft.net/2005draftgrades001.asp#hou the rockets recieved a B- on their draft choice. I agree with what they say. Back in school i was stoked when i got a B- so the rockets should be too.



> Houston added a very good scorer at 24. Head proved to be a clutch shooter all season, and left a lasting impression with his play in the win over Arizona in the tournament. He solidified a spot in the first round with his play and attitude in Chicago and appears to have matured since the robbery incident a couple years ago. Salim Stoudamire maybe had too many question marks for their liking, but is an even more talented scorer than the player they got. With Head's intensity level, look for him to develop into a top notch scorer off the bench. Can he be the Rockets point guard of the future? Maybe, but unlikely.


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## 05OffSeason (Jun 1, 2005)

Two words for our pick: HEAD Rules!!!


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## Gambino (Feb 11, 2004)

*Re: With the 24th pick the houston rockets select........ Luther Head???*



Yao Mania said:


> I'm ecstatic about the fact that fans can be shouting "Give me some Head!" next season :laugh:


Found this pretty funny by a Houston fan on another board.

"Houston gets head from Illinois:Fans find pick tough to swallow"


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## Starks (Feb 22, 2004)

The Rockets are very excited about this pick and from the artciles I've read in The Chronicle Head seems happy to be here and ready to learn. Dawson said they have not ruled out trying to sign last year's pick, Spanoulis, and hope he plays in their summer camp.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3247109



> But when he was asked Wednesday about bringing all that athleticism that had the Rockets' brass raving, about mixing in his 39-inch vertical leap and raw speed with the NBA's oldest team, Head sounded ready to compete.
> 
> "I hope that will help me out," Head said. "I know they want to play, just like I want to play. So we'll all get to practice, and we're all going to see."
> 
> ...


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## ThaShark316 (May 7, 2004)

Every day I like this pick more and more. Luther Arenas...err um, Head will be a great player for us. I believe he'll be starting full-time either late into the season, or at the start of the 2006/07 season. :banana: 

His Defense,shooting (he was throwing up the 3 pointer hand gesture in college!!!), and his ball handling skills are nice and will be a good player for us for years to come.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Here's a little video here on Luther

http://s48.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0V6MJ2G6C3WSY2ETG74A431FTZ


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

Head is a thug. I don't think he will be a problem on the court or anything, but with his past he isn't the kind of guy we want representing Houston. I'm pretty disappointed with this pick.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

HeinzGuderian said:


> Head is a thug. I don't think he will be a problem on the court or anything, but with his past he isn't the kind of guy we want representing Houston. I'm pretty disappointed with this pick.


Oh c'mon how can you judge a guy from his past, that's just not fair... I'm sure over 50% of NBA players have had a shaky past. His attitude has definitely improved, and he's still young so he has a lot of time to grow.


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

I dont think of head being a thug. It takes alot of heart to finish college. He did most thugs dont even make it through high school. And the past is the past people can attone for the things they have done. The rockets made a solid pick in their draft.


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## GNG (Aug 17, 2002)

HeinzGuderian said:


> Head is a thug.


That's absolutely ridiculous, North Carolina fan.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

HeinzGuderian said:


> Head is a thug. I don't think he will be a problem on the court or anything, but with his past he isn't the kind of guy we want representing Houston. I'm pretty disappointed with this pick.


His last two years at Illinois, he turned his career around. Calling him a thug is just foolish. He's a much different person at 22, then at 20. Also, for what he got in trouble with at U of I, was having attitude problems. He fixed those problems and was a great teammate and player.

People throw around the word thug to loosely. It's obvious some of you don't know what real thugs look like.


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

> His last two years at Illinois, he turned his career around. Calling him a thug is just foolish. He's a much different person at 22, then at 20. Also, for what he got in trouble with at U of I, was having attitude problems. He fixed those problems and was a great teammate and player.
> 
> People throw around the word thug to loosely. It's obvious some of you don't know what real thugs look like.


Couldn't have said it any better. Well put. I know what thugs look like and head don't fit the description and neither does any other player in the league for that matter. If you want to call them a name call them a degenerate. They might appreciate it more.


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