Greg Esposito of ArizonaSports.com and I did a brief Q&A last night in order to introduce each other to our new point guard friends, Aaron Brooks and Goran Dragic. I'll spare you my thoughts on Brooks and let you soak in Mr. Esposito's responses to my questions on Goran (questions are in bold):
(Side note: Rockets.com Jason Friedman, via Twitter, notes that if you type Goran Dragic into an iPhone, there is a possibility that it could suddenly autocorrect to form the name "Groan Tragic." I think we've found an alter-ego for Mr. Dragic should he have a bad performance. Nice.)
Dragic has backed up two-time MVP Steve Nash for a while, but now he'll be placed in line behind Kyle Lowry. Do you think he is content - and will remain content - with coming off the bench? Is this even an issue?
This isn't an issue at all. You won't meet a more humble, down to earth kid than Dragic. He wouldn't cause a stir ever. As a 24 year old kid from Slovenia, he just seems happy to be in the league and to continue to grow his game whether it's as a backup or as a starter.
What is his biggest strength defensively?
His quick feet and ability to stay in front of guys is his strength defensively. He's also gutty on the defensive end and willing to mix it up and be scrappy. When you add in his 6-foot-4 frame he can guard point guards and shooting guards. The speed and length makes him suffocating to some opponents. You'll never be disappointed in that aspect of his game.
What is his biggest offensive weakness?
Confidence, plain and simple. He can explode for 26 points one night and disappear the next. If he is feeling it you can't stop him but if he struggles, it could become a prolonged slump quickly. It always seemed to me that he needs a lot of hand holding when it comes to his offensive game. When Hedo Turkoglu was moved to the bench earlier in the year and needed to become a ball handler for the second unit, Dragic became lost and passive. A move to a new team and learning from new coaches and teammates could prove to be an issue for him.
What's the one thing that people don't know about Dragic that they should?
He's a genuinely nice guy but when it comes to Sasha Vujacic he's down right nasty. They have a crazy rivalry. It has even gotten physical at times. It's something Rocket fans should keep a close eye on when the team travels to New Jersey on March 29.
-- Much thanks to Mr. Esposito for the responses. Hope you feel a little more enlightened, folks.