With the Rockets going through another draft that was slim pickings on legit Center prospects, this is still the primary concern of a high percentage of the Houston faithful and discussion of all things Rockets this morning. Donatas Motiejunas is seven feet and said to have bulked up to the 230 range, but he is still projected as a four. But if you're like me, you believe that there is absolutely no way that you enter yet another season with a 6'6" player as your starting Center. Yes, Chuck Hayes has an immeasurable amount of heart, but he is still half a foot too short in physical height.
So where does Daryl Morey turn now? Well, it turns out that he was close to making a deal for Golden State Center Andris Biedrins during last night's draft. And if you believe anything that the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice has to say (I know...it's quite difficult) when he isn't proclaiming his thoughts of leaving his Wife and kids to run away with Vince Young, he says that negotiations to acquire Biedrins are still ongoing.
Would Biedrins be a good fit at the five in Houston? Let's examine the possibilities after the jump.
The first thing that makes me answer yes to my own question is the fact that Andris is seven feet tall and a true center. So he already has that going for him. The next is that he has been a serviceable player in the league for seven full seasons now and just turned 25 last April. He's not going to light up the stat sheet with his scoring totals and he's an atrocious free throw shooter. But he is going to clog the lane and make players change their shot more than not. He's also good for eight to ten rebounds per game and a block.
The downside is a couple of things. First, he hasn't had the greatest durability the last three years playing in only 154 games over that stretch. This is something that Houston fans aren't ready to play with again. No more injury prone players, please. Not that it is fair to label Biedrins injury prone...yet. Then there is the fact that he is due $9 Million per season over the next three years, two of them guaranteed. The final year is a player option that I would imagine he would exercise.
If he is healthy (God, I get more and more sick every time I type that line) then I am all for getting him to play the five in Houston. $9 Million per is pretty much the going rate for a legit, serviceable center in the NBA today. I think he could be a good fit and it would signal the official end of the Yao Ming era in Houston.
I know he isn't the DeAndre Jordan or Tyson Chandler that everyone was/is hoping for this offseason, but if the price is right for him (i.e. Courtney Lee isn't involved) then I am all for it. What say you?