1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Chinanu Onuaku

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by snowconeman22, Dec 19, 2016.

  1. MrButtocks

    MrButtocks Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2005
    Messages:
    7,232
    Likes Received:
    5,116
    We don't even have the minutes for Harrell. Onuaku will have his chance next year.
     
    Pen15clubber likes this.
  2. CallMeTheDream

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    Messages:
    807
    Likes Received:
    478
    Onuaku needs to guy to share backup C minutes with Nene imo instead of Harrell. I know I'm beating a dead horse but we are in dire need of size down low. I personally think Harrell might've reached his ceiling and unless he develops a solid shot or learns to rebound he has no use here.
     
  3. Mathloom

    Mathloom Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    18,152
    Likes Received:
    17,959
    Why are we in DIRE need of size down low?

    It would be nice to have more size without losing anything else, but that's not an option at all. We don't need the size if it's at the net zero or negative expense of anything else. We need the size if all else remains equal, and we don't have that option.

    The other thing is, that's a great place to accept a weakness. Every team is going to have weaknesses. It's not a coincidence imo that the one MDA/Morey decided to accept is low post size. There are few people who can punish us there. The only top tier team who have a size advantage over us is San Antonio, and we've not been troubled by Aldridge/Gasol as much as we have by their guards and wings. The post shot is a low % shot too so the impact is rarely going to be noticeable. If there is someone big enough to bully Nene in the post AND can take him outside AND plays good defense - then no one in the NBA is winning that matchup.

    What we are in DIRE need of in general is defense. But the defense we need is at the Wing/Forward positions and the type of defense we need is the kind that is athletic enough to challenge the 3pt line and recover to challenge inside shots as well. Athletics forwards. You will also find that Capela/Nene would look MUCH better defensively if the PF or backup SF were capable defenders. There are no superstar defenders who can carry a team, defense is a team concept. But again the problem with that is you're not going to find someone right now who can be a good scorer like Anderson/Gordon while being a good defender. Those types of players cost tens of millions of dollars and are not available very long. So the solution is to put your best players out there. That's always the solution, because what that does is it makes the other team have to adjust. MDA has said before, you don't adjust to other teams. You make them adjust to you. And we're doing that by attacking them offensively and with mismatches on offense. Marc Gasol might be able to bully us with his size, but Capela dropped 24 on his slow ass. He also dropped 19 on Gobert, 17 on Robin Lopez. These are guys much bigger than him, and those Capela numbers are well above his average. Nene is also having a tremendous streak and he's making a habit of driving around and dunking on big guys. We are making them go smaller, which is the smarter strategy than to bring in Onuaku to try to play Gasol?? There's a reason we're 4th best team in the league. Smart decisions by the coaching staff, and this is just one example.

    The last thing we need right now is to throw a rookie in there in place of Harrell, who I agree has flaws, but has played HIS role very well - which is to just spell Nene when the schedule is tight. Onuaku is not going to take minutes from Capela or Nene. He is not going to be better than Harrell unless we give him enough minutes - which is an INSANE thing to do while the Jazz are chasing the 3rd seed. Unless Onuaku is MURDERING it in practice, demonstrating that he is the Stephen Hawking of basketball, there is no reason to take that kind of risk. We are fine inside. We would be MUCH more helped by Troy Williams showing 3&D capabilities or Harrell guarding a 4 imo.
     
  4. jeevinesh

    jeevinesh Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2013
    Messages:
    752
    Likes Received:
    349
    While I agree with most things you said, how on earth is the post shot a low percentage shot? Isn't the reason why most bigs are more valuable in real life and fantasy is a better fg%? Also, have you seen Jokic's EFG%
     
  5. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2011
    Messages:
    28,280
    Likes Received:
    43,345
    We don't even give Wiltjer scrap minutes, and he's a stretch 4. I would be real curious what it would look like if we sat Anderson out for a game and gave Wiltjer all his minutes... would we see a difference? Neither can play a lick of D, neither seem to be able to finish in the paint, both seem to have really good shot's, both 6'10 whiteys from the west coast with parted hair.

    Amirite?

    Rockets let rookies sit in d league the first year, it's just what they do, next year they will be tested in the rotation or cut / traded like the rest of em. Chances are Onuaku / Wiltjer haven't show enough in practice to warrant them cracking the rotation, if they did they would have been given chances like Harrell last year.
     
  6. anchel

    anchel Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2010
    Messages:
    3,875
    Likes Received:
    1,334
    73 FT% :eek:
     
    T FOR 3!!! and amaru like this.
  7. Mathloom

    Mathloom Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    18,152
    Likes Received:
    17,959
    Bigs aren't more valuable in real life. Fantasy is, as the name suggests, fantasy.

    I'll let the second best D'Antoni explain it:

    I think that's pretty clear.
     
  8. RudyTBag

    RudyTBag Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2006
    Messages:
    28,028
    Likes Received:
    21,123
    I gotta imagine that Mike has tried just that in practice, and something about Wiltjer just didn't work. It is scary to think that Wiltjer might be a significantly worse defender than Ryno.
     
  9. T FOR 3!!!

    T FOR 3!!! Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    2,041
    Likes Received:
    988
    Wiltjer is a TERRIBLE athlete. He's built soft, if he lifts weights, he's not doing it right. If I ever look at a professional athlete and think I'm in better shape, then there's an issue.
     
    saleem and snowconeman22 like this.
  10. CallMeTheDream

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    Messages:
    807
    Likes Received:
    478
    Maybe I didn't state my point clear enough. My reasoning for adding Onuaku would have nothing to do with offense but strictly rebounding and defense. I only brought up Harrell adding a jumper because that would keep him from being supplanted in the depth chart. Would never expect Onuaku to post up or take minutes away from Capela or Nene just replace Harrell. Hell we might not even need to replace Harrell; just on nights when Nene sits play Onuaku and Harrell to share backup 5 minutes. Playing Onuaku 10 min a night to give rebounding and rim protection would only help us. Please tell me what'd we lose because I don't see how that's at a negative expense to anything. Nene is on record of saying he plays too many minutes anyway. And trust me everything you said about Capela I agree with I love his game. As for Troy Williams where would his minutes come from?
     
  11. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 1999
    Messages:
    123,882
    Likes Received:
    32,774
    Is looking great in the D-league.

    DD
     
    T FOR 3!!! and CallMeTheDream like this.
  12. basketballholic

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2013
    Messages:
    17,516
    Likes Received:
    4,170
    We are in dire need of paint and rim defense. Without any additions we will be the worst paint defense in the playoffs. Call it size, length, bulk. Or don't call it that. Doesn't change the fact the we need help defending the paint and rim. Last time I checked we had given up more layups & dunks than anybody else in the Association. That included lottery teams. At best we can't be more than second or third in points given up at the rim and in the paint. So talk about big man or no big man. Call it whatever you want. We need help defending the area around the basket. And Capela may just be the worst center defending the paint in the whole Association. For all his dunks, he gives it all back plus a ton more on the defensive end. He's terrible defensively and his terrible defense will probably be one of the two reasons we get knocked out short a championship this season.
     
    Cash Cam and saleem like this.
  13. basketballholic

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2013
    Messages:
    17,516
    Likes Received:
    4,170
    Just checked, were dead last in opponents points in the paint right down with the sorry Lakers.
     
  14. CallMeTheDream

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    Messages:
    807
    Likes Received:
    478
    Agreed with your post until I got down to the bottom lol. Capela is dead last of people to blame for this. I can't even begin to count how many times I've seen Capela come over for help defense or to block a shot and nobody have his back for the defensive rebound. Anderson and company will stand there like bumps on a log while an opponent comes in for a put back dunk/layup.
     
    dmoneybangbang likes this.
  15. dmoneybangbang

    Joined:
    May 5, 2012
    Messages:
    20,941
    Likes Received:
    12,825
    The issue is perimeter and help defense as too often the perimeter defense gets blown by and the help defense is slow to come over (Anderson a lot) There's no objective metric that shows Capela is terrible defensively and he rebounds above the league rate for his position.

    The mistake is assuming all the dunks and layups come from interior defense.
     
    Yaosthirdleg and Mathloom like this.
  16. dmoneybangbang

    Joined:
    May 5, 2012
    Messages:
    20,941
    Likes Received:
    12,825
    This. The issue is more team defense and lack of effort.
     
  17. snowconeman22

    snowconeman22 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2008
    Messages:
    14,051
    Likes Received:
    15,997
    Clint is actually a monster this season . For a 22 year old , he's looking great . If chinanu can make a leap for next season and Clint can continue to improve I'll feel terrific about our C spot .

    PF is a bit more funky . Like others have said , our best hope is that Harrell can develop a 3 ball .

    Dekker is a tweener , but has big upside . I just think it's at the 3 and for that he's gotta get better at shooting and quicker on D . But you have to love his size at the 3 . He's been really effective against big 3's this year .

    With Clint , onuaku , Harrell , and Dekker , I feel good about our chances of being better next year due to internal improvement . That being said , those guys are gonna have to put in the work during the offseason ; both on their bodies and skills and also on their IQ and in the film room .
     
  18. chenjy9

    chenjy9 Numbers Don't Lie
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    13,534
    Likes Received:
    10,522
    So let me get this straight... you want to replace someone who has proven to be effective at the NBA level with a rookie who has only done well in the D-League?
     
  19. CallMeTheDream

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2015
    Messages:
    807
    Likes Received:
    478
    Well first, he's fallen out of the rotation almost completely. We're asking him to play 5 when he can't defend 5s and is not a good rebounder. Onuaku would only be playing on nights Nene needs rest to split backup 5 minutes. We must be one of a few teams with only 2 true centers on the roster. Don't see a big deal in adding Onuaku for depth and rest purposes. This is exactly what we did with Capela at the end of his rookie year.
     
  20. chenjy9

    chenjy9 Numbers Don't Lie
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
    Messages:
    13,534
    Likes Received:
    10,522
    Trez has fallen out of the rotation because we are getting close to the playoffs and are tightening up our rotation, not because he is doing bad. Trez can't properly defend 5's, but I will take that over the uncertainty of a rookie who no one knows if he can defend 5's. What he does bring to the table is another nice roller and a shot of energy whenever we need one. That is infinitely more than what Onuaku has shown against actual NBA competition, which is jack ****.

    Simply adding in Onuaku for depth is not a problem. Replacing Trez with Onuaku however, is a problem. One has shown us he is a capable backup player and the other one has not. Who do you think a coach will go with 10 out of 10? Hint, it's NOT the guy who plays in the D-League.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now