Onuaku deserves a better thread than all of this. He's worked really hard, and his game is improving all the time. I think he is a little undersized to take on NBA Centers, but in 2 years he's going to be a quality rotation big. As I've written before, I've seen few players improve as much as he did during one season. In the preseason last year, he looked overmatched and lost. But his improvements were steady and by the end of last season, he was logging quite a few minutes and really contributing. I could see him making the team, but he's still a work in progress. Half a season with the Vipers would really help him. Looking forward to seeing his progress on Friday in Summer League play.
Chinanu will be the 3rd center to start the year. PnR (Roll-Man) 2016/17 Player....................freq................ppp...............eFG%......... Chinanu................38.5%............1.20...............66.7............ Cuts Player.....................freq................ppp...............eFG%........ Chinanu.................30.8%............1.00...............66.7........... Put-Backs Player......................freq...............ppp...............eFG%........ Chinanu...................7.7%.............2.00..............100.0......... Player.(2016/17)....DRtg...........Blk%..........ORB%..........DRB%..........TRB%........... Capela....................106.............4.1.............12.5..............24.5..............18.5.............. Nene.......................106.............2.6...............8.6..............17.0..............12.8............. Chinanu..................106.............1.6...............4.2..............16.8..............10.5.............. Mark Bryant ..........105..............0.6..............11.9.............15.5..............13.7............. (1991-92)-NBA Finals (I know different era) I compared Chinanu to Mark Bryant when the Rockets drafted Chinanu. With minutes Chinanu can be adequate for the Rockets needs. Nene will be able to take nights off vs sub .500 teams or teams lacking Center depth.
Just don't see it with this guy. I would rather our new rookie get playing time. Seems to have way more upside.
You're basing this on 29 total minutes? You're basing this on 3 games at the end of the year playing 42 total minutes, scoring 8 pts total and 7 rebounds. Or are you basing this on Vipers highlights? Using your phrase, "I've seen very few players improve as much during one season." I'll add, "I've seen very few posters say someone has improved so much on such little playing time." I dare you to tell us his actual FGA numbers to go with each of those statstical categories. Spoiler he shot the ball 7 total times in the entire year.
Looked good in minimal playing time, and his play as a Viper improved dramatically over the season. He'll be a better C than Trez and if he is the 3rd C in the rotation, he will impress later in the season.
You're basing this on 3 games at the end of the year playing 42 total minutes, scoring 8 pts total and 7 rebounds. Or are you basing this on Vipers highlights? I am saying that Onuaku took full advantage of his minutes, and by the end of the season, he looked like a completely different guy. My take is not based on highlights. I would base it on minutes and impact. Onuaku went from being a young prospect with little to no offensive game to a player that the team could run its offense through--pick and roll, high post, and on the block. He showed a feel for the game on both ends of the court where it looked like he didn't even belong out on the court. I was shocked. As a defender, it was pretty easy to see that with his body that Onuaku could be a factor on that end of the court. But he was pretty terrible with the big team, especially last preseason. However, by the end of the Vipers season, he looked serviceable as a big. And to me, he looked like he was offering a lot of what we were really needing (physicality and rotational awareness). The biggest thing Onuaku needs is game experience battling with NBA bigs. We are in a "win now" mode so who knows whether we can be willing to be patient with him for another year or two. If we can add another big that can keep us from being embarrassed on the glass when the mismatch with Anderson is too great, I'd hang on to Onuaku and let him continue to mature. But in tomorrow's summer league game, he may prove me wrong that he's more ready for prime time. I've been totally wrong about him before.
this is going to be one of those players who doesnt show his real value in the box score. i love his game and the few minutes i saw of NBA action, he played with extreme poise for an untested and unproven (basically rookie). also when he was drafted he was SO RAW. dude has already great strength is so young. people going to hate being guarded by him in about 3 years. and for all intents, his character seems great.
I thought I'd repost this clip from last March. Onuaku with 33 Minutes 24 Pts (9-11 FG 6-7 FT) 8 Reb 6 Assists 4 Steals 5 Blocks. The assists, steals, and blocks are really exciting. . . He shows a first step that he can put on the floor. And you have to see his play-of-the-night, self-alley-oop to seal the win. I have to think Harden and Paul would make him look great.
All 52 of them and 14 total points for the year and 7 total shots. OK. And as far as impact goes, he was a huge, HUGE negative when on the floor. But I don't really criticque for any of this at all, because it was just 52 minute...most of it in garbage time. I mean, I don't critique bad play on such small sample size. I'm just trying to understand why you think this all means something else. Are you talking about his Vipers minutes and Impact? Because that Nets highlight you posted was not an NBA game.
I'm clearly talking about the impact that he had on the court with the Vipers. We're talking about a 20-year old kid who came out early from Louisville. I think he accomplished quite a bit for himself playing for Rio Grande last year, and he faced stiffer competition than he would have seen in the NCAA. His time with the Rockets was exactly as you called it--garbage time and bits and pieces of the preseason. The coaches with the big team had zero confidence in him. Based on what he showed them that makes sense to me. But I do think Onuaku's game translates and based on his play in the G-League that doesn't take a leap of faith. Does he need to improve a lot to be on the court this Fall? Absolutely. Is he the big that we need on the bench? Maybe. He piques my interest as a fan and makes me want to tune in tomorrow. His development (and whether Troy Williams is on our roster or someone else's) are stories worth following as we wait for the free agency end game to play out.
I would have traded him for a ham sandwich last year at the trading deadline. But I've seen enough of him in D-league action to give him minutes as 3rd string center for the Rockets. Houston just needs someone to set screens (check), roll to rim (check), dunk the ball or have touch around the rim (check-check). He does all that. His defense will be better than Harrell last year....including rebounds. In other words we did worse with Harrell last year. For what the Rockets/Cavs/Warriors want.....they are going cheap at that position. Warriors replaced Bogut with JaVale McGee.....now with rookie Jordan Bell on the cheap. Cavs have been going with Tristan Thompson & K Love. Rockets have that with Capela & Ryno. Grant it Ryno is a cheap knock-off of K Love; but not cheap. Rockets have to skimp somewhere.....Chinanu is ready.....and on the cheap. Read an article this morning of players available that the Rockets can get on the cheap. Dedmon was one, Dunleavy, Beasley, Barbosa, Mo Speights, a few others. Spurs will drive up the asking price on Dedmon. They are not just going to let us sign Dedmon on the cheap. Chinanu is already & under contract.
I don't know what you guys are thinking after SL games but he's really awful on both ends. He can't defend even Marquese Chriss. Everyone scored on him or he stopped players with badly fauls. He's too slow for our offense, his feet not moving well, his passing skill is too low, just last night he throw 3 or 4 bad passes. I think we have to trade him before other teams realize "this guy can't play in Europe too".
Traditionally SL is the worst place to judge big men. Andrew Bynum was literally the worst player of all time in SL a couple years before he blew up. The guards do a terrible job of running the show and getting the bigs involved.
