He is competing for back up minutes at wing (SG/SF) and garbage minutes at point. Luc was a back up wing, PF and even C depending on match ups. MCW could just as versatile backing up 1-3. PJ will be backing up 4 and 5 now, he took this role from Luc during end of regular season and post season.
You Know what he’ll have here more than anywhere else???????..... Space. Neither of Chicago or Charlotte had the shooters we have.... hell even our end of game players (GG,RA, Qi, even Edwards) are better shooters than most of those rosters combined..... and for a non shooting playmaker spacing is super important if not vital to being successful...... Just look what it did for James, he’s virtually unguardable now.... Not saying he’s gonna be great but I think he’s gonna fit a whole lot better than people think he is here.. Plus lots of players have become somewhat better shooters here and under MDA too.... Here’s to hoping
I’m with you saleem on MCW. The perception is that MCW is a good defender when actually he is not. I hate to rail against the guy since he is a non guaranteed contract that is minimal......but is think it could be used for someone else with a better chance of making the team. Guys like D Rose and Rondo worked on their shots last summer but came back down to earth by seasons end. Hard to teach old dogs new tricks. This is why I give Melton a better chance of surviving as he looks to have corrected his mechanics prior to the NBA. Rondo can get by on a high basketball I. Q.....but not many are accusing MCW of having a high basketball I.Q. This video I linked talks about MCW over inflated stats his rookie year in which he took 15.1 FGA’s a game. If MCW is taking 15 FGA’s a game for the Rockets this year.......well, we (Rockets) will be in trouble.
If MCW sticks to what he is asked to do, he can be useful. He can be disruptive on defense with his deflections and steals, but then he throws away the possession when he tries to go solo. This won't work in Houston. I believe he wants to show the fans that he can score. I think Ennis will do well at the rim, maybe not as much as a shooter. His defense is pretty good. DM was unlucky that Jeff Taylor opted to stick in Europe. He could have been a good defender and a decent shooter.
This has been a good discussion. Got me thinking about the role of each spot on the bench. Here is what i came up with. 1-5 starters. Put your best five out and their job is to win the game 6-8 rotation players. Their job is to hold a lead/give rest to the starters. Often have a job to change the flow of the game. Vinnie Johnson (offense) and Nate McMillan (defense) come to mind. 9-12 deep bench. Their jobs are next man up in injury situations, be good practice players, develop into better players, and having one specific skill they can contribute. A guy like Kyle Korver comes to mind (though he has become much better than this), comes in shoots from outside real well and is typically a liability at everything else. I vaguely know Larry Dirker and heard his say "if you have one pitch you are a situational reliever. Two pitches makes you a regular reliever and three pitches makes you a starter". 9-12 guys are one pitch guys, and this is where MCW resides. Hope he gets better, but until then he gets playing time if we need a different look defending their point guards or there are injuries in front of him.
Just going off some stats per 82games.com from last year. I know stats can be deceiving; but they do make up analytics by way of accumulation of data. A: % of team mins at position B: Player 48-min Production at Position (PER.....player efficiency rating) C: Opponent Counterpart 48-m8n Production at Position (PER) D: Net 48-min Production at Position (PER) Ariza...............A......................B......................C........................................D SG..................8%.............8.5 (PER).........18.4 (opponent PER)......... minus 9.9 SF..................46%...........14.4 (PER)........16.9 (opponent PER)......... minus 2.5 PF...................2%............16.8 (PER)........11.2 (opponent PER)......... plus 5.5 (small sample size from the 2%) http://www.82games.com/1718/17HOU14.HTM So we can see Ariza did better against PF’s in limited action vs playing against SG’s & SF’s last year. I will say Ariza played better in the playoffs before getting gased. MCW...............A.........................B......................C......................................D PG..................17%.............12.3 (PER).......20.3 (opponent PER)........minus 8.1 SG..................3%...............12.1 (PER).......22.6 (opponent PER)........minus 10.5 http://www.82games.com/1718/17CHA3.HTM Here we see MCW did not play SF last year......and did not hold his own vs SG’s very well and only 3% of the time at SG. So we can see MCW at SF will be a project by Morey. Me personally, I have Harden/CP3/EGo/GG and even Melton ahead of MCW at PG/SG. At SF I have Tucker/ J. Ennis and even Gerald Green ahead of MCW. Gerald Green......A........................B......................C...................................D SG.......................14%.............12.3 (PER)......12.4 (opponent PER)..............0.0 SF.........................8%..............23.7 (PER)......18.8 (opponent PER)............plus 5.0 http://www.82games.com/1718/17HOU13.HTM So yes GG has trouble defensively vs SF’s but makes up for it in most cases in other ways....as indicated by his PER at that position. 8% is a small sample size, but it is greater than MCW’s 0% last season. Opponents had a PER of 22.8 vs MCW at SG last year during that 3% time period. Let’s look at Tucker’s numbers. Tucker....................A..........................B......................C.................................D SF...........................7%...............10.0 (PER).......11.5 (opponent PER).......minus 1.5 PF..........................45%...............9.5 (PER)........18.0 (opponent PER).......minus 8.5 C............................4%................13.0 (PER).......23.7 (opponent PER)......minus 10.8 http://www.82games.com/1718/17HOU17.HTM So with Tucker we see his best PER was at Center, but he gives up the biggest opponent PER at Center as well. If we look at SF numbers, I feel the Rockets would like to play Tucker at SF. PER at SF was modest but the opponent PER was held in check at 11.5 (PER).....compare that to Ariza’s opponent PER of 16.9 at SF last year. Let’s hope Tucker doesn’t come in over weight and out of shape as he did in the beginning of last season. For the sake of argument I will throw in Melo and James Ennis. J Ennis III.................A..........................B.....................C...................................D SF.............................21%...............14.5 (PER)........12.4 (opponent PER).....plus 2.2 PF..............................4%.................6.5 (PER).........20.9 (opponent PER)...minus 14.5 http://www.82games.com/1718/17MEM14.HTM Small sample size at PF.....but relatively nice at SF. I’m not sure I would start him over Tucker, but I need to see what kind of shape Tucker is in to start the season. Good Morey value with Ennis acquisition. Melo.(17/18).................A........................B.......................C.....................................D PF................................56%................14.1 (PER)......17.4 (opponent PER)......minus 3.3 C..................................6%..................17.9 (PER)......25.9 (opponent PER)....minus 8.0 http://www.82games.com/1718/17OKC13.HTM So we can see Melo. numbers at PF are slightly better than Tucker at PF (higher individual PER while a notch below the opponent PER......again at PF). As Codman alluded to & what I believe; Melo did not like playing with Westbrook and for Billy Donavan system (or lack of a system). Note 17/18. Let’s look at Melo 16/17 while with the Knicks: Melo (16/17)...................A........................B........................C...................................D SF..................................24%.................16.4 (PER)........14.8 (opponent PER).....plus 2.1 PF..................................28%.................22.6 (PER)........18.7 (opponent PER).....plus 4.0 http://www.82games.com/1617/16NYK11.HTM So in summary, do I think Melo can give us (Rockets) those numbers from New York a year removed.....no. I do find it promising that Melo in Houston will have 3-point shooters around him, while only having talent the likes of CP3/Harden while playing for team USA. Team USA Melo was successful and shared the ball. The last 2 Team USA-Melo: 2012 & 2016: shot 79 /170 for 46.5%.....41/ 91 from 3 for 45.1%. *Side note: Melo with the Knicks in 16/17 was having a power struggle with Phil Jackson & the “Triangle-Offense.” Didn’t feel this was thread worthy so I stuck it in here. I just don’t see room for MCW at PG/SG or SF. To me Morey brings in MCW as insurance in the event that Morey swings and misses on Ariza/Luc and a guy like James Ennis. Then Morey signed Ennis.
great post. morey was infatuated with MCW for a long time. he gave him a NG deal so he can have a look at him in camp and preseason. if melton is traded maybe he makes the team, but there is a good chance he doesn't. i don't see him in the rotation at all, but i can find room on the roster if the MLE isn't used and/or melton is traded. i see the rotation like this (as of now, with melo): capela (30) - melo (30) - ryno (12) tucker (36) - ennis (24) - green (12) harden (36) - gordon (28) paul (32) i see tucker increasing him minutes to what ariza played, and splitting his time equally between the 3, 4, and 5. ryno will play the remaining minutes at the 4 and 5. this leaves ennis to play the bulk of the minutes at the 3 with green chipping in. even when paul misses games, i think harden, ego, green play all the guard minutes. the extra 12 minutes that creates in the front court will go to melo and ennis. so i really can't imagine MCW cracking the rotation at all. and this is BEFORE we potentially add bazemore, johnson, waiters, shumpert, tyler, etc...
How do we see the C spot behind Capela? Right now we are looking at Tucker, Nene and Anderson. Not sure we can count on Hartenstein. Feels like a lot of Capela and Tucker right now. It is that kind of thinking that has me wondering more about James Johnson than Bazemore as someone that can play PF minutes and allowing Tucker center time. The guard minutes 1-2-3 are pretty stocked.
exactly what i'm thinking. we need more than 1 rim protector on the team, and johnson would help keep capela, melo, and tucker's minutes from ballooning. tucker showed he can play 40+ minutes in the playoffs, but all season is another story! melo and capela both fall off a cliff when gassed so keeping them under 30mpg is best. johnson would primarily be the backup center. if capela and melo play 28mpg, johnson might see 20mpg at C, and 30 at PF. so tucker won't have to play center at all anymore. he's ok there but he's no rim protector. he can still get 10mpg at PF, but he will see the bulk of his minutes replacing ariza at SF. capela (28) - johnson (20) melo (28) - johnson (10) - tucker (10) tucker (24) - ennis (24) on the other hand if we land bazemore, tucker is our primary backup C and PF with bazemore playing all of his minutes at the 3: capela (30) - tucker (18) melo (30) - tucker (18) bazemore (28) - ennis (20) bazemore would lead to an increase in minutes for capela and melo, and would lead to tucker playing too many center minutes for someone who can't protect the rim... or it would lead to nene seeing rotation minutes again.
It really is too bad Brendan Wright didn't work out. I was really hoping he could be "Capela-lite" in limited minutes. I guess we can hope for a Tyson Chander buy out in February. But, moving forward is he even playable vs GSW? Or would he just help at the end of the regular season and early playoffs. But James Johnson as a backup small ball center in the type of offense the Rockets run would be fine.
Perhaps. But I am wondering if that ship has sailed when the Rockets decided to invest a roster spot in Hartenstein.
Fingers crossed on Hartenstein but BW could still be fall back just in case IH still not ready this season.
Current Projected Rotation: G - Paul G - Harden F - Ennis F - Anthony C - Capela G - Gordon G/F - Green F - Tucker F - Anderson C - Nene We've replaced Luc and Ariza with Melo and Ennis, and Tarik Black's minutes will likely be taken by Hartenstein, Qi, or a TBD player not yet on the roster. Even putting aside the fact that MDA is unlikely to go 10-deep in the rotation, this seems like a lot of discussion over a guy who's essentially going to be filling the Bobby Brown/Briante Webber role. The team now has a legitimate NBA player for garbage time and the 15-20 games that CP3 is likely to sit out. Something I think we badly needed last year. But nothing to get overly excited or worried about.
I like and agree with your lineups and mins. CP3...........Harden/ EGo/ Melton Harden.......EGo/CP3/GG/ Melton Tucker........Ennis/Vincent Edwards/ GG/ **** Melo..........Tucker/Ryno/ Gary Clark Capela......Nene/Hartenstein/Ryno/.....Tucker/Melo (small ball centers) I expect something in the works for another SF; but I’m starting to lose faith beyond this week. Perhaps my impatience. I believe the lineup above gives us approx 67 wins (with a plus/minus of 2 games). Ryan Anderson, Hartenstein, Melton, Gary Clark and possibly Edwards getting some playing time against lesser teams. Of the rookies I think Edwards has the least chance of making the team. I would like Melton to get plenty of G-League action. Of course the playoffs is where we run in to a dip in the road. That’s where the trading deadline comes into play. Ready our team against the Warriors, Utah, Thunder and anyone else climbing up the ladder (Spurs/Lakers/Denver). I personally think Blazers and T-Wolves falter some from last year.
i think its an order of operations. after we sign melo the trade talk will probably heat up. if we sign melton that's the turning point in trade talks. right now he's unsigned to keep options open. if he's signed that means a trade is taking shape without him (which means progress towards a trade) or we are moving on without a trade. either way, signing melton is the end of trade possibilities one way or another. since he's still unsigned i think we can remain hopeful for a trade!
Yes, and since Rodney Hood has not signed with the Cavs, I feel Rodney would like to work his way to Houston. As his best option, since the Rockets could probably use a starting SF over Ennis while freeing up Tucker to log in mins at 3 thru 5 positions. Depending on situational matchups. Only I’m not sure the Rockets can swing it and Cavs probably would block the Rockets signing of Hood to offer. Unless Ryan is moved in a separate deal in which enough money is opened up. Even with the team remaining the same as today with Melo.....I believe the Rockets can win more games than not. With the core of: CP3/Harden/Tucker/ Melo/Capela/EGo/GG/Ennis/Nene (9 players)......will allow playing time for Hartenstein/Melton/Gary Clark/V Edwards/Qi during sub-500 teams; which in turn allows CP3 to rest. Melo iso/Post Up game allows CP3 to rest more as well. So Harden won’t have to carry so much of the burden offensively. A side note is a rumor/sources saying the Rockets would like to play CP3/Eric Gordon/Harden more at the same time. This might allow the Rockets to go with a thinner SF depth chart.....or opens the door for MCW. I would still rather go with GG/Melton over MCW; but maybe his dazzles in the preseason. More power to him.
Yes, this might be possible, but it can only happen if Brandon Wright can maintain 100 percent fitness over the majority of the regular season, and entirely in the playoffs. The chances of that happening is very remote. He hasn't been fit for years.
houston's shaun livingston.... he still sucks. you can somewhat hide him against bottom feeders but any good team, hes useless
