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Who are some "veteran leaders" you'd like to see on the team?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by OremLK, Apr 20, 2023.

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  1. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    This is something we've seen discussed a lot in rumors and interviews, the Rockets are "definitely bringing in two or three veterans", stuff like that. This could be interpreted in different ways, maybe they just mean any player who has been around longer than the young guys on our team.

    But another interpretation could be the front office is looking for some mentor types, some guys in their 30s who have been around the block more than a few times and been on many winning teams and have good reputations around the league. Guys who might be too close to the end of their careers to play heavy minutes, might miss some games with nagging injuries, but can still contribute a little on the court and especially off the court.

    Here are a few guys I've been thinking about, some we'd have to trade for, some free agents:

    Kyle Lowry -- definitely at the tail end of his career now, but I would love to have him back to retire in a Rockets uniform, and he is supposed to be a fantastic locker room presence.

    Mike Conley -- Seems to have a little more left in the tank than Lowry, doesn't have a history with our organization, but also reputed to be a great mentor.

    Note: Both Lowry and Conley are on big expiring contracts, so they could be good trade pickups to save on cap flexibility for the future.

    Harrison Barnes -- Free agent this offseason, youngest of this group, still a solid contributor who can knock down 3s. Haven't heard anything but good about him as a veteran presence.

    Brook Lopez -- Another free agent this offseason, still a good player, could really help guys like Sengun with solidifying their defensive fundamentals.

    Al Horford -- Would be a great mentor for our young frontcourt players, but Boston has him under contract and might not be interested in trading him for the same reasons we might want him.
     
    #1 OremLK, Apr 20, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2023
  2. jaychi

    jaychi Member

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    lebron
     
    #2 jaychi, Apr 20, 2023
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  3. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    I believe Al Horford is retiring.
     
    #3 AroundTheWorld, Apr 20, 2023
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  4. theDude

    theDude Contributing Member
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    Cameron Johnson
    Georges Niang
    Thomas Bryant
     
    #4 theDude, Apr 20, 2023
  5. RudyTBag

    RudyTBag Contributing Member
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    Mike Harris would be the dream off-season.
     
    #5 RudyTBag, Apr 20, 2023
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  6. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    He just signed a 2-year deal with the Celtics in December. Odds are he will just retire there, guessing they basically promised him that would be the case, but I threw him in as an example type of guy who would be great to mentor up the young crew, 'cause why not.
     
    #6 OremLK, Apr 20, 2023
  7. Mathloom

    Mathloom Shameless Optimist
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    I'll just list some players regardless of availability, to highlight the type of player I'm thinking about:

    Costly options:

    - Horford or Brooke Lopez: hell yes OP, great recommendations. AMAZING mentors for Sengun, Garuba and potentially Victor.

    - FVV only if it's opt-in and extend and we have no other FA/Trade options at a lower cost (i.e. starting salary under $25m, no near-max contract). Two way player with championship experience. Great mentor for Scoot potentially. The way FVV plays seems like it would suit Scoot more than him cause Scoot can actually pull it off (FVV takes way too many shots for his skill level, otherwise plays a perfect well rounded game with winning mentality).

    - Jaylen Brown has been to 4 ECF and one Finals under 3 talented coaches while still being in his prime. Showed up to the NBA barely playable his first season and worked his way to where he is today. Already a leader in the players' community and a confident speaker. He'd be a great role model. Everything he has improved is everything Jalen Green should improve.

    - Mike Conley of course but Wolves have found gold there, they won't let him go IMO. He's the perfect PG to decide how/when to feed KAT and Edwards.

    - Lowry: he doesn't seem to me like a guy who would spend time teaching people things or go to a non-contender but I guess if he said he'd love to do that then I would love to have him.

    Vet minimum-ish options:

    - Taj Gibson: one of the oldest vets in the NBA, has had to protect the rim without athletic/physical advantages which would be good for Garuba and Sengun to learn from. Would be good for Victor W too.

    - Garrett Temple: just one of the oldest vets in the NBA with experience on the wing and as a hybrid guard. Two-way guy, had to work hard to make it. Has a good demeanour from the few interviews I've seen.

    - Joe Ingles: love his toughness, grit, outspoken nature, always plays hard

    - Corey Joseph: only one salvageable skill he's great at setting up an offense reliably

    - Patty Mills: great NBA experience, don't know much about his personality as a mentor though

    - Mason Plumlee: I really like mentors who had to overcome athletic/talent deficiencies to make it, I feel like they can round out a star's game really well. Plumlee has had injury problems but when he's healthy any team that has him is happy. He's carved out a nice career being very coachable and consistent. Not sure he'd be available for the vet minimum but certainly less than the MLE.

    I'd like to get one person from the expensive list and 2-3 of the vet minimum guys. Before getting any of these guys I would obviously make a short, targeted push for a bunch of Tier 1 players who may be available (Jaylen Brown among them). If we can get a star in his prime, that would tell us which vets would be best to then add to the team.
     
    #7 Mathloom, Apr 20, 2023
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  8. rocketchamp

    rocketchamp Member

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    Cameron Payne
     
    #8 rocketchamp, Apr 20, 2023
  9. Stephen_A

    Stephen_A Member

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    None of these guys.
     
    #9 Stephen_A, Apr 20, 2023
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  10. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    Ime Udoka
     
    #10 AroundTheWorld, Apr 20, 2023
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  11. Corrosion

    Corrosion Member

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    This really depends upon who they draft,

    What we have to remember is that for every veteran coming in playing X minutes, there's a young guy who was getting those minutes last year that won't get them now.

    Other than point guard and KPJ, what other positions are people wanting to see a veteran displace a developing player?

    If you bring in Lowry or Conley Tyty isn't getting minutes.

    Harrison Barnes displaces Tari Eason or KJ.

    Lopez & Horford take minutes from Sengun & Garuba.
     
    #11 Corrosion, Apr 20, 2023
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  12. RasaqBoi

    RasaqBoi Member

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    Veteran PG is needed. And Center.

    Boban and Kaminsky are legit not nba players. Waive them.
     
    #12 RasaqBoi, Apr 20, 2023
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  13. mac_got_this

    mac_got_this Member

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    Nick Nurse, Atkinson, a couple of other vet coaches with pedigree.
     
    #13 mac_got_this, Apr 20, 2023
  14. txtodd

    txtodd Member

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    Rhymes with BatPev.
     
    #14 txtodd, Apr 20, 2023
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  15. R=$

    R=$ Member

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    Sir Patrick Beverley ! and Draymond "Mean" Green !
     
    #15 R=$, Apr 20, 2023
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  16. ExTexanNowEastCoast

    ExTexanNowEastCoast Member

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    Yeah, none of those guys are signing here. Nice to have dreams though.
     
    #16 ExTexanNowEastCoast, Apr 20, 2023
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  17. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Jaylen Brown, Grant Williams, Cam Johnson, Krystaps Porzingas, Mike Connely, to name a few.

    BTW - Draymond has a 26.7m player option for next season, he isn't giving that up.

    DD
     
    #17 DaDakota, Apr 20, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2023
  18. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    Draymond would stomp Green, Porter, Jabari to the ground, sorry.... or just slap their faces if their contracts outweigh his.

    At this point I am afraid the productive Draymond is gone.
     
    #18 daywalker02, Apr 20, 2023
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  19. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Green and Bev are DONE, they are washed as players, I don't want vets that are holding on because of their rep, we need guys that can still play and command respect.

    DD
     
    #19 DaDakota, Apr 20, 2023
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  20. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    Nice post with some other interesting options.

    And yeah, I really liked the idea of Brook Lopez when I started thinking about it. He is loved by other players and credited as a stable locker room presence, he's still a good player, and he brings fantastic basketball IQ and anticipation on defense, the exact style of defensive play a smart young guy like Sengun should be able to soak up and apply to his own game. Lopez also knocks down threes which is an overall team need. He's probably only looking for a 2 year deal, so he preserves our cap space down the road. If he was down to kind of finish his career being a "coach on the floor" and playing ~25 minutes behind Jabari and Sengun I think he would be a nice fit for us.
     
    #20 OremLK, Apr 20, 2023
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