Rockets plan to pick up options on Jones and Motiejunas

Hope Bima does another cap breakdown before the season starts. Love those.

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...options-on-terrence-jones-donatas-motiejunas/

 

Sometimes I wonder what McHales teaches as a coach...

 

No brainer, but didn't DMo ask to be traded last season?

 

I just checked. McHale was probably talking about defensive rebound percentage (DRB%), which we were 20th.

We ranked #8 ORB%; #4 total RB; #8 total RB allowed. We out-rebounded opponents 3.67 rebounds per game. So other than DRB%, we actually weren't that bad at rebounding.

 

Sort of

Basically, D-Mo wants to play. If he's playing good minutes with the Rockets this year, I think he's perfectly happy. Few players actually WANT to get traded.

As for picking up his option, its a no-brainer. If he has a quality year, you sure as hell don't him picking up and leaving the Rockets next year for a bigger deal when you could have had him back on his rookie deal another season. They were the ones who put in all the time to DEVELOP D-Mo, they need to be the ones who reap the benefit of their efforts by collecting hopefully 2 full seasons of quality contributions from him on his rookie deal.

If he has a bad year with a picked up option, well that's a chance you just have to take. More than likely teams are still going to be intrigued and will consider him a positive asset with his extra year picked up. He's got enough high upside talent to not be viewed at as a bad contract next year making 2.28 mil... which is a steal for a quality rotation 4/5.

 

Rebounding is about effort. McHale's challenging them. I like it.

 

Is it really an open competition?

I would have thought Jones had the spot locked down.

 

As much as Dwight rebounds the ball, he can do a much better job at blocking his man out. As center, it's not about stealing 3 defensive rebounds to the SF / SG and finish with 14, it is mainly about keeping your man out of the rebounding area, then get those rebounds and the extra rebounds he can get. If Dwight had the proper rebounding technique, he could be around the 17 rebounds per game.

Problem is our starting PF it has the same issues. So you bet our rebounding issues persist if they don't improve that. Or maybe you end watching Adrien as the starting PF.

 

Always fun watching a 2nd tier and a 3rd tier players battle it out for a spot.

 

Dmo is a better defender and more offensively skilled but that boy needs to learn to keep out of Foul trouble.

 

He's got it, McHale probably wants more from TJ.

 

That's laughable! Reason he picks up so many fouls is because he's constantly out of position.

 

Exactly. It's strange that McHale would say that. Maybe after that Portland series last year combined with DMo's improved perimeter defense...

 

He is much improved from his rookie year in terms of defensive positioning. I think his fouls are more of the ticky tack variety. There's a fine line between being physical and fouling and he's more of the latter. Yao used to be in foul trouble too and it wasn't because he was always out of position. Quite the opposite, actually.

 

Is that so, have you watched many Rocket games?

 

Very clear message to Jones.

 

About every one

 

Should be interesting...hope Adrien gets a good look as well. Not much of a shooter but defends and rebounds...gritty!