Destiny Usman Garuba Alari 21 yo, 6'8", 220 lbs 23rd draft pick in 2021 NBA draft 2nd season in the NBA Contract https://www.spotrac.com/nba/houston...aruba signed a 4,dead cap value of $2,471,160. Stats https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/garubus01.html Summary The rebuilding Rockets took a mid-draft flyer on a developmental project. After a disappointing "red-shirt" rookie season, Usman Garuba has shown out positively. However, despite an obvious progression he's still not receiving regular playing time behind other draft picks and free agents. The Good 50% from 3??? Goodness gracious. We can also talk about his defensive ability being as-advertised but the development of a competent 3 point shot is the real kicker here. If he can sustain a bit more volume and still hold a high-30% average from 3 I mean... why the hell is he not playing more? The Bad The baby-deer frantic decision making with the ball. Sure, you want to get the ball in the hands of your playmakers but that does not preclude you as a player who will occasionally need to make something happen. I think he's also due, as most young players are, some time in the weight room. While not being an explosive athlete, he could definitely use more strength to box out and soak up the boards. With this rebuild I've come to realize how much I genuinely despise comping draft picks to HOF/legends but if Draymond Green is his goal he's going to need to turn his body into a brick shithouse like Draymond Green did. Just Derp's Opinion I'd find it really hard to believe anyone is disappointed with his development considering the investment and progress. But you know, people. Garuba in particular caught a boatload of flack last year that was undeserved. This year with irregular minutes and an undefined role he's shown us a 3 point shot, some absolute dimes and the lightning quick defensive instincts that have impacted more than a few games. Maybe he doesn't ever reach a DG/DPOY level and that's ok, if he's a quality floor spacer who can keep the defensive intensity up while the starters sit that is absolutely a win of a pick and someone who should be kept on the roster. OK I SEE YOU UZI! Other Player Assessment thread by Derp: https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/player-assessment-kevin-porter-jr.319106/ https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/player-assessment-alperen-sengun.319017/ https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/player-assessment-kenyon-martin-jr.318936/
One thing Garuba has reaffirmed for me this year is that a 3 point shot is not all you need to be able to play forward as a big man. I don't think Garuba will ever be a playmaker like Draymond. But, Draymond Green was always a stretch. What makes Draymond Green special is his elite defense on every position but also that he does enough on offense to stay on the court. I think he should look more towards PJ Tucker for inspiration. PJ has a reliable 3 point shot but he also is a good defender on the perimeter. So, he can play at forward despite not really being a threat off the dribble or at the rim. I'd like to see Garuba get more reps guarding wings and increase his volume on 3s. Then he can play as more of a 4 where he can be very disruptive on defense. Right now at the 5, depending on the opposing center, he could be giving up too much size to maximize his potential. Unfortunately, I don't see his playing time increasing drastically next year unless we trade some of the other young frontcourt players ahead of him in the depth chart.
If we have a point guard who can utilize his strengths, he is playable. he is one of the best if not the best defender on the team. Man is nimble on his feet, gives good hustle/effort just isn't given consistent mins. His passing game is underrated, and his 3 pt percentage is high (remains to b seen needs a bigger sample)
Garuba is a little more flat footed than I would like. He's like a poor man's Jarace Walker or Scottie Barnes. He could develop into something and wouldn't mind him doing that here. Just wish he had a floater or something in the mid range (like Tate's knack for fabricating random ass shots from. 4-5 feet). But he's got good motor and has done well considering the circumstances. All in all...he's about what we thought he'd be.
The only thing I don't like about the PJ Tucker comp is that it took him a long time to develop overseas before he was the PJ Tucker we know. I'd like Garuba to show us the complete package by the end of his current contract (which would make him 23 years old). Frankly I don't really care if he develops much else besides the competent 3. If he's a threat standing in the corner, sets a solid pick and can keep the ball moving he's effective enough to not be a liability on offense that teams don't have to respect. Combine that with the absolute tornadic defense and that's a winner for me. @MystikArkitect he is a little flat footed, not quite the rim-protector you want at the 5 fulltime but as a backup 4/small ball 5 that can guard everyone but the Embiid's and Jokic's of the NBA that's someone I can envision contributing to a high level team. Ideally Jabari becomes the 2-way dominator starting at the 4 spot, I'd be quite alright with a developed Garuba backing him up, soaking up some spot minutes at 5 in the right matchup.
I think he may be the one most likely player the Rockets have curbed minutes with this season. With the intention of not wanting to include him with trade packages. More likely to trade KPJ,Tate,Martin,Sengun than him. Maybe…
I’m an Uzi fan, but his lack of athleticism and ability to finish in the paint has him looking like an 11/12 man on a good team. Capable to eat up minutes due to injury or foul trouble but not a regular rotation guy.
It depends on what happens in the draft. I am not saying it would necessarily be the best move to make. They may make that choice if they draft Jarace Walker or Vicotor Wembyamananaaa though. Using the Clippers pick and Sengun & KPJ or Martin will get you something I am sure.
Hard disagree with the 11/12th man comment. That's basically what he was treated as this season and imo he's performed above expectation. His defense is worthy and if the 3 point shooting is real he's easily a rotation level player. He can check damn near anybody. Shoot 35% from 3 on 2-3 attempts, throw in a handful of boards and an assist or two out of hustle? That's well beyond a bench level player, that's damn near a starter.
Garuba's like a 9th or 10th player on the roster for me. Not end of the bench, but just outside of an 8-man rotation. The problem I see with him is that he's a player that can be inserted to play in certain matchups more than others. He seems suited for small-ball lineups, but beyond that, it's hard to get him consistent minutes. On the other side, he's not physically strong, aggressive, or just plain good enough (yet) that other teams have to adjust their strategy to match up against him. He hasn't shown that he exploits any weaknesses of opposing teams. But like other young Rockets players right now, he's a work-in-progress. So, who knows how far he can improve. And thanks to Derp McFlopsky for these assessments. They've been enjoyable.
I like Garuba, but his biggest challenge is that we know by now he’s not a 5, since he’s too small to give you any rim protection. He projects as a defensive specialist energy 4, who can also guard 3’s. That’s just a much tougher role to succeed in than if he could play 5 and be an advantage defender. The difference between him and Draymond (other than the ball skills and wildly different level of player), is that Draymond is a really good rim protector. That raises the floor of any defense in a way that more than makes up for what you lose on offense from him. It’s much harder to be a defensive specialist as a 4. There aren’t many PJ Tuckers, and PJ Tucker wasn’t PJ Tucker until he had 10 years of experience. His best chance to make it with us is to not just make threes at a high rate but to *take* them at a higher rate. He needs to convince the league that he should be guarded on offense, which takes time and results. Otherwise he’ll never be good enough on defense to make up for his offensive impact, without being a rim protector.
Garuba seems to be a good example of the coaching staff not necessarily showing the ability to raise current offensive skill sets, Jabari's recent surge notwithstanding. Like almost all other projects on the team, I'd like to see him under another staff to see if a higher ceiling is attainable.
Once one of the Garuba stans argued he was going to be " small Bismack Biyombo" That's just not a player role that exists in the NBA - undersized defense only 5 is not a thing. Ironically the only player he compliments is Boban (and Zach Edey, the Boilermaker Brontosaurus)
