In before the... Where's our rookie? Wait, that's right, McHale didn't play our rookies. We want our rookies!?! JK.
Yeah, i noticed how other teams are playing their rookies. Even contending teams are playing them. Not the "New Age" Rockets, though. They're special.
You have no evidence that Jones isn't a plus defender, so I don't know why you would say that. See, we have no evidence what he is capable of in the regular season because he hasn't stepped on the court yet. However, as you said, we saw what he did in summer league and preseason, and he looked very promising. I think the lack of playing time for the rookies has more to do about finding out what Patterson and Morris are capable of than anything else. McHale is giving PPat and Morris and opportunity to succeed without the distractions of having to battle the rookies for playing time. Maybe McHale privately feels that the rookies will succeed when given a chance. Maybe McHale and Morey know that if the rookies play well and are inserted into the rotation, that PPat and Morris will then be viewed as third stringers and lose any trade value they currently possess. Maybe the Rockets are trying to establish PPat and Morris as solid starter/rotation players before the next round of trades. Yes, I think McHale's current rotation is about giving PPat and Morris a good and fair opportunity before the rookies get their shot. If McHale started giving big minutes to the rookies, I can see where PPat and Morris would be very unhappy and accuse the Rockets of not giving them a fair chance. Let's face it, the first time one of the rookies does well during a regular season game, there will be tremendous pressure on McHale to keep playing that rookie. So, while I am very anxious to see the rookies, and I think Jones in particular may be an upgrade over Patterson, I think I can see what Mchale is trying to do.
Actually, the evidence comes from McHale, Sampson, Finch, and all other Rockets coaches deciding not to play Jones but rather Morris. Also, if anyone were to blindly say, "Rookie A in the first game of the regular season would not play good defense," he'd be correct most of the time. Because rookies for the most part play awful defense to start the season. You know, because they're rookies.
Until someone actually plays in a regular season game we don't have any evidence one way or the other. I don't know how Jones will play and neither do you. The coaches don't know how someone will play until that player actually gets in the game. The fans and coaches can make a guess about how someone will play, but no one knows until the players gets minutes on the floor. Maybe you didn't read the rest of my post. But I made the argument that the lack of playing time for the rookies has to do about McHale wanting to give PPat and Morris an opportunity to succeed before adding the distraction of having to compete with a bunch of rookies for playing time. This is McHale's way of accessing players abilities in a somewhat orderly manner. I think McHale and Morey are more concerned about accessing talent at this point than actually winning games. Right now it is time for PPat and Morris to show what they can do. The rookies will get a shot before the season is over I suspect.
Have you watched Morris defend decently? Have you seen Jones not play good post defence in SL, preseason, and college? what makes you think he can make a miracle jump? Like I said, he can be a plus defender later, but he is not now, like most rookies (rare exception Parsons).
This is a workout video, not even scoring highlights. Come on, are you serious? Look for example, on the very first move he does, it is unrealistic and would never do that in a game? Spin right into the defender? Please, I am sure stone hands can't make layups Asik would look good in a workout video.
I agree with you wholeheartidly, but it matters the situation This is great for teams tanking or just really bad. And we are neither. The opportunity cost of developing the rookies I feel is just not worth the chance of playoff experience for our already young core. With that, making noise in the playoffs will help our quest to sign another max free agent or trade somebody when their value is high, to open up a deserved spot for our rookies.
You strike a good point about establishing solid starter status. I personally think it goes farther than that because you just don't bench a guy like Patterson who can become one of the best defending PF's this season. He has already played excellent defence. I have evidence about Jones defence already. In college, SL, and preseason, his post defence was just not adequate. He took the wrong angles on PnR's. He got beat middle many times. And these are not starters on NBA teams. Look up patterson's draftexpress profile video, and he is just not good in post defence for PPP, and that was against college players. It is close to impossible that he had a miracle growth in that department during just one offseason. If he went up against Aldridge and Smith? Shudder... Also, like meh said earlier, the coaching staff made that decision as well. Now do not interpret my message wrongly: I believe Jones will be a good player. I think he was the best rookie. He has the size and length to be a plus defender, but it takes time. Nearly most rookies just do not come into the league being a good defender (exception Parsons). Potential is a hard term to judge. Jones has more potential with athleticism. I agree with you that he can be better down the road, but the key word is "down the road" not right now.
I like how you're asking other people to use the Devil's Proof. You're making up assumptions that are impossible for any Rockets fan to prove. We as fans don't get to see practices nor do we see any self-scouting reports of players from Rockets management. Nor is there any chance that Morey, McHale, or any of the Rockets brass ever state publically exactly why they play player A over player B. Also, it seems you don't give a damn about players like Lin, Asik, or Harden. For example, do you think Harden would prefer to play with a rookie who still haven't mastered the playbook yet, or would he prefer someone who understand an NBA offense and can move to the right place at the right time? I've said it before and I'll say it again. Real life is not a video game. Dealing with people is more involved than "well you're older so screw you I'm playing the younger guy because we're not contending."
