Does anyone else feel like KJ could make a meaningful contribution this season if given enough court time, or is the consensus that he doesn't have the right skill set to be a good fit with this team? I think he has major upside.
He can't shoot. That was his only major problem, and judging by the preseason it still is. The second he can reliably hit 3's (at least over 32%) he becomes a very valuable player, all of the other tools are already there for him to become a spectacular wing player.
al he needs is an average 3pt shot and he'll be one of the best 3d players in the league. he has the defense, the slashing, he can finish at the rim. but he cant shoot for sht.
Green can actually shoot. Also, while KJ may have the tools to be a very good defensive player, he certainly isn't one right now. Flashy blocks and fastbreak slams are not enough
Exactly. I get that people love to see him do well because he has an eye-appealing style of play due to his athleticism ala Green, Wafer etc. However, I don't get the hype that he's the second coming of whoever. It is clear he's not ready to contribute right away.
He can block and he can dunk. He can't do anything else. I feel like giving him the contract kinda forces MChale/Morey to keep trying inserting him hoping he'd show something, but the way preseason is going it doesn't look like he's anywhere near regular rotation.
And I personally owe McHale an apology. Like many others, I thought it was BS that K.J. didn't get minutes last year. Now we see why.
KJ just has not progressed. His athleticism, although tremendous, just isn't enough to justify playing him in the rotation. He either hasn't worked on his obvious weakness or perhaps worse has worked on in it and can't improve. Disappointment.
KJ's shot Isn't looking terrible, he's obviously put in work from last season. Although, he is no where near someone like Greens level of shooting. He has absolutely freak athleticism, is a fantastic shot blocker, finisher at the rim and rebounder for his position. He also has great handles, which also gives him the ability to create for him self and possibly others if he focuses on doing so. He still looks lost of defense and offense often (when he's not being ball dominant in garbage time) though. If he gets it together, learns how to play in the system on both ends of the floor, develops a shot, he has potential to be a very good player. With that said, he's much more likely to end up like TWill then to develop into a very good player.
There are some very strange opinions on KJ in this thread. He has done nothing to make me think he will not be absolutely terrific when called upon. His defense is stout, he is a shot blocking threat and runs the floor like a gazelle. I can't help but think some of you are looking at his 1 for 5 field goal shooting from last night and judging him without actually watching the game. It's pretty obvious from the rotations when people are healthy that KJ is not going to be apart of the regular rotation. He hasn't gotten much time with the starters and has logged most of his minutes with mostly non-rotation players. Lawson Beverly Harden Thornton Ariza Brewer That group of players will dominate the time at the wing positions. KJ will get spot duty mostly in a clean-up role at the end of games or when there is foul trouble of injury issues. None of that is a reflection on KJ but instead it is a reflection of how deep the bench the team is. KJ is just 22 and is still developing but make no mistake, he is a young stud that you can insert into the rotation along with the starters and he will perform his job well. His job being of course to supply great defense (which he does) and run the floor like Brewer does. None of us knows what he will eventually turn out to be with the Rockets or as an NBA player but his needle is absolutely pointing up. And as long as he has the type of athleticism and plays the type of defense he does, there will continue to be a spot in the NBA and on the Rockets for him. if not for Brewer and Thornton i think he would already be an effective rotation player. As some other posters have noted, if he ever gets his 3pt shot down he will be a serious weapon on both ends of the floor.
The thing that concerns me about kj other than his shooting is that he seems to get tunnel vision on offense. Maybe it's because he's been told to just attack relentlessly....maybe it's because of who he's playing with. I don't know, but there's been times where he could have gotten a teammate an open shot and he's neglected to do so.
Fair enough, but I honestly find yours as strange as saying he is like T-will. He is already miles ahead of T-will, but at the same time, is not the greatest defender some make him out to be. I just don't see him doing very well if he would be called upon at the moment. The potential is there, he's just not ready yet, from what I've seen. Partly due to the players he's on the court with, but as the poster above me stated, the tunnel vision and him looking for his own shot as opposed to setting up a teammate is all on him. Trying to block every shot is also not very good defense. He's had some nice moments with getting into the passing lines, stealing the ball and playing position defense though. I'm positive he will be able to contribute at some point, but would not be surprised if that doesn't happen until one to one and a half season from now.
Really, that is what you focus on. I'm saying that I find your position that he's great just as strange as other posters on here who say he's like Twill (all athleticism, no work ethic, will never be an NBA player).
