Isaiah Hartenstein - Rockets second round pick (43rd overall)

Hartenstein just gave an interview to a German newspaper. Here are the main takes:

* He still doesn't know whether he'll be with the Rockets coming season, but it's highly unlikely and he has several offers from German clubs on the table.
* He met Harden and Paul in Vegas. When the Summer League squad had a day off, Harden organized a game between the Summer League team and the Rockets Starting Five.
* D'Antoni likes Hartenstein's ability to play physical at young age [not so sure about this].
* The Rockets were a little shocked but also very happy that Hartenstein was available at #43. He himself was disappointed how the Draft Night went [teams around #20 to #25 showed strong interest in him].
* He's 120% sure to play in the NBA one day.
* If not cut from the team, he will play for the German squad in the upcoming Eurobasket alongside Dennis Schröder.

 

Thanks for the update, good stuff

 

Who was in the starting five???

 

He's not providing any names other than Harden and Paul, just mentioned that Harden wanted to work out and so the game was arranged.

 

Same question I had. Was Ryan Anderson there? Or did PJ Tucker take his place?

 

What are you talking about?
Carmello will be the starter, so I assume he played?

 

Sorry this isn't the answer people want to hear but I'd bet it was Paul, Brown, Harden, Ariza, Capela.
Those are the guys we know were there.

 

PJ Tucker? Eric Gordon. I think they were there too.

 

Tucker was with group too. But I think you're right. Bobby the goat plays over anyone

 

I haven't seen anything about Tucker being there. He was in Houston signing his contract the day before the Vegas SL started so he very well could have met them in Vegas after that.

Gordon was in China at the time.

 

One thing for sure, he's not an undersized 4 like most guys before him

 

How does BJ Armstrong get new clients after the f*ck he had?

 

Hartenstein looks pretty athletic.

 

I like this!

 

Future Brad Miller

 

Peak Brad Miller put up 15/10/4. I'd be more than happy with that kind of production out of a second rounder. Especially if he passes as well as Miller did for a center.

 

That is actually an improvement for him considering the talk after the draft was that he would be stashed overseas for the year. HE must have shown enough in summer league and individual workouts to be sent to the valley just in case we need him this year.

 

I'm curious how it works - can he play for RGV without the Rockets actually signing him? I wonder if they could do some sort of two way deal with the intent of him spending the full year in the minors this year, but a NG 2nd and or 3rd year?

Edit: My other thought here... given Zhou Qi will also probably spend most of the year in RGV, the Rockets could double down on training and coaching for the two young bigs. They'd get more focused development in that model, especially given how the Rockets prefer to use their bigs.

 

He is 1/4 athletic.