Chriss or Qi? Who gets the backup C minutes to start the season?

Starter

Clint Capela --------- 6'10" with 7'5" wingspan

Bench Options

Zhou Qi ---------------- 7'2" with 7'8" wingspan
Isaiah Hartenstein - 7'0" with 7'2" wingspan
Marquese Chriss --6'10" with 7'2" wingspan
Bruno Cabolco ------ 6'9" with 7'7" wingspan

Rockets got big this off-season!

The options should really be between those 4.

 

Caboclo and Qi own - massive wing spans.

 

I see Qi playing minutes at 4 too. Chriss at 5 just makes too much sense in current Rockets system.

 

I just hope both players are successful enough to warrant TJones vs DMo part 2: electric boogaloo.

 

Hartenstein

 

Talk is cheap. Let’s make a tip chart bet.

 

Nene will probably still get backup C minutes to start the season, and the team will evaluate who's more ready to contribute backup 5 minutes as the season progresses. We'll probably see more small ball lineups anyway to spread the floor. Can you imagine Harden at 4 and Melo at 5?

 

Both have their issues and lack consistent contributions on both ends of the court. Potential is comparable for both guys but doubtful for either player to get minutes every game.

I still think D'Antoni is going to try to run with Capela and Nene and use the other 2 players sparingly. If we blow out teams early the other two might get minutes.

None of our trades for high potential lotto picks have really worked out, so I expect something close to the same results in this scenario too.

Qi's still a season or two from maybe getting more physically and mentally adjusted to the NBA's style ( if he really ever gets there) and Chriss (from reports) seems to lack the internal drive to continue to improve his game and skill set.

 

Weighs more than 240 lbs:
Isaiah Hartenstein - 7'0" with 7'2" wingspan
Clint Capela --------- 6'10" with 7'5" wingspan
Marquese Chriss --6'10" with 7'2" wingspan

Weighs less than 210 lbs:
Zhou Qi ---------------- 7'2" with 7'8" wingspan
Bruno Cabolco ------ 6'9" with 7'7" wingspan

 

You left Nene off (240+) the list but that pretty much sums it up. Someone who doesn't have the frame (weight/height ratio) for a C role will get abused in the paint. Qi is learning quickly but he is still a year or more from being close to a rotation PF. By the same token, having the frame doesn't guarantee you to be good but it does give the physics from getting pushed around down low.

 

Capela's standing Reach is 9'3”. Chriss' is 8-6. He has too much neck, he has more a SF than a center size, too undersized in my opinion.

He's athletic and jumps high but he's no near to Capela in rim protection, awareness, rebounding, low post defense.

 

Bruno is supposedly taller than 6'9, greater wingspan than 7'7 and heavier now.

https://uproxx.com/dimemag/bruno-caboclo-houston-rockets-toronto-raptors/3/

 

This is a disaster

 

I voted Chriss for a couple reasons. One being that I think Qi will be mainly a 4.

 

Chriss is the better player and the only one that has proven himself outta the 2

 

One day hopefully we will see a thicker, more muscular Zhou Qi, who will really be a defensive threat at that rim. The cherry on top would be watching that big man hit some outside shots, which Clint can't do. That will be fun to watch, especially after seeing him so young and skinny coming to our team.

 

Basically what we thought Dmo would become with a more efficient outside shot.

 

Chriss ALL DAY. rockets about to turn this kid into a star watch.