***I know that there are lots of threads out there that deal with draft prospects and team building (because who wants to talk about this atrocity?). I intend this thread to be the love child of the Cade, Green, Kuminga, or Suggs thread, the 4-year rebuild cycle thread with a dash of Offseason: Free agents/Buyouts/Etc. If this consolidation doesnt deserve its own thread then I assume it will be locked up and deleted. So, with that out of the way*** We all know the Rockets roster moving forward. I assume we all agree that Wood/KPJ/Tate/Martin/Brooks are the guys the team should be looking to keep around beyond this rebuilding year. Furthermore, I assume we all agree that while the team would be better off moving Wall and Gordon that such moves are prohibitively costly at this time and so we are stuck with both until next season or, especially with Wall, the season after. While I am for bringing back Nwaba, Brown and Olynyk so that the team has actual seasoned NBA players, I am looking to maintain some flexibility. Which brings me to the draft: It is pretty clear that most everyone is looking at Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green or Evan Mobley if the Rockets are able to keep their pick. I personally vacillate between Cade, Mobley and Kuminga myself (I see more Sprewell in Green than Kobe and I think Suggs ceiling is the lowest of the 5). The question that i pose to you, rabid Rockets fans, is how you would combine what we have now with what we might acquire this summer (we are not entertaining losing that pick godamnit) and how we move forward to relevance again. TL;DR: Another draft/roster thread, go!
All top 5 "fit" on our rebuilding roster: Cade is an oversized point guard who can shoot, ideal in any era of the NBA and the no brainer #1 pick. Kuminga plays the most premium position in the NBA but is the biggest "project" out of the top 5. Guards are a no brainer fit. I'm a little higher on Suggs than Green, as the latter seems more one dimensional. Mobley is the biggest question to me. I really worry his lack of strength and height will leave him either unable to be the defensive force he was in college or constantly injured like the uber lanky big men Jaren Jackson or Isaac.
Always draft for upside. Always. A GM has 3 tools, draft, trade, and free agency. FA and trades are for fit. Drafting is for growth picks. I can't tell the long term potential of these guys, I trust NBA scouts to hopefully do that. But I hope we don't draft Mobley or Kuminga only because of position, but because they expect them to be perennial all stars at some point. Also, this assumes that we get a lotto pick anyways. Premature.
Exactly. Drafting an inferior player because he "fits" better beside those we've picked up from the scrap heap is a bad idea.
Jalen Suggs I think is the best Player in the Draft. Grant Hill / Jason Kidd Draft Both were Co Rookie of Year Grant Hill - Cade Cunningham Jason Kidd - Jalen Suggs Jalen Suggs has that Damian Lillard Form on his 3 Point Shot.
The reality is nobody on this roster should be the basis of the decision on who to pick if given the chance. This team is literally starting from scratch and are still in that stage. You need to find that 1st guy first before even talking bout fit and figuring the rest of it out
We should hope for the Miami pick if we're worried about fit. The 16 pick is likely to fit in a lot better with our current crew.
This is terrifying. I can only imagine that Patrick's face is gna be flaming-hot-cheeto-red when OKC snags our pick.
Imagine losing 20 games in a row and talking about “fit”. This team is ass. Get the best available player, and figure the rest out later. Harden wasn’t the best “fit” for the Thunder at the time when he was drafted in 09, but they made it work. Talent can adjust. Like I said before, this mindset is how you end up taking Bagley over Luka.
1a) Cade Cunningham is my pick it available. Plays point forward as he guards Small Forward. Allows a lineup of: Wall-Porter-Cunningham-Wood-Olynyk (re-sign) 1b) Jalen Green: once he turns 21; sky is the limit on this guy. 3) Kuminga: 222 pounds as heard commentator saying in highlight video. Larry Johnson was about 235 pounds while in college. Probably will never get to 250 pounds like Larry Johnson as a pro ; but will have similar offense skill sets and career.....as heavy is less needed as a 3/4 combo forward. 4) Mobley play him at Small Forward.......slide to Power Forward in "Small-Ball sets. 5) I have no need for Suggs. Rather have DaVion Mitchell.
Draft Cade at 1. Then move up for Kispert or Butler. It's imperative that KPjr play out top...starting PG all year. The Rockets cannot afford to inhibit his growth by having Wall at PG half the games. He has franchise player potential. Wall will likely miss a lot of games due to health, but I don't even want him around Porter. I'm also not keen at all of giving up draft picks to get rid of him and his atrocious contract. So sit him until he agrees to a buyout...or hold on until he becomes an expiring the next year. *Green would be my choice @2.
Nobody on the current roster precludes me from picking any of the top 5 guys this draft. I think the team will still be bad next year, and whatever roster they build should prioritize development. Maximize pt and system familiarity for the young guys. Keep spots open for vets in all 3 position groups (guard, wing, big). Important that these vets are more interested in being coaches and locker room guys than getting pt. Kinda like old Vince Carter, Udonis Haslem, etc. Not a fan of just running a bunch of rookies and g-league guys. Don't get me wrong, the team should definitely skew young and inexperienced, but there's value in having proven guys who know how to run a system and compete. The young guys need to get meaningful learning moments on the court or else they end up like the Timberwolves. But yeah this culminates in another top 3 pick in 2022 where we get Paolo Banchero or Chet Holmgren and contend in 2023.
Like I said in the other thread.. just to remind people that I did not forget I will donate $50 to the tip jar if we keep our top 4 pick by the start of the season if we trade the pick or we don't even get the pick because of the lottery then I win the bet... I am absolutely convinced we would trade the pick even before Tillman's comments but since Tillman said it's only a one-year rebuild(or something along those words) I doubt he wants to wait for another 19 year old tto grow to go with our two 20 year olds in Martin and Porter Even if it's Cade I bet we trade him.. despite Tillman's tough talk I think he is weak-minded and soft I don't think he wants to take a risk and even though Martin is 20 years old it was a low in second round pick which was a low-risk and we gave up a second round pick for Porter which is low-risk I don't think we want to waste a top-four pick on a nineteen-year-old because it could be a big bust or big reward and I just don't think Tillman and Silas and stone have the cojones to keep it this is not part of the tip jar bet but I bet We Come Away with Michael Porter Jr after trading green /cade for him I think for some weird reason possibly because Steven Silas idolizes his father but we want a starting lineup of nothing but juniors if you really want to see who we will keep in the draft this summer just go through all the prospects anybody with the last name Junior that's who we will take And I'm actually halfway kidding halfway serious unfortunately Sometimes I find myself thinking crap I'm going to lose $50 to the tipjar But you know what I'm really really confident
Lol I don't think anyone read the OP.... he wasn't asking which prospect fits the team the best. He was asking what moves you should make to fit the team around each prospect. It's actually what all of you are saying already.
