Kids like Bassey and Garza are the next breed of productive New age centers. Big but agile! No bones in that fish sammich! I’d love to get one or another center like them. Sarr is interesting.
Watching the 76ers/Wizards game and this Gafford guy really changes the dynamic, especially when 76ers don't have a true center in the game. Gafford just dominates the paint and is such a force defensively. Bassey looks like Gafford, except 1-2 inches longer and may be able to hit the 3, which is insanely more valuable. If we get the 18th pick, I would not mind getting someone like Bassey. He's currently projected 20-30, but I don't think he'll last this long. He would be a lottery pick if he played somewhere like Duke or Kentucky. Others in the 18-24 range that intrigue me are Juzhang, Greg Brown, Garuba, Josh Christopher, Cameron Thomas, and Ziaire Williams (likely to drop). The best thing about this draft is there are so many projected starter level players and players with borderline all star potential, many players will drop including some unlikely ones.
This is a kid I would love at 23 or 24--Roko Prkacin; 6'9"/210/7' wingspan; won't be 19 until Nov 26th. https://nbadraftroom.com/p/roko-prkacin/ https://lastwordonsports.com/basketball/2021/05/03/roko-prkacin-2021-nba-draft-profile/ https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/roko-prkacin-scouting-report/https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/roko-prkacin-scouting-report/ I think when evaluations are finished this kid will be looked at in the 20-30 range or maybe higher. He made his pro-debut at age 16, 18 months later he's named a team captain (youngest in team history). He's a solid 2-way player and has the look of a modern PF. He needs to work on his shooting a bit, he's slow to get set, but has fairly compact/consistent form. More reps and he should be ok, I mean he's been playing well against pros for three years.
A big muscle center like Drummond will be available for small money next season IMO. So will Javale. Do you mean Daniel Gafford? I agree, I love Gafford. When he was with Bulls he never played and was available for a song before he was traded to Wizards. And even on the Wizards he was not maximized. Gafford is actually a very good comp to Bassey in size and play style. Again, I really like Bassey but love him in 2nd round more. Neither Gafford or Bassey are better than Mobley. And they are certainly not anywhere as good as Wood. I want starters with our 3 FRP. Otherwise I'm okay looking for projects at 5 spot on the cheap. Because I know they are NOT going to get a lot of reps on this Rockets team. Especially if Olynyk is re-signed.
Yes Gafford. Well we see things differently. No way Mobley, Wood, Claxton last 30 games with full time Center duties. They have to have someone do the dirty work or positioning for rebounds (wrestling). Claxton is the perfect example. The Nets could have gone with starting Claxton as DeAndre Jordan fizzled out. Why did you think they brought in fizzled out Blake Griffin? Because they know Claxton would have ended up injured prior to the playoffs. This is why I want a true Big.......do the dirty work to spare Wood the grind of the season. Marathon (if we go back to 82 games) is too much for these 215 pound guys. Now when you get to the playoffs you can reduce the true big minutes when applicable. It's not so much the points, like in post up lays, as it is the total of rebounds (second chance shots), blocks, altering shots, deflections, forcing the gravity of the defense to focus on the Big when they aren't even the number 1 option. Role players like Enes Kanter come in as bench players getting a rebound a minute. Skip Bayless made a comment last week that the 3-point average has climbed to 39% this season. Guy like Nwaba should have been a solid 3-pt DFG%.....it wasn't. It was something like 46%. My guess is that Nwaba was our designated muscle to help Wood. I noticed Wood defense in less than 6 feet was very good when Nwaba was healthy. Not so good when Nwaba went down. Teams can't leave 3-pt shooters open as much as they use to. Too many good shooters. Lakers had the number one defensive efficiency. AD can hold his own under the rim when healthy. Lakers allowed 34% 3-pt DF% for the season. Yes even the big guys get hurt. But it's not by accident that Jokic and Embiid are the MVP candidates this season. Teams have made it easier for them to dominate. I want the Rockets to be able to compete with there teams.....if not our road may always end with them. Looking at free agency: not sure any are good enough to the price the Rockets are willing to pay. Dieng and Kaminsky may be the best we do, and that may not get things done. I say trade for Aron Baynes to buy us time. His contract is expiring. Doubting Olynyk comes back. Love you like a brother D.....but again we agree that we disagree. Thank You for Your Service!! P.S. I would love to see Mobley go against Timme, Hunter Dickson, Luka Garza in scrimmages. Bassey as well. But Mobley handlers will never let that happen. Because he might drop all the way to 10th pick when teams see how those players throw him around or push him under the rim. You can't foul out but I bet he would accumulate more than 10 fouls in a 30 minutes of play vs Bassey.
I want nothing to do with Kaminsky brother. And just because 5's are heavy does not make them more immune from injury. Embiid is exhibit A. Same with light 5's. AD is exhibit B. We have just been spoiled having Harden for almost a decade, he and PJ were practically indestructible.
Yes but the bigger bigs are more geared for rebounding, blocking out, and jocking for position near the rim. Your model only works with multiple super stars.....our 5-year plan may not have one if Wood says, screw this. Austin Rivers left us saying screw this Small-Ball stuff. AD avoids playing center in the regular season. Because of the abuse. You are not doing C Wood any favors by bringing in a 218 pound player to share the duties involving the dirty work. Wood has a history of injuries every season. He will go the path much easier travelled. Next to a Jokic or Embiid or Vuc or Valanciunas.
I'm all for a better rebounder next to Wood. But that guy better be able to switch everything, otherwise he's just a backup 5.
Marc Gasol won a championship two years ago without being able to switch everything. Dwight Howard won a championship last season without being able to switch everything. That's my point, I've said from 14/15 that Small-Ball works; but you need a Bogut, JaVale MeGee, David Lee, David West types to get you to the playoffs. Bassey under a rookie contract is perfect since you can sit him in the playoffs when teams go small. Play him again vs true Bigs. Or someone like Bassey. Gafford and Bassey are similar size. 6'10" Gafford, 6'11" Bassey. Both 235 pounds. The Nets didn't have a means of upgrading the center position during a Harden trade in the season; but they will in the off season. Claxton is a player you are high on or body type you like for the Rockets, 6"11" 215 pounds. Game 1: 6 points Game 2: 0 points Game 3: 4 points Game 4: 0 points Game 5: 6 points If Claxton can switch everything, I don't want him. Boston has no "bigs".....Jabari Parker was out of the league, Robert Williams has been hurt. Tristan is like Jokiam Noah.....should be out of the league.
YES and never look back. It’s a timing issue all the young core from this year contracts come off the books at the same time as Wall’s. Hard to make a push with a 1/3 of the cap spent on Wall. Cade could bust, too. Wiggins is rotation worthy. (Overpaid but more than playable). Wall gone and at least one starter level player in return. Open cap space to sign Oubre / Olynyk PLUS (it’s house money) I would also trade the 4th pick with OKC land Scottie Barnes or Jalen Johnson and the 18th pick or get one of our picks back 18- Jared Butler or our future FRP back 23- Usman Garuda 24- Neemias Queta Lots of room to grow: Porter/Butler Gordon/Tate/Brooks Wiggins/Martin/Johnson Olynyk/Garuda Wood/Oueta
Marc Gasol was surrounded by switchable players and Ibaka played a lot of small ball 5 on that championship Raptors team. And Dwight is a poor example, he did not even start for the Lakers. If anything it supports my stance, the traditional centers are backups in modern NBA. Centers need to be uber athletic and switchable or have guard skills. No one can lock down the Embiids or Jokics, especially with big lumbering players. The best defense against those players is to utilize speed, length and athleticism then wear them out with players that space and pace. In any event, I do not have a problem adding more players with size and power. Just trying to be realistic with expectations as well as getting more bang for our buck considering Tilly is still the owner.
That's the whole point D, Bassey or the Big Center may not be starting. I could see Olynyk possibly starting again if he gives us a discount because he likes Silas. But what other way are you going to get a big? If not thru the draft? Have you seen the free agents? Ibaka is a perfect example of muscle needed. Where is that with Houston? Tate? Nwaba (free agent)? Mamadi Diakite looks every bit as good as Kia Jones to me, even better and he can even get on the court. The Warriors were winning championships while switching in space defensively to hide Steph Curry. That's how you protect Gasol......when he was more mobile two years ago. But N Nurse was playing zone mostly back then. Last night Dallas was playing zone, starting Boban M. Teams have to get creative, 39% average for 3's by NBA players will kill you. You can't leave guys and rotate like you use to. Boban had 3 guys on him as soon as he touched the ball. Players are shooting about 60% from 3 in shoot around. Teams are making the extra pass. I leave you the final word.......some day you will see what I mean. Wood had Drummond to kinda save him while in Detroit. If the Rockets wait to get an undrafted big......and that's all the Rockets have as a true big; it might be a long injury plagued season for Mr. Wood. Cousins was an attempt to avoid that. I can post a video of how the Warriors switched in space vs the Rockets in a playoff series. It's amazing to see Curry running all over the place to avoid Harden. They tried setting Curry up on Ariza everytime. Curry would have to cross court to sometimes get to Ariza because we figured out what they were doing. Put Curry on spot up shooter. We then tried posting up Ariza on Curry.... it's funny.
When he goes undrafted he should be a must. He looks like Patton 2.0 with better lateral movement. He would make the team. If one’s goal is a cheap functional big he is your choice.
@D-rock @ApacheWarrior @Nook What do you think about Josh Christopher as a potential 24th pick? The only reason why I'm not too keen about him is his lack of defensive discipline. He needs to improve his jumper too. The pros are decent upside and excellent athleticism. Scottie Lewis is a good choice as a SG with excellent defense and he is explosive, but Josh can also explode to the basket with better scoring and passing potential.
If the plan is to trade Kevin Porter. I need some role players to be spot shooters, if all of them are facilitators then we lack spacing. So Armoni Brooks is fine with me. Brooks lacks defense as does Josh Christopher and Kevin Porter. I need someone playing defense. I've seen enough of Cade Cunningham to feel comfortable with Cade vs SG's and SF's.....I don't care for Porters attention to defense. But Cade is not a sure thing (odds are 14% chance the Rockets get the #1). So this is why I prefer Jared Butler. Blend of both offense and defense. Catch and shoot guy that can facilitate and play enough defense on point guards as he is 6'3". Chris Duarte is a good defender at 6'6" that will probably do well defending PG's, SG's and SF's. I see more as a spot shooter on offense, slasher, cutter, drives to basket. Not as pass happy as Butler. Scottie Lewis, athletic, should be a good defender. I expect his offense to be similar to Duarte eventually. So, I lean towards those who can play some defense if the Rockets go PG or SG. Personally I don't want an offense only guard. Suggs can give me defense and prepare to be heir apparent to Wall. I believe Jalen Green will be a good defender eventually. Wall is probably not going anywhere, defense was adequate. Augustin at 5'11", I want to replace; too much of a liability on D. Khyri Thomas is a good blend of O and D. Fine as 3rd stringer. K Porter, excellent facilitator, I want more defense from him. A Brooks, spot shooter, lacks defense. I prefer not to just go best player available.....I go Ying-Yang balance. If we have only offensive players, I look to see if I can find some defenders that can get on the floor in the Silas offense as slashers, cutters, rebounder, shot blocker, 3P% catch-n-shoot (best player available in this category). I'm a strong believer that the 76ers rebuild was too slow because they went best player available but without rhyme or reason. Ended up with duplicate players doing duplicate roles. Losing chemistry in the "Process."
I believe it's possible to get a combination of the BPA with risk/ reward and stable defense, rebounding along with shooting and perhaps some passing with intelligent drafting and a bit of luck even if the Rockets end up with the 18th, 23rd and the 24th picks. It's possible we might be able to move up or trade one of these picks for a FRP in the 2022 draft. I'm assuming that they won't be able to do that. For example, select Jared Butler at 18, Greg Brown or Ziarie Williams at 23, and Charles Bassey at 24. Buy a second round pick and select Scottie Lewis there. Sign up Olivier Sarr or Jerico Sims to a 2 way contract if either of them go undrafted. We have a lot of injuries and players that aren't needed. Move Sterling Brown if he isn't a UFA, move House if he is fit. I like Nwaba , I'm assuming he won't be back either, ditto for KO. I doubt if TF will pay big bucks for him. DJ Wilson and Bradley plus Exum are likely to be gone, even if House stays with the team.
I agree. Sterling Brown (UFA....but Rockets hoping to do "S-n-T" can only be traded alone) Avery Bradley (team opt) Exum (UFA....but Rockets hoping to do "Sign-n-Trade" can only be traded alone). Augustin under contract D House under contract Nwaba (UFA....but Rockets hoping to do "Sign-n-Trade" can only be traded alone) If I have a wall to paint, I don't just keep painting the same spot. Got to spread that paint around or there will be an unfinished wall paint job with holes. Rockets need to fill some holes over collecting 50 guards with only one ball to share. Free agency might not be an option, except G-leaguers or foreign reaches like Tate. *Not sure why a team would S-n-T for such little contracts unless to go over the cap.....but didn't we S-n-T Austin Rivers to Knicks. I guess because they had cap holds limiting their spending. They finished the off season far under the cap.
