I didn't guarantee stardom, I guaranteed foul rate increase greater at NBA level than college level when you consider a player having to actually guard faster, bigger, higher BB I Q level while in the NBA vs College. In college E M has the higher ground and mainly has to backtrack vs 6'8" centers that don't shoot 3's (from what I see of PAC12 rosters). The NBA has 285 pound monsters that can drive and or shoot 3's. No more towering over guys smaller than him or his equal in frame know as Branden Carlson (7'0", 218). When I looked at every PAC 12 roster I only saw two players listed as centers: Braden Carlson and Efe Abogidi. Everyone near center status (listed as forwards) was on the average something like 5 points per game. Big deal......NBA offers a much greater challenge and he won't be defending a zone for the most part and rookies don't get the call for a few years over vets. So yes I guarantee the foul rate will go up. I Stand by that. And another thing, a low foul rate should not be seen as a badge of courage......I want my center to fight for position down low. Not allow players to go anywhere they want and rely on being taller than those around him bailing him out. You can get away with that at the college level; but in the NBA when they pin you under the rim.......it's over. You will be fouling, often when in that position. We agree that we disagree
Had a dream that it was the night of the draft but I couldn't find where it was being aired on TV. Terrible.
https://theathletic.com/2863922/202...p-as-seasons-gear-up-but-class-has-questions/ 1. Oklahoma City Thunder Paolo Banchero | 6-10 forward | 18 years old, freshman | Duke 2. Orlando Magic Chet Holmgren | 7-1 forward/center | 19 years old, freshman | Gonzaga 3. Detroit Pistons Jalen Duren | 6-10 center | 17 years old, freshman | Memphis 4. Houston Rockets Jabari Smith Jr. | 6-10 forward | 18 years old | Auburn This is where things get very complicated. Whereas I have faith that all of the top-four players are lottery-level guys, we’re starting now to get into a class of player where there are just far more questions. Smith is a skilled, pure four right now, a skinny, floor-spacing, 6-foot-10 forward who can do a little bit of everything. He’s a good weakside rim protector on defense who also has the mobility to go out and defend wings and perimeter bigs. His ability to fluidly slide his feet has caught the eye of evaluators who have delved into high school tape. On offense, he’s comfortable going out and playing as a face-up four. He’s not an elite shot creator, but he’s comfortable getting to his spots and getting to his pull-up game. Right now, he seems a bit more confident from the midrange, but most evaluators I’ve spoken with on the NBA side believe in him as a consistent 3-point shooter within the next few years. Auburn is going to be one of the hottest destinations for NBA scouts this year, as the team has Smith, Walker Kessler and Allen Flanigan as guys NBA teams have high on their watch lists to get eyes on. Flanigan will miss the early portion of the year, so teams should get a chance to see Smith in a couple of separate roles, one where he’s a bit more centralized early and one where he plays as more of an ensemble by the midpoint of the season. 5. Cleveland Cavaliers Jaden Hardy | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | G League Ignite 23. Houston Rockets (via MIA) Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | UCLA Jaquez is another of my favorite returning college players due to the well-rounded and tough nature of his game. He’s an awesome defender, having made the All-Defense team in the Pac-12 due to his instincts away from the ball and ability to body up two through four. On top of that, he’s a terrific team player who does exactly what’s asked of him across the court, including spacing and knocking down shots in addition to creating his own shots off the bounce. He averaged 12 points and shot 39 percent from 3 last year. He profiles really well as a rotational piece in the NBA, and he’s my favorite to be Pac-12 Player of the Year. He’ll play for an extremely high-profile team at UCLA this season, one that I expect will compete for a national title behind him and Johnny Juzang.
So we add Holmgren or Banchero in 2022 then Wenbanyama in 2023 and go on to win all the championships. Seems easy enough. Make it so.
At this point it’s hard enough to tell who’s on the Rockets this season… i have a feeling that a few guys who don’t make the cut for the Rockets will eventually become very productive players in the NBA for other teams. For this season, the Rockets have to carve out their identity. They have to solidify their culture. Because if they play like in the preseason, the team might not get more than 20 wins all season long. Yet, being a punching bad this season might not seem all that bad if future is on someone’s mind. Because losing, means they get a higher lottery pick. Higher pick generates more talent. Problem is sometimes too many teams end up with all alphas and they go nowhere. This is going to be a critical season, and it’s about establishing an identity.
The Rockets all junior lineup is almost here.. Don't know much about Jabari Smith Jr, but he seems to be similar to the other "modern" PFs that have been picked at the top. Skilled floor spacers that are mobile enough to help on the perimeter and long enough to defend the rim. Assuming the starting lineup of the future involves KPJ, Green, and Sengun, a defensive big/wing seems like a necessity.. Jaime Jaquez Jr was fun to watch last season. Kinda reminds me of Thad Young. Not super dynamic players, but they do a little bit of everything, and they're stronger than they look. Really showed up vs Gonzaga.
juts remmeber okc had harden, westbrook , durant, ibaka green and reggie jackson didnt win anything you can not tank around the hard work, you better train hard and play hard ... life is hard, looking for easy shortcuts is pathetic and leads to drugs and hell of a life
Tank some more. Too many delusional dumbasses including the one above thinks all it takes is one bad season and that is all a team needs to compete for a ring. We ain't winning with Wall on the team so tank away
OKC's fault for going with a washed up Perkins over Harden. I trust Stone not to make such a blunder.
Upcoming season will be our last chance at a top pick. Will likely see more teams tanking than last year. Free agent class will also be very weak, so best way to acquire high end talent without giving up any assets is through the draft. Even missing out on Scoot or Victor can yield a top player under a controllable contract that can grow with the team. Could also help be a major piece in a trade. But if we hit on Scoot or Victor then amazing. As much as we can control we could have a 28% chance at one of them - not amazing odds. Only real way to increase those odds are Bucks/Nets suddenly enter lotto or we trade for an unprotected pick. I wouldn't call this a top 4 or bust situation, but the top prize is a nice top prize. We shouldn't shamelessly tank like OKC. We do not even need to finish last place for those odds, just bottom three. A good place to start that would be to get rid of Gordon and Wood. Give the keys to Green, Sengun, and our #3 (Banchero?). Play guys like Nix/Garuba/JC/#17 pick (if not traded) more often than you would normally. You can still develop career-lasting fundamentals, increase the young guys experience, and build a future. For all the people wanting to compete yall should hold off on watching Rockets one more year and wait until the start of 2023 for us to start back on the winning trajectory. Is that bandwagon? I don't know. Feels like it to me, but who oh well... c'est la vie
The Rockets need to explore all avenues, while the OKC trade provide a sort of deadline for the draft route. I think it will be tough to be a bottom 4 team again, especially next year where there will be some stiff competition at the end of the season to get a crack at the top picks of 2023 draft class.
Can't predict the future. There's teams every year like the Magic, Rockets, Pistons, and OKC who are bad all year and that's the expectation then there are teams like Kings, Blazers, and Pacers that emerge as tankers in the last third of the season. Seems like most of those teams will be vying for one of the gems of the draft.
I don't think there is but one team that will intentionally tank or at least SHOULD intentionally tank and that is the Pacers. Most the other tanking teams will be of the Rocket ilk where the tank is unintentional from the outset, but picks up gear the second half of the season. That would be the usual suspects to me: Rockets, OKC, Detroit, Orlando. Teams that should tank in my opinion: Indy OKC Detroit Rockets Orlando San Antonio New York Washington Portland Sacramento Utah Charlotte I know it is unlikely but the San Antonios and Portlands of the world are on the mediocre train and they would be better off embracing their suckiness and try to get the game changer next year. As far as the Rockets go, I don't think they will intentionally tank, but will probably still suck unless their draft pick this year puts up a rookie of the year type performance. If that happens the Rockets will be in contention for the play-in.
