I think you make a play for Jalen Smith. 6'10", recently turned 22 yo, has shown flashes and gives us flexibility to trade away some of our undersized PFs. Not sure what his market rate will be, but if you can swing him for 6-8m/year, I think you go for it.
For 2022-2023? Yeah..... let the younger players get minutes and see what the Rockets do or do not have. There is no set right way.... I can list of teams that are elite or won titles while letting their younger players get the minutes. Also, the Bobcats/Hornets, Timberwolves and Kings have struggled because in large part they have drafted like ****. The Rockets have plenty of players already on the roster that deserve minutes, and they are adding at least two more through the draft. At this point the Rockets don't even know what their needs will or will not be.
Jalen Smith is the rare player I would possibly make an exception for..... but I would really study the tape hard..... the Rockets need players that are winners and not another Christian Wood type guy that has talent but only cares about getting his 20/10 and then smoking weed and eating Whataburger while playing his Play Station until he passes out at 4 am.
They can play Tate or Christopher at the 3 in your plan and have them shoot 30% from 3 leaving the paint clogged... Or they sign tj warren and have him shoot 38% and space the floor for open lanes for green/porter to break the defense... It's not like you don't play young guys, just don't put then in position to fail. Look what the Texans are saying with signing Cooks. They want to give Mills a chance. You're not going to stick all rookies on the offensive line, a rookie rb who can’t pick up a blitz, and make his top target Nico Collins and whatever they find in the draft. You have to put competence around young guys and then replace them as needed... Why did the Astros trade for McCann and sign Reddick in 2017? Because it helps win now and they had guys coming to replace them eventually... you don't go from worst to first in the nba...
I don't know if Josh Christopher will shoot 30% from 3 next season, he missed most of his single college season with the COVID protocol and is 19 years old.... I would rather give him 25 minutes a night, every night and see what he can give me. I don't know if I am going to even have minutes for TJ Warren because it is possible I will take Jaden Ivey or Jabari Smith or even someone like AJ Griffin who are better prospects and will take a lot of minutes. I am not signing any veterans until I am ready to compete, and I can save the cap space for a time when I know what roles I need to fill. Further, I would rather have another top 7-8 lottery pick next year, with all my young guys getting minutes.... than overpay for TJ Warren and win 38 games and pick #17 in the draft. Right now I know I have one cornerstone (Green), a talented but unpredictable guy (Porter) and a bunch of young guys that need time to see what they are capable of.... and I want them to get the minutes.....
Can't hurt to ask about or consider various players like Ayton, Jaylen Brown, Zion, etc, but I think we'll just try and move up in the draft or try and cash in Wood/Tate/EG/other role players. POR probably wants Jerami Grant the most, but I'd try a trade package centered around one of their two picks (preferably the lowest one). With Dame looming over their franchise, I think they are the most intent on improving and having the draft picks and contracts to make it happen.
So your plan is to run out Porter, Sengun, Christopher, Garuba, Martin, Green, Tate, and 2 rookies? Just so you can add another rookie later? I'm not saying don't play them, I'm saying don't harm their development by putting people next to them that aren't ready... I'm thinking you believe they need 5 lottery picks playing for them... with the cap space and trade ammunition they have they need two; and green appears to be one and a top 3 pick this year is likely the other.....
I'm confused as to white you think a point guard or power forward would take minutes from a tj warren... wouldn't it be from wood or sengun? Porter or Green? Are you playing warren at point? Ivey is a better defender than Green but other than that doesn't add much... he's not a natural point... more like Porter than Paul.... Not opposed to him for some backcourt defense but rim protection is needed more... that's a luxury pick over need...
My plan would be to play...... Green, Porter, Sengun, Christopher, Garuba, Tate, Matthews, Nix, Fernando and the two rookies........ that is 11 players right there... and I would look for someone in the G-League to get minutes..... I would trade Wood and Gordon and would move Tate if I am given a decent offer. If I am going to take back a player or sign someone.... it is going to be someone like Jaylen Smith or Horton that have room to improve. After the 2022-2023 season I will likely have a lottery pick and a lot of cap room, and I will have a better idea of what positions I need help with. Next season is about getting playing time for the younger players.
No more guards, unless it’s Ivey. If we don’t get a top 3 pick then we can go shopping for a PF. Ayton is a bad fit next to Sengun. I would much rather have a Myles Turner or Patrick Williams, but don’t see how we could make that happen. Ayton is going to command the max and there is no way we can sign him this off-season even if we thought he was worth it. 2023 off-season is when we can really do some long term shopping.
With all due respect, you can't use the Texans as an analogy for any other sports team. The Texans are an abomination in themselves.
I'm not playing Warren at all...... I have a glut of players to get the minutes at the 1-3 already..... I will be running a lot of three guard sets with Porter getting time at the 3 as well...... and I have a good chance of adding another guy in the draft that is either a guard or a SF..... that guy needs minutes as well.... and Nix is going to be getting minutes at point next year, and I may even dabble with Green running a little point. At the 4/5 I have Garuba, Sengun, Fernando and I may even go small with some Martin there.... and I am quite possibly adding a rookie that needs 30 minutes there. If I am adding salary it is for a young player that could emerge like Jaylen Smith OR I am taking back bad contracts to add assets.
The Rockets NEED a PG. KPJ ain't it. If it's Silas running it back with KPJ at point, what do they say is the definition of insanity?
I had to do a quick CTRL + F to find the TJ Warren posts and yea...I thought we were trying to keep this realistic but I guess if we're okay with throwing names out there.....I say let's target Jokic. Wood/Gordon/Brooklyn 1st for Jokic. I can also be convinced to throw in another 1st
