Cannot get rid of ALL the consistent 3P threats on team. EGo, KPJ, Wood, Mathews, etc. And Mathews only 25, younger even than Tate and Wood.
I love his game. He can definitely improve on some things, especially consistency, but I like the hustle and the energy he brings. No way there shouldn’t be a place on this team for a guy like that.
He averaged 10 points and a steal in 26 min while shooting 36% from 3. If he can push that to 38% next year he’s the quintessential 3&D role player. At 25 there’s still room for growth and we have him locked up for nothing. Gary Bird was a really good find by Stone.
I’m guessing your asking how the math works because obviously you can see his TS and EFG Garry does 2 things that make him such an efficient player 1. The vast majority of his shots are threes (84%) even with him shooting slightly below league average from 3, because of his shot distribution he has a huge efficiency advantage compared to the average player (40% 3PR). 3 > 2 as Bull would say, Gary shoots twice the rate then the average player. Being able to shoot at very high volume is a skill in itself that is representative of a combination of multiple shooting skills a player has (release, range, consistency, balance). 2. He has an above average free throw rate, he draws a lot of fouls on his 3s, and will drive hard when given the space
Keep Garrison Matthews. Remember the only ten game winning streak the Rockets had? Trade John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr, Jalen Green. Trade for Zion Williamson, Jaden Ivey. What happened to Daishen Nix?
‘Yes, but’ - too many roster ‘holds’ with reinforcements being drafted. Thus, in addition to Wall some excess baggage must be excised. Strictly #s coupled with regaining assets. Here’s a hypothetical: THT + #1, #2 - - Nwaba/GM/JT. Two future picks, a promising young guy and two extra opened roster spots. Savings for LAL while filling two of their roster spots with better than minimum guys.
There aren't that many roster spots filled. With the 2 picks, MLE, Wall, and Queen (if added), the Rockets will have 17 roster spots covered such that 2 have to go. I'd put Wall, Queen, Nwaba, not using the MLE, Gordon (for a trade up), Wood (for a trade up), and Tate (for a trade up) as likelier to be gone/not acquired than Mathews. If Mathews is gone, it will be because another team wanted him, and not because he was excess baggage.
I think he's a net positive, especially on this super young and "not expected to win a lot of games" team
He's a good role player to have, but just another role player Pros: Good 3 point shooter and really opens the floor up Plays excellent team defense and knows how to draw offensive fouls and fouls on 3 pointers Doesn't seem afraid of any shot Plays with a lot of heart Great contract Doesn't try to do too much outside of his skillset Cons: Seems a little hot headed at times (which comes with playing with heart sometimes!) Teams LOVE to target him one on one when they need a bucket. Might not have the worst 1 on 1 stats but it's clear opposing teams want Bird gaurding them Sometimes takes ill advised threes Doesn't really have any physical advantages over the next guy so who knows how much upside he really has
Is there something wrong with examining a player in a vacuum? Does Jalen Green's progress have literally anything to do with how Garrison Mathews plays or progresses? This thread isn't about Green. If you wanna play moving goalposts and act like I said Green is a great defender go for it. +/- be damned, Garrison Mathews couldn't stay in front of Clutch the Bear.
While I dig GB, I'm of the opinion that he'd barely see the court on a good team. His days should be numbered here, his salary used as filler in a deal.
I'm fine with it so long as you are every bit as hard on players like Green and Gordon who are even worse defensively than Mathews.... strangely though I don't think we'll see many arguing they should be cut though. You oddly expect more from role players than you do starters.
Right. So Mathews is a teenager? Has upside? Is a starter or a role player? Can stay in front of Clutch the Bear? Answer the questions, quit moving the goalposts and talk about Mathews.
You're making excuses now. You want Mathews off the team for poor defense but you excuse even worse defense by others.... it's a nonsensical double standard. You should expect more from starters and "future stars" than you do from bench rule players.... but somehow you expect less from them. It's weird. Mathews isn't good enough for a roster spot, but Green and Gordon can be even worse defensively and less efficient scorers and you sing their praises..... kind of weird. If you were consistent, that would lead to weird takes, but I'd more easily accept them.
I'm not making excuses. The reasons Green isn't blasted quite as badly as Mathews are obvious. Compare apples to apples or don't. Give me a break with your "what about oranges?!" bit or at least speak to the points. Or quit moving the goalposts or do you really think Mathews is a good defender? I I want Mathews off the team because they're playing him 30 minutes a night at the 3. In what way is that a role/bench/rotation player? Honestly. He's a fringe NBA player. Your response is "what about Jalen Green?" and it's a bit too left field-ish for you to be calling other people's takes weird. Answer the questions or don't, just quit acting like I said Jalen winning DPOY next year.
What are those "reasons"? Religious devotion? If you whine about the defense of one player, why do you excuse EVEN WORSE DEFENSE from another? That's not out of left field, that's VERY on topic. You nit pick a role palyer while making excuses for players who are even worse. It's weird. Is Mathews a good defender? No....never said he was, is he a better defender than Jalen Green or Eric Gordon? Absolutely. What I said is that for a role player on a very team friendly contract, what you are looking for is a guy who can draw a few charges, give you a few hustle plays, and knock down some threes. He's VERY good at that. I said that his days of starting are almost certainly over....which is something any reasonable person understands without having to be told......then there's you.
