I Like Ivey. Was very impressive in the conference and NCAA tournaments this year. He's too short to play anything other than PG in the NBA though. I strongly believe we need 6'7" shooting guards and forwards along with a shorter player like Jalen Green at PG. The NBA playoffs are too different than the regular season in that a good 6'7" defender is going to be able to shut down some 6'4" shooting guard. I don't think we can have both Jalen Green and Ivey as our primary scorers. That being said, Ivey looks like the real deal. He's really really quick and a great shooter. He comes from a basketball family. He's going to be an all star player I think. I think he has more of a complete game than Green, but that's based off him playing against a completely different level of competition than what I've seen Green play against. Should be an interesting draft. I'll be happy with Banchero if we pull the trigger on him.
I agree the odds are with the Rockets being bad. I don't concede that it is a guarantee. As much as the Rockets may want a high pick, if Green is carrying the team, they aren't going to bench him.
I don’t post a lot in the GARM, much more on Astros board But the Rockets, and anyone else who passes, will regret passing on Ivey The same urge to take size that caused Portland to take Bowie is in play 38 years later
My big draft hot take is that I think both Ousmane Dieng and Shaedon Sharpe will be busts, at least as top 10 (or near top 10) picks. I also think Benedict Mathurin's typical mock positions I've seen lately (around 5 or 6) is a bit of an overdraft but I don't think he'll be a bust. I don't feel strongly about many other projected first rounders being a bust, but two players I've seen connected to the Rockets I'd really like them to avoid are Malaki Branham and Jaden Hardy, I don't think either would fit for what I'd want for the team.
why wouldn't they bench kj? we are tanking anyways, and if he doesn't want to be here, we may as well give that time to christopher, #17, #26, and garuba. what's the point? he can go to the g league and work on that 3 pointer and handles, and then play him next year. he's got two more years under contract and we'll try to win in 2023. so he can play well then and be restricted, and then we can lock him up for a cheap contract and trade him later....
As long as we land one of Chet or Paolo (It's gunna be Paolo), the draft is a success. Stay away from no-handles, can't finish at the rim at 6' 10" Smith.
As I look at Chet Holmgren, I keep thinking of Ralph Sampson. Tall center with guard skills who was able to make it work at 4 when paired with a dominant post scoring center. Good enough in his third season to eliminate the Lakers in the WCF and take Boston to 6 games in the Finals. Sengun is no Olajuwon, but Stick didn't have Holmgren's D or 3. Sadly, only 3.5 years until his body gave out.
Ralph, while taller at 7'4" to Chet's 7'+, had a far better physique, in my opinion. I've posted about him several times over the years. This is a good video of the guy. Watch it and then compare how he looks to anything Chet's in.
