Well at least KPJ'S fans finally realize Houston isn't going to pay him. Not a Fertitta fan but he got this one right
Where are you two going to be if he doesn't post that 20/7.8a/5r per .... what if his numbers are very similar to this past season 15.5p/6a/4r/3T. What are you offering him in that scenario?
Again, we don't need super athletes at the PG position. Just take care of the ball, play defense, and hit the open shot to keep the defense honest. Tyty's 3p% in college is respectable. Hope it will translate to the NBA level. We had a video on him in the summer league where he kept talking on defense. That's a good sign that (1) he keeps his focus and awareness on defense and (2) he has the potential be a vocal leader on the floor.
You are saying things you possibily can't know. You have no idea if Houston was the only team that wanted him and it makes no sense because guys have done things much worse and have had several teams give them a chance. The reason he came to Houston was because of the relationship Bickerstaff had with Lucas. Rockets are not spending all cap room on him and JPJ is not that volatile, he is not even a top 10 most volatile player.
Fantastic post ... thanks for contributing. Hoping for a fun season that all Rocket fans can enjoy (even if it doesnt result in many wins). Cheers!
If he regresses or loses his mind and continues to be a problem then you move him during the season. I wouldnt even offer him a contract if he plays out the season with those stats and allow him to walk. Fanboys be damned right!
. Shout out to our best insider @Codman !! Hope you take some time out to add some more to this discussion! What are the rumblings behind the scenes with KPJ???
Yes, I feel the Rockets will need to move up in the draft. You know me, I would rather go: Porter Green Draft Cam Whitmore or Dillion Mitchell Jabari Sengun (Tari as Small Ball Center) Myles Turner as my Big Fish FA signings at age 27. No other FA's appeal to me. Most are above age 30 and will demand $40M + with new TV money deal coming up the pike. I will follow Porters career moving on from the Rockets. Will wish him well. When I think of the situation I hear birds. Cheap, cheap, cheap .....cheap...cheap, cheap
Holy hell I've just recently started watching some film on Cam Whitmore and WOW is all I can say. I really like Nick Smith and Amen next year besides the obvious with Wemby and Scoot, but Whitmore is a stud.
U say that , yet somehow u have the gall to say the Lakers would trade their potential lottery first round pick ( either 2027/2029) for kpj. U are saying things that don't make sense either. Kpj ain't worth lottery first round pick.
Does this mean we are giving up on Wombo Combo (don't know how to spell his actual name and too lazy to Google it) or do you feel that we won't get a pick high enough or do you think Cam / Dillion are better players?
Well two years in a row the Rockets were the worst record and didn't get the #1 pick. We (Rockets will be in the lottery and may luckily get the #1 pick by chance..... But it may be with 2% chance instead of 14% of landing at number 1. I'm a believer the draft lottery is rigged and the Commish/league blessed us with Jalen Green (didn't allow us Cade).... screwing over OKC in the process as they didn't get our pick if it was outside of top 4. League blessed OKC in turn with the number 2 pick this season......Chet. I have a feeling the league didn't think so highly of Jalen Green (as he was disrespected so often by media) and they now think Jabari is lame. Jabari will show he is a perfect fit. ______________ So do I think the league/Commish will allow us to have MJ (Jalen Green), Jabari and then the mind flayer (Wembanyama).....Hell No!!!! They are still pissed that Josh Christopher and Sengun are as good as they are. --------------------- It's just so much easier to insert an athletic wing around 6'7" with little to no skills necessary (3&D version) than train up Scoot Henderson or move Josh Christopher to the 1. I'm all about the wings around 6'6" to 6'9" giving you switch everything defense. But I accept Jabari being around 6'11" because he can guard 1-5. I've posted the G-league stats of Porter, JC, and Scoot Henderson: here they are again: S Henderson:... 14 pts...4.9 rebs..3.7 Ast...1.6 stl...0.1 Blks..17.4 (3P%)...24.1 (Ast%) J Christopher: 22 pts...6.3 rebs..5.7 Ast...1.7 stl...10. Blks...30.0 (3P%)....27.0 (Ast%) K Porter jr:.......24 pts...6.4 rebs..7.3 Ast..1.6 stl...0.5 Blks...32.0 (3P%)....32.3 (Ast%) So yeah everyone looks good vs the JV.....then we bring them up to the varsity.... and it's "What Happened?". Why do people think Scoot will be a better passer than KPj? KPj had a better Ast%. Is it because Porter had one year with the Cavs under his belt? That one year he played SF next to 6'1 Garland and 6'1" Sexton. Google do Cavs players like Sexton:. You will get link after link about articles of his teammates blasting Sexton for not passing the ball. No, Porter didn't see the ball much as a point guard with Cavs. That's why I have said from day one that the Cavs didn't utilize Porter properly. So this was the first full year of Porter playing PG and considering we had 3 to 4 defenders in the paint the entire season....I think he did good for a ROOKIE point guard. He had a higher Ast% than Harden the first year he played PG for us.....and we all say Harden has great court vision. Just clear the lane a little more with better consistent 3-point shooter at Wing. Draw some defenders away from the paint. Stats will improve!
KPJ was traded for a 2024 Golden State second rounder, which was top-55 protected. That is literally nothing. Any team could have offered an actual second rounder and beaten the offer, or even sent over cash considerations. I think that's pretty clear evidence that every other team decided they didn't have the necessary structure in place to make it work. If you let him go to RFA, and you're forced to match a deal, at least you know one other team was willing to make an offer on him, and he has some kind of a trade market. A $15-20M, 3-4 year deal is not a max, but is still an albatross on your cap sheet. Look at guys like Duncan Robinson, who at least has proven he's a high level role player on a finals team, and is still mostly untradeable. Here's the deal, I like KPJ, and I want him to work out here. I really and truly believe that there is nowhere else in the league where he fits better. We literally just saw this with Daniel Theis, where he came here and completely failed to carve out a role on the worst team in the league, but can go right back to Boston and be their starter in the first round of the playoffs. I just think it's a huge assumption to think that there are a bunch of teams who are going to be lining up to trade for KPJ if the fit doesn't work out, and would love to hear specifically which ones are going to be using their cap to make an offer sheet next summer. The jury is still out on whether he is able to play PG. We have no idea how he plays as a sixth man, if and when his starting spot and nickname are usurped by Henderson next year. We don't even know how he deals when the slightest iota of pressure is put on him to actually be expected to win a game. I don't see 10 active players in the league right now who have a worse rep for volatility than KPJ (earned or not). Teams will take risks on volatile guys when its cheap and doesn't cost any assets. Not signing or trading guys on deals that pay them like cornerstone starters.
I think we are likely to see a statistical regression and less efficiency because of what isn't around him. While Wood was a terrible defender, he was a very solid offensive player (unless you ask him to set a pick) and I can't see EG getting 29mpg either ....and don't forget how well he played off the ball with Schroder who's also gone. Jabari is gonna be a very good player at some point, but I can't expect him to come in as a rookie and put up better numbers than Wood .... Its highly likely that there is some statistical regression team wide, especially early simply because this team is so young - 8 players in their first or second season.
There is a cost in having KPJ in the current position. Rockets have paid in 'investment'. It's probably the most valuable thing any team can give to any young NBA player. It has costed the Rockets; in 'playing time'. Premium starter minutes. Outside of maybe money; it's the most rewarding thing a player can get. Even vet players cherish that. Playing time over Wall, and playing time over the other guards in waiting. I don't disagree that the Org tried it. But once the info came in; have to start making decisions. As a bottom team, the 'standard' and expectations is something to hold onto. The thing about Theis. Dubbed a pro's pro by Rockets org; I really don't have issue with the guy. But when he back to BOS, he was basically unplayable, when Rob W. had injuries they played him out of necessity. BOS took them back because of nostalgia, not realize that he fallen off. Not to be mean, but the fans/media dub 'ten minute' Theis, where he at most can give 10 minutes. The narrative that Daniel Theis can help a playoff contender is gone. BOS let him go, Theis got shipped to Indy. On paper, I get why Stone like KPJ or signed Theis. Certain qualities are checked for the archetypes. As a move, Theis was a miss for Stone. Stone did make a recovery, he dumped Theis to another team before they realize it. But in hindsight, that doesn't mean the signing was good. Wood / Theis gone, last year's two big men starters didn't work out. We are in a rebuild, but this past gap year for front court personnel was a stumble. For the record I'm much more optimistic on Jabari and Sengun. Theis was milk that started to spoil but we got rid of him in time. Wood already spoiled, Rockets held him too long. Don't over value certain players just because they're on your team. KPJ is looked favorably because he's young. Lot of young guys don't pan out. His value might be the highest right now. You might be able to sell 'hope' to other needy teams.