Anthony Black is a 6'7" SG/SF. Am curious....are most people still more BPA last like last couple years or is positional drafting a more concern now. If non top 2 pick.... PG first. SF/Center 2nd PF/SG last because of Bari and Green
Fair or not, they view LaMelo as their cornerstone already. He's their untouchable. If we get a 3rd pick, they'd chat, but still hang up if Stone offers... 3rd+Green 3rd+Jabari This isn't me saying our guys will turn out worst; just that LaMelo is already not a mystery box. They wouldn't deal LaMelo unless he himself wants out. Stone wouldn't part with Green/Smith. Anyone else on our squad is likely a non conversation starter.
Yeah I'm big on Cam Whitmore. He checks off a lot of boxes for this Rockets team. Here is Cam profile before his Villanova debut....he has gotten better since Rockets would be set at: Porter Green Whitmore Jabari........Tari ("Small Ball" PF) Sengun......Jabari ("Small Ball" Center) Offense It's a read and react offense. Ball facilitators call the play. Everyone acknowledges mismatch and milks that mismatch. Coaches also calling the play from the sidelines. John Lucas needs to do a better job instructing our facilitators during free throws....who our hot hands are (in real time). Keep feeding said hot hand(s) Defense Switch everything (when Sengun sits). That drop coverage of Sengun will always be a defensive liability as the NBA becomes more mobile and better at step back 3's.
I haven’t done much analysis aside from Wemby and Scoot. In particular, I think Scoot is PERFECT for this team but interested to read who others are liking. In general though I don’t think we are deep enough yet that we should be drafting for need - aside from Green and Jabari being future starters, I wouldn’t do anything more than pencil in the rest of our guys. We are still looking for highest floor/ceiling prospects - whether that’s another guard, a wing, or a big. Ideally we get a person who is starting quality in a year or two rather than 3-4 years but that part is going to be largely driven by how high our pick is and who is left when we draft. Houston has been lucky to get a first tier talent in the last couple of drafts but has also been unfortunate to be taking what is left over picking the perfect fit. Would be great in THIS draft if they finally got the chance to pick their guy rather than choosing between the last available in the top tier.
https://theathletic.com/4022585/2022/12/21/rockets-wembanyama-draft-lottery/ Vecenie: Yeah, I like the theoretical fit of Amen Thompson with a Smith-Green core, too. Thompson is an elite creator, passer and playmaker at 6-foot-7 and would give the Rockets all sorts of defensive flexibility with their lineups. His ability to make passing reads could get Smith more open looks, and he and Green would have potential to become the most dynamic open-court duo in the NBA. This is where we also start to see some diminishing returns in the types of players one can put around a Green-Smith-Amen Thompson core. It’s hard to space the floor well with lineups involving Sengun or Eason, because all three of them are questionable shooters who don’t get guarded all that much out there. Again, this is where we get into the Rockets having a roster with players that have elite-level developmental skills, but also some real flaws in the design. Beyond the top two prospects, the player who stands out to me as a particularly good fit with the Rockets is Cam Whitmore out of Villanova. Whitmore is a 6-foot-7, athletically gifted wing who combines all sorts of power, explosiveness, body control and grace into a shot creation package. He could become a really dynamic open court player, as well as a terrific half-court partner for Smith because of the pressure he can put on the rim. I love the idea of building around wing-sized, athletically-inclined players out because these are the hardest types to find across the league. Whitmore would represent a bet on athletic upside at a scarce position, giving the Rockets’ front office even more flexibility as it builds out the rest of its team.
Porter/Green at 1/2 is like Wood/Theis at 4/5. It doesn't work and needs to be addressed either through the draft or free agency. Whitmore/Green/Jabari is awesome but still have some glaring holes at the 1 (we cannot have another year of the KPj show at PG) and the 5 (Sengun has stagnated a bit). Would the Suns entertain a trade for Ayton for say Sengun - TyTy - Gordon - Future 1st? They seem to be treading water and need their PG or the future to learn from CP3 while he still has gas in the tank. Ayton isn't happy there. Green - Whitmore - Smith - Ayton is spicy and playable.
Amen Thompson. He can play the 1 or the 3. And play make from both spots. He's a super athletic Giddy with the potential to be an elite perimeter defender and his 3 ball is improving. He plugs multiple holes on both ends of the court. Then we address shooting in free agency. We could still sign a vet PG and Amen can play the 3. Upgrade either the back up 5 spot or sign Turner. My point is that Amen gives us the most flexibility at the 3rd pick, and he has superstar potential.
Let's say we get the 5th pick. Do we trade up for Amen? Or stick with one of Whitmore/Miller at the 3 spot? Apparently Amen's biggest issue is his inconsistent shot mechanics. Was looking through r/nbadraft and some people that have watched him more closely say that his shot varies from shot to shot, not even from game to game. If Alpy can't shoot and Amen can't shoot it would really clog the paint.
His shooting is why i was initially hesitant about him. I've been watching him this year on Prime, and his shot is much better than last year. If he comp is truly a 6'7 Morant then you live with it and hope than he can become a 35% shooter eventually. It took Morant 3 years. His perimeter defense and play making upside out weigh his 3 ball in my opinion. There is a risk that he will never become above average 3 point shooter. I can live with that if he can orchestrate a more efficient offense. And his perimeter defense is not mentioned enough. I'm tired of seeing opposing guards light us up every game. I'm just desperate for a real playmaker on this team. People are begging for a true PG since rumor has it that they do not exist any more.. It's a tough call because this draft is loaded. Just my way of plugging multiple holes with one player. The shooting will be determined..
Yup. Best player available. Despite GARM posts, we're not on the cusp of a ring by just adding a PG, firing the coach, giving your favorite player 48 mpg, etc.. lol. The only thing I would really like is another competent ball-handler with good IQ and isn't just a scorer, big body, great defender, etc. and that's all they do. The other thing I'd like to stay away from, if possible, is a kid that's rail-thin and needs to grow into his body. The days of actually drafting men seems to be over and we're drafting kids now, so hopefully we can get a man-child. I'm also wary of tweeners, too. Like 6'8" 235 lb. centers who dominate at the college/high school level. That mess usually doesn't fly in the pros. Amen and Ausar scare me kind of like Shaedon Sharpe did since most of their highlights and stats are from OE and high school, but they're both ridiculously talented from the looks of it. I've loved Anthony Black's game from his time in high school in the DFW area. Something about a large ball-handling guard who can also possibly score and play multiple positions, too, is intriguing. Another name to look for is possibly GG Jackson, though I don't know if he'd interfere with Jabari/Sengun. I don't know if he could play SF or not. I don't watch enough college basketball to have much of an opinion. Most of these kids I know simply from following high school basketball a bit here and there. Cam Whitmore is another possibility, but I've only seen highlights and stats from him, but he's built like he could come in and be NBA-ready. As long as the Rockets have a top-7 to top-10 pick, we should be ok.
For me it is obviously Amen Thompson (excluding Wemby/ Scoot). I think you can play him with KPjr and Green - Amen as the primary ball handler in that setup - and perhaps in that scenario we overpay to max Myles Turner and get genuine proven rim protector (OKC has our pick in 2024!) who has a bit of outside shooting (to offset Thompson's lack of shooting) There is the pickings of a pretty nice 2nd unit in there with the remaining pieces. We need to be in the hunt for the play-in next year
I mean if they want a Harden type haul, that is essentially the remaining Brooklyn picks and a Tari Eason level player. I would consider that. An Anthony Davis type haul on the other hand, I think would be a bit much.
Agree with this that it is not possible most likely today, but this is the type of player that I would keep my eye on to see if he's happy there in a couple of years. Hopefully we are the team looking to add, and not the desperate one trying to sell. I would be more interested in looking across the league at these types of teams for a trade vs. using the a pick in 3-5 range. Someone like Haliburton is who I would have targeted before the Kings traded him. Using that as an example in that we didnt really see he was available, and wish Stone would be more proactive about finding guys that fit and getting on the phone, vs. kind of just playing the hand he is dealt.
I disagree, just needs more time. Every player learning PG at the NBA takes time. Fultz Suggs Cade Cunningham Ivey TyTy Trae Young SBA D Fox All had to learn the speed of the game as Point Guard Some take longer than others....some are instant success. Harden had trouble coexisting with: Lin Beverley CP3 and Westbrook
@MystikArkitect This article shows https://hoopshabit.com/2017/12/06/h...ul-and-james-harden-have-managed-to-co-exist/ CP3 - team +/- sans Harden and Harden - team +/- sans CP3 and then both together I've been pushing for staggering KPj/Green. Silas says analytics say no difference....but I argue it will over more minutes
What? A thread that isn't anti-somebody? Refreshing Who might be available at 3-6, I would think, would be the Rockets likely window. We kinda know who are going #1 and #2 anyway Right? Sure (thinking of last year)? A good distributor would ne nice. But are we in Best Available mode?
KOC discussing the Thompson twins. Amen looks like PG Jalen Green lol. Less microwave scorer and more distributor. Crazy athlete.
I think if we had the 3rd pick I would select Amen Thompson. He could be our secondary ball handler and work on his weakness(3 point shooting) during the year. He is an elite defender, elite athletic and elite ball handling skills. If we could draft him and sign Harden as our primary point guard and make KPJ as our 6th Man we would be fine for next year. Sengun would need to a better outside shooter or go after the Pacer’s center
