Sengun: B+ (franchise player, could have been A if given proper opportunity) Green: C- (held back by KPJ) KPJ: C- (individually, but must be removed from the team) Gordon: C (time to go) Jabari: C (needs a better point guard and coach, and time, shooting and defense have been less good than advertised, but is very young still) KMJ: B+ (best cutter and dunker, decent 3-point shooter) Garuba: B (improved greatly over his rookie season) Tari: B (awesome hustle, needs to improve finishing, passing, needs to overcome tunnel vision sometimes) Boban: A (fan favorite) Nix: F (sucks, needs to go) Tate: Incomplete Mathews: C (does what he does) JC: Incomplete Fernando: C (very limited player, could be throw-in in a KPJ trade)
How? My half buzzed vision is rolling the dice on Wemby or Scoot (obviously), but at worst you’re going to add another solid player. Then we’re going to sign a vet maybe Miles Turner he seems to be a name floated around - or who knows maybe a guy like Middleton OR fantasy time they go for a splash guy like Kyrie? Add a couple of real professionals. I’d wager that most of the roster could even be available in trade if it’s spicy enough for another high level player. Hard to say what the trade market will be until after the season and this years batch of disgruntled stars asks out! Point being you go into next season with a better balance of experience on the team and hope that the young’uns can catch up. That team should be in the running for play in (you would think) and hopefully in 2 seasons time a couple of these guys we doubted will get to flourish grow as players without the expectations of being a franchise saver and having legitimate mentors on the team and they end up proving us wrong! This GM stuff is easy!
Tate was someone the Rockets were playing on targeting when Morey was still GM. Morey is tight with Weaver. Wood was supposed to be with Harden and Westbrook. Another player that Morey had planned on getting before he left. All Stone did was complete the plan. Also he got **** in trade for Wood so the deal ended up being a negative. Oladipo was a bust. He didn’t get enough for Allen… held onto Gordon way too long, over paid for Theis too. As far as what those other teams have done better? I won’t go to deep but the Wagner deal jumps off the page in a rebuild.
How many triple doubles did Enes Kanter have in his career?? LOL Also if you watch the Kings and think Sabonis isn't their best player, that Fox is, then probably you are one of those people who think Green or kpj is better than Sengun.
I wanted to trade Tate but I see his worth on this team as a backup point guard than a power forward or small forward. I like TyTy but we need Tate to help with ball movement to Jalen and Jabari. Sengun is a great player, he is our point guard as well.
I saw Marbury's comparison on reddit as Dlo, Kemba, not as good as a shooter as Brunson but similarly thick build. IIRC Marbury was one of the best slashers of his era though. KPJ is one of those Can do it all players but cannot be trusted to run a team.
This isn't a surprise to me. He doesn't contribute to winning games. Some of that is that he is miscast and some of it is that he doesn't have a great feel for the team game.
Here’s another mid-season evaluation: Team with much less talent than Houston at the beginning of their rebuild, pretty sure the Rockets are towards the bottom on attendance. https://hoopshype.com/rumor/spurs-s...cket-sales-against-warriors-at-the-alamodome/
Stone has been with the franchise for a long time. Im sure he saw Morey in action and is hoping to be able to create his own legacy. If Morey did the legwork on Tate thats cool, but it is still a Stone signing. Point on Wood even though it didnt work out was being able to move around assets to be able to pick him up. ORL found Wagner, but Stone also made the move for Sengun at 16. Apart from some guys wanting more serviceable pieces in the Harden trade and retaining Allen or any of those other players I wonder for what exactly? To remain in the purgatory of a mediocre team in the NBA with no real way(s) to improve the roster? This guy dug himself into this multi year tank and today it looks bad, but that may not always be the case.
I'm doing these like movie reviews. Green: 7.9 /10, Mindless action packed fun. The plot can get erratic but way too soon to judge. I expect a 9/10 for next season. Sengun: 8.5/10 , One of the two best foreign entries from 2022. In a league where skilled Centers were dying, Alpi is the next in line to keep centers sexy and thriving. Jabari: 5/10, a clunker at the box office. But if you look carefully, He has the potential of being the Scarface of the generation, an all time classic. It's just going to take 3 seasons or so to fully unlock. Nix: 3/10, straight to VHS. KPJ: 7.5 /10, Is it a Christmas film? Or does it just take place around Christmas? Gordon: 6/10, Some birds aren't meant to be caged. The fun has dwindled down after the 7th sequel. Free Heem. The Bench: 7.7 /10. Garuba/Tate/KM/Eason Silas: 4/10, his patience will always be appreciated but not being able or not wanting to adjust styles will be the downfall.
I acknowledge the tank strategy. I embrace the strategy of losing to win. But u can’t just flip the switch and expect to go from being the worst team in the league to a winning team. You need to see player growth and development while tanking. You need to have a culture that holds folks accountable. You need to have good coaching that is teaching good habits. Those things aren’t really happening. Yes continue the tank, but why not make some trades to consolidate around our best prospects and give Mahmoud a chance to coach these kids hard the 2nd half of the season?
I expect a similar arc for Green as last year. Underwhelming 1st half of the season, with a huge improvement in the 2nd half after the ASG. People claiming that Green being a top 10 player is unrealistic, just dont understand how player development works. I urge people to take a stwp back and juat enjoy the process a bit, and allow things to play out. Last year at this time people were ready to write green off as a complete bust. Its so short sighted.
Because then you aren’t really “tanking”. The Rockets clearly made the bet/decision that the 2021, 2022, and 2023 draft picks will either directly net a franchise player or can be packaged for one. All those things you want will happen next season when the tanking dust settles.
Right, but at the end of the day everyone involved in decision making for the ROX is on board with the losing strategy. Some fans are just having a hard time coming to terms with that. Its really the only logical conclusion when you look at the coaching gaffe's and listen to the GM speak. Silas' offense IS creating the looks it was designed to create. If there were more experienced players/shooters that can actually make open shots on this team these conversations would be different. You're ready to give the keys to Abdulfattah? What makes you think he would be any better if the tanking edict is coming from the GM/Owner? Didnt the Vipers run the same exact system that the Rockets run? I think we need to go find a coach with pelts on the wall that would offer the legitimacy these young players need - not an assistant just breaking into the NBA.
Stephon Marbury was a damn near 3/1 A/T Ratio for years and had a very high basketball IQ. Ain’t no way. KPJ is closer to Tyreke Evans.
to think he says that the day after he became the youngest Rocket to ever have a triple double and the youngest center to do it (in less than 30 minutes to boot). Some of these guys are truly going to be shocked when a real coach is brought in and the offense runs through Sengun every time.
