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Are the Rockets even interested in Scoot?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by HealthyHamstring, May 22, 2023.

  1. HamJam

    HamJam Contributing Member

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    Man, I really hope the reason we aren't hearing more smoke about the Rockets wanting to trade up in order to get Scoot is because the org is smartly trying not to tip their hand. Because Henderson is far and away a better prospect than anyone on the board, other than Wemby.

    Amen in particular should not be viewed as good as a prospect as he has been. Dude played garbage competition, going against younger guys as a 20 year old, overly relying on his elite athleticism, and even in that extremely favorable circumstance he struggled in the half court on offense, was bad at iso defense, has massive holes in his shot, has a questionable handle, and bad defensive fundamentals.

    A player who is that age, that much of project still, who has done this little on the court against good comp should not be talked about at pick 4. He should be like Ousman Dieng was last year, going around pick 11 or so.
     
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  2. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    I agree that Scoot is the better prospect, but like a lot of people, you're really underestimating three things about Amen Thompson:

    1) His court vision/feel for the game/passing skills. He is elite in these categories and I believe that the bad competition level in OTE cut both ways and he is a much better passer than people realize. So many blown dunks/layups/wide open jump shots by his teammates. It is a lot harder to teach a guy how to average 10 assists than it is to teach a guy how to improve his dribbling or jump shot, and I think Amen is legitimately a guy who could be that kind of floor general at his peak.

    2) His intangibles and work ethic. This is another thing people really underestimate in how important it is and it's another thing you just can't teach. A guy has it or he doesn't. People are way too worried Amen Thompson will be a bust in my view. Guys with his combination of physical tools and intangibles will find a way to contribute as long as they stay healthy. If there were concerns about his personality and character and desire to be great I would be a lot more worried about him being raw in a lot of areas.

    3) Just how elite his athleticism is. He is going to be in the conversation as one of the, if not the, best athletes in the NBA the minute he steps onto the court. He is way, way better than a guy like Dieng in this category. It's not even close.
     
  3. HamJam

    HamJam Contributing Member

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    Let's just take one of the issues:

    You're not worried about how bad his iso defense was as a 20 year old with elite athleticism going against such sub par competition? That seems like a really big red flag to me.
     
  4. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    I do not think his ISO defense was bad, I think he was very good at the point of attack. Most of his lapses occurred off the ball. He made some mistakes on the ball, primarily while gambling for steals, but they weren't that common and can be cleaned up.

    All young players are going to have some lapses. I'm not too concerned about his defense--it'll take time for him to learn all the ins and outs and have the conditioning and focus to stay solid all game, but the flashes he showed coupled with his intangibles have me convinced that under a coach like Udoka he'll be able to become a good, possibly even elite defender given his tools.
     
  5. madbomber

    madbomber Rox4Life! #FreeJVG

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    Agree with someone slipping to 4 in draft . Jabari is just scratching the surface where Banchero has been really digging in as a player . That could be good or bad for Jabari . Hoping his high ceiling still pans out .
     
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  6. HamJam

    HamJam Contributing Member

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    Here's his Synergy numbers in OTE this year on defense:

    • Defending Spot Ups: 63 Possessions, 40% of def. possessions, .508 points per possesion (PPP), PPP rank 85%, rating: Excellent
    • Defending pNr: 50 Possessions, 32% of def. possessions, .600 PPP, PPP rank 60%, rating: good
    • Defending isolation: 19 Possessions, 12% of def. possessions, .842 PPP, PPP rank 20%, rating: Below Average.
    This does not point to him being good at the point of attack at all. He was average at the point of attack on pNr (again, in a really bad league), and was outright bad at defending isolations (which matches the eye test).
     
  7. JusBleezy

    JusBleezy Contributing Member

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    At this point, I choose to believe this. Why? They have to see what we see when it comes to Henderson. They just don't want to tip their hand. The vast majority of our trades/signings have come out of nowhere. With that in mind, I'm choosing to believe this. I could be wrong, but we shall see in a little under a month. I trust whatever direction they end of up going.
     
  8. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    Way too small of a sample to read much into it, especially amid the chaotic, disorganized mess that was OTE, as you yourself mentioned. I don't think statistics are really very valuable at all in the case of the Thompson twins. You have to go to the tape.
     
  9. HamJam

    HamJam Contributing Member

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    Yeah, agree that the sample size is too small to take too much away from -- but even on film I see him getting blown by regularly in this super weak league. For someone who is older than these guys, and is so much more athletic than them, to be getting blown by like that should be concerning.

    So, yeah, definitely small sample size -- but that cuts both ways. We can't really read too many positives from anything he has done either.
     
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  10. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    @JayGoogle

    Are the rockets interested? what are you hearing?
     
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  11. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Why?

    I read this a lot, but I see no proof, what makes him that good of a prospect?

    Certainly not his play in the Gleague which was mediocre at best, both Nix and TyTy had better stats.

    Why is Scoot considered by you and many others to be so good?

    I don't see it.

    DD
     
  12. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    Too much NBA2k. Wembanyama's story is even goofier, because they were hyping up the fact he's the evolution of KD. Then you realize he shoots bricks from 3-point range and you maybe think he's the next KD... except for the shooting. LOL. I mean maybe he's the next KD because he's tall, mobile, and can dribble a bit? But to me "the next KD" better be able to shoot from anywhere on the court including 3's. I mean, yeah, he could become a great shooter, but let's hype these guys up for what they are, not for 2 or 3 highlights you saw once on Twitter. Victor's a bad-ass player who's the first Victor Wembanyama.
     
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  13. HamJam

    HamJam Contributing Member

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    It's the combination of elite athleticism with elite point guard skills. I realized the stats don't show it, but watching him it jumps off the screen as obvious, in my opinion. The way he uses pace, his court vision, the way he manipulates defense -- his basketball IQ and feel is like CP3 as a prospect. And then he adds to that the size and athleticism of Rose or Westbrook.

    If you can't see it, then you can't see it -- but I'd bet so much on him being a perennial all nba level player and a franchise altering point guard.
     
  14. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    DD, if you're looking for ironclad proof that any prospect is going to translate to the NBA, you're in for a long wait for a train that don't come. There's always risk.

    You can't compare Scoot's stats as a 19 year old with no NBA experience to a couple of guys two years older who have been in the league, by the way. That's just not how it works. What were you doing as a teenager? Were you as good at your job as you were two years later? Did you have as much knowledge and skill?
     
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  15. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    I respect your answer Ham, but I do not see anything elite about his PG skills, Ish Smith was a guy that had those PG skills too.

    He does have great wingspan and athleticism, but that means nothing - I prefer height so his EYE LEVEL is higher and able to see more of the floor.

    I do appreciate your response as you are the first one that has said.....this is why for me.

    Most are just followers and are following along with Twitter users or enabler/influencers....which is one big old circle jerk of nonsense.

    As for me, I see a MAYBE a good PG in 2-3 years guy.......but not a guarantee and we have enough maybes already...

    DD
     
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  16. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    You sure as **** can.....I was comparing NIX PG stats last year in the GLeague at the same age....and he was better, Same for TyTy this year.....

    DD
     
  17. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    You can never have enough guys who could "maybe" become a franchise player... guys with that kind of potential are rare. You especially can never have enough guys like that when you don't already have a superstar, which we don't. And as of right now, none are available for trade.

    You take your shots. Just how it works. The more chances you have to be successful at finding a star the better.

    Nix was not the same age as Henderson last year, he was a year older and also had the benefit of already being with an NBA organization.

    I'll stake a claim right now that Scoot Henderson will already be better than KPJ by the end of his second year in the league. You can @ me if I'm wrong.
     
  18. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    What a bunch of BULLSHIT - we have how many maybes right now?

    Green
    Porter Jr
    Sengun
    Bari

    Any one of those might become an all star, and KPJ, Sengun and Green are trending that direction already...with Bari showing signs...

    That is more than enough, one is going to break out, if you constantly chase that maybe without KNOWING whom you already have you end up in 20 year rebuilds....I don't want ANY top picks for the next 4 years - I want PROVEN NBA talent to be added.

    Get Mikael Bridges for the 4th pick, next year's Brookllyn pick and take on Simmons contract into our cap space.....and we get a lot better THIS YEAR - which by the way is TILLMAN FERTITAs goal.

    We are looking to start competing, we need players that can compete NOW on an NBA level.

    Then take Lively with a mid FRP as a backup/contrast to Sengun.

    DD
     
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  19. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    Yeah, you're being shortsighted and I'm very, very glad you're not our GM. Your attitude is how teams end up on the mediocrity treadmill. If the front office took your advice there's a very high chance we'd end up as the next Washington Wizards. Do you like watching 38 win teams for years and years or something? Because you're certainly acting like it.
     
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  20. BMoney

    BMoney Contributing Member

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    I wonder how much stock the current Rockets front office puts in a player's basketball character and intangibles? From my understanding, Henderson and the Thompson twins exhibit good marks in this area, whereas there are questions about Miller.
     
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