Tell us where the Rockets think they need the most help and the direction they would like to go? What we know for sure is, if the Rockets do draft #3, the pick will eventually become a starter or that's what the hope will be. And now that Ime has had a year to assess the players, I think this pick will solidfy the roster going forward. Additionally, with a salary slot of approximately $10M, I just don't think this will be a potential bench player. . For example I can't see a backcourt of Green and Reed, however I can see a backcourt of Reed and Thompson. And a frontcourt of Alpi and Clingan will be extremely slow. However, a frontcourt of Clingan and Jabari could be attractive to Ime. So, I don't think this will be a BPA pick, rather a player who fits a need; shooting, interior defense and/or shot blocking. And will that pick tell us where the Rockets think they NEED the most help?
There's the obvious right answer, then there's what Stone will do. Unfortunately those might not be the same thing. Just can't have any faith in him whatsoever after the Dillon Brooks contract. The obvious right pick is Reed Sheppard, elite shooter, high BBIQ, competent passer, plus defensive potential, he'll come off the bench in his first year behind FVV then take over the job his second season next to Cam and Amen...list their positions as whatever you want to, the titles don't really matter.
Unless there is a team gutting trade, none of these top 3 picks will be starters on this team. Nor do they have a chance at coming off our bench.
I think about the only definitive "direction" pick is Clingan at 3. That would be a very clear sign that they intend to embrace the defensive identity.
Draftees: They are all backups at best year 1 Needs: Point Guard/SG, Combo-Guard: backup Wing: 3 & D player Center/PF: backup ______________________ Zach Edey: (Center) *stamina for about 18 minutes per game *shot 3-pointers two years in a row at combines (can hit open 3's) *Post Up presence *Hook shot up to 10 feet *Provide "Drop Coverage Defense" at 7'4" and great wing span *Faster than Clingan in drills- (see combine #'s) Kel'el Ware (Center) * I've pushed for Dereck Lively and Kel'el Ware since 2022 *Can shoot 3's *Solid rim protector *Gives us much the same as D Lively does for the Mavs ( ex: vertical spacing) *A version of "Hampton-5" Center if Jabari doesn't put on more weight/muscle *Only Center to score a perfect 100 at combine ( history) Dalton Knecht: ( Wing ) * Like Keegan Murray older and ready for NBA off the bat *Shoots 3's *Can shoot off Screens/Curls....much like I wanted Herro or Duncan Robinson. *Athletic-decent #'s in combine with drills *Size to handle most switches defensively Devin Carter: ( Combo-Guard, plays bigger than he is ) * 6'2" Combo-Guard *3 & D wing / combo-guard *Can handle ball if facilitators draw gravity of the defense. * Can pass some, rebound some, steal some, deflect some, block some, score some * Can defend PG, SG and SF......my comp Jrue Holiday * Guard SGA, D Fox, Morant, Kyrie, Haliburton, etc, faster point guards that Fred VanVleet can't ______________________ Jalen Green will try to mix with Sengun better this season; but Udoka can always put shooters around Jalen Green and run him from mid court much like Bucks run Giannis from mid court. Teams have to build a wall of defense near the free throw line. Pick your poison, stop Jalen using 3 defenders or stay close to 3-point shooters? Dilemma, dilemma. ____________________ Centers: Sengun, Jabari Smith Draft: Edey or Kel'el Ware Expendable: Steven Adams or Jock Landale, (Boban) Wings: Jalen Green, Jabari, Tari, Cam Whitmore Draft: Dalton Knecht or Devin Carter Expendable: Dillon Brooks, Tate, Fred VanVleet
Lol you had Landale with the ankle injury for the first 50 games, you had no names like Bullock, Aaron Holiday on the bench....and 38 year old Jeff Green as a premium back up..... Of course they are getting minutes off the bench. And Amen and Cam have injuries themselves. There is no way you can know that for 82 games....
We have a solid 9-man rotation as we sit now... Sengun Smith Brooks Green FVV Thompson Eason Cam Kiwi What's missing in that last spot on bench? 3pt Shooting, playmaking, more BBIQ, a decent defender, oh and did I mention 3pt shooting. Sheppard fills that role pretty near perfectly. As I think about it, that 2nd squad may beat the first squad more often than not.
I don't know that the pick will become a starter. Chances are pretty low. We have 6 core prospects and one of them won't be a starter either. Especially Jalen, Sengun, Whitmore all have elite offensive/playmaking potential. Amen, Tari, Jabari have elite two-way potential. Our fan base seriously underrates our prospects. We are hoping for a star but maybe picking up a role player in the draft. There's no one in the draft with the offensive ceiling of Jalen or Sengun. Guys who are in a few years highly likely to be able to be primary playmakers, get to the FT line, respectable from mid range, decent/good on 3's and can get 5+ assists. In order to get there we have to gradually improve their 3PT shooting. It's an easy task, even if slow. Those are really solid unselfish prospects who's games are geared to getting to the rim (the most important shot in basketball). IMO it's going to be very hard to unseat: Sengun Jabari Tari Green Amen 6th: Whitmore I'd take Tari and Jabari over Risacher. Amen/Jalen/Cam over Sheppard. Sengun over Sarr - though Sarr could form a great trio with Sengun/Jabari and I could see him competing with Jabari for his spot next to Sengun. Of course any of them can surprise us but if you're our #3 pick trust me you're not thinking this is going to be easy. Will be difficult to break into the starting 5 of this core and team.
So you want to draft rookies and tell them to hope for injury in order to play?? What about Jeenathan and the others that were playing. You expecting all of them to be busted up at the same time as well? IMO, these picks should either be traded or used for players that will not be looking to make a big splash this season.
Ask nbadraft.net, his current comps are "Mark Price/Jimmer Fredette." And y'all out here calling him Nash.
It was clear that anyone except Stone would have done consolidation moves by now...... He is just prolonging the inevitable.........whether his future trades are good or bad remains to be seen but for now you have to find a way to find minutes for all players. Tate should have been on a contender 2 seasons ago but somehow he is still glued to the end of the entire roster.
Ime will hold open tryouts for 2, 3, and 4 spots in training camp Only Steady Freddy and Alpi are safe
So by that you mean to say that you don't have any opinions of your own, you just go on what you read on nbadraft.net? Fair enough.
