[ClutchFans] Podcast: Houston Rockets options with the #3 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft

Lmao

 

https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/20...-dave-hardisty-on-the-2024-rockets-offseason/

Dave: My top two are Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle, assuming Sarr and Risacher are off the board. Those two stick out the most to me. Reed Sheppard is a really good pick who I think I would have third on that list.

(Ben also loves Clingan)

Dave: I don’t think they’ll pass on Clingan because they have Sengun. They pursued Lopez, acquired Adams, both starting-level centers. This agent thing is more significant than people realize. They want to maintain good relationships. … I don’t think Houston is the ideal situation for his agent. I do agree they’ll take BPA and figure out the rest.

…

Dave: If they do go fit, I would advise people to look at fit for Ime Udoka as opposed to roster fit.

…

Dave: (Shooting) When I look at the team, I don’t worry about Jabari. Fred is a plus shooter. You’re looking at Sengun (add to arsenal), Green (takes ton of threes but isn’t efficient and hasn’t progressed in three years) and Amen (looking for any kind of pulse). I think they will get better organically but won’t turn into plus shooters in one year. They could use shooting in general. When people say that — add shooting — ok, you add a shooter, you can’t step back defensively too. You gotta have a 2-way player who does that. We can talk Reed Sheppard. This team should get better on its own.

Ben: What can Reed do beyond shooting? The Rockets have a 9-man rotation and full MLE if they want to add shooting. Malik Beasley is someone they could target or Buddy Hield. If you just want shooting, you can find it on the open market. For Reed, it’s not just how good of a shooter he is, how impactful will he be defensively, as a lead guard, can he play make? If it’s just spacing the floor, while important, you can find that through other means. Thoughts on Reed?‘

Dave: His ability to play PG. That would put him up higher for me. He’s shown high level passing, assists are good, the shooting is other worldly. 70% TS. He did come off the bench at Kentucky. It wasn’t an insane volume. I think he could be a good defender but his size does concern me. For me, it’s whether he can be a PG. If he’s a two-guard, you’re looking a guy that comes off the bench. Is that Aaron Holiday 2.0? Or can he take a screen, pull up 5-6 ft behind the 3pt line and drain it? Then you’re talking Curry stuff. I’m not saying he’s Curry. The main thing I’m concerned about is size and defend once facing guards that are 6’6-6’7 and NBA bodies. … Do the Rockets buy the defensive upside? It’s the reason I like Clingan and Castle. The Rockets are trying to an identity of defense. That’s the extension of Ime and his coaching.

As far as the other guys, Holland was 6 months ago projected to be #1. Buzelis was 1 or 2. They have fallen off. Holland, I’ve watched him quite a bit. I think his upside is really good, think it’s going to take a few years. Defense could step in early on but the shot selection and others things offensively will take a lot of work. Buzelis, I really liked him. It’s efficiency. He moves well but he’s not a good shooter, nothing pops off the page stats wise. Moves well, good size. Maybe a Franz Wagner type. I’m not as high on those guys but won’t balk at it.

…

Dave: For me, I don’t like at fit much. Clingan does not fit with Sengun. They won’t play together. If you did want to look at fit, better question is how does he fit with Tari, Cam, Jabari, Jalen and Amen? That’s what it is for me. Defensively, he’s the one guy that doesn’t have to add a new skill. He just has to be good at his strengths to be an all-star or dream casting a DPOY candidate. Turning that into Castle, same deal. Chance to be great defensively. The Suggs/Smart type of defender. With Clingan/Castle, I look at the opportunity to have 3 special defenders in Tari, Amen and Castle/Clingan. Jabari is versatile but isn’t special or elite yet. They have the chance to build something special defensively. That’s why I lean towards those guys. Castle has to show he’s better than 27% from three. His FT% suggests he’ll get better. This is not Amen Thompson where he’s completely broken. I don’t think it’s the case with Castle. In Castle’s case, I do believe he’ll get better. I don’t know if I buy the PG role yet but can do some creation and has just about everything else.

…

(Trading the pick)
Dave: I feel like there will be a need to consolidate at some point but it would be wise to stay the course and wait for that real opportunity. I’ve seen Nets hype thinking they can get Green and all their picks back for Bridges. My jaw is on the floor. How does that catapult the Rockets forward? Trading all those picks, you’re saying this is our team. Rockets have some talent in the core six. You might get your best player in the ‘25/‘26 draft. If you’re gonna give that up, you better get something really good. … I do feel like there is a point of consolidation. They do have to pay Green/Sengun at some point and do they want to? Not saying they don’t but that’s the question.

 

Yep, the team that can't shoot

 

Thanks for this!

 

if stone drafts big at 3 it will be a mistake

unless he is trading the pick for his guy at 5 that he knows will be there

u need to pray reed does not go top 2

reed is best player in this draft

 

If we had a prime Chris Paul and James Harden, I might agree with everything above. Why? Jabari and Clingan will need to be spoon-fed by a HOF guard because neither of them can dribble, pass, or do anything remotely creative. They fit a cardboard prototype though, that's for sure. One might say the same thing about Isaiah Hartenstein or Nic Claxton. Some said the same things about Bruno Fernando and Mo Bamba.

The problem with this strategy is that you have all your work in front of you. Suppose your team has Tari/Bari/Clingan in the starting lineup. In that case, you better have Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan in the backcourt, because the lack of offensive creativity is JVG + Juwan Howard level dreadful.

Rudy Gobert does not get crushed in the playoffs because of his defense. He gets crushed because he is a useless sack on offense.

It will not be easy to find a player that is better than what Alperen Sengun is evolving into.

Dangling Alperen and drafting for defense is a novel idea on paper, but in practice it will be extremely difficult to get the offensive talent you need to balance such a peanut butter front-line.

 

Draft Reed and get it over with lol

 

Castle shot the three at 30% during his first and only year with UConn. That is not what we need. He may be a good defender, but we have that. Need a shooter.

 

Reject contending, embrace tanking.

 

Why do I envision the HULK when I read the caption?

 

"Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, Shepperd's the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children."

 

After looking over the prospects, I am on the Reed Shepherd train. Great shooter, just what the Rockets need. And he can do a number of other things well.

 

In my experience, the train does not really start unless they play real NBA competition.....but yeah that is why I am skeptical towards the Draft.

They do not let College players, GLeague prospects play NBA competition before the Draft.

There is a bust rate simply because of that reason.

 

Shooting involves the same mechanics at any level. R.S. comes from a basketball family and is highly intelligent. I truly think he makes the leap to the NBA.

 

future slam dunk champion at least

 

I'm shocked that Clingan is being rated at 3 even in this weak draft. He is in the 7-10 range in my opinion. What can Stone acquire from Memphis for him ? That's the real question.

Marcus Smart won't impress me, even if he comes with the 9th pick. Kennard and the 9th isn't good enough either.


@ApacheWarrior

 

You sure you don't want Kennard? In 22/23 he shot 54% from 3 and averaged 11.3 points per
game and this year shot 45% from 3 and 11.0 points per game.

Somehow Reed Sheppard is going to do better, lol. Do you want to keep #3?

Decisions, decisions.

I feel the Rockets wanted to trade back from #4 last year but couldn't get better than trash.
Problem this year is , supposedly Udoka doesn't want more raw players.
(I've proposed rooks with age: Devin Carter, Dalton Knecht)
Edey has experience (Team Canada last year) vs pros and international.

Kel'el role: same as simple Dereck Lively role with better 3-point shooting
----------------

So yeah, Memphis has little to offer: Marcus Smart, Kennard, Brandon Clarke, Santi Aldama
(I doubt JJJ or Bane are offered)


So Kennard and #9 might be the best offer. Might come out to Kennard or Marcus Smart and
Devin Carter.

Udoka will love Devin Carter: gives you high basketball I.Q. (his dad played in the NBA),
Excellent defense, adequate offense, knows when to jump the passing lanes, help defensively.

Question is.......who do you want at #3? Is it better? I don't want Sheppard.
I don't think Clingan is better than Kel'el Ware or Zach Edey.

If you asked me last year before the draft what I wanted to do?
My #1 option was trade #4 for Pelicans two picks. I felt we would miss out on Cam Whitmore
but would have had a shot at Jarace Walker and Dereck Lively. Instead I would
have ended up with Cam Whitmore and Dereck Lively.