ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers - Vegas Summer League 7/12/2024

I think it is pretty clear that they aren't. Rockets have a strong Summer League team. Amen is too good for Summer League. Miller....Hornets would be bad without him.

 

100% agree, imagine if a championship caliber organization like the Boston Celtics were unexpectedly gifted a #3 overall pick from the Brooklyn Nets on a roster already filled with young talent and veterans. They definitely wouldn't stunt the growth of a 20-year old rookie the caliber of Sheppard by playing him off the bench and less than 20 minutes per game in his first season.

 

I watched a lot of his college video. I was pretty sure his skills would translate, then he crushed it in his summer league game. The things he did were not luck, or a one off. He’ll have to adjust to the speed of the NBA, but his skills will translate to the next level too. I’ve been playing and watching basketball for 50 years. It’s just obvious.

Holiday is a smaller version of what everyone feared Reed would be, a journeyman shooting guard in a point guard body. Sheppard will actually be able to play point guard and is average size for the position. And he’s better at everything Holliday gives you.

 

Based on what?

 

which part?

 

Chuck Person faints

 

That’s your assessment and that’s fine. But this isn’t a comparison on who is better in the long term as I believe he will be. The discussion is about who likely will be playing opening day and the bulk of minutes. I believe Holliday will as he is currently the better player in terms of experience and defense. RS as I said likely will exceed him but that’s likely later in the season or next year. Another possible scenario would be RS playing a combo guard role in some lineups with Cam at 4 Amen at 3 and Holiday.

 

What is your assessment based on?

 

If merit has anything to do with the decision, Sheppard will be ahead of Holiday in the depth chart....but with Ime, you never know, he may play Holiday simply because he's a vet despite the fact that he's nowhere near as good. That's why he plays Dillon Brooks after all.

 

I also doubt Reed will be ahead of Holiday in the rotation from the beginning, but I also believe it is likely he will be at some point during the season. He won't overtake Holiday based on future potential, but only when he produces better results on the floor. Then, it's game over.

As you seem to realize, it isn't about where Reed starts the season. It's about where he is the final 20-25 games when Udoka locks in the rotation with the players he trusts the most.

 

What is your assessment based on?

 

I thought Tari was gonna play according to Iko's report
What changed?

 

I might have misread your intent. I’m arguing that Amen and Cam were lower on the depth chart due to issues with their game that Sheppard doesn’t have. They also played positions that had more depth. And Amen was injured.
All Shepard had to do is beat out Holiday to be a back up PG which seems likely. Idoku might make Sheppard “earn” it because he wants that example but I’ll stand by my statement that skill wise Sheppard is already the better player.
I will be very surprised if Sheppard doesn’t quickly take over Holiday’s minutes.

 

There is a higher chance Holiday is traded at the deadline than Reed having to wait until next season to "exceed him".

 

How did you come about this probability?

 

Disrespectful to Holiday. Holiday's defense last year was consistently solid. Sheppard has one good summer league game and moved up the depth chart? This is the same privilege you gave Sengun as a rookie

 

Sengun is the best player on the team....I wonder if perhaps there's some immutable characteristic about him that makes you upset...

As to Holiday, he's the new Boban, he's not playing unless there are a ton of injuries.

 

lol he said merit. Which means he clearly doesn’t understand what merit means lol.

 

Reed three blocks were on surefire layups/dunks which turned into turnovers: the one on Brown in the lane, the block on Kuhse's layup, and the one on Knecht's backdoor cut. That's a six point swing right there. Sure, the Kuhse layup was on a blow by on Reed, but props to Reed on the recovery.

His hands were as good as advertised as is his shot. And he handled the ball well for an undersized shooting guard. He, Amen, and Tari are going to be a nasty combo defensively.

 

I would say Scrubby had a pretty high impact. Just not a positive one.