That's not really how he operates, he will trot out guys like Dillon Brooks no matter how much he hurts the team. His lineups have nothing to do with merit.
There's really no point in betting something like this, because whether he goes down to the G-League will hinge more on other players than him. There are just going to be other Rockets players who gets first looks over him due to seniority, and if they play well Udoka's not going to force a rookie in the rotation. The guard depth right now is FVV/Jalen/Cam/Holiday/Amen in some order, so Sheppard needs at least 2 of them to have bad starts before he gets a legit chance.
I have no problem with Holiday but I wouldn't have extended him due to him cluttering up rotation space. That will be something like Stone keeping Tate on the bench as a 9th man instead of 2nd round picks I cannot understand.
Amen only played 6% of his minutes last year at PG, he isn’t going to start to now. Fvv/Reed Jalen/Cam Brooks/Amen Jabari/Tari Sengun/Adams That’s your day 1 rotation. Holiday didn’t beat out Amen last year in the beginning I don’t know why people keep on mentioning him as some sort of challenge to Reed.
It feels like the lead up to the draft, where there was the obvious perfect pick for the Rockets.....but despite how obvious that was, so many were committed to pushing really bad options. Sheppard was the obvious pick in the draft, and Sheppard being the primary backup at the PG is the obvious course of action now.....but I guess that won't stop people from being committed to just awful alternatives.
Yes except Clingan at least was a good player. We talking about Aaron Holiday?? Yes I understand people are just talking about the first few games or first month…but Aaron Holiday? No man, Ime is not going to play Holiday over Reed for a single game whether that’s the first game, the 10th game, preseason, post season, unless Reed is incapacitated.
Agreed, it wasn't so much that Clingan was just a terrible player... though I'm not really a fan of his game, the reason it was flat out absurd so many were banging the drum for him was that he was just an awful fit with the team.... drafting him would have made no sense. It would be like drafting the best player in the draft class then sending them to the G League so you could play Aaron F'n Holiday more.
Holiday started playing legit backup minutes after 3 games and Amen clearly showed he wasn't ready to be a PG. If your belief is that Udoka will play Sheppard over Holiday immediately, and then Sheppard can maintain that spot for the duration of the season, I think the odds of that happening is pretty low. Also not sure why you have Amen at SF. If he can't shoot then he's either PF/C or a PG. The Rockets already have spacing issues as is, without adding a wing who can't shoot.
Holiday started playing after 3 games because Amen got hurt during the fourth game. Whether Amen plays Sf, or pf, making tari sf, or pf, doesn’t really matter, it’s interchangeable between them. I just know that Amen did not play pg last year so his minutes have little to do with Sheppard. Ime had no problems playing Amen over Holiday, with Holiday out of the rotation, and this was when as you said Amen was showing he could not handle the pg position. Reed is way more capable of handling pg, because he can shoot, so yes I believe Ime will play Reed over Holiday immediately just like he played Amen over Holiday immediately even though Amen couldn’t even play point.
Another thing for you guys to understand, Reed was by far the best prospect in the entire draft, he is going to get an opportunity to play befitting that. Now you can disagree with how you want to rate Reed as a prospect, and we will see eventually who’s right, but just know that the Houston Rockets believe Reed was by far the best prospect. They were going to trade out of the draft entirely if Reed was not there at #3. So when we discuss playing time for next year, understand that is how the Rockets view him and so that’s how they will treat him. If you never thought Reed was that kind of player before the draft, then obviously how you think he should be played his rookie year will not line up with how the Rockets will actually play him.
I mostly agree with this, but you also have to factor in the caveat "best in the draft, in a historically weak draft." I think he'll get playing time, but not the same as for example a Kyrie Irving getting drafted at the point where you're likely to give him starter minutes from the off. Now, he may well be good enough to supplant a starter at some point this season, but I'd still put money on him being a lower-minutes off the bench guy at first.
Yeah Reed is not equivalent to the #1 prospect in most drafts, who would be day 1 starters and in line to become superstars - I’m not saying that’s him. It is a weak draft so even the number 1 prospect is most likely going to be a 20 mpg guy his rookie year. But we are talking about g league and playing behind Aaron Holiday here. wtf
Oh yeah that's crazy, the only way he goes to the G-league is either if he gets injured and needs to ease back or if he comes in and ***** the bed in his first few games. I can't see that happening, he seems pretty poised to me.
I wouldn’t count Amen in that guard depth, as much as some folks would like to see him there. He’s, at present, a forward.
I'd say the only reason he goes to G League is if they want him to play more minutes on ball. I think there is a good chance the forwards are going to bleed over into the shooting guard minutes. If that happens, not going to be many on ball reps. Whether he's a forward, guard, center...I think the Rockets are going to want to give him some on ball reps whereever he plays, though likely mixed in with others.
Well, from outset of the draft they have been talking about how he is going to play a big part in spacing the floor and keeping the defense honest on Sengun and Jalen. I think he will have to have a bad start to not be on the floor since he is such a prolific 3 pt shooter. The #1 thing the Rockets need right now is spacing and he is their best bet at making that happen.
If we use the traditional positions, what each of the 7 young guys can play: Reed 1, 2 Jalen 2 (maybe 1) Amen 3, 4 (maybe 1) Cam 2, 3 Tari 3, 4 Jabari 4 (maybe 5) Alpi 5 (maybe 4) The 1, 2, and 3 spots each has at least 3 young guys who could fill it. There are lots of possible combinations.
