Durant traded to Houston for Green, Brooks, #10 pick, and multiple 2nd rounders

Meanwhile Booker is in Phoenix laughing.

 

I wish he would be aggressive, he’s way too nonchalant on the floor. He’s been like that his whole career. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. His lack of aggressiveness is more noticeable now that he’s older. It’s easier to notice he doesn’t drive to the rim at all now, he rarely shoots threes. His game now is 98% pull up contested middies. I don’t like it

 

No bro, Durant is driving ten times per game (same as Anthony Edwards). Amen Thompson drives 12 times per game to lead the team, barely better than 36 yr old KD.

Durant is averaging 7+ FTA too. That's one of his highest since 2013-2014. This means he's driving a lot. But when you drive into the paint and 4 big men with huge wingspan are between you and the rim, and you're the best midrange shooter of all time, the right shot is a middy (where he makes 50%). A double-contested layup does not give you 50% even if you're Michael Jordan.

It's not a Durant issue, just like it wasn't an Amen or Jalen or Cam or Tatum issue. It's a systemic problem. Everyone we've ever asked to shoulder high volume drives has disappointed under Udoka. So now you have to look into it.

Udoka crowds the path to the basket - literally & without exaggeration - more than any coach in the NBA. That's the cost of having excessive bigs and rebounders on the floor. There's no reason we would not find it harder to drive than all other teams.

It's not a coincidence that he's struggled when we've started Adams. Amen has too if he's not in the dunker spot. It's just the cost of the system but we're winning a lot and the offensive rating is excellent so I doubt we tinker right now.

 

I miss DB. Say what you want about him but he's a true winner.

Grizzlies got worse once he left. PHX looking a lot better with him on the floor.
Sad we had to give him up to get KD.

 

KD needs to play better. It’s that simple. Having watched every game so far, KD just needs to play better. He’s shooting his lowest efficiency from the field and long range in many many years. He’s got to be better.

 

I've always said it, Jalen was the throw in to match salaries. The true star of the trade was DB. For us, getting out of Jalen's contract was worth giving up DB, whether KD panned out or not.

 

I wish we traded FVV's contract instead. Good teams don't trade Dillon Brooks.

 

He's 37 doggie, the trajectory will continue downward.

Getting better is not something players his age just do. KD was not a major impact player his last 2 seasons for PHX, his BPM's were 4 and 3, WS/48's .140 and .110 - Those are the numbers of a solid 3rd star, or at best a mediocre 2nd star player, not anywhere remotely close to being a #1 guy who can carry a championship level team.

The few things we might be able to do to make KD more impactful is to significantly reduce his minutes, and to lessen his work load when on the court. Proper energy management, we're currently doing nothing, we're playing him 36 mpg and we're asking him to create off the dribble with horrific spacing, and he physically can't do it, he's turning it over at a ridiculous rate every time he gets physically pressured.

No player is likely missing Fred's presence more than KD, this was a very similar problem in PHX for him, the PG's they had were defensive sieves. We can run Reed, but he's still very inexperienced with setting players up despite his solid vision, and he significantly increases KD's defensive burden. We can run KD without Reed/Sengun to lessen his defensive burden, but then he's got nobody to set him up, and Adams/Amen hosts horrific spacing.

If KD played under 30 mpg, with a good offensive coach, with a good PG, with a lineup that played D and spaced the court well, you could probably squeeze better juice out of him. Unless your doing all that, plan for him to a decent 3rd star, and figure out how to find two stars who can actually carry your team.

 

a true rockets fan is probably having trouble rooting for kd considering kd's history

 

for the sake of the rockets im hoping this is not true.. but a lot of KD's tendencies are pissing me off.

 

This True Rockets Fan rooted for Charles Barkley

This True Astros Fan rooted for Roger Clemens

Those other True Fans need to get correct.

 

Who is better player now, KD or Harden?

 

He hated the KD trade and KD prior to where we are today. For crying out loud literally it's only been 14 games. It's not like we are 4-10 lol.

 

Which tendencies?