Report from the Cavs game: His most high-energy game. Caffeinated. It started with aggressive box-outs on his first 3 defensive possessions, all on bigs. Then deflections and pokeaways for steals on his next 2. Then stepping in front of a pass for a clean steal. Then poking the dribble away from Mobley for another. An absolute flurry. The whole game, he was anticipating moves and passes, cutting off options with a quick first step, smothering the ball handler on screens, doubling more aggressively than I’ve ever seen him. He was hyper alert, and his feet were executing instantly. Grabbing high rebounds in traffic, fighting off Tyson in the post. Even in the 4th, he was helping all over the place, closing out, running circles around guys to steal the ball. And that glorious deflection of the 3 from behind. In a game where Ime played 10 guys before garbage time, he gave Reed 32 minutes, second most on the team. That doesn’t happen by accident. More evidence that Ime is rewarding Reed for defense above anything else. And having built the big lead, he gave Reed the green light to experiment offensively. (I assume if Reed was taking liberties Ime didn’t want, Ime would have pulled him.) We saw heat checks but also some drive and layup (blocked), drive and interior pass, drive and swing to the wing, plus the jukey runner. On one possession Reed stood at the top of the arc and they swung the ball back and forth through him till he found the right pass. For those of us who’ve been clamoring to give Reed in-game time to work on his game, this is exactly what the doctor ordered. So what accounts for this? Was Reed just gassed on the road trip and got his mojo back after some rest? Was it the emotional boost of playing at home? Was it pills? Whatever it was, do it again. When he plays with this kind of energy, we’re a different team.
If Reed can start giving some consistent rim pressure, draw a couple of fouls a game, be able to collapse the D a bit, that would be huge for his upside. We already know he’s got the passing ability
by this point in the game I'd had a snifter (or two) of very fine cognac, so it's possible I'm misremembering the play, but there was a moment in the 3rd quarter that exemplified Reeds vision on court: with about 4 minutes left in the 3rd, there was a scramble for a loose ball, I think Adams came up with it, and passed out to Reed on the left wing, near the sideline. Reed was falling out of bounds, then, as the shot clock wound down, whipped the ball to a cutting KD in the lane, who proceeded to stuff it. it was a pass that no one else on the team would make, simply because none of them would have seen KD. I'd like to see the replay just to make sure my mind is not playing tricks on me.
I would prob still take Castle no 1, but Reed is now my no 2/3 prospect in the 2024 draft alongside Buzelis. I am constantly surprised at how good his vision is considering that wasnt even his role in college. He is imo the longterm Rox backcourt alongside Amen.
If the spurs called and offered castle straight up for reed you would say yes? That's just beyond mind blowing, never change my man.
That would make the Rockets worse and the Spurs better, I don't think any Rockets fan would go for that
Right now castle is the better player, but if Reed keeps improving at his current trajectory (and doesn’t plateau) he would be better in 2 years
Reed Should’ve gone first in that draft. This guy has a very long runway to get better. And I think the athletic tools are there to wear. He will be able to penetrate and finish at some point. He can certainly generate the mid range shot and that will probably be enough. He may Have more potential than anyone on the team and that’s really saying something.
