Reed Sheppard report card

So many turnovers by almost the entire team trying to get Yao the ball last night.

 

Reed need to just attack the basket, him going sideways is not a good move, when he gets a half step lean into your defender and go.

DD

 

Well - I will answer it this way, if the answer is "no", then Reed needs to be dealt for a point guard.

I personally think that Sheppard can be that guy, but it requires a willingness to let him fail sometimes and he doesn't get that.

 

Why so extreme? What if he's not ready till next season, should we deal him even though he'll be able to do it 70 games from now rather than 40 games from now?

Makes more sense we trade someone from our way overcrowded SF spot. We don't need all 5 of Twin, Okogie, Tari, Bari, DFS. Won't even be able to play them all if we're healthy or acquire a PG.

I think it's more likely we deal one of them for some PG insurance in case Reed doesn't develop enough in time for the playoffs.

 

It isn't necessarily extreme. I'll explain why.

First, if Sheppard is going to be good enough to be a lead guard on a title team, we should have a pretty good idea of it. If we do not think he will be, then we need to move him for one, while Sheppard has a lot of value.

Second, I don't know that we will get someone that is clearly better than Sheppard by the end of this season, without trading Sheppard or a lot of our assets.

I am fine with trading for a point guard to replace Holiday - but Reed is already fairly good, so getting someone to take his minutes will likely mean a fairly large investment.

The only way I am moving Sheppard and the only way I am giving up Sheppard's minutes - is if I get a clear cut upgrade, and if I get a clear cut upgrade, it likely means I don't have faith in Reed.

 

We see it a bit differently.

I do not think we can tell the future at a random future point in time. By the end of this season, still no one will know enough to make that decision. Certainly not before the deadline.

More critically, I don't think we need a better asset (which would require trading a good asset). I think we just need someone who's currently a better at floor general skills and can make an open 3. Doesn't have to be a better overall player. Like a TJ McConnell or Tyus Jones or CP3 or Kris Dunn would be fine. I would have that person come off the bench and only see significant minutes when Amen/Reed are struggling and stable hands are necessary to feed Sengun and Durant.

I don't think we need an insurance plan that costs more than, say, Okogie and a couple of second rounders at most. Would be stupid to give up on Reed. But also there's no need to put all our eggs in that basket so dramatically.

 

Why does Reed have to be a PG? He could be a fine sharp shooter off the bench or even a SG if he gets stronger. I have very little doubt that Reed will not be a playoff calibre PG this year. No need to trade him, because of that, especially since we don’t need a pg, we just need a coach that can create offensive schemes and learn how to manage the team during games. Reed is an elite shooter. As a championship contender, we need to put him in a position to exploit his elite skill.

When Reed went on a tear, it was obvious that teams would start game planning for him. Until he can punish guys for playing him tight with the ball, he cannot be a successful PG. He beats his man maybe 2 times a game, the rest of the time he has to pick up his dribble and get rid of the ball which has been a struggle the last several games. Reed only fans need to be prepared, because his minutes are going to shrink the more DFS gets integrated into the team. Ime is going to lean back on his defensive mind set and Reed doesn’t qualify. Playoffs are all about bully ball and Reed would be held and bludgeoned all over the court. Hell, it’s happening now 30 games into the regular season.

 

I don't even think it's just that, Ime flat out does not run any coherent offensive system....so there's really nothing for an actual PG to do. Ime thinks offense is when forwards just go ISO again and again. That's not Reed Sheppard's game....because he's a PG.

I think Reed Sheppard would likely welcome a trade because it would put him in a better position in the long run to have competent coaching.

It's really unfortunate, because if we actually ran some kind of offense, Reed Sheppard would be the perfect fit as the guy running it, but we have Ime. The Rockets are locked in with Ime, so it's probably best to make a move for yet another athletic forward with a shaky handle who can pretend to be a guard because that fits what the coach wants to do.

 

Just curious. What team does Reed Sheppard join and become their starting PG this year? Milwaukee maybe the only one with even playoff aspirations. I think there may be 3 more all re-building teams. He is not starting calibre yet.

 

It's not about being a starter, it's about being on a team with competent coaching that runs an actual offense so he can develop.

Here he's just wasting years with incompetent coaches

 

I don't think it's so much about gaining weight or strength, it's more about ball handling and him being confident when pressured.

When he's pressured now, he's definitely not confident, he picks up the dribble far too much and that often leads to turnovers.

This offseason that's what they need him to work on relentlessly, come back next year as a lead ball handler that can run a pick and roll ....

 

As far as I've heard from my small Rockets fam ( I miss Mike D/and OG Adelman to have more ability to have some more direct com) , Reed is untouchable. He is KD and Unk's guy and the league has taken notice.

Continue to look at Sac, DC and Mil. Even if GA stays put, we have interest in GT and RR, along with Kuz (what?!). The Clips are accepting all phone calls, but Kawhii is untouchable for negative reasons. Darkhorse: BK's limited minutes with injury healing and TMann wanting to be in a meaningful organization; Pels with a combo guard while allowing unloading salary for vet handles and a desire to gtf out of there. Throw a punch and take in a freebird.
Speaking of..everyone wants out of Memphis with my least favorite player (moreso than the bay's donkey) in Mr.Pew Pew looking like trash. Jock is more of and immediate impact than Morant 's wannabe street cred. Plenty of options there. And Spence be Spencin'

Anyway, just my rambling and small shares of what has been said. Can you imagine Beard teaming with Ant? Possible, but the Wolves have been playing well. Or selfishly, sending my guy Nic here and NeNe at age 30?...that would be my belated bday wish /

Sidenote: Ime and co obviously understand the battle with JO, DFF and TE's desire to be compensated (he's played so well lately!)

While a PG is direly needed, we need one more big/body to compensate for Stevie's (not the legendary Franchise) safe non -back to backs, and Clint has generated plenty of interest.

If I had it my way, JO would be back in heavier minutes until DFF showed something and we would somehow grab a mutually interested Jose along with a tweener G/SG or forward in Sac-town and Bey (well because he's a dog who is not part of their future).
... That and a Jokic 8;week absence (sorry, living part time in Denver gives you the nightmare of Nuggets fans and announcers.

Wish you well, and how about that KD killer and Jo giving book a terrible look with game-saving defense? What a time...get healthy,Alpi!

Wishing all of Clutchfans well. Much love to you and yours. X°

 

I can agree with that.

 

Well looks like all 5 are getting burn every game right now.

 

The single best thing I have read all day.

and it would be huge if we can somehow get Ryan Rollins for a decent price, I’m happy to give up a protected own first for him.

im not touching Terance Mann’s contract.

 

I think that the true answer is that read and amen will both be the point guards of the future, and they both can run the offense in different manners. They will start alongside each other at some point and I love what it will look like in a couple years to my projections.

as far as the type of point Guard that we bring in this year, it’s kind of hard to say. We could definitely use someone that could drive and dish, but at the same time somebody that could just set up the office and make the right pass would be equally usable.

I think it just comes down to bring in a veteran that is controlled and intelligent. All depends on how the organization views, the future of Fred Van Fleet and if Van Fleet is willing to leave.

 

Also….. isnt okogie a FA next year? It would seem like he has definitely priced himself out of our ability to retain. So as much as I like him, if there is value in trading him, it might be wise. Although I do really love the player.

 

Let's be honest though, if Tate was 6'7 he'd be getting run too. Ime has a type lol.

 

Him turning his back while dribbling is the biggest sign of a lack of confidence to me. He’s been doing it a lot more recently.

 

The Rockets won a championship with Kenny Smith crossing half court with his back to the basket. Of course Sam was the only meaningful point guard on those teams….