How bad we actually are?

It’s not the “we r bad lets cry bro” thread. Let’s just find out how bad we really are or are we really that bad, whatever

After Chuck’s arrival to Sac-Town we have the worst center’s position in the game. It’s even more crucial for us, then for others because the center in Rockets team is playing a huge role on D because three of our four projected starters (Scola, Bud and Martin) are from bad to worse on defensive department. Without a rebounding and defensive minded center we are turning into complete garbage. Our answers are J-Hill and Thabeet. Hasheem is a mysterious guy. We know he is not the NBA caliber performer but we don’t know how he will progress if he’ll have a 20 minutes per game on a regular basis. He will be a foul trouble guy or a ridiculous rim protector? Probably the first, because of his terrible B-ball IQ but you can’t bet on that. Deandre Jordan just get a 43M per year and he’s not smarter than him, and he there is no huge advantage in terms of talent there, too. Miracles can happen

Hill is a good player when he’s focused. He showed us a lot of promise last year when he was in “I’m not a bust a mode”. He can be not a double double center, but 8+8+1.5 for sure if…. Only if he can stay focused. The only things that are keeping him in the bust column are his lack of maturity as a player and his psychology. If he’ll develop in that second category, we will have a solid backup center as min for the rest of his career or even a pretty nice starter, but until he actually reached that – he is da tru bust without a doubt. We are in trouble there

The next huge problem is a trade situation with Martin and Scola. Last year we played terrible before the deadline because Morey was telling on every corner that every Rockets player is available. Guys didn’t want to work as a hard as they can on the floor and we really lacked that hustle. They really had a reason for it. “Why should I play with all heart for the organization that would trade me tomorrow to anywhere in this country without my permission, just like they actually did with Shane?” And when all this rumors where finally over, guys started to realize that they were fighting for their own opportunities, it was a playoffs for them, not for Melo or Gerald Wallace. That’s why we improved dramatically right after we traded Battier for no one. Today we are a three months away of a March 15 deadline and Morey is still on the same mode. It’s complicated for the players, especially when they didn’t have Rick there, the coach that they were cheering for in the offseason. That’s sad. I don’t think that hustle will be there. Hustle is a part of our game and success, if you can call a mediocre status as a successful kind of a job

Another part is a coaching change. Adelman is a HOF coach, he’ll be there just right after his retirement. McHale has extremely bad understanding of the game, one of the worst in the league and his job in Minny just proved that. That bull**** he said back in the day about Randy Foye over Brandon Roy after their rookie seasons just proved that he don’t want to change and doesn’t see his own mistakes. He’s completely unreliable and guys will see the difference between his basketball knowledge and the Rick’s one, just like Landry did in Sacramento, when he criticized their coach and said that his work is nowhere close to what Adelman brings to the table. And if such pleasant and reliable guy like Carl is saying something like this, the difference is really huge. Can you say that McHale is better than Westphaul, guy that lead Barkley’s Suns to the franchise one and only final series with Bulls back in 93? I can’t say so. And he lost there just because of Michael amazing game (41 PPG), not because he was bad or he made some crucial mistakes, anyway, let’s stay focused

The next thing is the West. The Conference is much steady right now than a few years ago when you should win 50 games just to get to the playoffs. A lot of teams will push for the playoffs because they know that 33-35 wins will put them into contention for a low seeds. It’s pretty sexy for Clippers, T-Wolves, they will try to take the chance. Mavs, Lakers, Thunder, aging Spurs and Trail Blazers will be in that top-8 for sure. Memphis too, if they will be able to find the balance in their ball movement with Gay’s addition to the WCSF team. That are the 6 teams already. Hornets with CP3, Denver with Nene, Clips and Rick’s Timberwolves will make a push, even Suns just because of Nash can be right there in the mix. That’s eleven already, and we are not talking about Warriors (they are just much more talented than we are), Jazz with a huge frontline and with a status of the team that is just waiting for a great acquisition in Millsap or Jefferson trade. They will just destroy us in paint when it matters. 10 teams are better than as, 3 more are arguably better in terms of talent, depth, balance and coaching.

And that’s put me into the pretty bad mood. We are the second worst team in the West on paper. The only team that is definitely worse than our Rockets is Sacramento Kings, but they have Cousins (they moved him to center position with Dalembert out to Free Agency) and Tyreke, Rookie of the Year in 2010 that will try to bounce back. And that’s what you call potential.

So, just a few questions there:

Are we really that bad?

Should we try to change things or just tank when all eggs are in one basket?

Do we really need an overspent on Nene if he is a mediocre performer that already reached his peak and won’t help us on D or on boards and won’t lead us anywhere, because he’s not that kind of player?

(Actually, he is a natural PF that is worse than Scola) Just stay pat and don’t make any decision that will hurt us in future is much better to me and I think that GM’s will consider Nene contract as one of the top-5 worst in the league and simply unmovable just when this shortened season will be over.

With that situation, coach and roster we are 20 with smth wins team at best. And that's sad

 

not per year but for 4 years, of course