Well, we consider Brewer valuable and he can't shoot any better than McDaniels can....and McDaniels has a lot more potential as a defender.
McDaniels is a ROOKIE. You can't expect the same things from him and a veteran. Sure he can't shoot now..but it's too early to write him off. If he wasn't in this situation in free agency people wouldn't keep repeating it like that. It's unfair to him.
As Finsraider said in another thread, keeping KJ in Houston could be key if the Rockets are looking at moving both Brewer/Ariza to make the cap room work for opening a spot for Durant in 2016. Morey is thinking 2, 3, 4 moves down the road and allocating assets accordingly.
He is basically 3" shorter/younger verision of Brewer. Brewer is a career 29% from the 3 ball. KJ was 31% in college and 29% last season. Maybe he'll get to a more respectable level but either way Brewer just got paid while his career suggest he is a very poor 3pt shooter. He is going to have to get better to take away minutes on our current roster.
That is a big if, but it is driving his value. Value isn't based on assuming his future value is what he's done. It is projection and odds. Shooting is the easiest thing to learn. I give him at least a 33% chance of developing shooting enough to be a very useful rotation player considering his current skills. He is a very difficult person to project as I can see the potential for very good and very bad outcomes.
His shooting stats in his first year in the NBA were very similar to Kwali Leonard's last year in college. Both are active defensively though KJ needs more polish. Leonard learned to shoot under Spurs teaching. This is not to say KJ will be Leonard. Just that guys like him have huge potential. Most don't realize it.
KJ has such a higher ceiling than Brewer though. Brewer is never going to be any better than he is right now, KJ could be much more than that even by the end of this season. Saying you have a 29 year old version of a 22 year old isn't reason to get rid of the 22 year old.
Why is there even this much discussion on this guy? He's a scrub. I wouldn't give him any of the MLE. Team was riddled with injuries and the guy didn't even rate highly enough to get a cup of coffee with the Rockets down the stretch last year. Forget him.
Agreed. But like I said earlier he may become malcontent waiting his chance here and being underpaid in his eyes.
Toy not shiny enough, quick enough...throw away. SMH You do realize that the position he plays 2/3 is a position manned by Harden/Ariza/Brewer. I believe Ariza played all 82 games and Harden 81. And Brewer I believe never got injured during his time with Houston. There were literally no minutes to be had. KJ was a rookie, new player brought onto a team half way through the season where the players ahead of him never got injured and there was no practice time.
Not only that, but don't be surprised if Brewer is unloaded DURING the season. 1) If KJ emerges as a legit NBA, him and Brewer have somewhat duplicate skillsets. KJ is both younger and cheaper. 2) It would be much easier to only have to move one of Ariza or Beverley than 2 of the 3 of them. 3) It would show Durant that KJ is a quality backup if KJ gets more time to prove himself.
I said in his eyes. He signed a 1 year rookie deal betting on himself. McDaniels rejected the 76ers offer of a four-year deal likely in the neighborhood of 3.6 million dollars with 1.8 million dollars guaranteed to accept a minimum offer of a non-guaranteed $507,336. He figured he'd perform in Philly then sign a bigger 3 year deal than the what the going rate was for rookies. His plan failed because he got trade to us and rode the pine behind the mvp caliber Harden. So now no team has jumped on said potential. Wouldn't you be pissed off? If it was his agent that talked him into it he should fire the agent.
If that is the case why wasn't he worth a 1st round pick? He had potential then, did his play last year make THAT much of a difference?
True but how much are you willing to pay for potential? For all we know, KJ might never pan out. If they thought that high of him maybe they should have kept him and got rid of Brewer or just given Brewer a one year deal. FWIW I've already stated on here that I think the Rockets overpaid for Brewer too.