Is this a crazy good roster and potentially fun team? Or am I just crazy?

We're missing some veteran chicken wings.

 

I think the Rockets are going to shock alot of people. I think a little more length at the 3 will be needed but I still think this team is ready to dominate. I think Harden knew the Westbrook trade was a mistake after the first month. I know Westbrook and Wall are the two big names people are talking about but Christian Wood was the biggest upgrade this team has seen. The guy will be ridiculous next to Harden.

 

If he has a comeback year, one thing I like the most about Wall is we actually have a big team now all around on defense. Our ceiling actually could be a top team defensively and offensively.

Wall is bigger than Westbrook at 6'4 in shoes, and has a 6'9+ wingspan.

Add if he is still a good athlete and aggressive defensively, we could cause problems for teams on both ends.

If he is just close to his old self he looks very impactful as a two way player:

 

Thats what I am most excited about. New coach, new gm. New players. They prob won't win the championship but as long as lebron is going strong lakers would be hard to beat no matter who the pg was. The season will be fun to watch which is what I watch sports for. I cant wait.

 

You lost me at "a top 5 HOF player".

 

Crazy like a fox

 

Crazy as in I counted at least 5 guys who could score 20 or more on a nightly basis.

Need to bring it in other departments of the game.

Cous and Wall won't play starter right off the bat because of coming back from injuries.

Wall likely would start but limited minutes or just bench role in the first games.

They probably play Wood as a shooting Garnett lite.

 

We definitely need another big off the bench

 

I’ve never been a fan of John Wall or Boogie Cousins.......but having said that I was never a fan of Westbrook
before he came to Houston. Not sure what offers the Rockets got for WB; but Wall would have been
one of my last options.

I think we have the ingredients to run a Silas offense and do well.

Isolation
Harden
Wall (looking at workout videos going against live players in the gym)
Cousins (post up option)
Mason Jones (has potential for driving in lane, making contact, creating space to get off 8 foot shot)

PnR (Ball Handler)
Harden
Wall
Eric Gordon (scored high in NBA percentile in 19/20)
Mason Jones

PnR (Roll-Man)
Cousins (Pick-n-Pop)
C Wood
Tucker (setting screens near 3-pt line)
Jae Sean Tate (Pick-n-Pop)

Slashers / Cutters
House
Sterling Brown
Nwaba
Wall
Wood
Gerald Green
Jae Sean Tate

Catch n Shoot / Floor Spacers (this makes all offensive sets work)
McLemore (40%......3P%)
Tucker (one of best NBA corner 3 shooters)
Sterling Brown (even better corner 3 shooter than Tucker.....both corners)
Nwaba ( 43%... 3P%)
Eric Gordon (I hope)
House (Above 36% from 3)
Wood (39%......3P%)
Cousins (33%......3P%)
Harden
Green-Light (Gerald)
Wall [CnS 3]: 43% and 37% respectfully last two seasons he played


Defense:
I expect switching defense and man to man; but expect zone defenses as well mixed in: 1-3-1 zone, 2-3 zone,
Triangle-&-2 zone, Box-&1 zone, Diamond-&-1 zone. Cover up some flaws defensively like Wall, Cousins, Gerald
Green, McLemore. All the teams are planning zones of one shape or another.

Summary
Much of the ingredients are there, even in Wooten / Caboclo as PnR guys and defensive studs near the rim.
I personally would like a trade of Eric Gordon for a combo forward (3/4) for added help.....3 & D player.

Cousins complaining to refs and snow birding concerns me; other than that I think the Rockets will be
competitive. In the mix for seeds 7 thru 3 by season’s end.

 

The Chemistry of the team is the most concerning thing. The next is the Locker room culture. If the culture is good and guys are getting closer I am telling you this team could be really good

 

You’re crazy as you clearly can’t see that best case scenario two of our key injury prone players are healthy all season we still severely lack depth and are relying on unproven players in a very difficult conference where the defending champs got better and several teams in the same tier as us last year are on the rise.

 

Possible injuries scare me more than being excited.

I'll be watching but I'll also be anticipating some kind of injury.

 

With good health, the Rockets have more depth than the last few years and possibly in a decade or more.

Gordon
Nwaba
Brown
Cousins
McLemore
Green

That gets you 11 deep with health

 

You can say with absolute certainty House playing doesn’t change the outcome of the series! What an interesting take from a bastion of basketball knowledge such as yourself. D-Minus.

 

I was excited about the growth i saw from House during the playoffs. Guy was knocking down shots, getting rebounds, and playing outstanding defense.

Then he did his thing.

But if House can slightly improve on that ('that' being his playoff average last year of 11/4 on 36% from 3), he has a legitimate chance to be a top 15 SF, and an excellent role player and fit next to Harden.

 

With a healthy Wall and Cousin sure this team could be balls out but there's good reason nobody was breaking down doors to grab these guys.

They're hail Mary moves.

Hail Marys are low percentage but they do work on occasion and they're exciting when they do. So much has to line up from a health perspective that not many would put money on the odds.

 

I think, as the roster stands right now, it’ll be a starting five of:

Wall
Harden
House
Tucker
Wood

 

I dont think so. Tucker still has positive value, more than a few teams will be interested at trade deadline.

@ch44 @Nook @The Cat @Deuce @BraBra

 

Low floor, very high ceiling. The roster is filled with question marks but that’s the exciting part. Not only that, let’s not forget the most important addition - Silas. What kind of Coach do we have? What style of play will he implement? Can he get players needing a rebound year, like EG, Wall, and Boogie to play up to their potential? Is C. Wood the real deal? What will Stone do bef in trade deadline now with assets to deal? Find out next time on Harden Ball Z.

Truly excited in seeing what’s in this mystery box of a team.

 

Everyone but Cousins plays in the same position