They can't be any worse than we are now. I'll take Turner any day. There are a few here that discredited Turner and applauded Weaver. Not sure where these are at this time
What the hell are you going on about now? First, if you believe Silas, he is in charge of the defense and he assigned Weaver to the offense. Second, the Rockets problem this year hasn’t been defense, it has been offense... and the last I checked the Rockets were shooting 27% from the field and 8% from 3 tonight.
Also, what about the lack of talent available... and perhaps also the fact that, perhaps, the 2 worst players on our roster are the only 2 guys over 6'6? (Kurucs and Patton). The team is built around expiring contracts/ the ability to feature players and let them pad stats to increase their value.
The Rockets were #1 in defense in the bubble with Turner last year. We're among the worst now without him
Turner wasn’t in charge of the Rockets defense in the bubble... he wasn’t even second in command.... he lost control of the Rockets defense early in the year and MDA and a low level assistant took over the defense.
Rockets assistant coach Will Weaver Q&A: On Jalen Green, summer-league learning and NBA cops and robbers https://theathletic.com/2778429/202...mer-league-learning-and-nba-cops-and-robbers/ Less than 24 hours after Jalen Green and the Rockets defeated Cade Cunningham’s Pistons at NBA Summer League, assistant coach Will Weaver wanted to spend some practice time working on beating traps. Green had been blindsided by Detroit’s approach the night before, finding it difficult to adjust to their defense early on. But it wasn’t so much as coming up with a written down strategy or a counter to have the upper hand. Weaver just wanted Green to be comfortable as a player, understanding the frustration the young guard might have felt during the game. This was obviously a change from what Green was used to prior to being drafted, but it was also a bit different from what Weaver’s job typically entails. Known as an X’s and O’s expert, Weaver is typically the guy on the sidelines thinking of a million ways to attack defenses and stop offenses. But during his stint as head coach of Houston’s summer league team, he says he had more important things to think about. Weaver thought of the players under his care and how he and the coaching staff could support them. Preparation and communication — those were far more important “than drawing up some silly play,” Weaver said. “To have the chance to be around young players that are taking some of their first steps towards the dream they had their whole lives, it’s a huge privilege,” he added. The Rockets assistant coach recently sat down with The Athletic for a wide-ranging interview giving valuable insight into his coaching style, Houston’s style of play, core values and much more. This interview has been edited for style, length and clarity. Last season, the way you and the staff had to adjust on the fly was a bit unprecedented. Stephen Silas has talked about everything happening at once as a head coach. What’s it like as an assistant dealing with that sudden change? I think Stephen Silas kept his eyes on the prize and remained composed and player-focused throughout the whole sort of puzzle-solving, problem-solving exercise that last season was. He didn’t lose sight that each of those players have their own set of challenges trying to establish themselves or re-establish themselves in the NBA. We took leadership from him and of course the experience in Philadelphia, where teams I was a part of coaching staffs were in their own phases of reconstituting and trying to grow culture with a new set of folks. And so I leaned on those lessons heavily and try to contribute those lessons to the broader intelligence of our group. For me, I really look at it as fun, it’s an opportunity to work with a wide set of players. I learned way more from players than they learned from me. So the opportunity to dive into their goals and help them realize that I’m here to serve them and try to help them grow and achieve those goals and possible, that’s what I coach for. What’s the Rockets’ orientation like? Do you introduce more concepts the longer you’re in Vegas with the players or does everything come at once? We’ve certainly tried to layer it to where we’re not expanding the menu. We’re trying to stay within a tight set of patterns on both sides of the ball and hope that our guys can really dive headfirst into those and come out of the experience feeling like they grew. Rather than just throwing 50 things at them and having them just touch it lightly, like really get their hands dirty and come out of this experience understanding in a deeper way, what we’re doing, but why we were doing it and how they might take those lessons into the rest of their careers. But because of the turnover and because of sort of the additions made halfway through, we have adjusted some things in terms of our focus. And the guys have responded really well, I’ve been impressed and appreciative for the way that they’ve focused in order to tweak some of those concepts. For the ways that we think have a better chance of being successful. And successful in the broader sense is not just about scoring a lot of points or holding one of these summer league teams to a lot of points, but being successful in ways that hopefully translates to their games and their careers. What’s on the menu you alluded to in the beginning, then? Yeah, so we’re a simple defensive team, we’re switching with everybody except for our fives, so that’s Alperen (Sengun) and Matt Hurt. And we’ve given those guys the opportunity to be in the ‘up to touch’ scheme, directional, trying to get people to use their non-dominant hands. There’s a lot of pressure on the guy that’s guarding the player that’s the least available for a pass, we get some sick terminology around that. But that player needs to be in support and identifying who that player is at all times is usually where defense starts. Once we get back and take care of transition — on that side of the ball, we’re hoping that given as many opportunities to feel that pattern and hope that they can reliably execute that come the regular season and fit into a training camp setting, while understanding sort of the backbone of what a half-court defensive scheme looks like. And then on offense, we’re trying to play extremely fast, trying to kick it ahead of every opportunity, run on makes and misses, keep five-out spacing, but recognize that nothing’s good when it’s slow. So trying to bring the speed while also being able to execute at speed, which of course is the challenge. Enjoying playing in more of a conceptual framework rather than getting them play calls and trying to demand that when this player goes here, you go there in hopes it will allow them to grow as decision-makers and problem solvers. Let them see where their strengths and opportunities, as well as their weaknesses, are. In your experience, have you seen younger guys respond more positively to that conceptual framework, as opposed to everything being so structured? I certainly think that tends to be the stereotype from college, that oftentimes they’ve been coached in programs that are a little more on the trainable side of the spectrum, which, you know, it’s a different game, it’s a different set of rules. And every shot clock is a different set of personnel. So I don’t pass any judgment on what it takes to win in college. But I do think that young players are surprised when they enter the NBA and that they see how much opportunity there is for them to play. And make decisions dynamically as opposed to in a scripted way, but it’s also our belief that’s the more modern way. There’s a lot of evidence behind how people learn, and that there’s richer, deeper, longer lasting learning that comes from being put in those kinds of decisions being made, making those kinds of decisions and then studying those decisions after the fact. You try to refine them with feedback. So that’s another part of what we’re trying to do is play a long game, not only help them learn, really learn how to learn. Some of your former colleagues have referred to you as a “genius,” it’s a word Silas has used as well. I know you might not be as heavy with the X’s and O’s now as during the season but what about Houston’s free-flowing offense intrigues you the most? I think there are several teams across the NBA that have taken what I believe started with Mike D’Antoni, and real basketball heads could probably trace back to Pete Krill and others before him. Those that have found ways to space and attack space. But the homogenous sort of approach that NBA teams take now to bylaw spacing, trying to bend defenses and take advantage of a way defenses have been built for a long time. I view Stephen to be an innovator on that front. And part of the innovation is how simple and versatile that scheme is. That means we have to assign and develop versatile players, but to me, that’s what players are motivated to do themselves. And so our incentives are lined up neatly and that gives us all a chance to coach with the players at the forefront of what we’re doing and bring their individual skill, so that it can be placed into that framework with a more kind of read and react mindset. More adaptable, a bit more antifragile to defenses and try to scheme in a particular way, particularly in the playoffs at the highest level. To take something away and be able to recognize what they’re trying to take away and have the counter to it on the fly which is a big part of what winning offensive basketball is.
What are those coaching meetings like? You, John Lucas, Rick Higgins, DeSagana Diop, Silas and Jeff Hornacek all have different backgrounds and experiences. What’s it like when all of you are in the same room talking hoops? How do you work through differences? I think maybe the most fun part of our staff is just how many teams and decades and continents our experiences span. There’s a shared framework between those guys who spent time in Charlotte together — Gana, Rick, Stephen. You know, obviously, the experience I’ve had with Philadelphia, Jeff Hornacek spent a little time at Brooklyn too, so we have that mutual shared touchpoint. Jeff and John clearly played in the league in an era Stephen’s really familiar with. Having both multiple head coaching and general manager roles between them, I think there’s a real appreciation for the holistic approach that’s needed to build something great and how challenging that can be. To give you an example, we did some projects this summer studying the playoffs and trying to pull lessons and share them with the group that we thought were applicable to our team this upcoming season. And the debates we had, and the ideas that were shared in those meetings, were incredibly energizing for me and others as well. But not only were we all in the office together in July, or whatever it was studying the league, not like we were out on the golf range in our own separate cities, that shows a real engagement and excitement about where we’re at as colleagues and a program. But then the specific ideas themselves people are trying to push forward and trying to push basketball forward and help our players be successful. I think our players feel that and I know that precision with our individual players about how they think about Stephen or other assistant coaches reflects the genuine, unselfish, player-centered, person-centered approach that leads for us and that’s something I’m incredibly proud to be part of. How do you balance wanting to play fast and understanding that some of the younger players might need time to adjust to NBA speed? Do you expect a smooth transition or some bumps in the road? Playing fast means different things to different people. In the summer-league context, we are making it an emphasis: anybody inbounds it, get it out of the net as quickly as possible. Even on dead balls, try to steal it out of the referee’s hands and throw it back in and play. Some of that relates to the specific makeup of this specific group. But we do think there’s lessons for them to learn and for us to learn about how they approach and handle that, that we can take into our planning for the regular season. Where we land and how we end up playing next year, obviously, is a decision for Stephen and something we’ll talk about as a staff, using the summer league as a set of data points about how our guys responded. You’ve spent quite a bit of time around Jalen Green. Last season, you spent time with Kevin Porter Jr. and John Wall. The Rockets have played lineups with three guards in the past but do you see that working right now? What are the benefits of having them all on the floor together and how would you want the frontcourt to complement that dynamic, if that makes sense? It makes perfect sense. It’s probably too specific for me to give you great insight on. I’ll just say that I don’t think any of us are tied to a traditional way of thinking about players. As in, oh, this guy has a G in front of his name on the box score and this guy has an SF next to his name on the box score so that limits how they can fit together. I know that we are going to leave no stone unturned in how we can maximize these guys’ talents for the betterment of the Rockets. But the more dynamic and versatile players are, the more opportunities there are to do that. And so anytime you’re adding — not just Jalen but other rookies into the mix — the unknown or the exciting part and how it all fits together is something that we won’t be able to predict. That’s where our focus is going to turn and trying to start putting those puzzle pieces together. Who are some of your coaching influences or people that shaped your style? What sort of coach would you call yourself in terms of preference, style, etc.? I’ve been lucky to have amazing mentors. Several of them have spent time in Houston, Kenny Atkinson and Sam Hinkie both worked here and I worked for those guys in Brooklyn and Philadelphia respectively. Brett Brown, Sean Marks, the colleagues of those two and in Brooklyn and Philly also have a heavy Spurs influence on how I think about team building and how I think about what a program can be. The time I spent in Australia around great tacticians, Andre Romanus, Luc Longley, someone who enjoyed a really long NBA career and had a big impact on how I think about how NBA coaches can play a role in helping NBA players drive successful careers. Coming at it from a place of authenticity as a colleague rather than the old archetype that the coach is the boss. That’s the furthest thing from how I think. Around the league, my favorite part about coaching in the NBA is the talent and skill on display, and when you compete against these other teams. Steve Kerr, someone I’ve gotten to know a bit and have a lot of respect for, not only for the way that team plays, but the egoless approach he takes and the way he helps teams find fun in what they do. I’m clearly an amalgamation of all those different forms. At the end of the day, the way everybody’s successful is by being themselves. I enjoy getting to connect with these guys and share music preferences, favorite players and all the ways that we can bring them together about how to make their goals come true in basketball. To have that privilege is the most fortunate thing that anybody can ever hope for. Very grateful. How much of last season’s offense do you want to carry over to this season? Were you satisfied with your team’s ‘random offense’ Silas talked about all season long, the ability to attack unset defenses and essentially freelance? Did you try to implement some of that in Vegas? So the NBA is a game of cops and robbers and innovating is valuable. But being able to see other people innovating and stealing those good ideas and applying them, being able to implement them with your own group is almost as valuable. So we’re on a constant search for best practices, and we’re trying to innovate our own. But the framework, as I’ve already described to you from last season, had an influence on our summer league group. What we did was Stephen and I sat down and tried to identify the opportunities and the challenges to sort of mitigate in this context. And knowing it was going to be easier to pick too many than it was going to be to pick the right amount. So we tried to keep it to a tight menu of things that we thought, many of which we tried last year, and then a few things that we wanted to try to experiment with. Player turnover, the randomness of what can come up in any team’s life together over just a two-week span, makes some of those things that we were trying to work on obscure. But by and large, it’s been largely successful. If you could pinpoint one lesson you’ve learned in Houston, what would that be? I think the success or failures you have are about the people who are involved and connecting with everyone on that level, as opposed to as a player as a coach or the trainer, allows for real learning and real growth. Seeing the hard work all these guys have put in over many, many years, selecting these players, and giving us the chance to work with them and get to know them.
What about in-game lessons? For example, you’re known for quality ATOs, but do you prefer letting the game flow in crunch time or would you rather call timeout and set something up? Or, alternatively, does it depend on how the game is going? Certainly, there’s context. But by and large, I try to use evidence where possible before these kinds of decisions, and certainly, you have to have possession to call timeout generally. So to slow yourself down and draw something, we’ve already discussed how I think that tends to worsen the expected value of that possession rather than enhance it. There are certainly exceptions based on the personnel that’s on the floor, the time and score of the game. But as compared to my peers, I’m far more in the, “let’s attack them before they have a chance to get organized” camp. If they had the ball previously, they probably were tilting more towards an offensive set of personnel anyway, let’s play into that group, rather than letting them get perfectly organized, decide exactly who’s going to match up to who’s best defenders of the game and guard us. You learn less if somebody gives you the cheat notes for the test you’re about to take. In this environment, you’re trying to give guys as many learning opportunities as possible. That means less me stopping them, telling them exactly where to stand and where to pass it. Learning from the success or failure is a part of that and recognizing there is no failure; there’s just learning that can come from it. How’s it been for you? You know, this whole process of summer league and getting a chance to see all these young guys — how’s it been for you as a person mentally? Have you gotten a chance to take a step back and appreciate where you are now in your career? Every day. I certainly am filled with gratitude for the chance to work with the Rockets. The coaching staff that I was lucky enough to have with me out here — (Rick) Higgins, (DeSagana) Diop, Mahmoud (Abdelfattah), Robbie Keck, Barbara (Turner) our latest addition — they’ve made this an extreme blast. I have the greatest job in the world getting to coach basketball. And I’ll be the most excited member of our travel party to get back to Houston and hug my two-year-old son. I’ve been lucky to be a head coach in several different contexts, in the G League, overseas and national team events. You don’t ever take the opportunity to be in a position of leadership lightly and I certainly don’t. I’m appreciative of the opportunity Rafael (Stone) and the team have given me and certainly learned a lot just within this week about how I can do a better job as an assistant coach and hopefully as a head coach in the future.
Interesting. Rockets are having Sengun play up to touch instead of drop coverage (which he has been more comfortable with and more effective at). Silas used to prefer drop coverage but had to go more up to touch for Wood (which I advocated early in the season). At least coaches are not trying to force Sengun to play switch everything, which would be a disaster and confidence killer.
Weaver (and likely Silas too) is about playing fast, random offense, having fun and incorporating best ideas from successful teams (innovation). Kenny Atkinson is one of Weaver's mentors and should be an option if Silas let go. A legit D coach should also be added to team IMO.
For a "known" X's and O's guy, Weaver seems to prefer playing similar to MDA - teach players the system and have them read and react rather than run set plays (outside of ATOs of course). Weaver talks about flow, one of D'Antoni's favorite terms. https://www.businessinsider.com/mike-dantoni-offense-shaped-nba-2017-11 Random offense maybe another concept similar to secondary action or early offense as opposed to traditional half court offense. https://www.basketballinsiders.com/the-genesis-of-mike-dantonis-gravity-based-offense/
Lol Dumbtoni's offense has never been random, it's always hand the complete keys to pg and let him figure everything out. If the pg is a savant creator like Nash, it results in beautiful and balanced offense with multiple avenues of attack. But if the pg isnt really that creative like say Harden, it can result in zero variation and the same play being run over and over again. Everybody knew the play the Rox are gonna run, its always T formation with Harden at the top of the key to either stepback 3 or pnr for a drive. There wasnt any randomness in that its the same play almost every time.
