If Tate is in the starting lineup next season I’ll consider that as the silent nod from Stone the tank is still on
Problem is, best case scenario you have a 27.4 chance at one of those 2. https://www.tankathon.com/pick_odds We'll see where the year takes us but this time last year Jaden Hardy was a lock for top 5, PBJ lock for top 10 and Jabari Smith was a projected lottery pick. We've heard about VW for a long time and he seems special but it's still a year away. If he and Scoot are as good as advertised you can't trade into getting that kind of talent. No one is trading away the chance to pick a sure thing.
I expect Jalen Green to see his numbers improve, probably over 20 points a game.... he will likely get the Rockets a few more wins by himself. However this team doesn't know how to win. Their best players are very young and the coaching is just a mess. Even if the Rockets move the losers and bring on some tough nosed veterans to win, you are looking at 35 wins maybe. I think the Rockets are more likely to keep the players that they have and also add the lottery pick talent and whomever they get with the Nets pick.... Wood will still screw around until dealt at the deadline and who knows which Kevin Porter shows up.
If you want to stay happy next year then just don't expect anything from the team. I doubt they'll lose on purpose but the team is still really young and it takes a while to really click. We could make a huge leap and look like last year's Grizz. Or our young players can hit their sophomore slump and we'd have a decent shot at Vic W. Either way it's a win-win to me. Don't burden this young squad with expectations just yet.
VW is a major prospect, but he has some real flaws that limit his game.... he is long and a solid athlete for his size, but he doesn't have a highly developed offensive game, and even in the game against U19 USA/France he looked awesome for the first half and then adjustments were made and he wasn't as dominant and players like Ivey were able to get around him and over him.
Yup, I'm not saying to embarrassingly tank or anything. Just saying anything reasonable... ex: don't push hard for play in by playing vets more. Don't sign a guy that makes us better short term at the expense of landing a top 2 pick. Most of this thinking is a fairly organic thing and simply not shooting yourself in the foot by doing desperate moves
Next year definitely isn't the year to spend MLE money on a veteran to eek out a few wins. Organic 100% whatever happens happens.
plus , our division is pretty good . I’m saying we don’t have to tank . just my opinion, playing Christian wood is playing to lose . We would have been better off playing theis .
I haven't seen enough of VW to say for sure... I would want their exact measurements as well. VW is supposedly 7'3" with a 7'9" wingspan and that may be getting too big. He can move okay on the perimeter, he isn't a blazer but he can guard bigs out there and some guards in the same way that Chet can. Chet is 7'1" and has a 7'7" wingspan according to some around Gonzaga. VW has the better frame, he is about the same weight as Chet but he has broader shoulders and a longer reach.... but I don't know that you really want him to fill out THAT much at his size, it hinders his mobility. I will say when you see the two of them next to each other it is clear who is bigger and longer..... but there are limits to that. I saw VW hit a really nice fade away against Chet, and I have seen him have a decent handle.... I will say this, VW gets bumped inside and pushed out of the way easier than Chet. I am uncomfortable saying for sure, VW is younger, longer and more coordinated.... but Chet is more skilled, and I am sorry, but Chet is also more explosive off the ground and also has the better second step in transition. The upside argument goes towards VW's way because of his frame.... but if you put a gun to my head I think I take Chet.... and I know that is counter to some scouts. Its hard to compare them because of the age difference.
The Rockets will be a bottom 5 team again next year. Even with a 2022 lottery pick and good team internal improvement, you have to look outside of the Rockets. Ask yourself what teams the Rockets will be better than. Because there will be many teams that have just as much improvement or even more. Look at the back-end of the WC, teams that are scuffling. LAL, POR, NOP. All will be way better. SAS has 3 firsts. OKC has 3 firsts. Rockets still have a ways to go. And that is ok. Get a good 2022 lottery pick. Get a good 2023 lottery pick. Those guys and Jalen Green are your pillars to build on.
Yeah kind of, he doesn't move as well as Ralph Sampson but I think he is actually longer and will likely be wider than Ralph at the same age. He is kind of at a cross roads at this point.... he can stay very thin and be a hybrid type player that can guard 4's and 5's and try developing his outside shot (which isn't bad).... but if he gains too much weight he is going to be defensively like Gobbert and won't be able to guard the perimeter. He is mobile, but not an explosive athlete... he also doesn't have the second step that Holmgren has, but he has solid foot speed. I think he could be really effective either way. He is arguably a better post player than Chet Holmgren right now. He is longer and has soft hands and solid coordination, scores inside kind of like Yao did..... he will fall into 4 blocks a game if he plays 30 minutes....
my weakness... noooo man I will go to war for and with Tate . I hope I’m right and the many are wrong . He WILL become better and be a stud.
KPJ my favorite player so I feel you lol but a 6’5 power forward starter will never allow us to be truly competitive
