[ClutchFans] How Paolo Banchero would fit with the Houston Rockets

Picking Mark Williams or Jalen Duren at 17 could be a good rim-protector at C if he is still available.

Obviously, they will be behind Usman starting off, but could pass him up to protect that paint.

 

I really enjoyed the write up on Banchero. Thank you.

And that NBADraft.Net mock is too much an outlier on Chet. I know his health screening drama isn't doing him any favors, but he's just too talented, big, and nimble to fall that far. There would need to be something more definite for that to happen.

 

Count me among those who believe that Garuba can fill the center role. He already has elite athleticism and wingspan to get surprising amount of blocks and steals like Bam or Draymond. He doesn't have to become a knockdown 3pt shooter for his use case to pan out--a 30% shot alone will suffice.

This is another reason why I really like Jeremy Sochan. We just saw Scottie Barnes transform a similar player profile into success. The main thing you need is functional length, athleticism, and then a natural feel for the game. Sochan has this but take away some of Barnes' offensive court vision and replace it with defensive court vision. An Iguodala or again, Draymond are easily imaginable, and then how elite he becomes depends on whether or not he is a 28% 3pt shooter, 30%, or 34%. But that's just the cherry on top.

 

Bruh is comparing Paolo Banchero to Julius Randle, Juwan Howard, and Jabari Parker. No wonder you are so down on Paolo. If I thought he was any of these 3 guys, I'd be depressed too. Hopefully, for all our sakes, you are wrong about this one Clutch.

(Alperen Sengun is a massively underrated talent on both ends, still...)

 

Forgive me, watching 82 games of Juwan Howard as our best player has scarred me for life. Please lawd tell me we aren't putting Jalen Green with Juwan Howard...

 

I see a little Michael Beasley as well...

 

If you watch the tape and look at how Paolo moves, look at the speed he plays at, the shots he creates, and you try to find an NBA comp... a modern Julius Randle does looks awfully similar.

Some people might find that to be disrespectful (probably the same people who rage when you comp Green to LaVine and not MJ) but if you guys haven't noticed Randle's 2021 season was incredible with him averaging 24/10/6 and leading the Knicks to a home-court seed. Randle seems to have some attitude and mental makeup issues that hold him back, which you have to separate when comping his on-court abilities.

If Banchero can be a slightly taller, slightly better defensively, consistent version of peak Randle, with better leadership qualities, you have a perennial all-star slam dunk of a pick.

 

Nice write up. Very much appreciate it.

this part sounds a lot like how you discussed drafting Mobley v Green, last year. Hopefully, the same development comes true

If you’re going to give the ball to a player in a high-usage role who doesn’t boost your defense, he can’t be just a good scorer. He has to be elite at it in time if the ultimate goal is to be good enough to win a title.

But there is a possibility here where Paolo could ultimately be that guy, a true superstar player, and maybe the prospect who proves to be the best player in the draft. That’s enticing.
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Well, back in the day Juwan Howard did show enough potential to become the first NBA player to get a $100 million dollar deal.

I also do see the Howard comparison.
When I first saw Banchero, a player that came to mind was Patrick Patterson.
But a really, really, good version of Patterson.

Still, I think Banchero has the tools to be the third (or fourth) best player on a contender.
So it's probably best for the Rockets to tank one more season to try and get one more potential star player, if they can.

 

I think both JG and Paolo have a chance to be elite championship winning players, but also have chance to be solid all-star type players. We don't have a sure thing like a Lebron (doesn't come very often at all). We just gotta keep taking good chances on high potential players, invest in player dev and one hits big time, generational type player. We just need one chance to hit jackpot, like a Giannis, Curry, Kawhi, etc, then build the team. So many unknowns yet

 

Randle's one great season was indeed great; he was in some discussions for voters' MVP shortlists. If Paolo can consistently play like that then it's a home run of a pick.

If, on the other hand, he plays like Randle in basically any other season... then that's a bummer.

I think this is why the Randle comp is so unsettling to many, including myself.

 

No Royce White comp?

 

Banchero has a 40 inch vertical. Randle, while a solid player has no where near that type athleticism.

 

If we are wanting to draft ONE player to save the franchise unfortunately that player is NEVER going to come.

 

PB is a very intriguing player that has a lot of talent and skills that we need at this time & is the best player available. It would be moronic to not pick him. He may turn into Maurice Taylor who really knows but that is what is entertaining about pro sports. We are watching people grow (or not) into players that we will honor and adore or bash and blame because that is what fandom is all about. Either way kids dreams come true because of hard work and sacrifices by him and those people around him have made. Thursday is like a end of a fairytale and starting point rolled into one.

 

Gosh, either one available at 17 HAS to be the pick. This team has suffered through a decade of smallball and we could land either one with a pick outside the lottery? Modern era basketball does not require rec-league-sized rosters. Enough is enough!

On that note, I'm developing Garuba as a 4. Sengun/17 as the 5, Banchero and Garuba backing at 4. Pushing undersized 4s Tate/Martin to 3 where they should be too. And not a damned minute for Gordon or Mathews at the 3. Something like this:

Porter - Green - Tate - Banchero - Sengun
Nix - Christopher - Martin - Garuba - Williams/17
26 - *Gordon - Nwaba -
(Wall) - Mathews

*Gordon is a when healthy/until or if traded option. I'm a big fan but realistically, what good is starting him? Even playing above Nix or Christopher? He's just the coach on the bench at this point. He'll get some run here and there but I'm full on with the youth now. The 3rd string bench can be a mess, I want that 10 in and developing into whatever they can be to start getting a glimpse of the future. Frankly having him and Nwaba as those bench veteran tone setter guys is perfect.

(Wall) just holding a roster spot until he's not. Frankly I hope he's not even allowed to have anyone's phone number. We're going to see who out of this 10 starts looking like a core this year and use Wall's ridiculous contract to pay our own or bring in some quality free agents. This rebuild man. It's gone very well.

 

That's really a great point HP.

 

Actually, Banchero is best compared to Royce White with good mental health (and a little taller, without shoes). Good handle and court vision for a big man, mediocre 3pt shooting and defense.

 

Did he play 36 minutes?