If no Wembanyama in the draft, who do you guys want?

Henderson at 6’2 is a no for me dog

I’ll take Amen at 6’7. He was good to me in 2k

 

Dereck Lively would look great with this core.

 

Even if Nets and Rockets are bottom 2 teams we'd have double the odds of the next team, but still more likely to not get Wemby than to get him. Hopefully Wemby or bust is not the real mentality...

 

Luka is another beast, but he, Ja, Ant, Zion etc all have had better roster help and coaching. Theres no comparison to our current situation. What has been their average ages compared to ours as well?
They have had coaches to put them in positions to succeed and role players that play their role perfectly and their young role players have developed in their roles. Ours are lost and regressing even.
I for one don't mind the losing and expected it, but its so ugly and unwatchable. Losing young teams have been fun to watch in the past. Not us even when its competitive.
Silas wanted to coach Harden and recreate the Luka offense, and he ended up with KPj as the only option to recreate that and it is detrimental to our players and teams development. This roster isn't suited for what Silas wants to do and Silas refused to adapt to his roster or the very high value lottery picks were getting. Instead he is betting everything on KPj. Most of us here know KPj is terrible for Jalens development but its been hurting Alpy and others too.

Its whatever though. Im all in on Wemby or Scoot. If we can't get them, we'll still get a good player and I believe Silas will be out and KPj will move to the bench and a new coach will start to define roles and establish a system suited for the roster. I really feel like Stros winning the World Series is going to light a fire in Tilman and that may include looking for a veteran head coach.

 

Such backwards thinking. The Warriors have won multiple championships playing Draymond as there Center for most of the game. You don't need a big man to win anymore. You just gotta play more team ball....

 

I think the Rockets are pretty set at guard with Porter/Green each playing 30+ minutes a night. Christopher and either Washington or Nix will probably eat the majority of those remaining minutes at the 1 and 2. That leaves spots along the frontcourt for the next big piece. Smith, Eason and Sengun are all guys that I believe factor into the longer term future of the Rockets. Everyone else up front I am meh on. So I would look at combo 3/4 or 4/5 types who can fit in with those guys moving forward. For better or worse that is how I see things.

Obviously Wemby fits that description and would be amazing. I do think Scoot Henderson makes the Rockets seriously question the Porter-Green combo. But I dont think the Rockets end up getting a crack at either guy. I think we end up picking outside of the top 5 (7-ish?). I think they end up close to 25 wins when its all said and done. Currently the guys I like for the Rockets are Jarace Walker (in the lottery) and Adem Bona (late first - Milwaukee pick).

Walker, I think, adds to the positionless front court with Jabari and Eason. I think that trio could even play together in a death lineup of KPJ-Green-Eason-Walker-Smith most nights to end games. I like Walker as a more physical combo 3/4 that can switch everything and still hold down the paint with his strength. I think his fit is pretty seamless with this squad.

Bona is a guy who doesnt get the love he should but is a guy I liken to Robert Willliams with the Celtics. He is 6'9'' or 6'10'', 230 or 240 with a 7'4'' wingspan and good athleticism. He is mostly a hustle guy right now but I have been impressed with what I have been able to watch with him. I think he could be great compliment to Sengun at center (Sengun should know given their Turkish connection).

 

Just me being optimistic and hoping for the best, that’s all. Don’t take that statement seriously lol

 

Haha okay. I do believe some have that mentality. Being hopeful is great!

 

Would you trade #2 for AD to La?

 

Jarace Walker

 

The problem is that teams that are not in the lottery historically have fans that expect franchise players with the #2 and #3 picks in the draft.

The reality is at the #2 pick, you have about less than a 50/50 chance of getting an all-star, not to mention a superstar.

Let's look at the #2 picks since 2010:

2022 Chet Holmgren Gonzaga - OKC Thunder
2021 Jalen Green Ignite - Houston Rockets
2020 James Wiseman, Memphis - G.S. Warriors
2019 Ja Morant, Murray State – Memphis Grizzlies
2018 Marvin Bagley, Duke – Sacramento Kings
2017 Lonzo Ball, UCLA – Los Angeles Lakers
2016 Brandon Ingram, Duke – Los Angeles Lakers
2015 D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State – Los Angeles Lakers
2014 Jabari Parker, Duke – Milwaukee Bucks
2013 Victor Oladipo, Indiana – Orlando Magic
2012 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky – Charlotte Bobcats
2011 Derrick Williams, Arizona – Minnesota Timberwolves
2010 Evan Turner, Ohio State – Philadelphia 76ers

Out of that group there are 13 players taken at #2 and one of them is on pace to be a Hall of Famer (Ja Morant, who I had #1 in the draft).

Out of 13 players, only two of them are at this point multiple time all stars (Ingram/Morant).

Out of the 13, there are less than 50% that are above average starters.

So, the reality is that in recent history, the second overall pick has NOT produced many franchise players (one), yet the Rockets organization has held up Jalen Green as a franchise player, and the fans have assumed the same.

Green has some physical limitations with his wingspan, hands and frame and he isn't a natural facilitator, so he has to score and shoot at a very high level to be a franchise player and that is a lot of pressure.

My guess is that Jalen Green will be an all-star, possibly similar to Bradley Beal or Devin Booker when it comes to impact.

So, many fans are upset, when the outcome of Green being a 3-5 time all-star is an excellent return on a #2 pick.


Let's take a look at the #3 picks since 2010:

2022 Jabari Smith, Auburn - Houston Rockets
2021 Evan Mobley, USC - Cleveland Cavaliers
2020 LeMelo Ball BFE - Charlotte Hornets
2019 RJ Barrett, Duke – New York Knicks
2018 Luka Doncic, Slovenia – Dallas Mavericks
2017 Jayson Tatum, Duke – Boston Celtics
2016 Jaylen Brown, California – Boston Celtics
2015 Jahlil Okafor, Duke – Philadelphia 76ers
2014 Joel Embiid, Kansas – Philadelphia 76ers
2013 Otto Porter, Georgetown – Washington Wizards
2012 Bradley Beal, Florida – Washington Wizards
2011 Enes Kanter, Kentucky – Utah Jazz
2010 Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech – New Jersey Nets

This group is better, 5 out of 13 are likely Hall of Famers with Beal, Embiid, Brown, Tatum and Doncic. The group includes a couple dure fire franchise players in Doncic and Embiid and cusp franchise players in Tatum and Brown and Ball. That doesn't even count Mobley in the grouping.

Having said there, are certainly duds like Kanter, Porter, Favors and Okafor. I am not really all that excited about RJ Barrett either. So about 40% of the players in the last 13 years, taken at #2 have been duds - players you cannot build around or win because of.

So, "real" franchise altering players were drafted anywhere from 3-4 times out of 13. Then there were a lot of all-star types like Beal, Brown and possibly Mobley.

So, the Rockets have about a 50/50 chance of getting an all-star caliber player at the #3 pick.

Jabari has struggled to put the ball on the floor and create for himself and/or others. That limits his upside, away from the high end types like Doncic and Embiid and even Tatum.


So, what does all that mean? I compare it to the 2016 and 2020 US Presidential elections. Everyone was shocked Trump won in 2016 and lambasted prognosticators. However, in 2016 in the days before the election they said there was a 20% chance that Trump would win. Those are legitimate odds. Same in 2020, it was a virtual toss up.

The Rockets, looking at the odds, likely do not have a true franchise player on their roster. They likely will end up with productive careers and possibly all star careers from Green and Smith. However, looking at the odds, there is a real chance that neither or only one of them becomes an all star multiple times.

Also, consider that the Rockets have a rookie GM when this all started, and their top scouts were inexperienced and lack a track record of success. So, we really cannot assume they will draft really well or really poor. The Rockets also have a first-time head coach.

 

Without looking, no. Darko was 2002 or 2003.

 

2 of the guys who went 3rd were overwhelming number 1 rated guys in their draft, and were passed on for random idiotic reasons

 

Hell No

 

I meant we need to watch the potential draft picks In college/g league before deciding who we want in the draft

 

We are currently a 24.5% chance at pick 1. That is almost as good as it gets with the current lotto.

I know it is wrong to hope for injury, but a KD and Kyrie misfortune for 6 months might be worth celebrating

 

Don't have to wish for an injury with Kyrie .... just hope he goes flat earth falling off the map.

And KD is such a mental midget, a few more losses and he might shut it down again or cry for a trade.

 

Hell no

 

We have some really nice players that need coaching to see what we truly have. We need a coach that understands his strengths and the players’ strengths to make systems were success can be obtained by all. Every and any player before being drafted is the answer to the team’s problems. Yes add to what is here but take care and manage what we have now and get a proper assessment. We are 2 deep at every position. Of course add the talent with the best player available at that point in the draft. Timing is everything, Silas helps us get nice picks but we don’t really know what we have because Silas is getting us more nice picks. When do we get off the friendship bus?

 

It's because



Thank you Silas.