This year was all about the team identifying core pieces to move forward with and build around. I believe there are clear indicators by what we are seeing who the team has identified as it's core. THE Hard CORE: - KEEPERS unless a blockbuster trade can be had. 1. Jalen Green - Clearly the team has identified him as the most important piece and rightfully so, while he is still developing his natural gifts give him a very high ceiling and he will only improve. 2. Jabari Smith - Also a guy that has special gifts in size and lateral quickness - he is also a knock down shooter, which should come as he continues to get comfortable with the NBA game. 3. Kevin Porter Jr. - This may be controversial as he is not a high draft pick but once rosters are set it is about what you can do on an NBA floor against NBA players and KPJ has a great array of tricks. Whether he is a PG, SG, 6th man, he is clearly one of the players the team has identified as a core piece. 4. Alperun Sengun - The more he plays, the better he gets, the better he looks - for whatever reason he has to continually prove to the team that he is legit, and his numbers are off the chart good - for me, because of the way he has been treated, this was the hardest guy to put into the core, as I am not 100% certain the org agrees yet. For me, he is. The Soft Core: Keepers unless needed as an incremental piece to getting a quality starter. 5. Kenyon Martin Jr - He is a very very good player, and probably should be in the Hard core above, but it seems that he might have some trade value and he and Eason are a bit redundant, one may need to go. Still a valuable piece. 6. Tari Eason - For a young rookie he is making some great hustle plays and his defense is fantastic, if you had to choose between KMJ's high flying back cuts or Eason's D - I am not sure which direction you would go - but definitely a keeper. 7. Usman Garuba - The pure hustle energy guy that makes smart plays all over the court, the new no stats all star in the Shane Battier mold - really needs more of an offensive game but as a role player fits in nicely. 8. JaSean Tate - He is a solid solid NBA player - will be nice to see him back on the floor as his Bball IQ is surely missed. The expendables - These players need to go to clear room for others, or for their own opportunity which is not coming in Houston. Garrison Mathews - As a 12th man sure keep him but if you can bundle him and get anything of value do it. Josh Christopher - Too early to give up on? Not really - he is an NBA player but he won't get that chance here in Houston - better for him and the org that he moves on - now if you trade one of the players above him then he can move up to Soft core level. Boban Marjanovic - Come on - great guy on the bench - waste of a roster spot. Bruno Fernando - as a 3rd backup big sure - but as a long term investment - no. Eric Gordon - he should not even be playing right now, mothball him and get him out of here ASAP....give him a team watch for service and don't let the door knob hit ya where the good lord split ya. DaShen Nix - Needs more work, doesn't really fit. The Incomplete - still deciding. TyTy Washington - just getting his first look as backup PG, has looked up and down as expected, give him 25+ games to really settle in Trevor Hudgins - Very intriguing guy can play PG or SG and is a very good shooter - still need to see him at the NBA level. Darius Days - Who? Exactly. Who do you think are the Rockets core? DD
None of them have shown they are more likely than not to ever become All NBA caliber players. Therefore the core should be: none of them. People on this board turn their nose up at Karl Towns or Trae Young - the sad fact is those guys have already reached a height that no current Rocket is close to or is 50% or more likely to ever reach.
I think it's just Green and Jabari in the "keepers" category, but even then, I don't think anyone on this roster has shown that they are undoubtedly all-star material. The only players I think need to go are Garrison Matthews and Eric Gordon. I'm also sick of the 3 center rotation, one of our centers needs to either be traded or sent down to the G league. Those minutes are being spread too thin.
While I agree, I was more saying, whom does everyone think the Rockets have identified as a core. BTW - your point is exactly why I started the Green for LaMelo thread - we need a superstar level player and there is no guarantee any of ours get there. DD
I'd argue there is no "hard" core to the team. The "soft" core of players is Green, KPJ, Smith, and Sengun, but any or all of them could be flipped if it would net real star players. They are all super young, so we'll see how they improve going forward, maybe some of them will develop into legitimate star caliber players and become more of "hard" core type guys.
If we're going off who the Rockets have identified then I think you should move Sengun down, otherwise I think your list is exactly as they see it
Nothing has changed from the last time you asked or the next time you’ll ask in 3 months. June October (Pre-draft/Pre-Jabari) https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/identifying-the-rockets-core.315077/ Jalen Jabari Their next top 5 pick That’s it. That’s their core.
Nothing wrong with having the discussion a few times a year as the team moves through it and things change. Relax - no one likes a hall monitor, and I tried adding a poll but we are limited to 10. DD
This board needs hall monitors. And I see it as JR and Clutch laid out. It’s Green and Smith. Period. As a GM - your job should be to maximize their talents by putting players around them that help to complete the puzzle. Not to develop 6 players at the same time. If you’re doing this and Sam is correct - it will become apparent more readily and you move on. But this current mishmash just creates excuses all around.
our takes on many things are in perfect sync. Social media, religion, and the rockets. we have some nuanced differences when it comes to the details there in. But that’s what makes for a good discussion
I always laugh at takes like this. When the Karen types among us beg for moderation and censorship, what they have in mind is them personally wielding dictatorial power. The very policy they beg for would cause them to cry themselves to sleep every night if it were enacted by someone they disagreed with. That's why it's best to err on the side of inaction. I get ridiculously annoyed by player first and player only fans, who I consider a cancer to any community, but I don't want them banned or censored....I just think they are awful. IMO it's their right to be awful people. If you need an echo chamber due to a fragile mental constitution, you can create one by blocking all dissenting opinion. A solution that works for all.
I think this is spot on, DD. Jabari and Jalen are the only players that are the closest to untouchable. Draft is gonna say a lot about the future of Sengun and KPJ bc someone’s coming for one of their spots.
I think it mostly effects Sengun, if we draft Wemby, he's no longer a starter. If the Rockets get Henderson, KPJ could move to the 3. We already start 3 guards.
Yeah KPJ does have more position versatility and he’ll be taking EG spot at the 3, you’re right. Sengun doesn’t have the foot speed to play the 4, but Wemby could, then what about Jabari? No way he’s coming off the bench. It’s gonna be interesting
