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Specific areas for improvement for our young guys this offseason?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by AroundTheWorld, Apr 10, 2023.

  1. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Member

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    Off the top of my head:

    Alperen Sengun:
    • physical strength/explosiveness from a standing start, straight up
    • jump shooting/3-point shooting without hesitation
    • smart post defense - work with Chuck Hayes?
    • free throw shooting!
    • how to avoid fouls and still protect the rim
    • reduce turnovers
    Jalen Green:
    • defense (individual tenacity, positioning, focus)
    • physical strength
    • passing to big men
    Jabari Smith Jr.:
    • handles/dribbling
    • physical strength
    • passing
    Tari Eason:
    • Layups
    • Court awareness on offense, especially on fast breaks
    • Passing
    Kevin Porter Jr. (if he stays):
    • humility, character and integrity - fitting in instead of trying to be the honcho
    • avoiding overdribbling - give up the ball quickly rather than pound it endlessly, wasting shot clock
    • passing earlier in the shot clock, especially to the big men
    • reduce turnovers
    Kenyon Martin Jr.
    • defensive focus and positioning
    • physical strength, to be able to defend better
    • handles/dribbling
    • passing
    TyTy Washington
    • 3-point shooting
    • physical strength
    • aggressiveness on defense
    Usman Garuba
    • lose weight/become more athletic
    • handles/dribbles
    • avoid fouling like crazy
    Josh Christopher:
    • actively work to avoid tunnel vision on offense
    • work on willingness to pass
    • 3-point shooting
    Do you agree/disagree? What am I missing?

    Who works with them on this, if at all, as long as the new coaching staff is not in place yet? How much time do they get off? Do they have a strength and conditioning plan to adhere to during their time off? Are there nutritionists?

    I hope we are not wasting this offseason. I know from professional soccer players back in Germany that they got quite detailed plans from their teams for their offseason.

    These guys are all still so young, they should have the potential to make big jumps in performance, really.
     
    #1 AroundTheWorld, Apr 10, 2023
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  2. WestendMassive

    WestendMassive Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #2 WestendMassive, Apr 10, 2023
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  3. Jontro

    Jontro Member

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    [​IMG]

    wemby’s mama will make things right
     
    #3 Jontro, Apr 10, 2023
  4. duluth111222

    duluth111222 Member

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    KPJ: it’s ok if your teammates don’t always pass you the ball. You ignore open teammates all the time.
     
    #4 duluth111222, Apr 10, 2023
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  5. Rokman

    Rokman Member

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    I think you got it but one more important thing for all of them.

    SHOOTING, SHOOTING, SHOOTING.
     
    #5 Rokman, Apr 10, 2023
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  6. Ankara1923

    Ankara1923 Member

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    Great recommendation. If I have to prioritize within:
    Alp: Free Throws (No improvement from last year, around 71-72 %)
    JGreen : Defense (Has to ignore KPJ style and should defend opps' guards)
    Jabari: Rebounding (Tari had 10.2 rpg per36 and Jabari had 8.3 per36)
    Tari: Layups (he was blocked regularly at the final part of the season
    Josh: Unselfishness
    TyTy: 3-pt shooting
     
    #6 Ankara1923, Apr 10, 2023
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  7. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    I think you can kinda just blanket apply "defensive fundamentals" to every single player on this team. To be fair, they're young, so it's to be expected. But yeah they should be drilling on that all offseason.

    To add to ATW's list, I also want to see Green and KJ Martin spend a ton of time practicing 3P shooting. They will always be able to get space to shoot given their athleticism and ability to drive/cut to the hoop, so if they can become knockdown 3P shooters it will really open everything up for them.
     
    #7 OremLK, Apr 11, 2023
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  8. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    Yes this. Add Alpi to the 3pt shooting or at least a mid-range jumper ala Aldridge.
     
    #8 Hemingway, Apr 11, 2023
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  9. AlperenSengun

    AlperenSengun Member

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    - transition defense for the whole team
    - defensive rotations, switches for the whole team, especially for the guards
    - pnr defense for alpi
    - shot selection and passing for green on drives.
    - off ball movement for green (and other guards) and how to screen for them
     
    #9 AlperenSengun, Apr 11, 2023
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  10. topfive

    topfive CF OG

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    Good post, well thought out. That said, I think many people overreacted to KPJ's "head honcho" quote. And unsurprisingly, it's mostly the guys who didn't like him to begin with. You guys seem to think he was bragging about being the best player on the team and the guy who calls all the shots; I think he was just saying, "They told me to play point, and it's the PG's role to initiate the offense and try to keep things moving." Whether he did that effectively is an entirely different matter, but this wasn't some kind of internal power play or delusions-of-grandeur thing.

    With that in mind, he still needs to work hard on character issues, especially the on-court pouting. One missed foul call shouldn't leave a player in such a pissy mood that we're suddenly playing 4-on-5 at the other end.

    For the record, I'm still on the fence about the kid. But it's undeniable that he's got talent, especially as a scorer, and since this coming season will be the first of our post-tank era, I'm fine with leaving him in and seeing what happens. And if we bring in Harden or some other top PG, then it'll be up to Atkinson or whomever to find a role for him that hopefully is a more natural fit.
     
    #10 topfive, Apr 11, 2023
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  11. Hank McDowell

    Hank McDowell Member

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    Shooting and defense. All of them! Better shot selection too. Coaching should help...
     
    #11 Hank McDowell, Apr 11, 2023
  12. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Member

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    I understand what you are saying and I would give him the benefit of the doubt, like you do, if it weren't in the context of what @Nook credibly told us, what some reporters also corroborated (the guy who said "just cut him", can't remember who it was), and his entire history going back to college.

    That said, in the postgame interviews, I like that he praises his teammates.
     
    #12 AroundTheWorld, Apr 11, 2023
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  13. Damion Laverne

    Damion Laverne Member

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    Everybody:
    - shooting
    - defense
    - mental toughness

    /thread
     
    #13 Damion Laverne, Apr 11, 2023
  14. topfive

    topfive CF OG

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    I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be under the microscope because of his past behavior. He absolutely needs the shortest of leashes. But I think that head honcho thing wasn't a big deal at all. He was talking about his role as PG, not his place in the team's locker room.
     
    #14 topfive, Apr 11, 2023
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