Unrelated, but my awesome wife just gave me season opener tickets for my birthday. I’m taking my son — let’s go!!!
I saw that as well, but seems more like Riley feeding media rumors before he trades Jimmy. Loved Jimmy a few years back, but he made his choice and it almost got him a chip. He's too old for this team now. A 30 year old Butler would be perfect, but he's past that age.
Five Out: The coming Rockets minutes crunch, AKA the 240 problem The minutes crunch is real. There aren’t enough minutes to hand out to players who deserve at least some minutes. You can talk trades, but you still have to take salary and some players back generally, and if you get someone good in return, they need minutes too. What the Rockets do about this situation is one of the more interesting stories in the whole NBA, not just in Rockets world. https://www.thedreamshake.com/2024/...-aka-the-240-problem-ime-udoka-alperen-sengun
4 Teams that have had the Rockets number (and when they can get revenge) Indiana Pacers The first team the Rockets will seek revenge on is the team they need it against the most. The Indiana Pacers have won a staggering 9 games in a row against the Rockets. Houston will look to exact revenge at home on Wednesday, November 20th. Minnesota Timberwolves The Wolves haven't been as sharp of a thorn in the Rockets' side. They've only nabbed three in a row against them. The Rockets will try to avoid making it 4 on Tuesday, November 26th in Minnesota. Philadelphia 76ers A pair of road games back-to-back, and with vengeance on the line in each. Like the Wolves, the Sixers have hung three in a row on the Rockets. They play them on November 27th in the City of Brotherly Love. Miami Heat It feels like Houston has struggled in the Eastern Conference. The Heat have defeated them in 8 straight contests. On December 29th, the Rockets host them. https://spacecityscoop.com/posts/4-teams-rockets-number-revenge
Was listening to Jackson’s lockedon and one of the interesting things he and Ben @The Cat were discussing was how Jalen seems to play much better when he has another athletic guy that can pressure the rim. And if you look at our starters from last year, Jalen is basically the only guy that can do that in that lineup. I hadnt really thought about that before. And of course it feels like most of those bench rotation guys can do that (Tari, Amen, Cam). So it’s another argument for swapping out Dillon for Amen or Tari. This is something I’ve been hoping for since the end of the season. Seems like it would help maximize Jalen, and isn’t that about as important as ever heading into season 4? I’m not hating on Dillon, but I thought the point Jackson and Ben were making about another athlete needing to be on the floor with Jalen made a lot of sense.
Ime isn't going to re-tool his lineup to try to unlock a player that they've been trying to unlock for 3 years now. Good players are good. Sengun has been an afterthought at times to this organization and he's thrived. Stone and Silas tried every which way to figure out how to fix Jalen and they haven't. If Amen is there I hope it's because he's just better than Dillon. Not because Jalen needs an athletic set of training wheels in order to play well.
Obviously you don’t put someone in the lineup just for Jalen. I said it’s another argument for Tari or Amen over Dillon. Amen is already our best defender and needs more minutes. If Tari is healthy he’s better than Dillon. So I think one of them should be starting at the 3 regardless. If it helps maximize Jalen, that’s just another reason to consider Tari or Amen over Dillon.
Interesting read. Can't wait until October. https://www.si.com/nba/rockets/news/the-one-houston-rockets-stat-that-may-suprise-you-01j6k2jymwpr
If he needs to be unlocked than he is more like David West than Tim Duncan, David West needed to be unlocked by CP3...... That is a lot of million dollars more between a merely good player and a borderline great to true great player. We are going to find out in the next 1 or 2 years. Either way.
This is going to be a conundrum indeed. Something has to give, but what, who? I think Reed and Jock will be the odd ones out. Brooks can become ripe for trade if Tari and Cam dont make too many mistakes. FVP/Amen Green/Amen/ Brooks/Cam/ Jabari/Tari/ Sengun/Adams/
Yeah, that's what I am wondering right now as well. We simply don't have enough mintues to go around. Here is how I see it: FVV 32 / Reed 12 / Amen 4 Green 32 / Whitmore 16 Brooks 25 / Amen 23 Jabari 26 / Tari 22 Sengun 32 / Adams 12 / Jabari 4 That would lead to the following minutes: FVV 32, Green 32, Sengun 32, Jabari 30, Amen 27, Brooks 25, Tari 22, Whitmore 16, Reed 12, Adams 12. And thats not enough minutes for Tari, Whitmore and Reed - and Tari would only play at the 4, when the 3 is probably his better position. We probably need to be active by the trade deadline - and either cash in and bundle some young players for a stud or get rid of Brooks.
We should be getting rid of Brooks as soon as we have a taker. Hopefully an expiring contract and maybe a low first or 2nd round picks. He can only play one position and there are 2 guys on this roster that are already better than him. I also hope that the Australian sharp shooter (can’t remember his name) gets a real look in pre-season, as he is purportedly a high energy guy like Brooks with a better shot. I think your minute distribution is probably pretty close to what we will see to start the season. If Brooks was removed, I would like to see Tari as the primary backup at both SF and PF and Cam get more minutes at SF. Amen should get more on-ball opportunities in the half-court. I think an Amen and Sheppard combination makes a lot of since with Amen playing PG on offense and Sheppard PG defense. Amen should be starting at SF to start the season, but I do not think Ime will do that out of respect for Brooks (which to me is a big mistake).
When you look at those minute distributions, Brooks is the most obvious odd-man-out. But we don't need to be in any rush to move anyone. There will be some injuries. Tari's recovery is still kind of a mystery and I'm not convinced that Adams is going to be able to play, either. So, I think we run the guys we've got out there and increase the minutes of the ones playing well when other players go out. Unless it's part of a bigger trade, I think we would have to attach assets to Brooks to move him right now, so I just say stick with him, but plan on slowing moving him into a reduced role, especially if his 3s aren't falling like they were at the start of last year.
Good guess, probably pretty close to start though I'd rather knock about 10 minutes off Green's time and give 4 more to Sheppard and 6 more to Whitmore.
I'm all for moving Brooks, I thought it was a poor use of assets last year - the 3 spot was / is the team's strongest position and even stronger if Amen is getting minutes there with Tari, Tate & Cam. As for the minutes distribution, I think a couple things will dictate that - How does Jalen come out of the gate? If he's the same poor shooting, low efficiency player he was most of last year, I think he could get benched in the first 20 games giving Amen, Cam & Shepard more minutes. Physically he looks great but the bottom line for him is shooting. Health of Tari & Adams - We really don't know where either of them are health wise. Not seeing Tari participate in Jalen's camp gives me doubts. Tari not being ready could mean Brooks is necessary and the McVeigh could even get minutes in that scenario. Again, I kinda wonder why they signed him (McVeigh) when that's the strongest position on the team with 5 other players able to fill the spot - Brooks, Tate, Tari, Amen & Cam.
