Jabari was the worst starter last year in terms of on/off impact: https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/team/11/onoff#tab-team_efficiency He is in the 12th percentile in league wide on/off impact. For reference Dylan and Green are in the mid 30s. Sengun is at 45 percentile and FVV is at 80.
Man, the more I look at this, the more I think it’ll shake out along the following lines (if the team is healthy). Starters: 150 - 160 minutes Sheppard and Thompson: 40 - 50 minutes Eason and Adams: 30 - 40 minutes Whitmore: Spot minutes
The season will end with everyone getting 25+ minutes a night in a 8 man rotation. Cam, Jock, Tate, Jeff & Jabari will get pushed out. This is if all stays healthy. Van-Vleet / Sheppard / Green Spot Whitmore Brooks / Thompson / Eason Spot Smith / Green Sengun / Backup Adams Spot Landale
I don't see how Sengun can play more than 25 min when Adams is almost back to his prime years. I trust Ime to make the right decision.
I am hoping he will, too. I believe Smith’s forced playing time will end, an injury or a trade will keep coach from having to make career altering decisions. All three of our centers are rotation worthy or better. We have to much depth to keep everyone happy. Only time will tell. The 5 is our most talented position on the team. Oddly most other teams are moving away from big men. Yet we a stacked deeply. I truly believe one or more will not be a Rocket at season’s end.
Looks like we’ve settled pretty comfortably into a 9 man rotation. Last’s nights minutes were interesting — Bari only played 21 minutes, Eason 26, Amen 34. Some predictions going forward: (1) Bari will continue to start, but his minutes will go down to about 25, whereas Eason and Amen’s will creep up to 30; (2) FVV’s minutes will trickle down closer to 30 and Sheppard’s will creep up to around 15.
Unpopular opinion! I think Cam will break into the rotation eventually. A team that struggles to get a bucket as much as we do, can use a guy like him.
I share this opinion. Cam is going to have to prove it though. I think the shooting is the swing stat. If this happens, I suspect Jabari loses some minutes to him. I think Brooks loses more. I don't think the Rockets will want to take every minute from Jabari as they want to develop him (i.e., going down to 20 mpg shouldn't be bad....but I don't think they will play him less than 15 mpg).
He will get his chance with an injury down the line. If he comes in productive I believe he’ll carve out some time especially when/if reed hits the rookie wall.
If Cam had been hitting anything close to league average from 3 he wouldn't be in the g league right now. He has plenty to work on with off-ball defense and with passing but we need consistent and willing shooters in the worst way at the moment. (Reed is the ultimate answer here, but needs to learn to let it fly). Cam will get his chances this season for sure, he is still very young and has plenty of time ahead of him to prove himself.
I agree with everything you said except Jabari's minutes have already been reduced to ~20 and will go even lower if he continues to stink. IMO, if he doesn't improve within 10-15 games, they'll have to remove him from the starting lineup. He also better hope Cam and/or Reed don't figure things out or he'll be out of the rotation.
