Rockets converting Nate Williams to 4 year standard deal, waive Cody Zeller

and we’ve tanked for 4 years straight. We’ve had 4 straight top 4 picks. I don’t understand why you guys act like Stone is some genius. Literally me and you could have constructed a roster that could have done the same thing. The Harden deal was good but it’s still TBD. Picks are assets until they become players. Can he turn those picks into an all star which is the eventual plan right?

 

Um, the tanking process coupled with asset management & salary moves fool. Stone PUT us in the best position to get those draft picks. You as a idiot, would not of been smart enough nor disciplined enough to orchestrate a successful tank. Most of the moves people like you deemed as fireable ended up being the best shrewd business transactions by Stone. Remember the Wall contract & him sitting for over a year? That salary eventually came off the books & opened up the most cap space of any NBA team. Who did that? This is what made Ime find Houston attractive. You idiots just don't understand GM work

 

We only tanked for 3 years total.
Last year we were 41-41.
This year we are on track to win 50+ games.

That is not easy work. Some teams have been tanking for literal decades.

 

He definitely does need to keep his trap shut… he was an absolute idiot during that Banchero draft. lol he’s been better since for the most part but that was ridiculous

 

Poor mans Paul George gets paid, love it...he stuck it out and worked hard...

 

Haha I said when we drafted Reed Sheppard that teams would target Reed Sheppard
even if they have to take out their starting PG after 5 minutes and bring him back
when Sheppard enters the game.

SGA 51 points, Reed Sheppard -12 (+/-)

 

You still think Nate is better than Reed? Lol

 

I'm sure you foresaw the issues w his size and lack of physicality, but nobody could have predicted his inability to stay in front of his man. I posted in another thread, Reed gambles on almost every play with swipes.

 

I said the Rockets should stay away from Reed pre draft with one of the reasons being he came off the bench and had trouble keeping players in front of him.

That he had a bad habit of letting them go by and
then try to pick their pocket from behind. I said that might work in high school and college; but in the NBA the quicker faster SGA, D Fox, Maxey, Kyrie, etc will get the call and Reed will be called for so many fouls, it's ridiculous.

Where I missed on Reed was that he will eventually shoot 37% to 42% from 3
eventually. That looks kinda shaky right now.
He might need one of those lob threat
Centers to allow him to get going.

 

And yet, Reed has been part of best 5 man lineups with both highest ORTG and DRTG. Granted small sample sizes due to minutes played but sometimes fans eye tests are not more knowledgeable than one of best defensive coaches in NBA. If there is one area we should give Ime Udoka benefit of doubt, it's defense.

Amen-Aaron-Reed-Tari-Jabari

Offensive Rating 146.2
Defensive Rating 57.1
Net Rating 89.0

Amen-Reed-Dillon-Jabari-Alp

Offensive Rating 146.2
Defensive Rating 61.5
Net Rating 84.6

https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/advanced?slug=advanced&TeamID=1610612745

 

I concede a few posters have offered valid counterpoints backed by data that supersedes my eye test, that said I think we are right on this one. His YMCA defense can't sustain net positive defensive numbers. Funny thing is that Reed chooses to be worse than he really is by gambling so much.

 

Reed's YMCA defense was historically good in college + good enough for one of best defenses in NBA + the most demanding defense first, defense 2nd, defense always minded coaches in Ime Udoka.

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/reed-sheppards-numbers-are-still

"By every metric, Sheppard is an elite defender. Kentucky’s defensive rating goes from 95.5 (26th) when he’s on the court to 116 (344th) when he’s off the court. He’s also just one of five players, and the only freshman, since 2014 from a true high major conference with a block rate of at least 3.0 and a steal rate of at least 4.5. The others to achieve that are Tari Eason, Gary Payton II, Josh Reaves, and Matisse Thybulle (2x)."

 

I appreciate you keeping me honest, these are great posts. I guess I'm just behind the times, like telling Red Auerbach that his team should be shooting 60% of their shots from 3. It doesn't seem real in the moment.

 

Just glad that you are open to discussion. That said, Reed still has a lot to improve on including adding more strength, knowing when to shade + when to square up, giving up too much cushion off ball, sitting instead of hunching 1v1 and maintaing good habits when sliding his feet (he crosses his feet sometimes). And this is just for defense.