Ummm...there are 96 minutes at the 2 guard positions and Amen can play up the spectrum. I doubt FVV plays less than 30 mpg next season, but if Reed is ready, those two play together for 4-8 minutes a half. Who's the PG when they are both on the court is semantics.
I agree but I expect Reed to really start to shine this year and expect him to eat into Fred's minutes more and more. If Ime is still trying to play FVV close to 40 minutes per game by the end of next season I will be VERY disappointed. That disappointment will be pointed at Reed if he is given a real chance and fails or at Ime if he treats Reed the way he did last season.
The Rockets play great when FVV is on the court and Jalen Green is not on the court (About as well as OKC's too lineups). If Reed is great and the multi-year trend that teams with FVV play a lot better with FVV on the court than without, Reed's minutes will likely come from forwards. Ime is not going to sit FVV as long as the Rockets are better with him on the court. There is very little evidence if any that Ime will play FVV play 40 mpg when the Rockets. The only person standing in Reed's way for minutes is Reed. Ime has no issue with playing them both together as long as Reed earns the PT.
Any good team and organization should have faith im young players and encourage and empower them. But players are constantly monitored and evaluated.
Any time they spend on the court will be really tough from a defensive perspective. I guess we would have to play zone. I think they rarely see time on the court with each other, certainly not 16 minutes a game, maybe 8. I don’t see how Reed and FVV playing at the same time makes a lick of sense, especially for a defensive coach, but FVV is going to get his minutes, that’s a given. If you project Fred for 32mpg, Amen for 35mpg, that leaves 29 mpg for Reed, Holiday, and probably on occasion Amen, Durant/DFS backcourt. I think if Reed is good early it will eat primarily into Fred’s minutes more and more as the season progresses. If I was a betting man I think Reed gets about 20m a game for the first month or so, and the rest will be determined on how well he does.
Thats the issue and should be a concern for this team. There aren’t many players that can get to the rim. Brooks wasn’t great but he got into the paint more than Finney Smith. Brooks also had a reliable 12-15 ft shot. Amen can get to the rim but no mid range shot. Can reed at least give you what cason wallace or payton Pritchard gives you in terms of getting to the paint? One guy to watch is Tari. He considerably improved in getting to the rim last year and hopefully he can even be better next year. Lots of question marks on this team in this area.
We need this guy to be ready in the worst way... but I don't think its going to happen this season. Aside from the fact that he is a true 2 and not a PG...it just complicates the matter even more. I hope I am wrong. I just don't think she is ready.
I've always found the bolded claim to be hilarious.... do you just mean that he can shoot thus you think that means he's a 2? He's essentially the exact model of a traditional pure PG, and is nothing like a SG at all.... so I'd be interested in someone trying their best to substantiate that claim.
Reed Sheppard is one of the most efficient perimeter scorers in recent college basketball history. His ability to space the floor, shoot off movement, and hit contested shots makes him a perfect off-ball threat. While he is a capable passer, his offensive ceiling is maximized when he’s freed from the primary ball-handling and decision-making responsibilities. Furthermore, Sheppard thrives as a secondary playmaker making quick decisions out of closeouts or attacking rotating defenses. He is not a “floor general” type who thrives with the ball in his hands for long stretches, initiating every possession. As a shooting guard, he can play off a primary creator (e.g., Fred VanVleet or Amen Thompson), which allows his feel, timing, and vision to shine without the burden of full offensive orchestration. I will admit he is sightly undersized for a traditional SG, Sheppard's elite athleticism, lateral quickness, and leaping ability make up for his shorter wingspan. On a switch-heavy defensive team like Houston, he can guard both backcourt positions but is best slotted against less ball-dominant guards. Offensively, being an SG enables him to use his athleticism to cut, relocate, and shoot in rhythm off ball movement which are key elements of Ime Udoka’s offense.
Do you mean because he is short? A traditional PG can get to rim and score or facilitate. Reed, thus far, has not shown that particular skillset on a consistent basis. If he does, I’ll buy it. I also think positions are really about defense not offense these days. PG is outmoded as an offensive postition and it’s just who are your creators.
here’s another horrible take. This is a person who has never said a culture. This is a nerd who benefited from growing up and being an adult in the age of the Internet.
Thanks for the well thought out response. I disagree with a lot of it, but at least I can see where you're coming from. Sheppard would be insanely undersized for a 2 and the idea that he's not a floor general type is odd given that's exactly what he's been in the past. Most PG's are good shooters and are capable of playing off ball, so i don't think that's anything unique to Sheppard. I think a lot of the misunderstandings about his game will be solved by him getting a proper amount of playing time this season, so we can just let it play out and see if we're still thinking the same this time next year.
There's always one moron that you have to spell things out for. Having the same skillset does not necessarily mean the same level of skill. SMH
