Can Amen become Clyde Drexler lite?

Marion had a weird career with his shooting--he had a couple of years there where his percentages were very good, but his career average was only 33%, and in seven of his 16 years in the league, he shot below 30% from deep.

In any case, the biggest difference would be that Amen is high-level passer for a small forward. His career average for assists per game is already over double Marion's in only his third year, and I'd bet you he brings that average up by the time he finishes his career.

I would agree that they are in the same range defensively and in rebounding. I think Amen will end up having clearly the better career as a scorer and passer.

 

I think that's where a whole lot of Rockets fans are - Searching for hope .... that one of these kids can become a franchise player.

Speaking for myself and only myself - I want that just as much as any other Rockets fan.

I just don't see it in any of the current group.

Forget how many years Amen has been a pro and realize that he's been groomed to play basketball since he was 7 years old.
The twins were literally home schooled "so they could concentrate on basketball."
For high school they went to an elite private prep / athletic academy where they were surrounded by world class coaching ...
After that two years at OTE again surrounded by world class coaching and now 3 years into the NBA, surrounded by the best coaches and players on the planet and we get regression, pretty much across the board?!


Just don't see where anyone could find hope in that.


I think at this point, it is safe to say Amen is what Amen is and that's still a very good basketball player despite his shooting problems and his value around the league is likely still pretty high but the shooting problems limit what he can ultimately be.
I see him as the ultimate garbage man hanging around the rim grabbing boards and putting them back or taking off and running in transition while being the best defender on the court most nights .... but he can't lead a team, carry the offensive load.

Until we have that guy, we should be turning over every rock and looking in every dark closet until we find him and evdery and every asset should be available - If Amen is the price of taking another swing at a superstar, that's just the cost of doing business

 

**** no. This is not the 80s. Clyde drexler would be forced to become a much better shooter if he played today

Amen makes clyde look like ray allen

 

Clyde drexler is a career 31% 3 point shooter. The difference between clyde drexler and amen is the same as steph curry and clyde

 

Most American basketball players have similar stories about playing seriously from a young age. A lot of guys do get better after entering the league. Amen already has improved significantly since his rookie season, in fact.

The only thing particularly unusual about Amen's career trajectory was that he went to OTE instead of college. I don't know why you're so committed to this narrative that he's some unusually set in stone player. It's really weird, especially when talking about a guy who is clearly extremely passionate about basketball and has already shown an ability and willingness to improve his game.

 

Not without a jump shot, Clyde could shoot

 

Drexler himself during commentating said multiple times {inexact quote} - "I just liked to run around people!"

IMO Drexler's looking down form made his handle and passing vision look worse than what it is. He had good driving & passing in spite of his form. Still Drexler was more a straight line driver.

Which is part what I think ultimately separated Jordan from Drexler. That Jordan had more agility range on his handles

 

Here's Drexlers spin move. It's how he was able to go left and get past people




This is the kind if thing that Drexler was able to do that Amen can't right now

 

I don't buy into the idea that "He improved" last season when just about every stat except for FT% and assists saw regression.

FG% 2p% 3p% all down. Even FG% at the rim was down
Minutes up rebounds down.
Blocks cut in half, turnovers increased.

There is literally no shooting related statistic that you can point to and say unequivocally that Amen improved. If you are gonna tell me he has or will improve, I need some empirical evidence that it's happening. I hope, I feel .... because I want it to .... that's not working for me.
KD's the real problem - yeah, the guy who carried the offense while playing out of position all season long, ugh.

Most of the league is passionate and willing to work on their games, for every guy that makes it a thousand fall by the wayside..... but how many of them actually take that leap everyone keeps telling me Amen is going to take?

We're betting into poor odds to begin with and every year deeper into his career those odds diminish even more.

Hell, I'm not even saying "he's a bad player", I'm just saying that he shouldn't be untouchable - IF he can bring you an early draft pick where you can draft a player without the holes in his game it seems like a no brainer.

But I have everyone else telling me "He's going to do this and that" .... stuff he hasn't been able to figure out after having a decade and a half of training from coaches only a select few players have had access to in their progression to the league.

Maybe I'm wrong about Amen, maybe he does figure it out .... but I don't believe the odds of that happening are very good at all.

I think what's more likely is that you all come around just like most have with Jalen Green.

 

Yeah I agree...It's just Rockets fans being optimistic...

I'm optimistic myself, but if I'm being real I just don't see him ever becoming even a semi threat from outside of the arc. There's bad wing/guard shooters, and then there's Amen and Ausar. I think the difference with other guys improving when they get to the league is that they have a decent baseline to work with so I completely agree with saying that they've been working on this since kids and they are still THIS bad at it, is indeed concerning. Yes guys improve once they get to the league...But guys who are this bad at shooting suddenly becoming competent at it is not something that is common.

Just like I don't expect Jabari to become a great playmaker and consistently break down guys off the dribble, or for Reed to become a first team all defense guy. There's just some things that are so far away that achieving them just becomes unrealistic. Amen just becoming a reliable 30ish% catch and shoot guy is about the most I'm hoping for.

That said, I think Amen is our best young player...But that's probably an indictment on the rest of the bunch rather than saying Amen is a future tier 1 superstar in the making.

 

clyde was a leader who could put a team on his back. he was also a much more fluid athlete with higher bball iq, mental toughness, court vision and feel for the game. his hand dexterity and shooting touch were far superior — can you imagine thompson regularly swishing those jellyroll floaters..

 

Agreed, there is still a chance Amen will develop his shooting and become a 1 A player.

 

Sure, it's possible.

But answer me this - give all the context, what are the actual odds of that occurring?

It's like drawing 7 deuce off suit.

 

I'm optimistic

not everything is about 3FG%

as a Rockets fan seeing time and time 36% 3FG% harden and his rockets teamates shrink and wither in the playoffs

its refreshing to see an actual playoff fighter

the work ethic, all business, maturity, mental toughness, competitive fire, understanding the feel of the game offensively and defensively, awareness, shot selection, court vision and creativity

all leads to Amen actually stepping up in the biggest of games

for the playoffs:

leads the whole league in minutes
of players averaging at least 14 FGAs a game, he is 2nd in FG% next to Scottie Barnes and ahead of Wemby
of the rockets core, best Net Rating with 2.4 with Alpi, Jabari, and Reed with negative Net Rating
6th in potential assists among all players (Senghub is 15th)
assists to turovers same as Jalen Brunson
same FT attempts as Jalen Brunson
of the 52 players who had at least 2pts per game off pullups, he is 5th in FG% off those shots
of the 49 players who had at least 2 elbow touches, he is 2nd in FG% off those shots

yeah Amen's 3FG% was only 25% but so was Booker, Reaves, and Jamal Murray
with out very own Alpi shooting a dismal 13% from behind the arc. Embid Jokic 18-20%

 

As a resident old head and ex d1 hooper, I say the same thing over again about range. Amen and Sengun lack range. Thats why both are are avg ft shooters also. Amen made his jump from the dunkers spot which is cool if you're a big. The only way he can every be a good offensive player is getting to a mid range spot. He doesn't have to be a 3pt shooter, but if he becomes a high end mid range guy like Brown and Derozoan, he will be a tough handle. Once he gets to that point with his athleticism, the 3 ball will come. I mean watching OG in the playoffs and from his Raptor days, he can be a similar player.

 

Playing in the NBA 35 years ago when you didn't need to shoot would make Amen Thompson an all-NBA caliber player

 

I do not see Amen ever being anywhere close to Clyde. He will be better defensively but I just do not see him developing his outside shot the way Drexler did. If he does, then yes he can be a Clyde lite.

 

This will occur the day following my date with Jessica Alba. Stay tuned.

 

To become Drexler or Pippen, Amen needs to learn to shoot the three at a reasonably acceptable level. They weren’t great shooters but you couldn’t leave them wide open.