I still find it amazing that ball handling, creating and perimeter shooting has largely been treated like an afterthought with this regime. It is almost like they just assumed these skills would develop magically.
And...uhhh...shooting. Its almost like Ime took legitimately good shooters and made them prioritize other things.
Well, Nix might get another cup of coffee in the NBA, but if it's on this team, Ime might dirty-dick the cup before handing it to him.
It is one of the components that has really held the team back. Jalen not panning out really hurt. And Reed has been a bit slow developing there but maybe we will see it more in Year 3 when most top players break out. Rockets still have work to do on the "player development" side of the org. Drafting has been largely solid enough. You are not gonna hit on every pick. That's why you gotta keep drafting and why they need to pick players in 2027 on onward.
I don’t think this aspect is really a developmental issue. It’s a personnel philosophy issue. We drafted six guards and wings in the top 20 of the draft between 2021 and 2024. As prospects all six of them were weak ballhandlers and had low skill level with the ball. Not relative to the NBA, even relative to other draft prospects at their position. There’s a lot of evidence that our FO philosophically underweights on-ball perimeter skill level. That happens when you overweight pure statistical impact metrics, rebounding, defensive toughness etc., like our FO does.
I have a lot of respect for Shepherd, his potential and where he was taken in the draft. I also understand that by the end of last season, he was an established cog in our rotation. All of that being said, I would still love him to play three games in summer league and play about 30 minutes Most of it being the primary ball handler. I would also like him to get some time alongside Davidson to work on his softball movement and to get Davidson, some repetition as well.
I wonder if the offense will look there was any thought put into it or if it will just be Will Hardy staring off into space and saying go out there and give it 110%.
