Can someone please tell why Juwan Howard has not played a game?

It may be the money ball (Morey) who might be helping JVG mix and match. You never know.

 

hmmm,

i think it might just be a case of preservation.

unfortunately I think JVG still sees Howard as a big part of our regular season plans. And doesnt feel like Juwan needs to prove himself in the preseason.

 

To OP, he did, though it was more like under the radar.

http://www.nba.com/rockets/stats/

 

is this true? Man, I've been too excited watching Novak,Alson's improvement and Wild Bill Hiccup running the fastbreak....that (borrowing from Johnny Carson), i did not know this.

 

i was wondering the same thing, very strange. He play a few minutes I think in the spurs game but that was it. He usually doesn't get in jvgs doghouse so the only thing I can think of is a possible trade. People say we dont have bait, but there might be a team wanting Suras expiring contract,and a young Luther Head, rockets still need a decent backup big,backup pg. If the rockets package wells(nice contract),sura(expiring 5 mil),howard,head(young prospect) you could get another high quality player maybe.

 

I'm sure you mean a 'decent backup big, backup PF' right? But out of the offer you make, I only see two good products, Wells and Head, and why would we want to get rid of Wells when we just stole him for a bargain deal? I'll stick with the team we have and hope for the best (and some clips of JVG screaming).

 

it would be easy to argue that jvg already knows what jho brings to the table and doesn't see a need to play him in preseason games. he may want to avoid the risk of injury and just let jho play in the regular season. it would be easy. it would also be wrong.

tmac and yao are the veteran leaders of this team, yet they are still summoned to play in the preseason. i can only see two reasons why jho has not played in a single preseason game. the first is due to an as-yet-to-be-disclosed injury. problem is, there is no downside to simply announcing the injury promptly and placing him on the IR. that means, imho, that jho has already earned his spot on the bench...probably in the 9-12 slot.

jacobsen and rybo weren't going to beat him out due to the length of jho's contract and because he brings more to the court than they do. jacobsen's redundant and rybo is horrible. jho has an enormous financial link to the team and is at least a serviceable backup c/pf.

i wish i could say that he hasn't played because he is scheduled to be traded. however, no team would trade for him without seeing him on the court sometime in the preseason...especially being the cap albatross that he is. in the end, just be glad that he has definitely NOT played himself into the regular eight man rotation.

 

outstanding nickname considering how much he coughs the ball up!

 

Either:

• He doesn't plan to play Juwan much
• He feels that he knows exactly what Juwan will give the team and he's just gathering more information about how the others (Padget, Novak, Hayes) fit in with our stars
• Rockets are looking to trade Juwan, and they don't want him to get needlessly injured

 

yep, and I read your comment re that in the last game thread. once again, the verse is the truth.

 

I guess Juwan does not like on bench.

 

...because a trade is imminent?

 

Like Bonzi, Juwan don't do preseason.

 

Your statements about Juwan apply even more to Deke. Isn't it pretty obvious that Juwan will not be in the main rotation? The only reason he got in against the Spurs was because Chuck Hayes couldn't play. I think the Juwan "haters" should be very happy because JVG has stuck a fork in the guy. Nevertheless, people will continue to fantasize about trading him for a productive player even though no team is dumb enough to make a deal.

At PF, Shane & Novak are ahead of JH. Hayes too if he's activated.
At C, Yao & Deke are it. Hayes and Padgett (in garbage time) could get minutes also.

About the only thing Juwan contributes now is "veteran leadership". (If I hear Clyde call him a seasoned veteran one more time...)

 

You must have forgotten about the Knicks.

 

Juwan is on some strike!

 

Coach Zeke doesn't run the show like he used to. I think the directive from Mr. Dolan to him is: Win with what you have (because you brought it here) or you are outta here. I guarantee you the Knicks won't be taking on dead contracts this season knowing Coach Zeke will probably get canned.

 

I doubt Padgett will see many (if any) minutes at C. He'll share backup PF duties with Novak. If Van Gundy decides to play McGrady and Battier at SG/SF, he even has an outside shot of being the starting 4 (though Novak is more likely in that case, I'd think).

I think Hayes and Mutombo will split time backing up Yao. And I expect Hayes will get more minutes there as well. Mutombo probably won't be an everyday player, while I think JVG is leaning towards making Hayes an everyday player.

If Juwan plays at all, I think it will be mostly at backup C. Van Gundy wants 3-point shooting from his PF.

 

Moreyball must have passed the stats on to the coachig staff showing how teams worsen with Howard getting alot of minutes

JVG came in with a certain system in mind and stuck to it bringing in certain players to fit it. Howard isn't an exact fit so his playing time declines (noticeably more than others), step A leads to step B. I don't see it as them having hidden deals in the works as of today with Howard but when a guy goes from key player to 12th guy that certainly can lead to trade ideas coming up later.