Playing time for the Rockets next season will have to be earned. Big time!!! Miller, Hayes, Hill, Anderson, Jeffries, Patterson, Budinger, Battier, Taylor. Sure we all have an idea of who takes the backup role, but that's why these guy's will have to continue to push each other. Miller Hill Battier Budinger are the favorites to be the primary backups. But, Hayes never disappoints - if he were 6'9" Hayes would be an all-star!!. Jeffries is a really good defender - he's might push someone for playing time. Anderson might figure out how to catch up with the NBA speed - he is good, just still trying to figure out the speed. Taylor is a legit scorer (and we've seen from the past that scoring sometimes is sorely needed for the Rockets). Plus Patterson who seems very mature might out duel his primary competition in Hill. I think the only guy assured of his duties as Backup is Lowry.
Miller/Hayes Hill/Patterson Battier/ Jeffries Budinger/JT Lowry Our backups have good backups Yes. We have the deepest and best backups because we are the deepest.
My gut says the Rockets were turned off by Hill's play in the summer league. They no longer believe he can backup Yao and be a good replacement in case Yao goes down again. The Miller signing was a response to this. As for Hill, I think he's packaged in a trade... hopefully for Granger!
I think the Rockets were seeing if Hill could handle the C position on a regular basis. I doubt they are ready to ship him out because he didn't do very well at it. He is still a pretty good backup PF with potential to be better. We just had this conversation with Taylor in another thread. Just because they are trying him out at PG doesn't mean he will be shipped out if he can't do it well. If they were looking to ship Hill, for sure, they would have played him at his natural position to help his trade value, not try him out somewhere else which actually may have hurt it.
I totally agree. Hill has much untapped potential, I guess Morey will sell him, but sell him high. Hill's value right now is - I guess - at an all time low. Not the perfect time to trade him. I think Hill's value dropped because of the SL (I guess it's a knee-jerk reaction), but this could be a blessing in disguise (we might actually keep him for good, and develop him into a legit PF - it's obvious he has the tools). About the bench: we most definitely have the best second unit in the NBA, and I think our thrid unit is stronger than several second units - Pat^2, Taylor, Hayes, Andersen, .... wow.
No, it was at an all time low when we picked him up last year. He couldn't pick up minutes in the D-League last year...I mean the Knicks. What SL showed is he can't play center. I figured as much. He's still got all those tools made him look good last year. Hopefully he can have a good first few months of the season so we can trade him even higher and let Pat take over. That guy is SOLID.
Substitute Scola for hill and that was our starting lineup at times. So now that explains why were bad.
I wouldn't dare to oppose the player evaluation of Morey, but what exactly does make you think that Pat^2 is better or could be better than Jordan Hill? Morey stated, that basketball-wise, Hill was evaluated @ 6-7 in his draft class. Please don't mention SL games: Hill has already shown what he is capable of against the freakin' Celtics (for example).
I think we are deep. But if Lowry gets injured like last season, all of a sudden we have no one to play.
The only problem is that kind of trade we want to do does not happen to mid season when teams like the pacers and sixers have given up hope of making the playoffs. Nothing we can give those teams can help them win more games right now. All we can offer is serviceable players and cap relief for next year. We are going to have to play the waiting game to February Im afraid.
We need a third point guard bad. Im hoping Jeremy Lin gets cut by the Mavs and we can pick him up and give a go in our system on a non- guaranteed contract. Im worried less about Aaron and more about Kyle. The way kyle drives the he constantly landing in weird angle that lead to ankle roles and broken bones
And with Nellie as their coach they can do something shocking I think the team we have right now is incredibly deep. We have some serious firepower at just about every position. We have enough to go 10 or 11 deep every game. And I hope Adelman utilizes all that we have so nobody has to carry too much burden. Not only because of Yao, but because everybody needs rest. Let's kick that injury bug and lets stay fresh all throughour the year. Endurance shall be our secret weapon!
I think so too. The roster as it stands doesn't make sense, and we know Morey's looking for that big addition. It's really a matter of whether the right deal becomes available. I have a feeling it will.
Ask the Suns how far their deep bench got them. I seriously doubt the goal here is to build up a super deep bench. I think Morey is stacking his deck to make a deal.
Unfortunately you don't make a trade for the sake of making a trade. Abiding time there will come an opportunity. We will have to get significantly better at a position, to make the trade.
