The idea that DMo's not playing to show off Patterson/Morris doesn't make sense. To start, it creates huge locker room issues if the "better" player isn't playing. The Rockets under McHale makes a key point that you play based on merit. One may disagree with who the Rockets staff feel the depth chart should look like. But not their motivations. Also, even assuming DMo takes Patterson's place and plays well, so what? All it does is make Motiejunas more attractive to suitors and perhaps help provide a package for that 2nd star. Why would Morey risk that in order to possibly dump Patterson for a 1st round pick or something?
Obviously you haven't actually been watching the games he has played in Badlee. Both D-League and garbage time. D-Mo is just not physically ready to bang with the big boys yet in the NBA. He's got all the offensive tools, and seems to be a hard worker, but his lack of physicality will both hurt him, and the team at this point. He's most likely going to have a big offseason regimen with a big focus on strength training especially in the lower body. I would expect him to be a part of the rotation next year. The second half of the season you might see him get PT after the trade deadline moves are made, but the coaches are going to have to watch out for matchups, and Im not positive if he's going to be consistend enough in the paint on defense/rebounding to gain heavy minutes in the rotation. Might be spotty at best. Sorry dude, but McHale isn't holding back D-Mo, D-Mo's genetics are. An offseason living and working out in Houston should get him where he needs to be physically going into next season though. I have no doubt. Its just hard to get that kind of training done during the season with the way the travel and diet are on the road.
He will be in EuroBasket 2013 this summer in August-September with Lithuania, so no offseason in Houston for him
He dominated the D League. He's too good for it and too inexperienced for the NBA. Practicing with NBA players/coaches and getting some garbage minutes is probably best for him right now.
As i mentioned earlier, he is not getting much practice time at all. Just in January alone he has only gotten maybe, maybe 8 days of training done. Two of those would have had to been the day between back to back games. Personally, i feel they may have only gotten 4 good practices in this month.
From the little I've seen of Motiejunas, he seriously needs to bulk up. But I do agree, there is no reason he shouldn't be getting minutes in the D-League since he isn't getting them here. The fact is, he should be either getting stronger or getting used to adjusting his game against different types of big men. IMO his best development is to play more like Dirk or Aldridge a finesse power forward with some post skills. However I fear our team's current coaching philosophies are working against that trying to turn him into a Center despite not having the strength to do so because he is 7ft and has a post game just like they tried to turn Morris into a SF for most of his rookie campaign when he doesn't have the quickness to handle smaller quicker guys playing that position. I hope I am wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if the only way Motiejunas breaks the rotation is if he is coming in backing up the 5, they seem to love playing 'Small Ball' with two SFs or two guys sharing the Point guard position. Actually it was the result of faulty draft logic. There were several good players that were taken after we took our yearly 1st round PFs, half of which it seems like Morey only took in hopes of trading.
You have made some good points. He does need to improve his upper body strength in his shoulders, as well as leg strength IMO.
Your right about that part. Which is why D-Mo isn't all the sudden going to get stronger from training, or vastly improve in his skills sitting on the bench, and on the tarmac at the airport. Now if the org was in a huge hurry to get him on the court and be effective they could work out some unique arrangement like keeping him in Houston during road trips to train, and work out with player development guys, but I just dont think they are in a huge hurry to expedite that. I think they really value the experience he is getting to learn the game with the team & coaches. I do think Jones and D-Mo have had a much better development plan than even that of Morris last year. Jones is already noticeably better if you watch him play in the D-League, and D-Mo is getting good experience learning the game this year before his number is called. I think even more than Jones, D-Mo's game is going to require smarts. Even though he's going to get bigger & stronger, he's never going to be a complete animal out there. He's not going to develop that physicallity overnight, but if he's smart he will be able to be affective when his number is called later in the season. I do think, without a doubt... just like EVERY OTHER rookie that's came into the Rockets system, the second half of their rookie season they will get minutes to show where they are at going into the oh so important second Summer as a professonial.
^^Eggs-ACK-tly. Morey has a bit of a hand in this. Play Ppat and Mmorris. Even when they have their stinkup games, they show they can fill a roster spot. Morey wants to flush them if possible in a trade and not Tjones or Dmo. Remember Morey's motto: Trade'em, don't pay'em. Tjones might just be the Millsap we don't need to trade for, and Dmo should get minutes at the 4 and 5 when Morey clears out the roster space. And, unfortunately, I feel we'll have to deal with what we got until Dwight Howard signs that next contract, wherever it may be.
I assume Morey would like to make him available to play in real games, but ultimately whether he plays or not is McHale's decision.
He should be sent back down to the Valley immediately. There is a good string of 10 games for the Vipers stretching out from the 23rd(tomorrow) to the 13th of next month. This is valuable playing time for D-Mo.
Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe they don't want to trade him because they believe he's their future 2nd star? Maybe sooner or later they will trade either Patterson or Morris or both and DMo will shine? Just thinking out loud.
