Regarding pace, I think his shooting in halfcourt will make a bigger difference if he wins PT. So much easier to break down a defense if it is spread out.
He already has that Euro floater down pretty confidently. (There is still room to improve, obviously.) But that thing gives him the advantage of keeping the defenders on their heels. In the past, the only move he had was going all the way to the basket. Now he can stop and pop that shot near the restrictive area if the defense waits for him under the basket. Now if he can extend the range all the way to the 3pt line...
In theory, a starting 5 of Reed/Jalen/Amen/Jabari/Sengun works really well. Only real issue is Reed/Jalen size (even though we currently start a smaller version of that).
FVV plays much bigger than his height. I would be very worried about Reed in there for FVV with Green. If Reed is good enough to start, Reed, Green, and Amen need to be a 3 guard rotation with likely one of Reed and Green off the bench.
Regarding our future after FVV, I think it's too premature given we should have a decent pick in the upcoming draft. Even if we don't move up, there are some really good prospects from 9 - 13. Knuppel, Asa, Queen, Richardson, etc. all have the potential to be a major contributor/starter on this team.
Reed is a much much much more skilled player than FVV. My only concern with him is his demeanor. He doesn't have FVV's bulldog mentality. But he is a more talented player in almost every way outside of knowledge (comes with time) and frame (FVV is a tree trunk). Just a matter of how passable Reed can be on defense and if his offensive contributions can offset his defensive limitations. Jalen and Sengun have been able to do it.
I believe Reed is that guy. His lone ability to launch outlet passes from the rebound will add 2-4 fastbreak baskets per game. Watch the next time he gets a rebound, he immediately looks down court. While that seems like a small part of being a floor general, I highlight that skill because it will get us more easy buckets, which we can always use. I also believe that with him at PG, JG at SG and Amen at SF we can have some dynamic backcourt/wing plays and movement. I'm really excited about that combination next year, but we're still rolling this year and this experience is invaluable for Amen. He's been sensational and his defense awareness and reactions are alien-like--he's incredible to watch. With that said, his passing has been improving and the way he finds open shooters while suspended in midair is sublime! This season is so much fun!
It will be great if Reed can supplant FVV as our backup PG off the bench. If we move FVV in the off-season or let him walk, I hope we bring in another vet Pg at 20m or so to compete with Reed just in case. Bring in another agile/long PF/C as a backup plan for injuries on our front line. Draft best available. I don't think any team would be stupid enough to do it, but I'd give up 5 picks and 1 of our players not named Sengun, Amen, Jalen, Jabari for Cooper Flagg. I think the Phoenix pick and maybe a future protected first could get us a valuable vet for our bench if we decide we don't want to develop another rookie.
Very few players get to FVV place in knowledge. If more did, he wouldn't be in the NBA. FVV being able to switch onto bigger players is a key component of the Rockets' defense. I've seen FVV scram switch successfully onto Paolo for either Green or Holiday. I just don't see Reed ever getting to the point that he scram switches successfully onto Paolo. The Rockets sometimes have issues with Green and Sengun in the lineup as there are fewer players available to scram switch/pre-switch with Sengun to keep Sengun out of actions or to get attacked on the perimeter. I just don't see Green and Reed being able to coexist defensively without a situation like Cleveland.
I think Flagg would take more than that, honestly. I just don't think it's realistic unless we move up, which is unlikely. Realistically, what about drafting someone like Fears or Richardson and letting the pick compete with Reed for the starting spot? Richardson is particularly intriguing to me. Him and Reed could improve our spacing immensely, regardless of who starts.
I don't think it's possible either, but a man can dream. I'm not as familiar with the best backcourt players this year in the draft so I really don't have an opinion on who the best guard would be to draft. I see next year as a definite opportunity to make a championship run and think a really good vet backup PG would be better than taking a chance on Reed or a rookie to be able to lead a championship calibre bench. FVV would be ideal if both he and Ime would commit to him being in a bench role and he would except a team favorable contract.
The Rockets don't have early Bird rights to other PGs. Options are either trading significant assets for a PG, going with FVV, hoping Reed is ready, or signing a likely worse PG to a MLE.
Yep. Not disagreeing. I would like to see FVV return under the caveat that he has a favorable contract and will play a bench role. By now, it should be evident to even his most ardent supporters , that our future starting backcourt is Amen and Jalen.
Kasparas out of Illinois and Dylan Harper are the two but they are combo guards. Fears is next and he should be available at the Phoenix pick if it doesn't move up. Ime's wet dream has to be landing Cooper Flagg. There is currently a 2.5% chance of it. I can't even wrap my mind around what dealing with a frontcourt of Cooper Flagg/Amen Thompson/Jabari Smith Jr would be like. Landing #2 or #3 would be by far the most interesting. Do you trade either for a king's ransom or do you draft Harper/Edgecomb? VJ on paper is probably a better fit on this team than Jalen Green. Projects to be a better Jalen Suggs. Harper is a straight up talent.
It should be apparent that FVV is still the starting PG and rightfully deserved it for most of the year. The last few games, not so much. On future starting backcourt (i.e., two years from now), Amen should be there. Short-term is the question. If the Rockets re-sign FVV, and he plays better than all but one guard, he should start. When there are two guards that the Rockets play better with than with FVV + another guard for a significant stretch, FVV should go to the bench. I have no problem going with the best players. The Rockets should not gift wrap a starting spot.
Why are we certain Amen is our point guard and not power forward? Amen is a nightmare matchup for teams when he plays the power forward position. We can still run the offense through Amen when he's at the 4 and actually that helps with our spacing because he can get by any 4 who is guarding him. The problem is FVV shooting % has dropped this year from a catch-n-shoot position...someone mentioned it will be hard to replace FVV because of his ability to switch onto a big defender and be effectively - which I agree...we can wait on Reed's development, but I argue are missing piece, if we're able to draft him is Will Clayton Jr from Florida. He has size, play defense, and he's a winner! Let him compete against Reed for the future starting point guard spot and sign FVV a friendly 3 year extension (3rd year is Team Option).
Rockets already have DB, Jabari and Tari at F, plus Alpi plays F in the double-big lineup. On the other hand, Amen pairs up well in the backcourt with literally any other G on the team. Amen can flex and play the baseline (PF) role on offense any time they need him to, particularly when the call is to isolate Alpi or Jalen. Thing is, it seems there is a large segment of people here who completely miss how great it is when Amen gets into the paint. Defenses must react because he is a legit threat to finish. The result is either he takes a very high percentage shot at/near the rim or he dishes to a wide open player. Fred doesn't do that. Amen's passes out of the paint when he drives are very creative. FACT1: The guard position is a bigger area of need than forward. FACT2: When he plays the point, Amen is more of a creator/"assist guy" than Fred.
Even if the true "facts" you mentioned are true, I frankly don't care. With a talent like Amen, you put him where you think he'd best thrive. Maybe that's guard, but I do think there's a strong argument it's as a point-forward. Either way, our "need" for a PG is irrelevant in my eyes. You build around your best players.
I agree with you. My point is the Rockets need Amen to continue growing as a creator because that's a bigger area of need for the team than roaming the baseline. To me, it's about him playing the point (call it PG or PF, whatever) and being a creator more often, which most people associate with the guard position. Jalen is the only other perimeter creator on the team and Amen brings a physicality (including elbows) that Jalen does not.
Look at the construct of the Lakers starting 5...they have 3 playmakers, 1 wing, and pick-n-roll center. They don't have a "pure point guard", but the flow of their offense runs through Luka, LeBron, and AR-15. Basketball is a game of chess, trying to find the advantage of creating mismatches. We have that in Amen when he plays the 4 when he drags the PF out into the perimeter to drive to the basket for either: 1) Finish at the basket 2) Drop pass to Alpi at the paint 3) Kick out to DB, Jalen, or FVV (we'll desperately need his 3-pt shot in the playoffs) By the way, Fred's presence in crunch time/close games are under-valued in this forum...FVV is the only player on our roster with a ring and was an essential player on that Raptors roster.
