Is it a coincidence that mixing Rockets Red with Flashy Green gives you Mustard Yellow? Jalen Green was born to lead this team to the title James Harden and Yao Ming couldn't. Let's talk about the signs. So many things had to fall in place for Jalen to get the perfect sidekick. Chet is already down (best of luck, he is talented). Paolo's strengths sound like a lesser version of Jalen Green, creating unnecessary duplication. Jalen's sidekick had to be historically unusual in his skillset (elite defense plus elite off-ball shooting) and character (stabilizing veteran-like leadership as a teen). We welcome to the nascent dynasty: Jabari Smith. This young core is highly unusual in its advanced strengths, and that's a sign too. Jabari is a true unicorn in his own right, but that's another thread. The casuals and analysts still think they're looking at a player who requires a lot of shots and does not care about winning. Chapter 3 highlighted the voices of those who think we have a loser on our hands. Beware: those voices will get louder this season. It's the same voices who pointed to Kobe's low rebounding total or MJ's low assist totals. They don't understand this unicorn archetype. Other than a brief 40 game start to his NBA career, Jalen Green has been elite at everything he's wanted to do in his life. He's an elite 2nd generation immigrant. He's an elite dresser. He's an elite dancer. He's an elite athlete. He's an elite workhorse on and off the court. He's an elite student to his coaches. At the end of last season, he became an elite scorer with flashes of elite defense - another skill many thought he wouldn't be able to figure out. This season it looks like he has turned himself into an elite overall offensive player. Which shot do you give up to Jalen Green? The drive or the 3? Can you leave him open in the midrange? Can you funnel him to his non-dominant hand and be safe? Can you leave his 3pt shooting teammates in the corner to double team him? Can you make him not value passing the ball to the best positioned player? Let's talk about more signs. Last season, somehow, some way Jalen Green seemed to have a string of impressive plays against people who turned their backs on the Rockets. Westbrook, Dwight and mostly Melo aka the 3 losers. I told you all Melo is finished after Jalen Green mopped the floor with him and "inappropriately" called him out in the post game interview. The great ones don't know how to be appropriate all the time. It was over in Melo's teammates minds, and word gets around. I know that Melo is at the tail end of his career, but the symbolism of Jalen Green giving Melo his worst beating of last season is just delicious. I have an instinct screaming that Jalen Green is going to embarrass both CP3 and James Harden this season in at least a symbolic way during their matchups. Jalen is sacrificing our bad memories to the basketball gods without even knowing it. The more important issue now is not whether he's going to be an elite scorer, that much is for certain to all but the blind. It's whether he's a winner or a loser. If Green is a winner and this core is a baby dynasty, we will outperform our expected win total by at least 10 wins while Green takes over the offense without a peep from the players who will remain with the dynasty. I know that it's been designed this way for that exact reason: it's time to weed out the ones on the roster who think they are on par with Jalen without putting in the work. This is the final call people. I've been saying it's visible for almost a year now. There is still a cautious contingent who have bad memories predicting good things and our history doesn't help in that regard. The dynasty does not discriminate, you're welcome on the bandwagon any time. I'm not willing to pass up these beautiful early days for the sake of caution. This guy is highly unusual in the best way and so is this core. Welcome to The Green Revolution.
We are 3-1 in pre season without Jabari. I know its preseason but we didnt win those games because opps werent trying but because we were playing way better than them
I'm saying....just get me Cam Whitmore or Dillion Mitchell or one of the Thompson Twins while keeping KPj and we are set. Sengun needs to master the 3-point shot by shooting a thousand a day. Sengun stays backup material if he doesn't help space the floor. And stays have the player Jokic/Embiid/KAT are. Jabari will get to about 238 pounds. Then we are set... _______________ Regular Sason KPj....G4....Jabari... Tari....Sengun Lineup of Death for the Playoffs KPj....G4....*Cam Whitmore...Tari....Jabari * or Dillion Mitchell or Thompson Twin [ package our draft picks to move up...we need one not multiple rookies ] G-Force (Jalen Green) is going to do some MJ/Kobe things. All we need is spacing.
I enjoyed reading your narrative, you have a talent for writing. Yet dynastic talk seems a bit premature, let's just let these young guys take their lumps and add another top pick next year. Jalen could easily average 20+ and be a darkhorse allstar candidate...however the team is surely a year away from any serious playoff consideration. I voted 20-29 wins.
As fans of a basketball team, why should we care if he is an elite dancer or dresser? He can dance like Elaine Benes and dress like Westbrook for all I care, as long as he’s really good at basketball.
The nature of predictions is that they are premature. I’m saying these signs are telling us what you need undeniable proof to know in the future. You’re telling us it’s not proven yet. Of course it’s not proven yet. It’s a prediction. If I had made this thread after the coming surprise win total, y’all would say it was obvious at that point. This thread is for those who believe right now with only some evidence and an instinct. Like I said, you’ll be welcomed on the bandwagon whenever you join. Nothing but love. There’s something unique about this young core, and they will clearly differentiate themselves from all other young cores by the end of this season. Jalen Green will lead the charge.
At the same age Lavine didn't have the bag of Green. Green has advanced off the dribble jump shot moves. Lavine now has them at 27. Green has them at 20 and will only get better at it. His base skill is higher than Lavine. Similar athleticism and size though.
I was born on the Rockets bandwagon...I just think there's still not enough depth and too much youth to compete for the playoff this year. Hope I'm wrong and your prediction comes true. I'll give you full credit if we make the play in tourney.