Developing the Young Guys for the Future Aside from a few veterans (Battier, Miller, Scola, Jeffries, Yao), this Rockets team is actually a pretty young team (Around 27 years old or less) and I think some of the guys could do a few things to maximize their potential long term (I know anyone can get traded. But this is for the current team we have at the moment) Lowry: Continue to work on his outside shot, but I really think a good adjustment would be for him to work with KMart and Lee's trainer in the off-season. He got Martin and Lee into great shape to start the season and they're having career averages this year in certain categories. Not to mention Martin and Lee have not missed major time with injuries. Lowry wasn't in shape to start the season, and I would think this trainer would make him more athletic and reduce the injuries he's had during his career. Patterson: So far he has continued to shine and really just has to continue the road he's on I think. The Al Horford comparison is a nice one and with time I think he has the possibility of eventually developing near the numbers he had at Kentucky before Calipari arrived. Study Kevin Love's rebounding, he's not a dominant athlete, but has an off the charts rebounding and basketball IQ. Budinger: He reacted with a good fight in dealing with his shooting slump he had earlier in the season with better shooting, rebounding and all around game. Of course his primary concentration should be on better defense, but continuing to concentrate on having strong rebounding games, having assists, steals and support defense (he jumps high and should have weakside support shotblocking opportunities) to not be jumper dependent. Kmart: Of course defense, But one thing I will give Martin, he realizes what he is good at and maxes out his potential. Be a 50% FG 40% 3pt 90% FT guy for years like Nash. Score 25 per game. Try to be the most efficient TS% guard and scorer in NBA history. Brooks: Defense and assists, But raise his FG shooting percentage to 50% and be the premier outside shooting PG. Hill: Get stronger to improve defense and rebounding (Kmart and Lee's off-season trainer might apply here too) and polish his overall offensive game. Always go for the dunk instead of layups if you can. Study defenses with Battier and Chuck Hayes (applies to everyone really). Ish Smith: Develop a consistent outside shot and improve free-throw percentage of course. But also learn how to draw contact fouls when attacking the basket. Master the system and develop an intuitive sense of where your teammates are to create assists automatically. He's the fastest player on the team and no one should be able to blow past him defensively, be the best on the ball defender. Rack up steals. Learn to take charges. Hayes (He's 27): Be a specialist. Aside from free throws, don't worry about a strong offensive game and concentrate all your energy on making your strengths into dominant onesefense and rebounding. Study Dennis Rodman's game. Try to make a 2nd team all defensive team like Battier did in his earlier career. Twill: He should continue to get used to the system and continue to develop his jumper in practice, but since he is a natural play-maker I think he should always defer to his strengths in games until he develops a very consistent jumper: attacking the basket and creating his own shot/drawing contact fouls or drawing defenders and assisting to the open man (if there are wide open looks of course take them, but otherwise..), Rebound, and be a shut down/very disruptive defender. Really I think since he rebounds so well, I would like to see more of him at SF. But if he is dead set on wanting to play PG I think he should take advantage of his size and strength on other PGs and develop a post game. He would probably be one of the biggest and strongest point guards in the game. (not to mention a wingspan advantage, they couldn't block his shot) Barring a trade, if you were the Rockets what would you like to see to help develop the young guys for the future?
Unless we make some staggering trade by the deadline, id like to see Twill, Pat, Hill and Ish play 25+ minutes per game. Most of the other guys, we know what they can do. Twill is the biggest mystery to what potential can be realized, followed by the others. If we cant contend, lets find out what we have.
lowry was out of shape because of all the time he missed with his ankle injury, not because of his trainer
That's true, but also including the reoccurring back spasms this year, he also missed 14 games last year. Kyle's not injury prone I would say, but looking at how Martin came back from seasons of injuries this year (and looks in better shape as well) I think it wouldn't hurt Lowry's athleticism to work with him. And since Lowry likes to play his minutes very hard and tends to minimize rest and stay in the game if he can, I think it would keep him from looking gassed out during games and on defense at times.
Forgot to mention Courtney Lee: Double and triple shots in practice and learn from CBud to help get out of the current slump. Continue developing as a defensive specialist (study defenses with Battier and Hayes) and get more repetition playing PG in practice to improve passing and creating.
