I think given that Yao is coming back from Injury and Millers age both will limited in minutes ... so Hill will still see some time at Center. With that said I see Jordan Hill initially coming of the bench as a PF with Brad Miller at center, and then switching to center when Miller sits and Pat comes in.... Frontline rotation: PF: Scola | Hill | Pat C: Yao | Miller | Hill Chuck, Jeffries and Andersen should all be situational players IMO....So we can develop our young bigs..(Hill and Pat ) --RB
I think Hill and Patterson will have a hard time taking minutes away from Chuck early in the season. Morey has repeatedly said that we need to re-emphasize defense. I think we're looking at Yao/Miller and Scola/Chuck for the most part, with Hill getting some leftover minutes at each position. DA will be a completely situational player (if he makes the team and/or active roster), and Jeffries will be a 11th or 12th man. I wouldn't be surprised to see Patterson go to the d-league, either, just for the sake of getting him some minutes.
Every time we do one of these threads about the rotation, I'm struck anew that there is no way we go the whole offseason without a trade. I mean, if we did nothing else to the roster, You'd have 3 guys at the end of the bench who could be in the rotation, and at least 2 guys on IR that should be on the bench. We could probably trade 2 starters and 3 bench-players for a star, and their replacements would cover 90% of their production.
Miller will have his hands full to back up Yao Ming, especially in the early going. Hill might not only be the Scola back up but also the Miller back up.
You're gonna have to ball to earn minutes period. I think Adelman gets a bad rep for not wanting to play rooks. But I think he just plays who's showing him the most in practice. With all the competition in practice this team should really improve everyone overall.
IMO I think Hill will become the primary PF backup and spot C, with Hayes being more of situational defender type from now on....Hayes is a good player but his size really will kill us...no reason any more to play him much after Morey specifically wanted PPAT and Hill. If Morey did all he could to include Hill in the NY-Tmac Corpse deal then he obviously sees something in him. In the same breath I dont think Morey would bring him in just to see him rot on the bench, same with Patterson. Hayes should be thankful he has logged as much minutes as he has in his career, and enjoy his paycheck as a D specialist/ 3rd PF role player.
I see a couple of bigs getting traded by the deadline: Jeffries and one of (Hayes, PP, Hill). If Hill shows something at C, they'll try hard to keep him, and if defense is a problem, they'll try to keep Hayes. If Yao goes down for the season, they'll have less reason to keep Hayes.
Patterson had better beat out Hill. Morey's #14 > any other GM's #8. He's not that young for a rookie, he's got the pedigree and the experience on the big stage, and he's got more tools and smarts than Hill. If he can't supplant him for backup PF then either Hill has played his brains out or Patterson is a bust. I expect the world out of Patterson. The Rockets were ecstatic to get him for a reason. This was a deep draft for PF's too so there's no excuse such as "it was a down year in the draft".
Shane has a very small role to play at the 4. I'm guessing that Patterson will end up getting more minutes than Hill at the 4. Chuck will definitely get minutes there as a backup.
From what i seen in the summer league, Patterson is also beat out Hills by a mile. I think he's going to be a surprise just like Budinger did last year. He's so fundamentally sound and just play the game right!! And when you do that....you don't even have to shoot well and you still GET MINUTES from Adelman. Just ask Chuck Hayes if you don't believe me.
Why does every one keep on saying Pat beats out Hill, Jordan Hill has already shown he can produce at a NBA level, not just summer league!! Plus according to Brad Miller, Adelman is really high on Jordan Hill, so I don't see Pat getting minutes ahead Hill until he proves himself! --RB
Jordan, cut the dreads (even Bosh cut his), and watch your leaping ability go up by 2 inches. That hamster hair is very heavy and wears you out. Plus u look like a chick with long hair.
Hill is not a 5 for sure, backup 4 is going to be competitive and he is going to have to earn it. Chuck is not rolling over for anybody, neither is Jeffries and I like what we saw in Patterson in SL. It's only been a few months but Hill's game does not look much different to me than the way he was playing at the end of last season. If he wants a lock on the job he needs to step up to the next level.
Honestly I figured the best move would be to make him the first PF off the bench and get occaisional C minutes. He showed last year that he is plenty effective coming in as an energy hustle guy a lot like Landry in his first year. Then later in the year he can be an extremely valuable trade piece. Think about it, what sounds more appealing? "Hey, do you guys want this player who averages 8 and 6 in 20 minutes a game" Or "Hey, do you want this guy who can't even get minutes on our team? When he's gone Patterson and Chuck take the reserve PF minutes. Up to the point of a trade Chuck serves as a defensive specialist like he always was with Scola and Landry. Bring him in when any 4/5 is starting to get hot to slow them down.
