Where is the tape of Lively at 230 lb trying to guard a big body like Zach Edey? Lively can only be a NBA C. He will have a hard time guarding the big body NBA Cs. Lively had an outside in HS but not at Duke. One also has to wonder if Lively will develop an outside shot in the NBA. That said Lively will be a beast on weak side rim protection, which might be enough to have a NBA career. The careful reader who is light of his feet might realize that I am also openly questioning how a certain 7'2" 210 lb frenchman can guard the big body NBA Cs.
Well if Lively stays the same size he is now, then yeah, but Yao was skinny at 19 too, and I also have doubts about Wemby and the physicality of the NBA. DD
Maybe package Tate or KMJ and 20 to move up and nab Smith Jr. He was mocked top 7 early on, but missed time with injuries. Looks really good here:
Honestly Nick Smith might be available at 20 without trading up. Question is, how much was his poor performance this season due to injuries? Because he was very bad, to a concerning level. 37.6% from the field and 47.2% TS%. Absolutely atrocious efficiency numbers. Taking him even at #20 would be a gamble. Could be one that pays off if he was just struggling with injuries and his true talent level is close to what was originally thought, but there's very high bust potential here at the same time.
The rockets need to use picks in this range to take swings at bigs to ultimately try and fill that Capela/Looney role eventually. Yeah we have Sengun and Jabari but ultimately if we are going to be competitive at some point you’ll need a guy like this and it would be preferable to not have to pay big bucks for one down the line. Who cares is it’s bust at this point in the draft with the young talent we already have. #4 should be a player that contributes. #20 should be a big swing imo.
They probably want maximum value for Tate, and Tate rarely played last season......IMHO most trades just break even. The Morey fleecing is history. To this day, I still have not heard a serious offer for Jae Sean.....how you gauge value if you have not heard no noise.
I don't think Tate has a whole lot of trade value. He's at best the 8th guy on a good team. Teams can fill his role with some cheap vets. The good think is, his contract isn't bad. I think he will likely be used as a throw-in sweetener in a trade package.
Some people on the board really like him, but I think it's mainly because he stands out in that he's a relatively competent older player on a team full of raw, unpolished kids. I think he's a third stringer on a contending team, bench player on a bad team. Useful contract though, you're right. Sweet spot for moderate salary filler + enough production to be rosterable + flexibility to salary dump as needed.
We aren't taking anyone at 20. C'mon now. It almost assuredly is getting dealt...to move up, or in a deal for a young, veteran stud.
Let's be real, recent Rockets draft history says that whoever they take at 20 will likely be better than who they take at 4. It'll be the 3rd draft in a row where the second player the Rockets draft in the first round will be better than the first palyer the Rockets draft in the first round.
Any thought on Jett Howard? He seems like a great shooter. His father was a former Rocket> Might be able to scoop him up with pic 20.
20. Houston Rockets (via LA Clippers) Noah Clowney Alabama PF Age: 18.8 Clowney's range appears somewhat wide, but his extreme youth, defensive instincts and shooting potential make him one of the more attractive first-round project options. He quietly built up a lot of fans in front offices over the course of the season and has yet to turn 19, making him an appealing development pick, particularly for teams in this part of the draft who can afford to bring him along slowly. -- Woo https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/37757403/2023-nba-mock-draft-post-combine-pro-day-impacts-draft-class Think his name fits perfectly well with how clownish the past 3 seasons went.....
Weak side rim protection is probably the most valuable asset a center can have in today's NBA. Post defense isn't a priority when only 2-3 teams run their offense through the post. A center that can contribute defensively against 90% of the league is more important than one that can specifically guard Jokic or Embiid. And the latter center doesn't exist anyway. I think Lively compares similarly to Jarrett Allen (234lbs at the time of draft) or Nic Claxton (215lb currently). Definitely worth of the 20th pick.
