Kevin Porter Jr. - how good can he be?

The opposite of what this guy said.

 

Happy B-day for KPJ. Now give us another 50 point scoring night!!!

 

The turnovers are what is most concerning to me. Yeah some young players just have to grow out of that, but in an analytics driven league, if he doesn't cut it out sooner rather than later, or if the Rockets get competitive without him really being a franchise cornerstone in the process, it's going to be hard for him to crack rotations.

All it'll take is the Rockets getting a better ball handler/play-maker, and that alone could push him off the ball, then to the bench, and then as a wasting talent.

He's basically a rookie though IMO so let's see how he responds this offseason, and how he works on his game. Cause right now.... while he's got all-star level talent... he has draft bust level turnover and defensive issues that get all star level talented young players benched and out of the league all the time.

 

I am really hoping for a SGA level of improvement. KPJ has the potential to be right there with the elite young point guards in the league. With some improvement he should be right there with SGA, Ja, or Ball.

 

I think if he could cut down on his turnover rate, shoot a halfway competent 3-point percentage (33%-35%) and at least become an average to slightly below average defender, he could become a top 10-15 PG in the league. Although I question whether he's a true point or more of a combo guard. And if Houston adds Cade or Suggs in the draft, he may end up being seen more as a playmaking 2 than a true point.

 

Turnovers are an issue but if you look at his Turnovers per game and compare it against his usage %, Porter is not that far off from other 1st/2nd year players:

Porter Jr:
2020/2021 season
Turnovers per game: 3.6
Usage %: 25.3%

Russell Westbrook:
Rookie season
Turnovers per game: 3.3
Usage %: 25.8%

Ja Morant:
Rookie season
Turnovers per game: 3.3
Usage %: 25.9%

Damon Stoudamire:
2nd season
Turnovers per game: 3.6
Usage %: 25.3%

Steve Francis
Rookie season
Turnovers per game: 4
Usage %: 25%

Grant Hill
Rookie season
Turnovers per game: 3.3
Usage %: 25.9%

 

Exactly! Half those dudes are out of the league. /s

 

Compare that to the scrubby Harden's career:
Turnovers per game (career): 3.7
Usage (career): 30.6%

(source: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html)

What a scrub! Glad we traded him

 

Just a reminder that KPJ has been playing PG in the NBA for 25 games.

 

I member

 

The question is - how good can he be with the Rockets? Do we have the system in place to get the best player he can be? Just curious what y'all think.

 

With Wall sidelined, they basically gave KPJ the keys to the engine of the offense. So he's getting plenty of reps for his age. He's the highest usage player on the team currently.

But at the same time he could be forming bad habits but it's hard to tell.

 

He will b good enough to leave us in a fit of rage when he leaves us for a more competent organization shortly

 

That is my concern as well. That's why it can't be overstated the importance of having a good mentor on the team.

 

If he’s that good he will create the system

 

Of course it takes a lot of basketball knowledge to assert this

Go Rockets!

 

lol, I don't think he's on Harden's level (yet).

 

Who says, you?

 

I think the only way to find out is to give him as many minutes as possible right now.

 

In Harden's level? Dude can't even grow a beard yet.