KPJ: Can someone explain to me why he has become Clutchfans favorite whipping boy?

Garuba shoots 43.6% from three at 0.8 attempts per game. Nobody guards Garuba.


I wanted Sengun to shoot 3 or 4 per game this season since it's a tank year.

We weren't suppose to win this year. Stepping stone towards Sengun shooting
4-6 attempts next year with confidence.

Sengun will need to work on that in the summer.

 

Garuba shoots 43.6% from three at 0.8 attempts per game. Nobody guards Garuba.


I wanted Sengun to shoot 3 or 4 per game this season since it's a tank year.
We weren't suppose to win this year. Stepping stone towards Sengun shooting
4-6 attempts next year with confidence.

Sengun will need to work on that in the summer.

 

However, sources close to Green pushed for more structure and play-calling, believing that the freelance system and a lack of a true floor general weren’t conducive to the rookie’s development.

Guess I wasn't making sht up when I been stating over and over that the stupid kpj pg experiment was hindering the development of everybody else.

 

Of course. all it takes to see it is not to be a kpj stan.

 

It's really unfortunate that KPJ is getting hit by strays for what essentially was a decision by management to force feed a developing SG in KPJ into a pg role while also trying to develop 3 other guys who are extremely important to the future of the team.

A team full of young players requiring development doesn't a need a development project pg to be their pg.

 

Too much logic, but nah kpj was developing just fine it just his teammates sucked bc they whiff their shots. -double d and booby

 

Delete

 

Just reading this now and that's so messed up. Really want him out of here.

 

By the way - has anyone ever noticed that KPJ keeps talking about how Green is his "twin", but I cannot remember Green saying something similar?

It feels like KPJ is trying to use Green to prop himself up.

 

I hope Green spends the entire off-season hounding guys like Curry, CP3 and Harden etc and trains with them to show how an actual NBA guard plays in a winning system.

 

"No growth" --- Now only if he could not treat the equipment manager so mean!

 

Realistically, how much has he really improved compared to his career averages per 36 minutes?

Career (per 36):
18.3 points, 6.5 FGM, 15.1 FGA, 6.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 turnovers, 1.3 steals, .544 TS%

This season (per 36):
20.1 points, 7.0 FGM, 15.7 FGM, 6.0 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 turnovers, 1.5 steals, .565 TS%

Difference (per 36):
+1.8 points, +0.5 FGM, +0.6 FGA, +0.0 assists, +0.5 rebounds, +0.0 turnovers, +0.2 steals, +0.021 TS%

The only real difference I'm seeing is a slight improvement in efficiency and volume, and as a result, a slightly higher scoring average. But the numbers are so close that it's hard to make out the signal from the noise. It's less than a one-bucket difference per game, and most players fluctuate up and down in usage and efficiency by similar amounts to this from season to season.

Heck, arguably the best and most consistent shooter of all time, Curry, has had season-to-season fluctuations by as much as 0.031 TS% in his prime years, and as many as 2.8 field goal attempts.

Would anyone be that surprised if KPJ put up a stat line like this per 36 minutes next season?
16.5 points, 6.0 FGM, 14.5 FGA, 6.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 turnovers, 1.1 steals, .523 TS%

Because I wouldn't at all.

I'm just not convinced he's actually a better player than he has been ever since he got here, and even if he is, there's good reason to believe the improvement might be very minor.

 

When you have to resort to using per 36, you’ve basically lost the argument. And yes, .21 Ts% is a massive jump for a young player, and yes, I would be shocked if he put up those numbers.

In short, KPJ has scored way more on much better efficiency, and trying to argue that it could be “statistical variation” is not a legitimate, because while it could be, much simpler answer is that he’s improving.

 

Per 36 is a much more consistent way of making statistical comparisons, especially when you're looking at minor differences in minutes played from season to season (KPJ has played over 31 minutes per game every season with the Rockets).

Since when is 1.8 more points scoring "way more"? If you look at NBA players with a long careers as starters, you will see that most of them regularly bounced up and down by that amount from year to year during their primes.

Maybe he's improving. I won't rule it out. But I haven't seen nearly enough to be convinced that he's made more than a very minor step forward. If he ups his numbers again next season I'll be more convinced. But that would require him to continue playing 30+ minutes per game, and I think there's a good chance he ends up coming off the bench, either for us or for another team that we end up trading him to.

 

I think he has shown improvement as a player, but not so much as a PG. His court vision is still poor. I think he could end up being a really good SG or 6th man over time. I do trust Nook’s insight in that he is still a locker room cancer. I would give him a chance to prove himself as a 6th man next year, but at the first sign that he is still disruptive in the locker room or pouting on the court they should try and trade him. If he is a necessary part of a trade to land a good veteran this off-season, I’m all over it if I’m Stone.

 

Not sure what improvements are there to be seen. His best game as a Rocket happened the first year he was here. 2 years ago. Juxtapose that with Green or Alpy who outdid themselves this year over and over again. KPj is a broken clock. Even he's right twice a day. I'd say the player he most reminds me of is Cam Thomas. A chucker with no real physical abilities that can fill up a stat sheet occasionally and is a symptom of a losing culture.

Wood, Wall, Silas, KPj and Nix all need the boot. 3 down. 2 to go.

 

That's more an indictment of your basketball analysis skill than anything else. I mean, the guy finished the season putting up 20/6/5 shooting 40% from 3 with a 60% TS% in his last 30 games which was more than half of his season. It's VERY clear that he's improved a ton over where he started out with the team.

I would imagine next season won't have that rough start to it with hopefully a competent coach and a lineup that isn't relying on a bunch of first and second year kids.

 

I'm fine with kpj on the team, but if the plan is to run it back with him as pg, I rather trade him. Man is awful for us at that position