One of the good (or bad) things about this Rockets team is having 5 rookies on the squad that each showed some flashes throughout the season, but for the team to go any where next season each of them need to develop. Here are my hopes for their development this offseason - now i am trying to keep these expectations reasonable since i doubt any one of them will transform from bench warmer to automatic starter or anything. Motiejunas: The easiest one is to bulk up. He has the most polished post game of anyone on the roster right now (and i dont think thats necessarily a good thing) but he needs to be able to properly establish position. His jumper isn't bad but needs to work on the midrange game. I dont have any stats right now but felt almost every jumpshot he took was a 3. While that plays into the team's philosophy sometimes the open shot is that 15-18ft jumper and the best shot is the most open look. I mean look at the teams left in the west right now all have PFs that can hit that shot consitently - Ibaka, Duncan, Landry (Lee when not hurt), and Randolph. Defensively if can add some muscle will go a long way of being able to keep position. Jones: He is probably them hardest to peg since he is so versatile - but his jumper needs more work and his post game. He has shown the ability to dribble the ball up and take it to the rim - that is crucial as one of Parsons' greatest asset he added this season was attacking the basket more. Jones can do that and should being left handed is an added bonus as defenders are more accustomed to defending right handed players. Given his athleticism he is better off IMO being more of a perimeter guy who can attack ala Josh Smith (but hopefully a much better shooter than him). Robinson: He needs the most work offensively - needs to get into the gym with CD and McHale right away. Defensively he can do better, but he has worked hard in the past and can live up to his potential. Honestly I think if no PF is signed in the offseason he could end up being the starting PF if his jumper isn't a complete liability anymore just because of his innate defensive ability. He is the most intriguing of the forward rookies. Hopefully he is shooting over 1000 jumpers a day and developing that shooting form. Beverley: Really the only thing that he didnt do well given his role was his 3 point shot - and that wasnt like he couldn't or didnt shoot he just seemed hesitant at times and lacking confidence. Much like Lin who needs to improve his 3pt shooting (and he did as the season progressed) if Beverly can push that percentage closer to 40% it would go a long way for him. Also finishing at the basket, he can get in with ease if he starts getting a floater in his arsenal it could open up a lot for the rest of the team if that is a threat. White: Rockets need to figure a way to void this contract and move on- that is it. If the team does not make a move this offseason in terms of a serious upgrade and waits for the following year then the bench will have to be made up of these rookies - right now given what I saw in their rookie seasons the best they could ever be is a solid starter. I wouldnt even say borderline all-star in a career season just yet. But a lineup of Lin/Beverley Harden/cheap back up SG - maybe even Brooks? Chandler/Jones Robinson/D-Mo (or vice versa) Asik/Smith probably could be a 2nd round playoff team if the matchups are good And the crazy great thing about this team is that this is just based on the development of their rookies - the starters are all still pretty young and have a lot of room to develop as well.
I too am excited to see how and what are bevy of 2nd year PFs improve on next year. I am hoping CD and McHale can work with all our guys one-on-one to teach them the fundamentals of post play, once they have their base then they can definitely work on counters, pump fakes, hook shots, etc. Young and talented nonetheless, which makes it uber exciting. :grin:
I think Lin needs to work on his jumper to gain more consistency. With an improved shot the defense would have to respect his shot more opening driving lanes for himself and others. Plus it would help him in the spot up shooting role he takes on at times. I think he would be well served in working with Irwin Hudson @OHoopsCoach. This is the guy that Chandler worked with last off season and IMO he took his game to a new level.
Yeah, that`s probably right... too bad though, I would`ve really liked to see, what an offseason with McHale and Dawson would do to him. He has the athleticism and the rebounding of an elite 4. His defense is alright - problem is he loses the ball too often, seems overwhelmed by the speed of the game and his moves don`t really work in the NBA...
I like your enthusiasm. But its one thing to hope 1 or 2 of our FIVE rookies works out, but its another thing to end your OP suggesting a lineup where they all have a role. No way that is a second round team. Probably not even a playoff team You are underestimating veteran contributions from delfino and Patterson and Morris and garcia contributed a huge amount to us even making it to the playoffs
Using statistics may verify your statements. I just want to note that Patrick Beverley was a solid 3 point shooter even when he shot 33%. He hit key 3 pointers that easily could've influenced the scoreboard at the end. Another flaw in his game is fouling, he fouled about 4 times per game. If he wants to be a solid backup or starter in this league we can't rely on a PG who gets in to foul trouble nearly every game.
I trust the team's philosophy that threes are better than long twos. If you look at the top 5 teams that take long twos and called them group A, and the top 5 teams that's avoid them and called them group B, I'm pretty sure group A would be better offensively than group B. The reason I grouped them is because there will be exceptions, but I'm pretty sure a correlation exists. Feel free to use www.hoopdata.com to see if I'm wrong.
Btw, that was in reference to the "Motiejunas needs to work on the mid-range game" comment. Guys like Duncan takes a few shots from 16-23 feet to keep defenses honest, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't shoot threes if he had the range too. I don't think he has the range though, but DMo does--it's simply a matter of becoming more consistent from that range.
Are you smoking crack? How are we not a playoff team with that roster when that pretty much WAS our roster this year and we were a playoff team? Lol.
