Why can't he be a positive defender down the line? He seems to have quick feet for his size. People keep saying he lacks athleticism? I don't know a lot of guys in the NBA who are 6-10 and move like he does. I think we are underrating him because he's so solid. Watching him reminds me a lot of Cade Cunningham last year at OSU. He plays at his own pace and while he lacks the bounce a lot of other guys does he plays within himself. Obviously the shooting isn't there but he seems to know the game and where to be. I would take him third without a doubt. I don't care that the other players can't defend, at this point, I'm still taking BPA. Chet and Jabari are clearly better at this point and the better fits but I'm not passing on Banchero if they are both gone and he's not.
Sure. That doesn’t have to be done by reaching on someone at 3. You can’t draft on fit at this stage of a rebuild. It has to make some sense so drafting another undersized guard shouldn’t be the move, but passing on Paolo at 3 because he may not be an elite defender day 1 is insane. Defense can be taught; his IQ, size and skill set cannot. I would take Chet over him and Jabari as well but I’m not taking a role player at 3 because Paolo is an average defender at age 19. He’s 6-10, plays like a guard and has NBA size already. No need to overthink it because sometimes he’s caught sleeping on defense. There are 3 guys who are going to separate themselves in March. I believe he’s one of them.
He’s my pick but I got Green wrong in hindsight when compared to Mobley at this point. That being said, I’d still like to see him on this team.
I flip flopped on Green and Mobley while Cade was clearly my #1. At the end I nudged Mobley over Green. I think Green is going to be incredible in the long run. I think it's going to click and he's going to be electric. Mobley is going to be incredible too but honestly I don't think there's a reason to regret the pick. I honestly never had Paolo at my #1 spot and had him behind Jaden Ivey at one point but I'm watching a lot of the games and I'm reading up on these guys. I had Jabari at #1 for a long time and he's close still but Chet is unreal to watch. Only thing that concerns me about Chet is his frame and it has nothing to do with whether he'll be good in the NBA and everything to do with how his body will hold up. I wouldn't just assume putting on weight to that frame will keep him healthy either. In my head I know that Jabari is the safe pick with the higher floor but Chet is like nothing i've ever watched. He affects every play, he knows where to be, he is an incredible teammate and you can tell he loves the game. Something that isn't being mentioned about Paolo is how many minutes he plays. Chet and Jabari are at 26 and 27 respectively where Paolo is at 32 MPG. This says a few things. A) it says that Paolo is able to play extended minutes B) it says that his stats may be inflated C) It says that it may be why his defense lags at time. The game is exhausting and you have to pick your poison. These three guys are going to really have their stock change based on their tournament play. It's going to be a blast.
Rockets need two way players. We took Jalen because he projected being an elite offense player. Chet is going to be an elite rim protector and Jabari looks like he can be an elite defender at multiple positions. I think I still take Chet if we have #1 because he can do everything and do everything well. Jabari is the worst handler and passer out of the top 3. You can’t say Chet is the worst at any level in the top 3 imo.
I don't see how you draft a guy based on either of these two, it's not smart to think either of them are long term starters or even high level rotational pieces, even though I think they can be. I have been watching Banchero and he is not a bad defender and I think he will be able to defend at least on an average level because of the effort level. Why would you not pick a guy who has more offensive skills than Green and is probably more ready to be the centerpiece of an offense because Green is a poor defender? I am very worried that Green will not be a franchise type guy do mainly to physical makeup and not enough dribbling skills, Banchero is flat out a better offensive player, but we need to pass on him because of Green's poor defense? I don't understand how that makes sense? at this point in a rebuild you pick the better guy and that is debatable, but I am not picking somebody because they don't fit with anybody on this current roster, nobody has proven themselves yet, and you pick the best talent and the most impactful player.
Smith has been struggling as well, He has been shooting under 40% the last 3 games and has been closer to 30% than 40%. I think Smith is the most talented of the 3, and he would be my pick, so I am not bashing him, just putting things into perspective. Yes I can say chet is the worst at creating his own shot and the worst offensive player of the 3 and we don't know if he is goona be an elite rim protector in the pros because he so thin and it does not matter if he is not gonna play a role like Gobert. The top 4 shot block leaders are. Gobert Capela Noel Bouche They are all centers who don't do much perimeter defense is that the role you see him in? Would you pick any of these guys in the top 5 and build your team around them? IMO rim protection is not something you pick a guy in the top 5 for and it's amazing people keep using that to say Holmgren should be the #1 pick.
I wouldn’t agree with that statement, personally. I think Chet gets the least opportunity to create his shot because of the way Gonzaga plays, but he’s gone coast to coast plenty times and scores well in and around the post despite having Timme next to him who also occupies the paint. Chet gets a lot of buckets just in the general flow of the offense because he has a high iq which is another plus in my opinion. I didn’t say that I’d pick Chet solely because I think he’s an elite rim protector. I said we need a two way player. None of those guys you mentioned are that or ever projected to be. That being said, regardless of his frame I think he will be a top tier rim protector, he moves very well for his size and I think he will be a plus defender on the perimeter as well.
The same can be said of Banchero and Smith none of these guys take the majority of shots on the teams and Smith has jacking guards. Chet is great in the open court and at the 3 point line and putbacks but he has not shown that he can create offense in the half court set like Smith and Banchero,. If Chet has no weakness it does not matter if he has Timme next to him and Holmgren does not occupy the paint that much, most of his inside points are straight drives or putbacks. Smith is definitley projected to be a two way player and he is already a better perimeter defender than Holmgren or at least has shown to be this season and has a more diverse offensive game and Banchero is a much better offensive guy so IMO that makes just as valuable. The last guy who was picked # 1 based on defensive skill and offensive potential was AD , do you see Holmgren making the leap like AD? When is the last time a guy was picked in the top 5 based on him being a rim protector? Do you really think Holmgren is going to thrive spending most of his time in the paint since that's where he will need to be to protect the rim ? You admit you don't even know if he can guard guys on the perimeter in the NBA but yet he has no weakness?
Mobley was not just picked because he was rim protector his ability to switch was his calling card and he showed more offensive skills than Holmgren. So no he was not picked because he was an elite rim protector, he was picked because he is an all around great two player, not the same.
