What is krack Alakin fellow Thermo move near a evert I M damn Valley coming
at with a reef intro. This is going to be the Houston Rockets look
ahead. I brought on Red Nation to moves is Salmon Ali. Follow him
on Twitter at Salomon Ali mba at s A L M A n A l
I NBA. We went over an hour on the Rockets. It was a
great combo. I think you'll really enjoy it. We recorded this before I
went on vacation, so if anything's a little outdated, I'm not gonna update
this with a different intro. But if something major happens, I of course
will. So hopefully you're still hearing this. Just my very quick reminder.
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link to that is in the podcast and YouTube description. But let's get to
some great rockets. Talk all things Houston Rockets with Salmon Ali of Red Nation
Hoops and you should be sure to subscribe to his substack his podcast. The
link to that the website will be in the podcast and YouTube description. Let's
hop to it. Dolman, the question that everyone wants. No, the
answer to how the heck are you doing good? Okay doing okay? Just
got back from vacation. Was overseas for about ten days there, but I'm
back recharging my batteries today. Uh, I feel feel pretty good, feel
pretty good and I'm I got four four podcast scheduled this week. Uh,
one of them is actually my own, which is great. H So,
I mean that's what happens. But when you're on vacation, you just put
stuff off. You know, people ask you for stuff and you're just like,
okay, I'll do that when I get back. Including me. You
told me you were going to record with me on vacation, and I prefer
not to do that. I'm glad you ultimately, because I don't like interrupting
people's vacations, but I have. And also when you have the prep to
go on vacation, like right now, I'm trying to like these look AADs
that we're doing, I'm trying to backlock them so our listeners still have,
you know, like three or four episodes to listen to. So I have
this will be podcast three of six that I'm recording in roughly twenty four hours,
like in its twenty four hours. Man. Yeah, it's it's it's
like that, and it's it's unfortunate because it's it's August, and I feel
like we should be able to relax now. I sho we would just stop
like stop doing stuff, but no, I guess I guess not. I
guess. I guess we have to continue doing stuff until we stopped doing this,
until we stopped doing this. Are you ready to talk some Houston Rockets?
Yeah, we might as well, so right start with this on the
Houston Rockets. Any just we've talked about it at length, but in case
people didn't listen to that podcast we did for your pod, what were your
just general thoughts, takeaways, impressions from the Rockets off season. You know,
we'll get to the email Rudoka stuff, but just like the what they
did with the not even just the person that they put in place, but
the steps they took to get them, so on and so forth. I
thought it was good. I thought they had a good offseason. Like I
thought the you know, letting Steven Silas go was a very good move.
I thought replacing it with Rudoka was I think a solid higher you know,
like I think even even if, like you know, I may have favored
Frank Vogel and Nick Nurse, like I think like Udoka is right there after
those two names. I think they killed it on Draft night. I think
Cam with Moore was having can with Moore fall to you at twenty I still
can't believe that happened. I love Amen Thompson. Obviously, both those players
have flaws that they're gonna have to really work out and that makes their floors
lower. But I love the upside play that they had on draft night,
you know, free agency. Like before, I was a bit lower on
them, like I thought, like the door not taken with James Harden,
like was was weighing down their ways significantly, their grades significantly for me.
Like I gave their initially gave their office their free agency a C plus B
minus. I probably upgrade that to a flat B. I thought they had
a decent free agency, like I like, I still don't love the Fred
Van for the deal, but I think it was you know, reasonable,
like one can reasonably say that was the best use of getting a point guard,
like like I think there was. You know, I might have explored
being the third team in the Porzingist trade to grat try and get Malcolm Brogden
instead for his two year deal. Maybe a I had to go get Chris
Paul or you know, be the t B the Jordan Pool dump team,
you know, like I explored those other avenues. I think they were there
for Houston. But I'm not upset at Van vleet Any, definitely not as
upset as I was, uh seventy two hours ago. I would say the
Dylan brooksteal was you know, decent, like I think was. You know,
he's definitely overpaid, but not as overpaid as I think most people assume
to be. I think he was probably like an eighteen million dollars a year
player fair market value. He's getting paid twenty two for this contract, so
about four million dollars a year over and it's a declining clining scale deal as
a contract as the CBA is going up. So I think it's gonna work
out to be fine. Actually, I think the actually those last two years
I actually had to be pretty good. So so I think that the Dylan
Brooks steal is fine. The Jeff Green deal, the Jeff Green and the
Jock Lando contracts are kind of insane. They're just trade exceptions. They just
signed two eight million dollars a year trade exceptions, which is I that's some
pretty creative stuff there By the Rockets for front office, I really liked it.
Thought it was kind of underrated that they were able to do that.
Yeah, just just a solid uh free agency good offseason. I'm happy with
what they did. I think you know, the stuff I have I may
have, the disagreements I may have with them are just nitpicks, right,
Like the coaching higher, Like picking uh Udoka, I mean picking Udoka over
Vogel or Nurse. That's a nitpick. It's it's not it's not me saying
that's a bad higher, you know, going brogged instead of it, instead
of going with this Van Vliete deal. It's a nitpick. It's not saying
it's a bad signing. You know. The nitpicks I may have are just
that nitpicks. I think they had a pretty good off season. I'd be
with you. I guess my quibbles are a little bit different than yours.
I'm just I think the Fred van Fleet Neil is it a market value?
Sure, but it's two years like that third years and if you're picking up
that third year option, something good has probably happened or you have another deal
sort of set up. And just because you want to start I'm assuming Shane
Goon, I like the idea of okay, like you're really gonna need to
backstop him or front stop him if you want to say, with like good
perimeter defenders. Having Van Fleet and Dylan Brooks in the starting lineup, we'll
help you do that, especially with Jalen Green as part of that five as
well. I took more issue with the Dylan Brooks deal. The money.
You're right, it's declining. I still think it's an overpay. Also,
the machinations to get there when it's like, all right, you gave up
ty Tay Washington and us Man Gruba and kJ Martin and Josh Christopher to make
sure you got there. I think some of that had to do with there
was clearly a faction within Houston's front office that believe that they were getting brook
Lopez and that didn't pan out. It's nothing they did is damaging, and
I don't It doesn't give them an identity. I think it gives them some
more. It gives them more coherence with the way they's built and some of
the lineups they could run. I am curious though, to ask you,
do you think that they're gonna be able to rain in Dylan Brooks's offensive usage
with this team, because I do think that's key to his working out he
is. I want to make clear he's a damaging offensive player, like by
the numbers. Even when you watch him. He can have some nights where
he looks really good, but he is overall if he gives in indulges his
strongest inclinations, he's a pretty damaging offensive player. Well, it's a kind
of backtrack there, like I should have mentioned that, like the brook Lopez
pursuit was also weighing down that free agency great like like that's why I didn't
give them a B plus or any minus. Like I didn't. I didn't
like the fact that they were pursuing bru Lopez at all, much less the
extents, like how badly they wanted him, Like they were willing to do
all these trades, give up all these players and you know, assets for
pretty much nothing. They ended up being nothing. But even if they got
Burk Lopez and they did all that, I don't think it would have been
worth it. So yeah, I mean, just just as a quick aside,
I didn't like that part or free agency. But as far as raining
in Dylan Brooks, you know, if there's a coach that's gonna do it,
this is this is the guy, right, like because he wanted him
too, right yeah, yeah, yeah, And and if you look at
if you look at what he was able to do with Marcus Smart. Marcus
Smart was taking I can't remember the exact number, but I remember the year
before Udoka was was the head coach of the Celtics. Let's just say he
took a hundred, right, uh, pull up three pointers when Udoka came
in, that got halfed like his his his three pointers per game got halfed.
Like that's pretty drastic. If he's able to do that with Dylan Brooks,
or even if he's able to pull it down by right, because he
like he was taking like four pull up three pointers per game last year Dylan
Brooks, I think it was a lot. It was a lot of pull
up three pointers. If he's able to get him down to two or three
like that, that's a win. That's a win. I think. I
think if you look at his catch and shoot numbers, he's actually a better
three point shore than one might imagine it was that by the way, he
was at a little over two off the dribble threes per game last year.
He had five off the dribble jumpers in general, though, and was statistically
one of the three worst players in that But please carry carry on. Yeah,
his catch and shoot numbers are actually pretty good, right, because he's
actually a better three point shoot than one might imagine. Like, what's weighing
it down is he takes too many dogs shit attempts, right, like if
he don't defend him the way they do, because his catch and shoot three
point percentage over the last three years, I believe is higher than Marcus Smarts.
The issue is is that defenses are more inclined to guard Marcus Smart than
they are Dylan Brooks, especially come the postseason. I interrupted you twice.
I apologize, No, You're totally fine. That's how we do these podcasts,
man, So what, yes, that's true, right, Like he
is defended differently than Marcus Smart. I also, you know, want to
point out that Dylan Brooks does not have nearly the same amount of playoff experience
as Marcus part Right, So like, as bad as he was in that
Laker series, I would just you know, say, like, this guy's
like twenty six years old and he's probably only had like two playoff appearances.
So I think I think it's probably fair to say that he won't be as
bad as he was in that Laker series. I'm not saying he's gonna be
what Marcus spart is in the playoffs, which is like a really incredibly useful
player. But I think he's not gonna be as damaging as he was in
that series. And really, if the Rockets are if Brooks is at the
point where he can help Houston get to the playoffs, it's a win,
right, Like, Like we're not even at the point where we can talk
about the playoffs with Houston, right, Like that's like a conversation like next
year, right, like, like we can talk about that stuff. Yeah,
next year, maybe year the year after that. Like they're just trying
to make a play in game. They're just trying to be competitive next year,
right, They're trying to win thirty games next year, right like that
that's like where they're at as a franchise. If they if they can get
there, that's great. Like I think, uh, Dylan Brooks his faults,
Yeah, they're they're real. But for the Rockets, like their whole
roster was flawed last year, and he probably has less flaws than a lot
of the players that went out, right, because he is a very very
strong perimeter defender. He is a good catch and shoot three pointer, three
point shooter. He is a good communicator. I think those things will help
not just help them in the short term just getting better as a defense,
but long term, I think, you know, those habits that he passes
along to the Tari Yeason's the I'm sorry forgetting his name. We just talked
about him sixteenth in the draft. Oh Cammore care twenty draft. Yeah,
the camp with the Cam Whitmore is right, like the Jabari Smith juniors.
These habits that he's able to pass down to these wing types I think are
going to be helpful in the development process and probably why Udoka wanted to was
so intent on signing was so intent on signing Dylan Brooks. So yeah,
I like, I I think it's possible that he that he can curb some
of those offensive foibles. But uh, I again, like if you look
at where Houston is, I don't know if they really had their pick of
the litter and free agency. I think they really had like a targeted approach
in terms of like the guys they could go get right. I think they
they very carefully chose Fred Vanvley because Fred van Fleet was gettable, right,
Like they very carefully chose Dylan Brooks as Dylan Brooks was gettable. Brook Lopez
at one point in time, was gettable, right, So like that's why
they chose those guys. They all, they're all, they're gonna be helpful.
But like, you know, this is a team that won twenty one
games last year, right like they're they they did, they weren't and this
wasn't a very very strong for agent class, so this this was you got.
You gotta weigh those things in the context too as well. Who do
you think benefits the most? The single player that will benefit the most from
having Fred Van Fleet on this team? I think probably Jalen Green. Yeah,
you know, the Jalen Green's biggest weaknesses as a prospect and you know
as a player right now obviously are you know, playmaking and in defense,
right, like those those are the two things that he is not, you
know, gifted at you know, like he's never been like that was never
his thing as a calling card as a prospect, This prospects calling card as
a prospect is like phenomenal athlete, gifted score, right and never really had
to be the lead playmaker because in high school he would just score thirty points
and that was enough to win the game, right, Like he was just
that good of a score. He never needed to operate in the pick and
roll because he never needed a pick right like he was like his first step
is just that is that great? Right like I think And if you look
at for Evan Fleet, like these are things that he is good at.
He helps make up for those weaknesses and he helps teach Jalen some of those
strengths, right Like he will help Jalen become a better defender. He will
help Jalen become a better playmaker. He will help Jalen watch film. He
will help Jalen like in all these off the core elements as a leader.
Uh you know which you know, I'm never the guy who puts so much
talk into that stuff, but I think VanVleet is very good at that kind
of stuff and Green won't need to become good at that kind of stuff.
So I think he's the guy that off the bat. Also, you know,
good three point shooter, so will help space the floor. Jan Green,
he's the guy right off the bat. I think we will benefit the
most. I'm with you are the Ema Adoka hire. We've talked about a
lot the Higher itself already. Do you have any insight or feel for what
might change the most about how this team operates on the court or behind the
scenes with him in charge. Yeah, it seems like they're going to have
a tight leash, like that's what they're saying at least right, Like they're
going to have a tight leash when players make mistakes. So if that's the
case, the guys who are pretty mistake prone, I would say probably the
defensive end of the floor are gonna get pulled a lot, right, So
Al Princhagun, you know he was already getting pulled out. I think he
might get pulled even more. J not kJ Martin, excuse me, Kevin
Border Junior. You know, I think we'll get pulled a lot more for
the turnovers that he was he made, right, Like I think Jalen Green
for how bad he was as a defender, he's not gonna get away with
that next year, right, I think he's And you know there are options
you know that that Udoka has that Stevens didn't have, Like he has Amen
Thompson, he has Dylan Brooks, he has other guys to play on the
perimeter. Uh, when these guys go sit So I think that's part of
the reason they went out and got those guys like, yeah, I'm gonna
hold you accountable, and I'm gonna play this guy in front of you that's
better than you anyways, right Like, I think I think that's kind of
why he the Rockets when when got those guys, like they can credibly say
that you're this guy's just playing better than you, So we're gonna play this
guy ahead of you, right. Uh. That's why I was worried about
the Brook Lopez acquisition, because it's like, yeah, I wasn't a fan
of like Alpert and Shandon playing like ten minutes per game like next year.
No, I wasn't. No, No, that idea did didn't uh exactly
make me excited. So uh, I'm glad that there's no one that can
credibly take Shan Goon's minutes away, at least on both ends of the floor.
I think I think Jeff Green will pull some minutes away when Dooka gets
frustrated, like they're they're gonna throw in the the old vet that knows how
to play you know, switch Wood defense, right like, Like Jeff Green
is probably gonna be playing a lot of minutes. Jock Landale might take some
minutes. I don't suspect he'll take a lot, but it's gonna be a
better He is a better not just then Shangoon. He's actually a better switch
defender than I think a lot of people realize. And so if that's how
the Rockets want to play, it wouldn't shock me. Like you said,
if Shane Gouon is getting this quick hook that we see lots of landales,
they don't want to give up just because if you put green it at the
five, I don't know what you're rebounding. Look like, looks like maybe
you trust like Tar Easton and Amen Thompson if they're in the game at the
same time to really crash the boards for you. Then I actually think the
backup center next year is going to be more Jabari Smith. Uh, that's
like skipping step the head in the podcast. I'm interested in that. Yeah,
I actually think like and it's it's a look that I think we're gonna
see a lot of because he actually did pretty good and like some of his
best minutes last year, we're actually at the center position. I don't remember,
like like you know, his net rating at the center position, but
just from from watching it, I do remember it looked pretty good and playing
next to Tari really benefited him. And I think that's probably gonna be the
front corp pairing if it's not Shangoon and Jabari, you know, the front
corp pairing of the future, right like Tari and Jabari. So I think
Uduck is going to give that a look in backup units and I and they
have Tate there, so like he's gonna be I think, you know,
in terms of difference next year, I think Tate's gonna play a lot like
I think he's gonna play really yeah, he was gonna fall by the wayside
just given like kind of everyone that's if like the Rockets, there's for as
better talent wise as they are, there's still just like a well now you
kind of have to coordinate and organize this, and people are certain people are
just not gonna get minutes. I thought he was gonna be the one just
with Brooks Amen Tom Centauris, and I thought he would be the guy that
maybe was falls by the wayside. He's gonna be the guy. I'm like,
he's coaches Catinet Man, I'm telling you, like, like during preseason,
I think Steven Salass first year, Tate gets the starting position on Game
one, right, and it was such a shock to everyone, right,
like this rookie coach is making this ballsy decision on game one to play this
rookie And it was because he impressed that much in training camp and he was
that good defensively right away. And I'm telling he's gonna make a strong impression
Underdoka in training camp and he's gonna earn those minutes. And I think he's
already Udoka is already pretty familiar with Tay. They've been in communication. I
think he's probably going to be an integral force in that locker room and someone
that he leans on. So I think he's probably gonna be like one of
the four most more important for Front Corps players for Houston next year. So
that's gonna be interesting to watch. And I think as far as difference,
I would say they're definitely gonna switch more on defense, and I think hedge
and recover is a scheme I think I would like to see them implement with
Su because I think I don't think he's a drop defender. I don't think
he's a switch defender. I think he is someone you throw in for heads
and recover schemes. I've seen him do well and switches on certain circumstances,
but like you see, you look at what the the Kings did with I'm
sorry forgetting the name. I'm so bad with names des Demonus Sabonis, and
with the with the Nuggets did with Yokich like that works for some reason,
it seems to work, And I think I think you're gonna see some of
that implemented next year with Shangoon, And I think you're gonna see a lot
more communication. Like the Rockets didn't talk to each other last year. They
yelled at each other last year, So I think that's probably gonna be something
I'm very curious to see if it gets cleaned up a lot. I suspect
that it will. He has a great reputation of turning teams around on the
defensive end, and I think that's probably the immediate impact you're going to see
from them. What are your early impressions of Amen Thompson. What are you
gonna be watching for most closely in his rookie year. What type of role
do you expect him to have as the Rockets are clearly dramatically trying to improve
upon their record, just just that whole that whole bag of stuff, so
a lot of a lot of amen. I wasn't very I wasn't really surprised
though, because I saw a lot of him in Ote. What I was
surprised of with him was like a lot more poisoned half court settings than I
thought he would be, right because he didn't play a lot of half court
last year. The OT is like a strange league, like they they are
allergic to half right, And he didn't get a lot of possessions in the
half court to run offenses. And like in those twenty six or whatever minutes
he played in the summer league, Uh, he seemed okay, Like he
wasn't like panicking, and he wasn't like shying away from shooting mid range jumpers
or getting to the free throw line. Like there wasn't like a Ben Simmons
like allergic reaction to like trying to get to the free throw line or like
you know, having a counter once Pete once players walled off the pain right,
Like I think that's gonna be interesting to see how he develops those counters,
Like does he get a floater, does he get a mid range jumper?
Like whatever he does when teams eventually treat him like the non shooter that
he has been, Like, how does he react. I think he's probably
gonna play around twenty to twenty five minutes per game next year. I think
he's like, this is probably like the best possible thing for him. Honestly,
I don't know if he was someone I would have wanted to start next
year, even if they never got Fred Van Fleet. I think having him
play off the ball a little bit is helpful. I think him developing a
three point jumper is going to be integral for the Rockets long term. So
I think, you know, the fact that he's gonna have to be someone
who's consistently playing off the ball is helpful for his development. I think I
think it's actually a good thing that he's coming off the bench because he's not
ready yet. I don't think and I think he these other elements of his
game that didn't get enough time or refinement at the ote will get a spotlight.
The defense I think he could has as a ways to go defensively.
I think his brother's actually a little bit better right now. Uh. And
I think if if he spends more time on those elements of his game,
he's gonna get playing time. He's gonna get minute and he's gonna, more
importantly long term, be looked at as the franchise point guard. So I
think that's probably what I would expect from next year, you know, back
seat role, but not a not a not an an impactful back seat role.
I think he's gonna be pretty pretty fun to watch next year. That
would be ah. I was very impressed because I don't watch these guys really
before I try to cram before the draft, and then he watched. We
saw barely nothing of him in Summer League, but I was I'm very impressed
with his zero step speed, where it's like that's not someone who needs like
a ball screen and momentum to get going downhill. And I also just sort
of like his around the world burst on defense to where like, yeah,
there might need to be more discipline there, but like that's every which way
that you point like he's gonna be able to get there and get around people
or close out on guys or stick with guys, no matter how like directional
the their ball handling is. I'm I am curious though, to take advantage
of you mentioned him playing off the ball. I think what you're gonna need
to do off the ball around the ball is to have the spacing ecosystem necessary
to give him sort of a bunch of runway. I'm curious if they'll get
two lineups, and I think they can get to them with the personnel they
have. That's sort of the I know he didn't shoot too well. He
had some stretches where he shot well from the corners, Like if you're Jabari
Smith junior at the five like that, those might be the lineups where you
have the spacing kind of necessary to get at men moving off the ball or
just give him the ball, get him going downhill. And so I hope
we see a lot of those types of arrangements with him. Yeah, and
that's partially why, Like I think that Jabari will play a lot of backup
five. It's the space the floor from man, I think, like you're
you're right, it's it's not it's not hard for Houston to put together four
out lineups for amend to play with. Right, Like I think you're gonna
you're gonna have Jalen Green there, you're gonna have for Evamvleet there, You're
gonna have Jabari there, You're gonna have Tarri there, you're gonna have Yeah,
yeah, you're you're there. I mean, and and I think Amend's
size gives him a lot of versatility to defend a bunch of positions for Houston.
Uh and and just kind of experiment these first few years, you know.
I think that's that that kind of stuff is like not non content,
It's pretty consequential. Like like you see players like learn these traits as background
players, and once they're in the forefront, they still have it right.
And I think that's gonna be something that he is going to really benefit from
just just being a guy who has to earn it a little bit, but
earn it in the areas where he is not adept, right, Like,
he is not adept at cutting off the ball, he is not adept at
at three point shooting, he is not adept at off ball defense, right
Like. I think these are areas where it's helpful that he is playing in
the background. It may it may make for some rough moments and he may
get yelled at a lot next year, but that's perfectly fine. I think
he's still gonna be very fun if you're a Rockets fan to watch next year.
Would have kind of the same question for Cam Whitmore, and I think
his situation is more complicated just because you kind of look at their sir.
Plus I would call it of perimeter players right now, Like is there a
pathway to him kind of having a regular role on this team as a rookie?
Injuries injuries? I think. I think at this point he's going to
be playing the book of his playing the book of his minutes in the G
League with the Vipers, and that's fine. Like, I don't think the
Rocky wanted to draft the twentieth pick. I think they were they were looking
to trade that pick. Uh, they did not want more young players this
year. But when Cam Whitmore falls into your lap, you're not going to
pass up on that opportunity. And I think they're totally fine with him just
developing in the background, finding opportunities when there are opportunities, and he is
kind of someone that is part of like there, he is the picture.
He is the picture of their embarrassment of riches, right Like like if if
if you were to describe like how stacked the Rockets are with young talent,
Cam Whitmore's are the first guy that comes to mind. It's like Okay,
they don't really need this guy. They just have this guy, right,
and he's probably gonna have to really scratch and claw and probably not get real
he's not really gonna get any playing time until that front court rotation honestly gets
traded a little bit. I think jay Sean Tate is a name i'd watch
come to trade deadline. He's also a name I'd i'd watch come next offseason
just because his contract is dirt cheap, it's really flexible and attractive. The
Rockets can combine it with other contracts to form an even crazier trade, especially
with the with the Lawndale and the Green contracts that they have and the KPJ
deo like they can, they can find their way to getting like a really
significant player if they really wanted to, uh mid season or next offseason.
But even if they just want to trade Tate h flat out just you know,
hey, let's go get another first or let's go get two seconds or
whatever. I think that's a name to watch mid season. I think he
will be pretty gettable, and I think Houston he's also someone you might trade
if you're the front office, just so Udoka doesn't play him too much.
Over the younger guys. Maybe yeah, maybe, I honestly have no problem
with Tate playing playing on line next year. It's like I missed Tate,
like the Tate Tate was like a guy that, like the Rockets could have
used a lot last year. That the injuries are key too to his trade
value is like is he gonna be healthy? Like he wasn't that healthy this
past year, so how healthy will he be this year? Yeah? I
mean he's just really really good defensively. I mean, like that first year
he was bordering on like all defense potential, like like he was that good
defensively. Uh. And I think I think he was someone that surprised a
lot of people in terms of like how good he was not only defensively but
as a pastor with the ball in his hands. So I think he I
just I just I just I want to see him back. Man. He's
a fun player. Uh. He has real works in his game and we
all know what they are. But like he's not a starter, and that's
fine. Like if he's if he's your seventh man and he's you know,
providing what he's providing, I think you're very happy. And I think teams
that are looking for depth pieces at the trade deadline. We'll make We'll make
costs. What are you watching for the most? From jail and Greening year
three? Who I think at this point, I would say it's been unfairly
pigeonholed as like this substar volume scorer when I there flaws to his game,
but there's more every level juice to what he does than I think people realize.
I'm looking to see how much he's built out of his body A number
one, right, Like I want to see how much weight he's gained over
the summer. Like I know it'll be a running it's a running joke at
every media day, you know, how much weight did you gain or lose
during the off season? But I think I want to hear his answer,
honestly because since his rookie year, I thought he was too skinny. I
just thought, like he need this gets the guy that his body is holding
him back from doing a lot, not only not only defensively, but offensively,
Like I think ball handling, Like he there things he can't do as
a ball handler right now because he's too skinny. It's hard to explain until
you watch the film, right Like, like he gets bullied on offense,
like teams are able to just take that ball from him because he is just
not strong, and I think him adding some strength is gonna do a lot.
I think defensively, I'm gonna be watching to see how much he improves
under Udoka, Like those are the two biggest areas. Obviously, I'm gonna
be watching the playmaking. But I think that's kind of like the playmaking is
something that like that's a luxury conversation, like like, let's get to him
being an efficient score first, right, because then then the playmaking opportunities are
open up. So I think the three things you're watching for is obviously the
body, the defense, and can you become more efficient scoring the basketball than
you have been? Can you get to fifty seven percent you shooting? Can
you get to fifty six percenter shooting? And if you're if you're at that
point, you're you're, you're you're you're getting closer to what Jabari will be
as a finished product. And after that you can start working on the playmaker.
After that, those playmaking windows will open up for you. So those
three areas of what are really what I'm looking for. Yeah, I think
even you mentioned the playmaking specifically, it's just like he doesn't turn the ball
over a ton for someone who's this high usage him and so like he was
at almost seven potential assists per game. If those take up a little bit
and you get guys who are going to hit shots off his passes more like,
I don't know that he needs to be much better as a passer,
is my point. And so I'm with you in the sense that it's a
luxury because unless you want him to be the driving playmaking engine of your offense.
And I kind of think it's clear he's best suited as like that secondary
tertiary type passer or maybe he's doing that with second units but not against opposing
starting lineups. You're just he's fine there. And so I'm just I'm so
in on him, and I'm with everything you said. Someone else who I'm
so in on, and I think I'm a little bit higher on him than
you. What are you kind of looking for for from Jabari Smith Junior in
year three? And do you think and I've heard a lot I've heard and
read just some people think at like the star upside isn't there for him.
I thought he improved a great deal offensively after the All Star break. How
much you want to read into that him shooting forty five plus percent from mid
range seventy percent at the rim, that's up to you. But like he
took some shots that like getting to shoot over people that were going in that
especially if you're gonna put him at the five more, that he's gonna be
just such a mismatch nightmare. So I'm a really big believer even just he
was a better rim protector than I thought he was gonna be overall, And
it was almost just like, oh, he was a little bit less mobile
or switchable however you want to frame it on defense than I thought he was
gonna be. And I still think that's just gonna come along. And how
much of that was maybe him playing with another big or not enough defensive talent
in front of him. Just where are you sort of at with him?
Though, I'll get into that. Let me backstock a little bit to Jillen
Green. So, like on the playmaking, I'm with you, like,
like, I think he's more better suited as a secondary guy. But like,
in order to if you're not gonna be that primary creator, man,
you gotta get good at defense. You gotta get like that. That's that's
the that's the gift and the curse of Like, if you're not a guy
with the ball in your hands all the time, you have to be like
close to a plus defender at the minimum, right, Like, so he
he he can't be bad, Like there's no there's no room for him being
bad. Right, Like, if he has the ball in his hand,
he's averaging eight assists per game. Yeah, there's room for you being bad
when you're off the ball and you're you're you're getting your Klay Thompson on or
whatever. Right, Like, I'm not saying you have to be what he
was on the defensive end, but you have to be you can't be negative,
right Like, you can't be someone that the team consistently looks to hide
every night. Right, you have to get at some point, at some
point, get to a point where you're you're you're just not someone you're that
the team is worried about, you know, when they're planning out again a
series, right eventually when they're in the playoffs, Like you're not, the
team's not thinking about, Okay, where the hell do we hide this guy?
Right? Like, I think I think that that's something I want him
to get to a point, you know, defensively back to Jabari. So,
I think oftentimes when I talk to people where a big Jabari Smith believers,
I come off as a skeptic, and it's not. It's not that
I'm skeptical, and I actually like Jabari Smith. I had him third on
my board. Haven't changed it, right, I think what it is is
I just think he is so so much of Jabari Smith is theoretical, right,
Like, so much of him, like the best version of Jabari hasn't
shown itself at and at either the college level or the high school level or
the NBA level. Like it's so much like kind of what we saw at
Summer League, right, Like, he can become this guy, he can
be x Wires or Z if he does this, this and this, right,
Like, that's that's my biggest that's always my biggest hang up with Jabari.
It's like, yeah, can he become a shot creator in the NBA
one day? Maybe, but he hasn't been that at the end at the
high school level, at the college level, Like we're just really banking on
a lot of outlier development, right, That's kind of what we're with Jabari,
Like you know, that's I think what I'm looking for with him is
can you get to the point where you're making threes? Honestly, can you
get to the point where you're shooting thirty six percent from three? Because,
like you, you were touted as a guy, I mean not tauted as
a guy, like he was a guy. He was an awesome three point
shooter. One of the best kids I've ever seen shoot of basketball, right,
like like he's I thought he was gonna be like a forty percent three
point shooter for his career, right, that's how good he shot at the
at the high school and college level. So the fact that he had the
year that he had was alarming to me a little bit. And part of
it, I think was the three point linees farther back than it was in
college. Like he twenty five feet in the NBA, a twenty two feet
in college or twenty one feet actually, so it's like four feetback that he's
shootings. And he likes not only that, he likes to shoot top of
the key threes like those are like, so like that's that's even farther back.
So I think that had a little bit to do with it. I
also think like he was kind of trying to do too much and not letting
the game come to him. So I think, uh, you know,
you mentioned that stretch off the All Star break, the game, the game
was coming to him. He I think he is better suited to play in
the middle, like get hot from mid range and then start shooting those three
pointers. He's he's a weird player. He's a very strange player. Like
I think, like if you watch him at the high school level, it
was what you thought was like, Oh, this guy is like an awesome
mid range jump shooter. I wonder if he ever develops a three pointer.
He develops a three pointer in college and like it's like, okay, so
he's just a three point shooter now, But then you realize more he has
to step back even more at the NBA level. So I think he is
someone who gets comfortable shooting close range and then shoots mid shoots well from three
point range. And if that's the case, I think i'd I'd like to
see him dial back as attempts per game, Like he shot like what five
or six at three pointers per game last year. That's a lot, Like
it's a lot for any player in the NBA much less a rookie, maybe
dial that back back to like three or four. I think I think that'd
be ideal, and maybe make more of those catch and shoot threes from the
corners as opposed to pull up threes. As a trailer trailing big, he
went through weird stretches too, where he was like money from the right corner
and couldn't hit a left corner three and then would flip flop like completely.
It was. It was the most bizarre thing. Yeah, it was.
It was strange, like like he really loves shooting those trailer bigs, those
trailer threes. Man like that that was something he thrived off of a callege.
So I get what he likes to go there, but man like in
the NBA, like I really do think he's gonna be in those corners more
than he thinks. And I think I think that's that that's gonna benefit him,
honestly, Like it's it's closer, it's it's also an easier shot,
You're more often, you're more likely to be open from there, And I
think I think it would benefit him to kind of ease it back, uh,
play a lot simpler, like simplify that offensive game defensively, I'd like
to see more of him at the five, as we kind of touched upon,
like I think we get there, by the way, Like do you
think that because you kind of we kind of already talked about it a little
bit, but like you think they are gonna look at applying him more at
the five this year, even though they have Shang Goon Green is a small
ball five Jacque Landale, I really do, I really do. I do
think he's going to be their backup center because I think it. Listen,
if the Rockets don't believe in I'll pring shangun and look like I'm just saying
this is just a side. Right. If they don't believe in him,
they have to get a look at this guy at center, right, because
I don't I honestly don't know what an other center option they have long term
roster. Yeah, that's it, and I yeah like it to be fair,
like having you think good and Jabari Smith juniors like those are good big
man options to have, but if you don't view one of them as your
center of the future, like okay, well then you're out of options after
that, right, Like, so, so get a look at Jabari right,
Like, get a look at this guy at center and get a look
at Tari playing next alongside him, Like, I think, I think that's
a that's a nice that's a really it's a really nice front court defensive option
for you. And i'd like to I think he's a better rim protector than
people give him credit for. I think he's a better help side defender that
people give him credit for. Uh. I just think he has not had
to do that because he played next to Walker Castler at Auburn. Uh.
And I think that's probably why Houston wanted to go get Brook Lopez, because
they wanted to see if like he can go be like the Walker Castler for
them. Yeah, yeah, next to Jabari. And now now he kind
of asked to fend for himself. And I'm happy actually that he that he
asked to fend for himself with like it. I think can actually is better
for his development if he has to, if the team has to lean on
him more defensively. Like I see more of Jaren Jackson Junior from him than
like Draymond Green, right, Like I think like, like I don't see
that, yeah, Like I think he is more of a four five than
a three, four defensive. Like, I don't think he's gonna be this
jack of all trades, like he's gonna defend two through five. I don't.
I don't see that from him. I think he's gonna probably be more
of a you know, he's gonna defend fours and fives and he can switch
on the threes pretty well. Like, I think that's probably gonna be what
he is, and that's I think he's gonna be pretty damn good, Like
as a help side defender. I think he's gonna be pretty damn good as
a shop locker and a guy who gets his hands on a lot of balls
in transition. So I think he's gonna be a pretty good defender. It's
not a bad thing, but it's not. I just it's just not Draymond
Green. That's what that is. You know. I think if you're ever
projecting him to be that kind of a defender, I think that was probably
this placed. So Shane goun, I know you're super high on him,
and you can get into why. I'm sure anyone who listens to you knows.
Why do you sense that there's still a lack of a plan or lack
of faith in him? Based off how this roster was still constructed over the
offseason and who, given who they also chased in brook Lopez, I am
skeptical. Like I am skeptical because, like as you said, they went,
they still went after brook Lopez, right, Like, if they if
they believed in this dude, they wouldn't have done that. They wouldn't have
gone to the length they did to try and get brook Lopez right. They
wouldn't have trade away three young players in five second rounders just to make the
money work, right, Like, I think this was something that they very
intentionally wanted to go and get right. I don't think that faith is there.
I think it's it's I thought it was it was a Silas thing.
It seems to be an organizational thing. And so I think he's talented enough
to still, you know, be an All Star in the NBA one day.
I just I'm skeptical if that's going to happen on the Rockets, I
really am. I think that's probably more likely to happen on some other team
because the Rockets are gonna fumble the ball here. What do you think it
is about him specifically that has contributed to this lack of conviction in him being
a almost a core piece, Like I just don't know if they consider him
a core piece of this team? Is what is it? Is it?
The defense is that they just don't see an offense when you have Jalen Green
and you have Jabari Smith and now you have Ama and Thompson, like you
just don't see a vision where the offense should run through this this big man
that you have. I think there was an image that everyone had of Jabbari
Jabari of Shangoon and Jalen Green and all these guys, and again they came
in the league, and oftentimes it's hard to break that vision, right,
Like when you draft a guy, it is hard to break the vision of
what you see them as. And I think Goon very clearly broke the vision
his rookie year. He was much better than they anticipated. I can say
that with great confidence. Like I thought he was a guy who was destined
for the G League that rookie year. He made his way to the starting
lineup by his second year, by a second season, and that's because he
was that good. So I think he just he just kept surprising them and
they never lifted the bar for him. Right, They're like, Okay,
this is your new bar. Okay, this is your new bar. They
were never like okay, can this be your new bar? They're just like
okay. I guess it's like there's like a reluctance there to give him the
next thing, right. It's like, I don't. I think it stems
from the defense, right. I think it stems from like a lack of
faith in the defense. I don't. I think he's actually not as bad
as they seem to believe he is. He's not great, but he's not
as He's not bad enough to not explore this right, to not give this
a chance with second unit, let him run freaking second units. Man.
Like, It's like I can't believe they they last year they would take Jalen
Green and upper In Shingoon off the floor at the same time and have like
nobody there running the offense. It's like the guys is a golden opportunity to
get a look at him running a unit by himself, right, and so
like they did stuff like that, and I don't know, maybe Udoka sees
it differently. I'm skeptical because of what he seems to prioritize and what he
was chasing in the offseason, and I know that he was a he was
the driving force behind their brook Loves. I can say that with pretty good
confidence, right Like, So I think I think it's just the It stems
from, like what they've viewed from him and how that hasn't changed. What
they've viewed him, what they've viewed him as as a draft pick, and
how that has changed. And I was hoping, you know, he'd be
able to out talent his way there. It hasn't happened yet, So I'm
skeptical what's gonna happen. We'll see, Like you know, he just posted
a thirty piece today, right like, he he's ridiculous today. And I
wonder if like Udoka's watching this at all, or if anyone in that coaching
staff is like sending him clips or anything. Like. I just I just
want them to, like at least like be aware that he has this in
him, that he has this ridiculous ceiling in him if you just give him
the keys. I just don't think they're they want to give him the keys
for one reason or another. Maybe they just view Jalen as more of that
guy, or maybe they view Jabari as more that guy and they never have
ever viewed alpern chengu It as one of that as one of those guys,
and they never adjusted, they never course corrected, and so I, I
don't know, we'll see. This is a very frustrating conversation for me.
I just try to get off of it every time. I just like,
let's just move on, because it's until it happens. We're wasting our time,
you know, I'm wasting my time talking about it. And I feel
like the listeners are tired and be talking about it. Maybe ours aren't.
They don't have you on too often, so there's a chance that they're like,
all right, we need to hear more of this. But I am
fascinated just to see kind of what happens here. And it almost feels like
he needs to give them reasons not to take him off the floor ever,
basically, like if he's just not perfect, like if they're gonna get mad
because he tries one of his trademark super risky passes and you know they're gonna
pull him because of turnovers, or if he just misses on defense and they're
trying to use him and drop or he's just not really switching as well,
and they're just gonna have that quick hook with him. He almost needs to
be not perfect, but it feels like he's gonna start need to like be
close to idealistic just so they can view him as you view him. And
I think a lot of NBA people watch them understand like this guy's really really
really really really really good on offense, Like really like Borderline has the potential,
I would say, to be transcendent on offense. Yeah, yeah,
I mean I'm tired of talking about I really do think for me, if
it's not obvious to you, it's never gonna be obvious, right, Like
it's never gonna change. Right, Like if you don't watch him in NBA
games and see what I see, we're watching something else, or like we're
watching the game through a different filter, right, And I can't change that
for you, Right, It's not it's not it's not a it's not a
bad It may not be necessarily be a bad thing, right It just maybe
we're watching the game from two different angles, and I can't change that angle
for you. You just have to see it yourself, you know. And
I think again, like for me, it was obvious after that first year.
Oh shit, they might have something like I mean, like I thought
he was in the BSL. It seemed like, oh, this is very
very intriguing. I thought this is a starting center. And after that first
year, it's like, oh, he's probably more than a starting center,
somebody someone you should keep an eye on. And it never got there for
that. So we'll see what happens next year. But until something happens,
I just think he's kind of a placeholder starting center for them next year.
And you know, you know, see like I don't know that I shouldn't
say you know because you don't know, and neither do I. Well,
we're just gonna have to see next year. Another player whose future seems fuzzy
with this team just based off the person that they already have. Kevin Porter
Junior is really good, one of the most efficient spot up shooters in the
league. He's turned himself into what is the future with him for this team
or even his immediate role on this team. Do you think that he could
potentially get lost within the shuffle here? No, I think he's gonna have
of like another kind of step up year. I think he's gonna get even
better next year because if you look at so I went back and I analyzed
because I have to way too much time on this flight, and like I
just was boared out of my mind. Like when do players make that jump
right to like all Star caliber? Right. I'm not saying kp is gonna
make that all that like an all start leap or whatever, but like when
do players make that jump into like what they're gonna be and for the rest
of their care years, right, And it seems to be like the production
seems to happen, that production leap seems to happen that fourth year. So
it's not it's not the third year, right, which is like what we
traditionally assume. It's like, oh, it's the third year. No,
it's actually like the fourth year and the fifth year they get recognized for it.
So like the fifth year they make like like if you if you,
if you look at all the like the past like ten years of draft classes.
By that fifth year most of the time is like when these guys make
their first All Star game, right, But that production jump, like where
they're playing at an all Star caliber level, happens in the fourth year.
So KPJ is entering his fourth year, So that production jump and that efficiency
jump is theoretically gonna happen now, and it's it's unfortunate for him that he's
gonna be coming off the bench as it happens. But I actually think this
is his ideal NBA role. So I think I think this is a good
year. I think he's due for a good year. Like I think again,
like this is what I've always viewed him as, and I think like
people view that as an and so I don't. I think. I think
I think that's like if you're a sixth man. Yeah, it's it's if
you're a sixth man. If if you're the third guard in the NBA,
dude, you're beating like four hundred players, like like it's such as such
a hard thing to do. And so I think I think he's due for
a big year. I think I'm really really excited to see him in this
role. I think he's probably like like I think Rockets fans of cooling on
him. Uh, Like originally they were way too hot on him, like
they were comparing him to like James Harden and stuff, and it's like,
guys, that's way way too ambitious. And now it's like they're almost too
low on him, right, It's like like they completely turned on him.
It's like this guy's a scrub. He's not a starting point guard, so
he's just not good. It's like, no, he's very much a good
player. And I think right now he's gonna have the opportunity to show like,
this is my best role, this is what I'm gonna be best at
in the NBA, And I think I think he's gonna thrive and he's gonna
be a really big good year next year. I would yeah, I think
I'm with you. His contract though, is just like eminently tradeable, and
so that's why he would just also be someone that I monitor if they're looking
to do something on the wings or in the front court. The other player,
Tar Eason, resident chaos creator, wild when it comes to deflection,
is just a great defender, showed some flashes on offense. Just feels to
kind of be all over the place there. What are you kind of looking
for him? And you're looking from him in year two? And I would
argue, like he I think with the makeup of this team, just like
looking at how young their primary bigs are in Jabari and Shangun, and maybe
some of the stuff they want to do, I know you have Ahma Thompson,
now you have Dylan Brooks. I think he's actually become even more important
to them. Yeah, he might get squeezed like like like it's because you
look at the front court. You have Jabari, you have Schangon, you
have Dylan Brooks, you have Jayson Tate. That's five guys already, right,
So he's gonna be like your six front court rotation player, right,
it's gonna be I think I think Take gets squeezed before Tar Eason does.
He might that might be like justifiable. I don't know if it always works
out that way, right, because because he's like Jayshon Tate's like four years
older than him, right, and he's better defensively right now, I haven't
seen both of them play at the same time in a while, so like
we'll see if that's still the case. But like, I just have a
feeling that Udoka is gonna favor the veteran and play the veteran a lot more.
Uh So I'm not saying he's gonna get squeezed out of the lineup.
I just don't think he's gonna play like twenty five minutes per game. I
think he's gonna play more like fifteen to twenty just because of how packed that
rotation is. It's gonna be tough to find a lot of guys minutes.
Again, like I just said, I think Cam More gonna be the D
League. I think if it wasn't Cam, it'd be Tari right, Like,
it's it's it's that, it's that tight. It's that tight, and
someone has to play, has to not play like for everybody to get equitable
playing time. Yeah, I'm this rotation and I think where is this?
Yeah, this is the next thing I have. It's the look, it's
the cookie cutter portion of the podcast, but it's also I think for this
team specifically, a fascinating question. And so, how do you see this
ten man rotation shaking out? I think it's probably best to maybe unpack it
from the starting five and so I have penciled in Fred van Vleet, Jalen
Green, Dylan Brooks and Jabar Smith Junior and Alfred and Shane Goon. Is
that who you would expect to be the starters here as well? Yeah?
And if and I have it that way right now, Udokas has said that
he's gonna have an open mind with every starting spot. Again, I'm always
skeptical with when coaches make those kinds of statements, but he said it,
So if that's really gonna be the case, is there is there a possibility
that Tar Easton has a better training camp than Jabari Smith? Because if if
that's the case, then he may not get squeezed right like he may have
like the opposite of getting squeezed. But you know, yeah, I would
say I would say more likely you are correct, that's the starting five.
I think there are at least three locks in the reserves department then, which
would be Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Kevin Porter Jr. Would you
also agree with that, it's like we're at eight with all those players.
Yeah, I would add Tate as a fourth lock, so that's nine,
and then it's like it's the ten spot. Jeff Green, Jack Landale,
like where where we cam whitmore? We already says gonna spend a lot of
time in the G League, So maybe it's easy to sort of write off
him. Uh, I'm sure will change, But like if you had to
pick, like who's gonna wind up having the it does feel like at this
point, based off everyone we've named, unless you're really hot on Aaron Holiday.
For some reason, it's kind of like, well, who plays the
bigger role, Jack Landale or Jeff Green on this team. I would probably
say Jeff, uh, just because he's you know, I think I think
he's gonna fit. He's familiar with him. And I think, you know,
Jeff was the backup center on the title team last year, right,
like, I think I think he has some real sway there. Uh.
And I think Londale is gonna be a guy who I'm not gonna say we'll
get squeezed, because he's he's always been squeezed, right, He's always he
was already squeezed Greig. That's why he's in Houston. But I think I
think that's that's someone uh, that it's gonna have to scratch and glaw first
playing time. Because again, I really do think Jabbar he's gonna be playing
back up five. And I thinks smart by the way, I want to
see Shane Goun. You're higher on Shangoon than I am, but that's not
I'm not. I don't think Shangoon sucks. I want to see them use
both of them properly. I don't view and by that like I don't.
You don't need to get Jeff Green and Landale minutes. It's just working.
Like those guys are there and if you need them, okay, shore,
but like you don't have to give them minutes, no exactly, they can
just be inured injured reserves, right like ands with emergency guys. Yeah,
right, And same thing with Cam Unfortunately. I want I would like to
see Cam get minutes because I think he's that talented, But I just don't
think there's gonna be any pathway as long as everybody's healthy. But yeah,
I think I think, like have the rotation be short and just have the
minutes be more meaningful. I think it's actually more conducive to actually like better
seasons. Like like, I don't think the teams with like ten to twelve
guys playing every night are actually like the teams that win, uh like that
that seldom works. I think it's more likely the teams that are like playing
eight man rotations, you know, maybe nine man rotations that are like the
good teams, right, like, those are the teams that actually like know
what they know who they are and know how to get by every night.
And if you're playing twelve guys that they just sounds to me like you're a
confused team. You don't know who's good on your team, and so I
think I think it's better to just like narrow down, have people be angry
with you. It's fine, Like it's okay to have be angry with you
if you if you're actually running like a good locker room, there's always going
to be a small portion of the locker room that's like angry with you.
But that's fine as long as it's not the majority. I will say in
Houston's case, I think when you're still trying to find out so much information
about not just your overarching direction, but so many players on your team,
I do think it's probably okay in their case to expand the rotation if they
if it's a matter of like we really want Kem whitmore to get minutes,
then like at the NBA level, then by all means just like and the
guard rotation. It's just like if you're playing yeah, you know Jack Landale,
Jeff Green Goads, you don't figure in long term, I guess I
see your point. They're like, let's shrink it. It does feel like
we don't need more data on those guys right like there, and I feel
like, I think Jock land is a little bit more interesting that you're giving
them credit for, but not at the expense of time at the five,
I'm actually of the mind just like I only view them as eight lots.
You know better than I do, so I'm just gonna default. I just
feel like Jay Shawn Tate is like kind of a guy that could just be
shafted out a little bit. And maybe I'm just wrong. It feels like
there's eight lots, But I think I'm with your or you you said Landale
probably winds up playing more than Jeff Green, right is what you went with?
No, I think Jeff Green plays you think does okay? Yeah?
What do you think this team has undergone so much change? What do you
think their biggest weakness is? Right? Like, what's your biggest concern about
them? My biggest concern about them has always been the same. Right,
It's just three point shooting, right like, like until Jabari becomes like,
you know, like a legitimate like threat from from three point range, which
he wasn't last year, right Like, they don't have like a a plus
three point shooter on the team yet, right Like, I think van vleets
that the only one, right, Like I think he's like thirty six,
is that what he is? I think Jalen Green is just there, Like
I just I'm with you, Like I kind of mentally think he'll get there,
Like I think he's a fine three point shooter, but he's too he's
already abj sure fair enough, but he's not starting right like this is yeah,
yeah, yeah, And like I think I think that's probably gonna be
their biggest week. Like you have a starting lineup that that includes three non
shooters like you know, Shangoon Uh, Dylan Brooks and four right now,
Jabari Smith. It's not an ideal, right, Like at least one of
those guys has to become a threat. Obviously the obvious guy there is is
Jabari Smith. So I that's that's the biggest that's probably the biggest week is
the other big weaknesses is the what we've kind of talked about on my podcasts,
like I don't know who the guy is, right until until I know
who the guy is. This is because team is just a giant question mark
until we all know who's going to be the driving force of their offense,
of their franchise. Long term. You can't just have, Oh, this
guy is going to be your best player tonight, and this guy will be
your best player tomorrow night. You know, like, you gotta have the
guy be the guy and and and the team will form around him and the
offense will be much more structured that way. Who do you think shoot the
higher percentage from three next season? Dylan Brooks or Jabari Smith Jr. I
would hope it's Jabari, but I suspect for sure, Yeah, I would
suspect they're closer than you'd be comfortable with, right, Like, like the
percentage wise, I think they're probably gonna be closer to each other. And
ironically, that would be an upgrade for Jabari If if if Jabari shoots as
well as Jalan Brooks shot from three last year, that would be an upgrade
for Jabari Smith, which is saying a lot, right, that's how bad
Jabari Smith shot from three last year, Right Like, if he shoots as
well as dealing brick shot, we're doing We're in a good spot, We're
on the upwards. What do you think this team's in close games? It'll
be matchup dependent. I get all that, but right now, what would
be your most preferred closing lineup for for this team, my preferred closing lineup,
I would say Shangun at the five. I'd say Green at the two.
I would say Van Vliet at the one. At the three. It
might just be the starting lineup. I maybe i'd spot Yeah, maybe I'd
swap out Jabari with Tari right because I think I just think I think he's
slightly better right now. But I think that's probably where where i'd go.
I feel like they would be more inclined to swap out Shangun with Tari than
Jabari. Right. I was about to say the same thing. I think
that's probably there, but that that wasn't your question. No, I'm just
saying, yeah, yeah, this is my favorite question to ask you,
though. What is a weird old lineup you want them to try this season?
A weird old lineup? I want them to try this. I haven't
thought about this. What about Tar at the five? I am a small
ball enthusiasts, so I'm all for it. Tari at the five and you
play Jay Shawn at the four, you play you can have Dylan Brooks be
your three, have Amend slide down to your two, and you can you
can play van Vleet at the one. You can play Green at the one.
Actually I think play Green at the one. Have Van Vleet come off
the bench. Right, So you have basically a lineup of Green, A
Men, Brooks, Tate, and TRII just everybody is six six, right,
every and you can switch everything you can you have you have you still
have shooting other than try other than excuse me, other than Jay Shawn Tate.
Everybody there can shoot, uh and that I don't other than a men
and and and and Tate. Yeah, yeah, you have decent shooting on
the floor. So it's a lineup I would like to see. Uh.
I think they should get weird. I think they should again get as much
data as you can. These are the only two like, these are the
only years you can experiment because you're not trying to Like you are trying to
win, but you're not. There's not an overwhelming pressure to win, like
forty five to fifty wins right now, right like you can try and have
fifteen minutes a game allotted to experimenting or ten minutes a game whatever, right,
and the other thirty minutes actually dedicate to winning the basketball game or whatever.
Like just like because if you don't know, if you don't experiment,
you will never know, right You You'll never know how how Versatotar Eason is.
If you're not having him ever play center, you won't know how mobile
Alpern Sengun is if you're never switching with him, right, You're you're not
gonna know like how good of a playmaker Jalen Green is if you're never playing
him at the point. Right, So just like have moments where you're just
doing funky stuff so you can kind of get as much data as you can
and then you can make more informed decisions off that data. I'll take you
once set further and go the Amen Thompson plus four shooters. But everyone's just
super tiny lineup where it's Tari Eason, Fred Van Fleet, Jalen Green,
and then Kevin Porter Jr. And like, let's just see. You don't
need to put the ball on Amen Thompson's hands, but like, let's put
the ball on Amen Thompson's hands and kind of just see what happens. I
think that your lineup, I feel like has a puncher's chance in hell of
happening. My lineup has just no bunch of chance and health happening, but
I would pay probably too much money to see it, honestly, Like KPJ
makes KPJ and a'men Thompson make their lineup constructions really fun because they're so so
big, like the KPJ six five, i'men Thompson six eight or sixty six,
excuse me, Like like these guys are giant, and they're playing guard
positions and you can just kind of get fun with it, like play them
at two, at three, at four and and and really get weird.
And you have all these wings, like the Rockets have a ton of wings,
and like like they were never like this. They weren't like this.
During the Hard Narrow they had like two wings, which is like Eric Gordon
and like Trevor Aresa, Like they didn't have that many wings, right,
like PJ. Tucker. At one point in time, they had like a
decent they had that Luca Bammute, PJ. Tucker, Trevor Areza and like
Eric Gordon. Other than that one season, they only had like two maybe
three wings, right, and then the microball season, which was just weird.
I like to forget that season didn't happen, right, But like other
than that, like they never really had this much wing depth, and so
it's kind of exciting to see kind of the different possibilities. Right, you
could get kind of real high end and think about Boston Celtics like outcomes,
or you can just kind of think like, hey, can they be like
I don't know, like the Grizzlies and just have guys be really competent across
the board. So as of now, they're over under a set at thirty
one point five? Are you taking the over the under on that? And
where do you see them kind of stacking up in the larger context of the
Western Conference? So I had them winning thirty games last year, right,
like that was that that was my prediction, and I they obviously never got
there. I think I probably overdid it by three, Like I think I
think I probably if I were to do that over again, I'd say I
probably should have set that at twenty seven wins. Right. I think that
means I still think that Steven Silas underachieved, like actively pushed their win total
down by like five wins. Right, So I still think the underachieved.
I think as of now, if I'm if I'm saying that they they should
have been a twenty seven win team last year, and they added for eventavely,
they added Doing Brooks. I kind of think they should be a thirty
five win team this year. Yeah, I kind of think they should.
That should be at least, at the very least their their aim, their
goal, and if you're not gonna get there, things can get really scary
in terms of like ownership. Again, on the podcast I had with you,
I said, I think rafel Stone has done enough in my opinion,
or an extension, but if they don't win like thirty five games, I
it could get really scary. Like not only does he not get an extension?
Are we talking about like are they starting a general manager search this time
next year? Like I hope not. I hope not. What's interesting though,
is I think the only teams though that you can actually guarantee they'll be
better than are probably Portland and San Antonio right now in the West, and
maybe depending on how you feel, like well, Utah trade themselves out of
that position again, but like that's a team where it's a coin toss,
and then after that it's like I don't even know, are they going to
be better than New Orleans? Okay, see Minnesota? I don't. I
don't think so, and so probably the statement like LORI marketing is probably better
than everybody on the rockets right now, right like like that right now.
Yes, when you're talking about the ceilings, I think they probably still have
three players with a higher ceiling. You'd probably say four because of Shangoon.
Maybe you'd say three because you might think Jabari never gets to lowry I go
under. But I do also wonder is this a team that could be aggressive
in acquiring more win now talent with the incumbent assets they have because they want
to get better or was this offseason just more about, hey, we don't
want to send it. Okay, see the number five pick, and so
we're not gonna accelerate the process to that degree. That's not what this is
signaling. Or is there a chance like I just mentioned that, hey man,
and you kind of mentioned it earlier in this podcast about they want to
they can go in and they can't get anybody. Theyn't get any conversation they
want depending on who becomes available. They are a sleeping giant right now.
Like I, with every major name that becomes available, I would keep an
eye on Houston, every major name that from from from here until they actually
make that move, right, Like, whether that's Joel Embiid, whether that's
Jalen Brown in six or se seven months, whenever he's Eligi would be traded,
right, I think he can be traded at all for a year at
this point of the Supermax stuff right day, I think people would be shocked
based off how they viewed Shangun. I think that Houston would look at Karl
Anthony Towns if he becomes available. The other name I would watch like Pie
in the Sky name just two of them. I wouldn't be shocked if they
took a look at Siakham and I also would not be shocked if they took
a look at Zion Williamson, depending on if whatever goes on in New Orleans
there, I think I think the three names there that, like, you
know, I would seriously consider. I think they're talented enough to like Warrant,
you know, putting schangu in there, or obviously Embiid, Like embiads
you he just came off a MVP season, like he's he worth putting Shangun
in right, Like as high as I am on Schangun, I think if
if you have a chance to go get in bed. I think you should
try and go get embiid O. Sure, yeah, I think Towns I
would think about it. I'm less like God, I wouldn't. I wouldn't
do it for this team. I just don't think he's what they need.
I want to make that clear. But I do think that they would look
at it. I would think about it. I would, because he's that
good offensively right like he's but I still think he's more of a finishing piece
than he is like someone i'd go get right like. I think I think
right now as that's as that's someone I would go get right now. They
do feel like more of a team that like maybe they become sellers, like
maybe tape becomes available or someone on those lines. They feel like a team
that is I don't want to say exclusively, but maybe exclusively we're only gonna
chase the home run swing. Like they're not at a point where it's like,
hey, let's just hit this double on the market and we're gonna be
a team that's involved on Bob Bodanovitch or Bowie on Bogdanovitch or just any of
these like sort of Pascal as you said, right Like, I don't think
I don't think they go after Pascal, all right, that's fair. I
wouldn't. He's like higher end enough for me to look at. And maybe
if there's a guy who's not a star, like, are they a team
they'll have, like are they a team that looks at Og if he becomes
available, Like I could see something like that. They would look at Michael
Bridges for sure if he becomes available in Brooklyn. But like those are all
I'm I don't know where I land on Og. But like all the names
we mentioned, they're pretty much like home run swings, which is what I
think we gravitate towards because they have the assets, but just based off where
they are in their development. It's not about hitting these singles and doubles.
It's about these triples and home runs if those becomes available. And so I
would if you told me, what's the percentage chance that Houston acquires like a
top one hundred to thirty or top one hundred to top forty player versus top
thirty nine to top ten, I'm gonna say it's more likely they go that
higher end route than justice, Oh this guy's good or whatever, because that's
just not really what they need when they have so many players and possibilities on
their own roster to evaluate. Yeah, if you're if you're gonna go for
concert, if you're gonna consolidate, go consolidate, right Like that like a
better way of putting it, right, Like I think I would go for
you know, the zion, I would go for the MB like I I
would. I would go go go for the guy who might actually be the
best player on your team one day, right, Like, I think I
think that's that's the home run swing. That's the one where I'm like,
yeah, I don't care what they just gave up because that they got that
guy. They got that guy, and I think I think it's I think
that's that's the conversation worth exploring. And man, they're right. They have
all the contracts and they have all the young players, and there are teams
that can go toe like okay, see, you can top them if they
wanted to, right, Okay, see is like like they're the real sleeping
giant, But Houston's just ripe below them, right like like they can just
they can be inactive in conversations. Houston in New Orleans are just like the
teams below. Okay, see where it's I think if they want to do
something, they have like not just the picks, but also just like the
players seems to be interested in and I am curious what you think on my
guests would be and maybe they just become available, but like they're gonna look
at something where it's like a wing type player or front corp player, where
it's like if one of these guards becomes availably, if they're like Trey Young,
if he hits the market, that's not someone that I would expect them
to be in on. It feels like they would gravitate more towards like Paul
if everything blows up in LA and but Paul George becomes available or so I'm
like they're gonna go that route and Chaale Bridges even though some people might consider
him a two or it's not. I just feel like with Amen Thompson,
Fred Van Fleet, even kpj Here and Jalen Green, I don't think they'll
look at a smaller guard like if Shay Gil just Alexander or Devin Booker became
available, Okay, sure, or look like but they're not gonna become available
like if I think Trey Young is like the good Romer where it's okay,
like he's really good, But I just don't think they're a team that would
sniff around that him. Sorry, I might have done it if Jalen Green
wasn't on the roster, right, Like he's the only guy. Like I
just think if you if you're gonna go get a guard, go get a
guy, guy who's a plus defender, right, like I you have to
get someone. I think you have to put a plus defender next to Jalen
Green. And I think that's kind of why a men makes so much more
sense like long term and and van Vleet makes a lot of sense short term,
right, Like I kind of think they're there. I don't want to
see they're set at the point guard position because a man's downside is real,
is real, right, Like if he if he doesn't become a decent shooter,
like he's just a project, right, He's just a failed project.
That's that's what he is. Like it's just guys like him don't work out
if they can't shoot. So but like I kind of like where they're at
though, Like I kind of like these bets. I kind of like Van
Vleet as a short term bet and like, I kind of like a man
as a long term bet there. I think we're we're kind of on the
right track. They're gonna more likely trade for a front court guy. And
I think if we're talking about front court guys, I think the guys that
you want a monitor are the high end guys and the guy And that's when
you got to look at the situations. They're kind of influx. Philly is
kind of influx. New Orleans, New Orleans a little bit. Yeah,
New Orleans is kind of influx, right, Like like these are would you
look at brandon Ingram speaking in the ones if he became of where it's not
Zion's decide, Hey, brand Ingram's extension knowledgeable, We don't know. We
want to keep them long term, YadA YadA. Yeah, we have Herb
Jones, we have Trey Murphy. Not those guys aren't better than him,
But you get what I'm saying. I think about it. Yeah, I
certainly don't think there's anyone on the roster where it's like, oh, I
definitely think this guy is gonna become a better small forward option than than brandon
Ingram. Like maybe you could say the high end outcome of Cam whitmore you
know is there, but like there's also like low end scenarios that are possible
if you don't go and get brandon Ingram right. You solidify yourself a little
bit when you go get like, you clearly outline your floor when you go
get brandon Ingram right, And that's fine. Like that's a really solid floor,
and you're consolidating assets, so that's also a positive. Right, So
I think I think that's a that's not a bad target for Houston. Is
there anyone or anything else about this team I didn't ask you about you think
we need to discuss No. I just think they're gonna be really really fascinating
next year in terms of just like not only like how much better are they
gonna be? Right? But the fundamental question that I keep coming back to
is who's gonna be him? Right? Who's going to be the guy?
Uh? That's the question I want most answered about the Rockets. I don't
get I don't care how many wins do they have next year? Right?
Like that that's an interesting conversation, is it's not as interesting as as as
why they win as many games as they win, right, Like who is
driving they're winning? Like that like, cool, they win forty games,
I don't care, right is if if there's still a giant pile of blah,
that doesn't matter to me. Right, if it's a sort of forty
wins by committee rather than having this singular force that yeah, maybe elevated everyone
around them, but there was a you're looking for that pull star. And
I think it's fair to say they have options, which is good. They
have a few options, but they don't. It's not we talked about this,
Okay, see looks at Shay Gil just Alexander and knows and they don't
have that right now, right, And you know, I'm not saying it's
a bad thing to not know yet of options. Again, it's not like
you have you have nobody, right, but like, if you don't find
out within the next two years, it gets scary. And and again I
mean it gets scary, not not necessarily for a fans, but like for
the for an office and for I would say, uh, some of these
players, because they may be on their way out to go get the guy,
right, Yeah, like I think that that that's what I would pay
attention to. Salman. This was great. As always, You're able to
tell one last time our listeners where they can find you in all the great
work that you do. Thank you. It is at Sulmley NBA, on
Twitter, the websites Right Nationhoops dot com. That's also the sub stack as
well the podcast Right Nation Hoops. You can find me on YouTube, Right
Nation Hoops. You can find me on threads, at Sawmill the NBA,
and at Right Nation Hoops. You know on Blue Sky too, Right,
let's not forget about that. Yeah, but I don't know. I don't.
I don't know if that's going to be the platform that really kicks off
Dan. I don't know. Maybe you think it's threads. I've seen I've
seen people go back and forth. I'm not. I'm not on threads,
full disclosure. But no, I don't. Here's the thing. I don't
know. I just know that I we gotta we gotta figure this out.
We gotta figure out their next spot. Like we all got to have like
a meeting, Like I don't know if I'm eligible to be in the meeting.
Like I don't know how big you have to be, Like we we
have to get together and figure this out, like iron this out, Like
where are we going? Like like this confusion like we just need to,
like the powers that be need to come together and and pick something. I
don't want to be part of the decision making process. I just want to
know that's where I'm Just tell me where we're going and I will follow.
Send me a text, yeah, this is send me. I don't have
to be at the meeting. Send me a text, right. Hey,
look, everybody joined our discord. We have fans from every team in there,
like for now that link is in our podcast when you could description as
well. But yeah, let I want to know where we're going. Solomon,
This is great as always. Thank you so much for your time,
and I think, as you know, it won't be a year before I
best you again. Comeback dot how if you have to comeback