Slim Charless wrote:Bogyo wrote:ChuckS wrote:
"Bogyo" already expressed much of my disagreement. I'll just say I think Udoka and Stone have done a great job thus far, and I do not see team talent as a problem they cannot resolve. Keep in mind that they lost two starters in the trade and most of the world knows that KD is an infinite improvement replacing one of them. The only position they have too much great depth in is center IMO. But I doubt either Adams or Capela will be unhappy. With the league need, Landale will probably be gone. Maybe they foresee a no layup policy.
My starters would be: Sengun at center, Smith at PF, KD at the three, Thompson at the two, and VanVleet at point. Eason started last year, but I see him as a super sub for KD and Smith, who will get big minutes. Ime might again start him instead of Jabari, but I like the biggest at the four. They both had nearly the same points and boards last year. And adding a great defender who can shoot like DFS gives them great forward depth. I will really enjoy watching that team next year.
It's been touched on already, but I think they could use more in the back court, at least another exceptional shooter and another point. It has not been necessary for OKC, but SGA has been unworldly.
You know the funny thing is that the Rockets might be better off (ie: a bit more balanced, less logjam-y at 3/4) if they havent r*ped us this bad on the KD trade, and gave us Jabari instead of Brooks. Brooks could have played even as a starting SG for this team, with good peremiter defense which they badly need, as FVV is trash, and KD as a 3 is too old to chase dudes. FVV/Brooks/KD/Eason/Sengun - Sheppard/Whitmore/Amen/DFS/Capella - Holiday/Tate/?/Green/Adams is better balanced than what they have now. Amen shot 27% last year from 3, so that's not gonna fly.
Amen is gonna be fine as SG.
FVV/Amen/KD/Jabari/Sengun is a great starting five they also have Eason for the KD injures that will happen.
I apologize for not getting back to a valid disagreement, but it was difficult for me to use advanced defensive stats which I think are too "noisy", to borrow a statistician's term. But they are all that I know we have. IMO the rockets are actually offensively and defensively stronger without Brooks and Green.
KD is better offensively and defensively than Jalen Green, in season and with 4th best all time playoff average. Amen doesn't shoot threes as well but averages 55.7% overall with the same scoring average as Brooks. He and Jabari both have better defensive ratings than Brooks (and Green) so, in theory, Houston should be even better defensively than their 4th place finish last year. Perhaps because I'm used to the Suns, but I think the Rockets are still a well balanced team. As I wrote previously, I just would recommend adding a good shooting guard to offset the loss of Green's back court points.
But speaking of statistical noise, Bogyo might find it humorous (or interesting) that VanVleet (who I have always liked) has the same defensive rating as Brooks (which I somewhat question).
I usually stay out of trade discussions because I have no way of knowing what the heck is transpiring. I suspect that Houston offered Whitmore but we insisted on Brooks because we needed some defensive thuggery, and it wasn't a trade killer because Houston had multiple young replacements. Of course they might have needed the increased salary, and we just demanded the picks instead of Cam.
