Just a small note cause it seems to be going around: Mazzulla gave Pritchard even fewer minutes the following season. Pritchard just improved imo.
Would've been nice to have James teach Reed how to work with his big. James always put in extra time. Damn near turned Zubac into an all star. Reed + Sengun has been our achilles this year: https://databallr.com/wowy/HOU/2026/2026/regular/high/wowy/1630578/1641708/1642263
Fred can play defense and is an All-Star. He's unlikely to make that leap anytime soon. Also, i don't think Ime rates him high enough to give him more than 25-26 mpg. For Reed to unlock his potential either he needs to leave or Ime does. It's not much different from the Silas–Sengun situation.
But could he at 21? FVV's first season in the league he turned 23 and he was pretty bad at just about everything. He's a one time All Star....5 days before he turned 28 and nothing else by way of awards to speak of. It goes without saying that Reed is far ahead of where FVV was at the same age and he has MUCH more talent.
I don't think these playoffs are the end of their plan - they know they lack a point guard and they probably believe that Fred can be the solution to that - we'll have at least one more year of the plan next season. As for being an FVV centered team, that's kinda a false idea - they just lack "anyone else" with the skillset - and he is the 4th or 5th option behind Sengun, Durant and Jabari and maybe whoever the other guy is. Literally any starting quality NBA point guard would do. (the real issue was that Fred had a no trade clause, otherwise he would most certainly have been delt). They just don't have an alternative, Amen as the point was a disaster and Reed just isn't ready to lead a team. That's not to say they shouldn't play him and get him ready - he just isn't ready YET. Obviously, they felt the price to fill that void at the deadline was too steep and I don't really blame Stone for punting on the season - I wouldn't be giving up #1 picks or any of our young core either. No one was going to take 3 years of DFS and 2nd round picks for a player that moves the needle in the positive direction and Capela became pretty much untradable once Adams was lost for the season. I do think they are doing the right thing with Amen - Let him attack in transition and if nothing is there, give it up to whoever the offensive initiator is and assume the dunkers spot. Where they are pissing away opportunities is starting Tari or Okogie over Reed even if they insist upon playing Amen with Sengun. Reed needs to be on the floor as much as possible this season getting experience for the future. There's a reason veteran point guards stick around in this league so long - the skillset and experience is necessary. It's really not about FVV, it's the skillset and experience. FVV is completely replaceable.
“Strategically when you have a player like… Kevin and Alpi… you usually put shooters around them…” coach of the crappy team gets it
I've said pretty much the same thing about Fred - it's not him, it's the skillset. It sucks they weren't able to get someone before the deadline to fill that void but being honest, I wouldn't give up first round picks or any of Sengun, Jabari, Tari, Amen or Reed just to have a stop gap for the rest of the year and being realistic - who was going to give up a player who moves the needle for 3 years of DFS contract and 2nd round draft picks? All the players that were moved at the deadline were traded for expiring salary and draft assets - not 3 years of 8% of the cap in dead weight. That contract looks worse every day - maybe the worst move Stone has made in his time as the Rockets GM. It would probably cost a first round pick just to unload the contract not counting the returning players.
I personally would have no issues with Alvarado backing up Reed. I think most people favor Alvarado. The issue I would just point out is that Alvarado does not play Ime-style defense similar to Reed, and acquiring Alvarado would likely lead to either Reed or Alvarado on the bench, depending on who Ime favors. Also, the Rockets would not want to trade Tari for Alvarado or Capela and a FRP for Alvarado. IMO, the FO had no interest in acquiring someone who would cost Reed minutes.
I don't think these things square. If the reason it's debilitating is because no one else has the skillet - guess what they're the ones that built the team this way. They chose to keep Holiday and sign DFS, Okogie and Capela. So obviously FVV becomes more valuable than a typical 4th or 5th man. And we know that the front office believes he was the most valuable Rocket last season. Can't have it both ways. If it's a false idea, it's Stone's idea.
I get the Rockets would not move the picks needed to move DFS this season, but as much as you hate the DFS deal, DFS is only guaranteed 2 years.
Absolutely yes, Fred is more valuable than the typical 4th or 5th guy because of the skillset - even if he is still the 4th or 5th option (different things) - because No one else on the roster has it.. I'm pretty sure they figured on Fred missing a few games here and there but not the entire season. Their backup plan for Fred missing a few games was Amen and Reed. I think that's probably a reasonable assumption. The backup plan for Fred missing the full season was .... pray. I think with Fred (or the equivalent) I think they are "a more complete team" (maybe not better) so the skillset isn't missing - they can probably get by with Amen and Reed as the backups. You could literally insert 15 guys in place of Fred and I think the result is similar. As for Holiday, Okogie, Capela and DFS .... Holiday is on a minimum and a decent end of bench guy. Cheap as they come. Same for Okogie, minimum salary who has really outperformed that. Capela was part of the Durant trade, he didn't stop them from acquiring another guard. It's the DFS signing that caused all the problems. The team was already stacked with depth at the wing / forward spots and many of us were asking for another guard prior to Freds injury. That was the contract that put them up against the apron with no wiggle room with the spending of the NT-MLE comes the hard cap at the 1A, and there's the anchor around Stone's neck. I still remember reading all the responses to my complaints about the signing saying how great he was going to be and how he was gonna come in and play as a guard and save the season. When DFS gets back .... bla bla bla.
that was an insane ****ing run, maybe the fastest 20-0 run I've ever seen, and all engineered by Reed when he gets hot his catch and shoot is just so quick and effortless
