Ime Udoka: "Chet Holmgren shouldn't be pushing guys around so easily"

#1 Yeah, I said that Fred and Brooks would add more wins and bring normality, but neither of them are high end starters on a really good playoff team. The good news is that the Rockets can get out of at least one of the contracts fairly easily.

#2 Yes, OKC outclasses the Rockets and they really should. Their GM has been extremely careful with draft picks, has taken on bad contracts to get additional draft picks, and has not overpaid at all. The Thunder have an incredible amount of draft pick capital going forward. They also hired a competent coach that developed players, and they did not allow players like KPJ and Wood be on their roster and have sway in the organization.

#3 OKC also has jumped on some excellent opportunities. They dealt Paul George to the Clippers for SGA and a huge amount of draft picks. They traded Westbrook to the Rockets for multiple first rounders. Meanwhile the Rockets were doing stuff like trading a #1 tpick o get out of a short term contract. They also were doing things like trading a 23 year old Jarrett Allen and passing on players like Mobley.

The Rockets still have a chance long term to catch or at least compete against the Thunder, but it won't be through trading for a star because the Thunder can offer more picks. It will require the Rockets hitting on their Nets pick, internal improvement and a couple saavy draft or free agent signings.

 

Dunkin "ON" =

 

lol

 

I think Sengun has a lot more creation in his game than Chet, which gives him more top-end potential if he puts everything together--the engine for a top offense is always the most valuable thing in basketball, hence why KD had to ride the Warriors' coattails to win his rings despite being possibly the greatest off-ball scorer of all time. However, Chet has a higher floor (provided he stays healthy, which might be no mean feat given his history and frame).

It's harder to tell with Williams. He has more on-ball creation than Chet, but at the same time I think he benefits a lot from opposing defenses having to sell out to stop SGA. I think we'll have to see how he fares if/when Shai goes down for an extended period at some point, and then we might get a better idea of how he performs as the main guy.

 

If I see our players crash into a clogged lane and give up the ball . . .one more time .. . .

Rocket River

 

I was asleep when this happened…this is my 1st time seeing this

holy sh*t

Chet is a problem

 

J-Dubb is averaging 21, 5, and 6 in 12 games without SGA so far in his career, and 11 of those games are from his rookie year

he’s that guy like Harden was that guy even tho he came off the bench and had to scale down his game

he can do it all

Chet is an actual unicorn a level down from someone like Wemby, but still damn good

our young core can’t even begin to compete with that

 

I need to take my lashes for saying I didnt think Chet would be THIS impactful in the NBA. Dude just changes everything for a team on both sides of the court.

Shout out to D-Rock wherever you are. You were right.

 

More like this might be OKC's decade.

 

Oh man we're in "kevin durant used as a pejorative" land? Really?

You can of course make this same argument about Jalen Green! He fancies himself as an on-ball creator. People actually used to even make it as recently as this season, "Oh Jalen has a much higher ceiling than Franz Wagner or Evan Mobley" or whoever.

It ignores the main point which is that having an all star level guy who can play with anybody for 10 years is much more valuable than having an all star level guy who requires specific subsets of players to camouflage his various weaknesses on offense and on defense, even if you think creation is more valuable

We have an idea, and it's all star level. I specifically remember people making this argument last year (i guess trying to defend jabari).

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/jalen-williams-without-shae-gilgeous-alexander

He's scored over 20 points in 9 of 12 games. He's averaging 21 per. That includes 1 game from his first NBA month where he only put up 1 point.

 

Chet is an extremely skilled big man. He is a stick though, so Ime isn’t completely wrong. But it’s the same ol same ol toughness and soft team etc etc..

In his defense, what is he supposed to say? These dudes out here can’t shoot a lick and this is what I’ve been given to work with? As fans and as a way to pass the time between games, we over analyze everything about every player, game, decision, etc. it comes down to the fact that this is a flawed roster, and we don’t have the talent level to compete nightly, at this point. That’s it. Not a balanced roster. It’s a hodgepodge of mostly extremely young players that just don’t quite gel, and while there is talent on our squad, they’re so so young and inexperienced. Growing pains. Not much shooting on the team, and although we’ve hit on our lower draft picks (Sengun, Tari, Whitmore), we’ve seemingly missed on most of our high picks. While Brooks hasn’t been as solid defensively as I was hoping, he’s been ok and I’m fine with the signing. But, 43 mil to FVV? I know you had to overpay to get him here, but I’m not sure he’s worth 25 mil tbh.

We all want this team to be back to relevancy, and it’s frustrating to see players drafted after our guys becoming studs, but it is what it is right now. This team isn’t as talented as we all want to believe, and this rebuild is going to take a little time. This offseason better be a time of deep reflection on this roster, and there better be a package deal for an actual star player.

 

His parents should have raised him better then.

 

How is that luck? The Rockets were playing great defense to start the year and that's why teams were shooting a lower percentage. Calling anything in professional sports "luck" is the laziest and weakest take. I guess the Astros have just been lucky too. Rockets championship teams: luck. Elie kiss of death, of course that was just luck.

 

I disagree. Chet Holmgren is a walking tank. He can bully anyone in the league. What a tank.
I don't know how we lose games with our franchise player in Jalen Green.
To me it feels much like people stopped trying hard because they know if Jalen isn't held accountable whats the point in anyone else caring.

 

FVV and Brooks are not now, nor were they ever the problem. They were brought in to improve the team and provide on floor stability, they've done just that and FVV doesn't have a long term deal.

The Rockets punted on 3 years of player development so we effectively have a team full of rookies (some who developed terrible habits) just being asked for the first time to try and play winning NBA basketball. Stone had to overypay competent veterans because he allowed the organization to be a clown show. Our players are glaringly behind on simple NBA s**t because of him.

 

The rockets are a 5 win road team and have 25 wins to date. They're definitely part of the problem especially when one is being paid max and the other a multi year $90 mil deal.

to excuse them from any criticism and act like nothing they do will be faulted is ridiculous