I guffawed at the author's use of the word gewgaws. I'd have probably gone with the perfunctory bric-a-bracs. Well done, sir!
Methinks Thompson is in fact a traditional style player. He's just not in the modern-day dribble-dribble set-back mode of today's NBA trend. There's a role for a superstar who does it all except shoot 3's and dribble well. Gee whiz, Houston has and abundance of precious pieces with which to use.
I think that barring Thompson becoming an unbelievable point guard or developing a workable three, the most likely path to success for him is something like an Aaron Gordon. Become an excellent defender, rebounder, and secondary playmaker while finding ways to exploit cracks in the defense off the ball.
I have a strong feeling this season's going to decide a LOT of futures for guys on the Rockets' current roster going forward. My bet is at least two of those high-upside guys (and IMO at least one of the veterans) that are there now will not be by this time next year, once the Rockets decide once and for all what direction they will be going in.
Yeah, the looming financial crunch with Sengun and Green means that someone's gotta go, for sure. Frankly, I don't think even they have a clue who they'll keep around long term. The only untouchable young guys right now are Thompson and Sheppard, probably.
I agree, I think if at all possible they're keeping Thompson and Sheppard. As I've said before, I'm pretty sure Jae'sean Tate's out the door when it's all said and done; who else will be gone is still TBD. My only guess for now is, I'd be surprised if they kept both Jalen Green AND Cam Whitmore -- if Jalen, Tari Eason, and Dillon Brooks all stay and Amen gets more minutes, there's really not much more room for Cam in that rotation than there is for Tate. If Jalen's gone, Cam is a better fit for that two-guard spot than anyone else they've got on the roster (Brooks is maybe just a bit long in the tooth for that spot, Sheppard's too small and Amen can't shoot).
And obviously, they're probably not going to keep and pay BOTH Jalen and Sengun.
Now, if they decide to move on from Brooks as well as either Green or Sengun, that opens things up some for guys like Cam and Eason. Yeah, the Rockets have their work cut out for them deciding what their team's going to be going forward.
For sure. I'm on record as liking Dillon Brooks far more than most, and I still hated that signing from the second it happened. Maybe they just thought their young guys would need more time than they did.
Yeah the wing situation is pretty wild. Tate's gone. I know Houstonians love Tari Eason, but I'm not sure they can afford to play him unless his shooting takes another leap, too. But Whitmore likely has more trade value, and Green theoretically has the most by a mile! So who knows.
I guffawed at the author's use of the word gewgaws. I'd have probably gone with the perfunctory bric-a-bracs. Well done, sir!
Methinks Thompson is in fact a traditional style player. He's just not in the modern-day dribble-dribble set-back mode of today's NBA trend. There's a role for a superstar who does it all except shoot 3's and dribble well. Gee whiz, Houston has and abundance of precious pieces with which to use.
Ha, thanks!
I think that barring Thompson becoming an unbelievable point guard or developing a workable three, the most likely path to success for him is something like an Aaron Gordon. Become an excellent defender, rebounder, and secondary playmaker while finding ways to exploit cracks in the defense off the ball.
I have a strong feeling this season's going to decide a LOT of futures for guys on the Rockets' current roster going forward. My bet is at least two of those high-upside guys (and IMO at least one of the veterans) that are there now will not be by this time next year, once the Rockets decide once and for all what direction they will be going in.
Yeah, the looming financial crunch with Sengun and Green means that someone's gotta go, for sure. Frankly, I don't think even they have a clue who they'll keep around long term. The only untouchable young guys right now are Thompson and Sheppard, probably.
I agree, I think if at all possible they're keeping Thompson and Sheppard. As I've said before, I'm pretty sure Jae'sean Tate's out the door when it's all said and done; who else will be gone is still TBD. My only guess for now is, I'd be surprised if they kept both Jalen Green AND Cam Whitmore -- if Jalen, Tari Eason, and Dillon Brooks all stay and Amen gets more minutes, there's really not much more room for Cam in that rotation than there is for Tate. If Jalen's gone, Cam is a better fit for that two-guard spot than anyone else they've got on the roster (Brooks is maybe just a bit long in the tooth for that spot, Sheppard's too small and Amen can't shoot).
And obviously, they're probably not going to keep and pay BOTH Jalen and Sengun.
Now, if they decide to move on from Brooks as well as either Green or Sengun, that opens things up some for guys like Cam and Eason. Yeah, the Rockets have their work cut out for them deciding what their team's going to be going forward.
For sure. I'm on record as liking Dillon Brooks far more than most, and I still hated that signing from the second it happened. Maybe they just thought their young guys would need more time than they did.
Yeah the wing situation is pretty wild. Tate's gone. I know Houstonians love Tari Eason, but I'm not sure they can afford to play him unless his shooting takes another leap, too. But Whitmore likely has more trade value, and Green theoretically has the most by a mile! So who knows.