I normally write about what I want to write about, but with the Rockets season a little more than a third of the way through I decided to do the democratic thing and open it up to questions.
I got to as many as I could, and thank you to those who participated.
Why isn't Ben McLemore getting more minutes? Comes in the other day and shoots 4/5 from 3, with the one miss being a foul. I don't get it.---Craig K.
It's funny how things workout sometimes. Last season McLemore was a key member of a team that thought it was competing for a title. This Rockets team doesn't have those same aspirations, but McLemore has almost become an after thought. Why is that? Well, there are a few reasons.
First off, McLemore is a limited guy. He's only 6'3, 195 pounds, so he really only has a chance to defend guards, but he's not someone who can run your offense, so you can't play him at point guard. When you look at the Rockets roster McLemore is not going to slot ahead of John Wall, Victor Oladipo, or Eric Gordon. Sterling Brown is actually shooting better from three (42.5 percent vs 41.3 percent), he's two inches taller and a much more versatile defender.
The fact that he came off the bench in Charlotte after not playing the game before and knocked down four threes right off the bat says a lot about McLemore's preparation and professionalism, but with the way the Rockets roster is built right now the consistent minutes just aren't going to be there.
Why does Stephen Silas keep starting P.J. Tucker? He's killing the offense.---Jordan L.
This has been a very popular complaint all season, and I get it. Tucker's numbers are down across.
But as I wrote, and as many of his teammates and head coach have said, don't look at the box score for Tucker's impact on the team.
Silas isn't leaning on Tucker the way Mike D'Antoni did. His minutes are down from over 34 per game to 30, and yes, he's failed to score in double digits the last 10 games. But he isn't Andre Roberson out there.
Because of his reputation as a three-point shooter, especially from the corners, teams have to keep a body connected to him which opens the floor for driving lanes. Another reason to keep Tucker on the floor is that he may be the Rockets best screener and he knows how to keep the ball moving, and while he may not be defending at the same level he did when he first joined the Rockets three years ago, he remains their best and smartest defender.
Do you think the Rockets will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?--- Jim D.
I love this question because I can see the Rockets as both buyers and sellers before the March 25 deadline.
Oladipo, Tucker, McLemore, and DeMarcus Cousins are unrestricted free agents when the season ends and it's hard to see any of the four having a future with the Rockets past this season, so I can see Rafael Stone trying to accumulate more assets, even if they are merely second round picks. Tucker and Oladipo could bring back at least a first round pick or decent player on a rookie contract. I think Tucker has the best chance of being back with the Rockets next season, but I don't see the team committing a lot of money to Oladipo at the level he's playing at now.
As for being buyers: The Rockets have some space below the luxury tax hard cap to maneuver along with a $10 million trade exemption from the Harden trade. They could look to weaponize that space by taking back another team's bad contract in order to gain more draft assets. The Rockets could also identify a player they like who is headed toward restricted free agency and give up one of the money picks they've received over the last few months to get matching rights.
What do you think of the following trade possibilities?---Jax W.
Trade 1:
If the Rockets wanted Allen they would've kept him in the initial Harden trade. Christian Wood is their center, so there's no way they are giving up multiple assets to get Allen and then paying him what he would command in free agency after the season.
Trade 2:
When I mentioned the Rockets weaponizing the space they have below the tax this is the type of trade I had in mind. First of all, Bamba is owed $7.6 million next season, so the Rockets shouldn't have to give up a first rounder to make this type of deal happen. This would be an opportunity to buy low on a guy who was picked 6th in the draft two years ago and see if you can revitalize him in your program. I like this.
Trade 3
This trade is on some serious drugs and would never, ever happen, but if you have the chance to add Bradley Beal for two unrestricted free agents-to-be, two highly protected first round picks, and another first round pick that belongs to a top five team in the league you do it.
How do you think the last four years might've been different if the Rockets would've hired Stephen Silas over Mike D'Antoni?---Walter R.
I love this question and wish I could answer it. One of the topics I wanted to get to with Silas was did D'Antoni use James Harden any differently than he would have, but then the trade happened. Judging by how he used Luke Doncic, I think Silas would've had the ball in Harden's hands just as much as D'Antoni did. I think the biggest difference between the two coaches is actually on the defensive end. D'Antoni believed in switching everything, at almost all times. Silas has deployed that scheme based on who is on the floor.
Do you think Victor Oladipo is back with the Rockets next season?---Kelly J.
Not at the level he is playing at right now, unless he's content with a one-year deal. He's shown flashes since the trade, but his best game was his first game, which is never a good thing. His shot hasn't been there, which happens, so I don't read much into that, but the fact that he is in the 21st percentile of all players on isolations is a bigger concern at the moment. He just doesn't seem to have the ability to blow by defenders anymore.
Stone talked up the Rockets flexibility after the Harden trade, and I don't think he'd want to blow that up by committing significant resources to Oladipo at this moment, but there's a lot of season left.
