Some say that complaining is pointless if you don’t have solutions.
They’re being naive, and I don’t know what to do about it.
Pointing out a problem is its own benefit. If you had a suspicious lump on your throat, someone should point it out – even if they’re not a otolaryngologist.
Complaining can be good for society, but it’s unequivocally bad for the complainer’s soul. I’ve been issuing complaints about the Houston Rockets on this page all season long. It’s exhausting. “Too many turnovers! Too much isolation, not enough motion! Get off my lawn!”
The Rockets’ 16.2% Turnover Percentage is tied for second-worst in the NBA, a far cry from last year’s 11th (14.0%) mark. They remain second in isolation frequency (12.8%) despite being in the 41.2nd percentile. They can’t win in the clutch; the defense has slipped. In short: ugh. These are belabored points that seem worth repeating because, well, they have an annoying habit of remaining true.
I’ve tried to provide solutions, but frankly, I don’t have the solutions. Run the triangle? I don’t know. Play faster? That’s the basketball equivalent of a middle manager telling a room full of engineers to “be more innovative”.
I don’t have the answers. Likely, neither do you. We’re at the mercy of Ime Udoka. It’s a fair complaint:
But it could certainly be worse.
Rockets’ future remains bright
Take a step back – no James Harden pun intended – and look at where the Rockets stand.
Alperen Sengun isn’t a future star – he’s a star, full stop. The only remaining question is whether he’s more of a top-20 guy or if he can creep into top-10 territory. That’s an excellent place for a 23-year-old to be.
It’s hard to say what Amen Thompson will become. He’s an outlier athlete – perhaps literally one of one -, but he (still) can’t shoot. Thompson is connecting on 20.0% of his three-point attempts. His midrange has actually regressed since last season, when he shot 49.3% between 10-16 feet as opposed to this year’s 35.7% mark.
The Rockets should not build around Thompson as a playmaker if that trend remains. They’re not built to space the floor around him, and non-shooting perimeter players have a poor postseason record. Thompson may be a long-term off-ball guy: A highly valuable player, but not the franchise player some hoped for.
In a deck full of wild cards, Reed Sheppard is the Uno Wild Draw 4. He probably shakes out as the best shooter in the NBA in more simulations than not, but he’s short and laterally slow. That said, the last time this author diagnosed a heady player with chronic lateral slowness, they forced crow so far down his esophagus that he’s been tasting it for two seasons.
Maybe that’s the point: The future is hard to predict. Let’s circle back to that.
Tari Eason will be on the unofficial All-Role Player First Team for the rest of his career (though the Rockets need to secure his future). Jabari Smith Jr. has a solid baseline, even if he doesn’t improve. Simply put, the Rockets have a lot going for them.
The most depressing reality is the spectre of the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s easy to envision a lot of bright futures for the Rockets, but the one where they usurp The Sam Presti Singularity feels far-fetched. This feels like an appropriate time to find a joke about Victor Wembanyama being a collective hallucination, or a cyborg, or a celestial being.
The competition is stiff, and getting stiffer. If you’re a title-or-bust guy, bust feels like a probable outcome. Only…
The future is hard to predict.
Here’s the point after a rambling, meandering diatribe: The Rockets are set up to be highly competitive for a decade if they like. Sometimes, that’s the best you can do. Keep yourself in the running. Injuries happen. Windows open unexpectedly. The Rockets have the future draft capital to substantiate what they already have as well. Superstars get selected in unexpected places. The Rockets will be OK:
Please forward all complaints to the comment section.
