The Rockets‘ young backcourt hasn’t produced many wins this season, but Kevin Porter Jr. believes he and Jalen Green have a bright future, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Porter is in his first full season as a point guard after learning the position after being acquired from the Cavaliers last year. Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, has endured an up-and-down rookie season, but has been producing points lately at a much more efficient rate.
“We need momentum going into next year,” Porter said. “Finishing off the season — not even (for) next year — finishing off the season, we want to finish the right way. … We want to take it real serious and try to win each and every game. We’re going to try to jell, me and J’s chemistry on the court, because next year we’ve got to be scary. We’re going to be scary.”
Porter had to leave Friday’s game at Orlando after rolling his left ankle in the third quarter, but coach Stephen Silas said it’s just a routine sprain, according to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Porter was held out of practice today to receive treatment and will be a game-time decision on Sunday.
There’s more on the Rockets:
- With his team well out of the playoff race, Silas will focus on improving the defense over the rest of the regular season, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. The Rockets rank 29th in the league in points allowed in the paint and are the worst in the league by far in that statistic since the start of January. “I might try a few new things,” Silas said. “But it has been the rim, the restricted area, where teams are getting to the restricted area and shooting 60-something percent at the rim. So our rim protection has to be better, which means our bigger guys are lower and closer to the rim. That’s something that I’m going to be be toying around with.”
- One pleasant surprise this season has been the emergence of rookie guard Josh Christopher, Iko adds. Even though Christopher only plays 16.5 minutes per night, the Rockets have been 5.8 points better when he’s on the court. Iko sees him developing into a valuable role player in Houston, possibly as a smaller version of Danuel House.
- Armoni Brooks, who was waived to accommodate a three-for-one trade with the Celtics at the deadline, has joined the College Park Skyhawks in the G League, Iko tweets. He adds that Brooks declined several two-way contract offers and may still have a future with the Rockets.
Fire Silas!! He had proven he is a terrible coach. Then trade Christian wood in the off-season for a center who actually plays defense
Can’t see KPJ and Green working together.
I’d like to see KPJ, Eric Gordon and the Nets first rounder (16) for Jalen Suggs, Terrance Ross and their own second round pick (31).
Magic need shooters and scorers. It also frees up minutes at point guard. They already have Cole, Hampton and Fultz they don’t need Suggs. The main position they lack in is SG with Gary Harris also set to leave, KPJ gives them someone with heaps of upside and could be a good fit. Eric Gordon serves as a good back up and veteran for the side. Plus they get a good pick for their rebuild.
For the Rockets I think Suggs can really turn it around cause so far he hasn’t been very good. However, If you look at his numbers and compare it to Darius Garland as a rookie it’s pretty similar. Garland was a better shooter but Suggs I think can be a near 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds guy with better defence. Kinda like a John Wall.
Suggs and Green could develop into a good duo with Wall being a helping veteran for Suggs. Expect Suggs assists numbers to explode.
Both teams will have top picks in the draft. My guess Magic end up with number 2 pick and select Chet Holmgren. With the Nets pick they grab Nikola Jovic.
Cole KPJ Wagner Isaacs Holmgren and a bench of Fultz Gordon Okeke Jovic Carter Jr. Very young and promising side with some very skilled players.
For the Rockets, I think they get the 3rd overall pick and select Paolo Banchero. And with the early second select Tari Eason. Which has then lining up Wall Green Tate Banchero Wood and off the bench Suggs Christopher Ross Garuba and Sengun. Mixing in the experience and youth.
Long term wise Rockets look sharp with Suggs Green Banchero and Sengun. Wood as a trade chip, Walls expiring deal, Ross on an expiring deal as a trade chip. Plus the other young core members Nix, Christopher, Eason and Garuba. I think they could sneak in a playoff spot.
Rockets would accept that trade instantly.
Rockets trading down, securing Suggs off a poor season and Ross on an expiring deal for a mid table first round pick, KPJ and the reliable outside shooting of Eric Gordon.
Think it’s a pretty even deal for both sides.
Rockets then need to fire Silas, bring back John Wall and I’d suggest hiring Kenny Atkinson.
Atkinson has worked worked under Dantoni, Bundenholzer, Lue and now Steve Kerr. As a head coach himself he improve Brooklyns record from 20 wins in his first season to in his third season getting them to the playoffs were they did win 1 game. The following season he stepped down with them a tad under .500. Kenny is well respected for improving younger players a building a winning culture. He helped develop LeVert and Allen aswell as get the best out of DLo and Dinwiddie.
Jeremy Lin also credits Atkinson for helping him develop at the Knicks, he also help the hawks Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap become first time all stars later in their careers.
Think he would be perfect helping Wall get back into things, and developing Suggs together. Helping Green improve and be consistent. Also the other young guys.
You’ve gotta be kidding, Orlando would be getting shafted.
Not really, Suggs for KPJ RN isn’t a bad trade with the way they’re playing. But the idea of this trade is a positive for ORL
a struggling PG that is very similar to Cole, for one getting 14-4-6 in his first year as a guard in KPJ. Can put up silly numbers with a high ceiling, he’s better at SG so will benefit the Magic. Along with a veteran 3 ball shooter in Gordon that can help the young guys develop their 3s and be a role model off the floor. I don’t see it as a bad trade. The pick is the sweetener.
Suggs is not a 20-10-5 type of guy. That’s HOF and in the convo of best PG ever.
I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question, going into the draft the debate was do Houston take Green, Mobley or Suggs and a lot of people were in the Suggs camp. He’s a solid player being hampered by ORL’s coaching and the overcrowded guard position.
I’m not saying he’ll be a HOF player but I can see him as a 20-10 player if nurtured the right way.
But I think Houston should focus on someone that has already developed. No point trying to develop Green, Sengun, Christopher and a top 22 pick. then Suggs on top of it? Nah trade KPJ Gordon and Wood for a solid proven Player. If not a pg fire Silas and get wall back on the court.
Those won’t be his career averages but I mean he I believe he can put up a couple 20-10-5 seasons in his prime.
As for your point about a solid proven player that’s why you bring John Wall back into the rotation. Wall Green Tate Banchero and Wood. Wall can run the offence and get good looks for the young guys making Green and Bancheros jobs easier. Wood probably remains the teams first scoring option and that takes pressure off the other guys too. Off the bench you’ve got Suggs Christopher Ross Garuba and Sengun. Definitely room to add a couple vets here for the locker room and development purposes. Rockets are a rebuilding team and they are going to overload themselves with young talent, that’s usually just what happens.
But as I said the core would be Suggs Green Banchero and Sengun. With Nix, Christopher, Eason and Garuba all fighting for minutes off the bench and to prove themselves.
I like the view don’t get me wrong, but I can’t see Wood staying, all he does is stifle Sengun and Greens development. He’s too ball dominate for a centre. him, Gordon and KPJ keep the ball out of greens hands and Alpie of the floor. unless there are low options which is why greens numbers don’t look great. I like the way he’s been playing with Dennis. But still Sengun will in the long run be a better player than wood and needs to be starting next year. As we agree it’s a rebuild, he’s training with the dream! Hakeem sees the talent. he will get better but he needs the mins on the floor to adapt.
I like the Suggs idea but only if we get Wall back on the floor for next season and offload Wood, Gordon and KPJ(I like him but he’s looking more like a back up or a SG every day, not a starting PG).
Yeah I could get behind trading Wood. Very easy to move contract.
But it has to be a new coach and brining back John Wall firsts. Then grab Suggs by offloading Gordon and KPJ
Wood needs to be traded because he’s all offense no defense and he shots around 60% ft so even if the rockets were competitive they couldn’t play him at the end of close games
Have to agree with both of you. Wood is a stat packer with the worst FT in the league and terrible defence. A 6fter can drain a three over him with ease, let alone his issues in the paint. He’s a good 2nd or 3rd player for a contender but not a cornerstone leader, his attitude doesn’t work.
And regarding Silas, I feel for him. He thought he was going to be coaching the Harden Westbrook combo and within 2 month he’s rebuilding. But he’s had nearly 2 seasons and he’s got next to nothing right. They gave him this season after an overly poor first, but it kinda gets to the point you have to cut your losses and move to a new guy.
It’s sad, if Harden and Westbrook hadn’t jumped ship they could have looked good with Wood backing them up, they could have been contenders. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Christopher only makes HOU that much better than what they are with him off the floor (i.e., with Jalen Green and/or KPJ on the floor). Not really good news for the organization considering the investment they have in Green. It’s hard to spin 15 wins into almost any player being any good, but if one is, then some others are REALLY bad.
Yes they really choked that pick in hindsight. Mobley is looking like a god compared to Jalen Green. Of course this could all change in the coming seasons but right now it looks like rockets blew it. Shout out to Bobbythegreat he was attacked for saying Mobley over green from the time the rockets got the 2nd overall pick