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Rockets

The NBA announced the 10 players who made the NBA All-Rookie teams in the 2021-22 season.
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Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley were unanimously selected to the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team. More ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/eqKb0CU5GU">https://t.co/eqKb0CU5GU</a> Voting results ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/sxxe12SfTu">pic.twitter.com/sxxe12SfTu</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1527080628625231875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The All-Rookie First Team features unanimous selections Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, and Evan Mobley, while Franz Wagner and Jalen Green rounded out the squad.
The All-Rookie Second Team features Herb Jones, Josh Giddey, Bones Hyland, Ayo Dosunmu and Chris Duarte.

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Other players received votes but did not make one of the teams including Jonathan Kuminga, Davion Mitchell, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Suggs, Ziaire Williams, Jose Alvarado, Austin Reaves, Josh Christopher, Trey Murphy III and Cam Thomas.

The NBA announced which players were named to the league's All-Rookie First Team and All-Rookie Second Team.

Barnes, Cunningham, Mobley headline NBA All-Rookie Teams

With March Madness behind us and the NBA Draft lottery odds set, we're now into the next phase of the scouting season.
BasketballNews.com Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock transitioned our 2022 NBA Draft Big Board into <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our first NBA Mock Draft of the year</a>. As teams, scouts and analysts gather intel, this mock serves as an early peek into what draft night could look like in June.
Babcock discussed his latest projections, some early storylines to monitor in the spring, prospects who shined in the NCAA Tournament, and more in the following Q&amp;A.
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What makes Jabari Smith the pick for the Rockets at No. 1?
The Houston Rockets only won 20 games this season, but it's not all doom and gloom. They're in rebuild mode, and they've already gotten a good group of young players together. In last year's NBA Draft, they selected Jalen Green with the second pick, and it looks as if he could emerge into a primetime scorer who they can build around. 
They also drafted Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher,&nbsp; selected KJ Martin with a late second-round pick the year before, and added Kevin Porter Jr. via trade. All of the players mentioned above are younger than 21 years old. They've struggled to win games up to this point, but they have a young nucleus to work with as they look to build for the future.
Regarding this year's draft, it's pretty close among the top prospects, and it seems as if everyone has their unique argument as to who are the top prospects and why &mdash; which I appreciate, as I think there usually tends to be too much groupthink in the draft space. Anyway, Jabari Smith Jr. is my No. 1 guy, and he has been for a while now. At 6-foot-10, Smith is an absolute sniper from the perimeter as a stretch four, and with time I think he will also prove that he has much more in his bag as a scorer. 
On the defensive end, Smith has a chance to be special. He's about as switchable as it gets, and he's tough. His versatility on both ends of the ball will provide a lot of lineup flexibility to whatever team selects him. In addition to possessing perhaps the most upside of any player projected to be in the 2022 NBA Draft, he can essentially co-exist with just about any group of players. Therefore, I believe that Jabari Smith Jr. would be the right pick for the Rockets if they indeed win the NBA Draft Lottery.&nbsp;
Which teams could shake up the draft selections if lottery luck lands them in the top-3?
My first tier includes Jabari Smith Jr., Jaden Ivey, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero this year. Of that group, Jaden Ivey is the only guard. Due to his style of play, I'm not sure he's a great fit with several teams potentially selecting towards the top, including Houston, Orlando, Indiana and San Antonio -- they're all pretty guard-heavy at the moment. If any combination of these teams lands in the top-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ivey sliding back a touch. 
Another thing worth noting is that I'm also not sure Paolo Banchero would fit well with teams like New York or New Orleans. On the flip side, Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren fit in pretty seamlessly with most teams. I think these are a few elements that could potentially dictate how the first few picks unfold.
What inspired Mark Williams' rapid rise to the No. 12 overall pick?
I'll admit the 12th pick is on the high side for Mark Williams, but I like the fit, and I don't think it's too much of a stretch. Williams had a terrific season at Duke this year, and he's continued to grow on me. His performance versus Gonzaga in Las Vegas in November was one of the best showings I saw in-person all season. I think he has a chance to develop into becoming a solid starting center as a rim running and rim-protecting 5-man. I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a long and productive NBA career. 
In our most recent simulated mock draft, Oklahoma City selected Paolo Banchero with the fourth pick and Mark Williams with the 12th pick, coincidentally Duke's frontcourt this past season. The Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander locked up on a long-term deal and Sam Presti's lottery selection last year, Josh Giddey, looks like a star in the making. So it seems their backcourt of the future is solid. Adding Bancero and Williams would bolster their frontcourt, giving OKC's roster shape moving forward.
Which other prospects benefited most from their March Madness performances?
He was already rated super high, but I think Paolo Banchero finished strong. Ochai Agbaji was terrific versus Villanova in Kansas' Final Four game. Benedict Mathurin had a couple of outstanding games in the tournament, and Kennedy Chandler was good for Tennessee. I think all of those players helped themselves in March.
What is one of your favorite later-round team-player fits?
A few picks in the second round that stand out are David Roddy from Colorado State to the Pacers, Jake LaRavia from Wake Forest to the Hawks, and Colin Gillespie from Villanova to the Pelicans. None of those players necessarily blow me away with their talent or tools, but I think all three could become excellent complementary players.
What makes G League Ignite prospects Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp and Jaden Hardy worthy of first-round status?
They're all very different players from one another, but they're all talented in their own right. Daniels and Beauchamp showed well this season and have moved up the ranks. Hardy came into the season projected to be a high pick and the highest of this group, but he didn't do quite as well as most people had hoped, myself included.&nbsp;
Daniels has terrific size and versatility on both ends of the ball, Beauchamp is very athletic, plays with a great pace, and makes a lot happen. Hardy might have struggled a bit this season, however, he still has a lot of raw talent as a scorer and shot-maker with deep range. I expect all three to be selected in the first round.
While many of us were focused on March Madness, have any draft-eligible international players made waves recently?
Ousmane Dieng, a player from France currently playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian League, is the player that comes to mind in regards to someone who has been making waves recently on the international scene. Dieng has terrific size for an on-ball playmaker, and I think he possesses a lot of upside as a versatile point forward. He has a good chance of becoming a first-round pick.
After the success of last year's first Tampa Bay Pro Combine, what should we expect from the event this spring?
It's been great to see some of our guys who participated in the Tampa Bay Pro Combine last year find success quickly in their careers. I mean, Terry Taylor and Brandon Williams signed NBA contracts, but they also played significant minutes for their teams. Jordan Goodwin and Micah Potter had opportunities with NBA teams too. It was incredible to see!&nbsp;
We've changed the format this year. First, we cut the number of invited players from nearly 50 to 24 this year. Instead of just playing five-on-five games all week, we decided to host simulated NBA pre-draft workouts the first two days, where we'll have six players on the court at a time and 12 per day. The main reason for this change was to comply with NBA guidelines so that NBA scouts could attend. Anyway, we have another great group of guys set to fly out and compete. It should be a great week!
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Ethan Fuller checks in with Matt Babcock after the unveiling of his first 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on first mock, notable risers

Optimism abounds for the Houston Rockets despite finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record for a second straight season.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t have the season we wanted to, but we showed glimpses of what we can be,&rdquo; rookie Jalen Green said. &ldquo;So, I would hope that all the fans and everyone around us has hope that we&rsquo;re going to be great soon.&rdquo;
The Rockets went 20-62 a year after winning just 17 games. But they&rsquo;re encouraged by the improvement of a rookie class headlined by Green and the fact that they&rsquo;ll have another lottery pick in this year&rsquo;s draft.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to seeing what the future holds for our whole group and having all of this improvement that our group has had come together and have it be a collective improvement,&rdquo; coach Stephen Silas said.
The Rockets made the playoffs in eight straight seasons before dropping into the league&rsquo;s basement last year after trading James Harden and the rest of their stars. Things weren&rsquo;t any better this season as the team decided veteran John Wall wouldn&rsquo;t play and shifted to full rebuilding mode with a roster that had four 19-year-olds to start the season.
Houston took Green with the second overall pick after he skipped college and spent a season in the G League. Green, who didn&rsquo;t turn 20 until February, struggled to adjust to NBA competition in the first two months of the season and missed most of December with an injury.
Things started to click for him in the new year and he developed into the star of this young team down the stretch, making highlight-reel dunks in seemingly every game. Green scored 30 or more points in six of his last seven games, capped by a season-high 41 on Sunday to finish second among rookies by averaging 17.3 points a game.
Green&rsquo;s performance in the season finale made him the first Houston rookie with a 40-point game since Hakeem Olajuwon&rsquo;s first season in 1984-85 and made him the youngest Rocket to ever score 40 points.
&ldquo;He has improved so much since Day 1,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;He has become at this point, a primary scorer on our team. He has improved every single statistic that there is. He is playing in a way that is sustainable, I believe.&rdquo;
DRAFT DAY
As the season wraps up, the next big day for the Rockets is May 17 when the NBA holds its draft lottery. By finishing with the league&rsquo;s worst record, Houston is guaranteed a top-five pick.
They have a 14% chance of getting the first overall selection in June&rsquo;s draft. But that pick won&rsquo;t be their only one in the first round with the Rockets set to receive the higher of Brooklyn or Miami&rsquo;s first-round picks (top-14 protected) because of the Harden trade.
RISING STARS
Green is far from the only young player on the team to show promise this year. Fellow rookies Josh Christopher and Alperen Sengun made important contributions, and Kevin Porter Jr., who was in his third season, also improved.
Sengun was the 16th pick in the draft and he won&rsquo;t turn 20 until July, and Christopher, selected 24th, moved out of his teen years in December.
Sengun averaged 9.6 points and 5.5 points in 72 games and Christopher averaged 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and two assists in 74 games.
Porter finished third on the team by averaging 15.6 points a game and his 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals led the Rockets.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the whole gist of this year is development for us young guys,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;For everyone that&rsquo;s part of this organization &mdash; development, that&rsquo;s been the key.&rdquo;
Green agreed and said the more he played, the better he started to feel.
&ldquo;I think the word I can use is comfortable,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I got confidence going through the season. My teammates helped me and off the court my family helped me.&rdquo;
MOVING ON
With an eye toward the future, the Rockets could look to move the handful of the team's veterans remaining this offseason.
Houston tried to find a suitable trade destination for Wall before the deadline this season but was unable to move him. He has a $47 million player option for 2022-23 that he will certainly exercise, and the Rockets could look for a buyout agreement if they can&rsquo;t work out a trade before next season.
&ldquo;I think there&rsquo;s a real market for John," general manager Rafael Stone said. &ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ll find a deal that will work for him and for us, and if one doesn&rsquo;t materialize, we&rsquo;ll we&rsquo;ll cross that bridge if and when it occurs. But that that is not something he&rsquo;s focused on, and is not something I&rsquo;m focused on."
Houston could also look to deal 14-year veteran Eric Gordon this offseason. The 33-year-old Gordon has one year left on his contract with a team option for 2023-24.
Another player that could be on the move this offseason is Christian Wood. The 26-year-old started 67 games and led the Rockets in points (17.9) and rebounds (10.1). But with one year left on his contract, he could be expendable if they believe Sengun is their future at center.

The Rockets went 20-62 a year after winning just 17 games. But they’re encouraged by the improvement of their young pieces.

Rockets optimistic despite posting NBA's worst record again

For a third of the NBA, summer break comes early.&nbsp;
Though 10 teams didn't make the playoffs, it's not all doom and gloom. Several NBA bottom-feeders took tangible steps forward in their rebuilding efforts, while others &mdash; well, they're not supposed to be here.
Every franchise enters the offseason with summer plans. As teams get eliminated from the postseason, I'll be rounding up every team's offseason outlook and posing one question they must answer over the summer. You'll see each squad's 2022 NBA Draft chest, plus their potential free agents, along with the central question.&nbsp;
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Let's get started!
DETROIT PISTONS 
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick (via Brooklyn)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Marvin Bagley III (restricted), Cory Joseph (player option), Hamidou Diallo (team option), Frank Jackson (team option), Luka Garza (team option), Carsen Edwards (team option), Rodney McGruder 
Central question: How do the Pistons build an offense around Cade Cunningham?
This was a pretty solid season for Detroit as far as rebuilding efforts go. Cade Cunningham emerged as a Rookie of the Year front-runner and two-way centerpiece who has fans ecstatic about his ceiling. The Pistons finished a solid 10-14 after the All-Star break, and have shown flashes of an improving defense. They did still finish with the 28th-ranked offense, per Cleaning the Glass, and one of the worst shooting rates in the NBA.
Cunningham had to carry a ridiculous offensive load in the latter stages of the season. Detroit has the power to change that in 2022-23, starting with its high draft pick. Maybe Jabari Smith's lights-out scoring means he's an ideal secondary option? Perhaps Paolo Banchero thrives as an additional creator, or maybe Chet Holmgren makes sense as a finisher and spot-up threat? The fun part about Cunningham is that his versatility creates so many pathways for the Pistons in the draft &mdash; whether or not the ping pong balls fall their way.
Detroit wields a cap hold of approximately $28 million on Bagley, and once that lifts (either via a new contract or letting him walk), the Pistons should have a solid chunk of cap space to add to the supporting cast.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), better of Brooklyn/Miami first-round picks
Potential free agents: John Wall (player option), Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando (restricted), Jae'Sean Tate (team option), Anthony Lamb (qualifying offer), Trevelin Queen (qualifying offer)
Central question: How patient is the front office willing to be?
Houston's 2021 draft strategy of "draft talent, figure out the fit later" appears to be working out. Jalen Green demonstrated an Anthony Edwards-esque leap post-All-Star break, Alperen Sengun is already one of the NBA's best passing bigs, and guys like Josh Christopher and KJ Martin routinely hinted at upside. Houston gets another prime shot at a franchise cornerstone this draft cycle. We're approaching Stage 2 of the strategy, though: figuring out how the pieces fit.&nbsp;
The Rockets were one of two NBA teams with bottom-five ratings on offense and defense. They led the league in rim frequency and were fourth in three-point frequency, but posted mediocre shooting clips. Houston evokes memories of the rebuilding Nets, who played a similarly extreme brand of ball for a few years as the team slowly reshaped into a fun playoff squad. Does the front office have the foresight to let head coach Stephen Silas work things out with his roster of young guns?&nbsp;
INDIANA PACERS
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How is there a &ldquo;rebuild&rdquo; to afraid of if it isn&rsquo;t a rebuild? <a href="https://t.co/0pDD7E6Mss">pic.twitter.com/0pDD7E6Mss</a>
&mdash; Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1512127632758001664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (10.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick (if 15-30, via Cleveland), Second-round pick (via Houston), Second-round pick (via Phoenix)
Potential free agents: Ricky Rubio, T.J. Warren, Jalen Smith, Lance Stephenson, Nate Hinton (restricted), Oshae Brissett (team option)
Central question: How extreme is the incoming rebuild, and what veterans mesh with the future vision?
Notably unlisted among the potential free agents are Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and T.J. McConnell. All range from solid starters to rotational complements, and 3 of the 4 (not Turner) will be 30 next season. The Pacers are clearly retooling, as evidenced by their trade-deadline fireworks and Tyrese Haliburton's subsequent high usage. They also have publicly flip-flopped regarding the direction of the team; see the above Tweet.
Indiana doesn't have the pure depth of talent to straddle the line. The Pacers can trade many of these talented players and build up a chest of draft picks and young pieces, or they can charge ahead, turn their picks into win-now players and hope Haliburton is ready for the playoff push. But a middle ground doesn't exist in an Eastern Conference where just about every team has solidified its direction.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Draft assets: None
Potential free agents: Russell Westbrook (player option), Kendrick Nunn (player option), Austin Reaves (team option), Stanley Johnson (team option), Carmelo Anthony, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, D.J. Augustin, Wenyen Gabriel, Mason Jones (restricted)
Central question: What does team-building around two injury-prone superstars look like?
LeBron James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-i-dont-have-a-cap-on-how-long-i-want-to-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turns 38 next season</a>, and has played 60-plus games just once in the past four seasons. Anthony Davis has now missed more than half the season in back-to-back years. Sure, the Lakers were a mess regardless of their stars' health, but going forward, is pursuing fits next to James and Davis even worthwhile if the two won't consistently be on the court?
With just three players under contract (the aforementioned stars, plus Talen Horton-Tucker), the Lakers enter another offseason of a roster overhaul. This time, I'd recommend almost entirely forgetting about James and Davis when building the squad and simply try to assemble units that make sense together.&nbsp;
NEW YORK KNICKS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, could change based on Play-In results), Second-round pick via Boston and Charlotte (if 56-60)
Potential free agents: Mitchell Robinson, Ryan Arcidiacono 
Central question: What's going to happen with the veterans?
The top six moneymakers for the Knicks next season are all 27 or older, and I think many fans would say that out of the group, only Julius Randle should have started &mdash; and he seriously regressed this season. The young Knicks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-young-knicks-playing-chess" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearly showed they're ready to take the mantle</a>.
So what happens with Randle, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Kemba Walker? Is Tom Thibodeau prepared to reduce their (their meaning Burks specifically in this case) minutes and usage, will trades be coming, or will Madison Square Garden burn when Immanuel Quickley opens the season by playing 16 minutes off the bench? New York has drafted extremely well in recent seasons, but the ceiling of the young core is capped if these youngsters don't get a chance to prove themselves in meaningful situations.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 
Draft assets: First-round pick (12.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via Clippers, First-round pick via Phoenix, Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Derrick Favors (player option), Mike Muscala (team option), Lu Dort (team option), Isaiah Roby (team option), Melvin Frazier (restricted)
Central question: What is the pathway in the frontcourt?
I've stanned Sam Presti's team-building strategy for years now, and I still think it's on track for a serious payoff. Josh Giddey slots in somewhere on your All-Rookie ballot, and draft classmates Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins flashed rotation-caliber play as well. It is simply a joy to watch a random young player have a breakout game on any given night, and OKC has already shown the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-oklahoma-city-thunders-emerging-defensive-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early stages of a prominent defense</a>.
Next up: Capitalize on a draft loaded with intruiging frontcourt players. Banchero, Holmgren and Smith are obviously the best of the best. But even if the Thunder slide in the lottery, they could pounce on an athletic shot-blocker like Jalen Duren, or use one of their later picks on a center like Mark Williams. I'm just spit-balling, but the point is that OKC has plenty of chances to find its big-man anchor and further flesh out its core.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Indiana
Potential free agents: Gary Harris, Robin Lopez, Bol Bol (restricted), Ignas Brazdeikis (restricted), Admiral Schofield (restricted)
Central question: How do the offensive pieces fit together?
Orlando quietly logged a 17th-ranked defense this season, and an 11th-ranked unit since Feb. 1. A dismal offense ultimately doomed the Magic, who were riddled with inconsistent shotmaking and poor team efficiency marks throughout the half-court. We don't need to sound any player alarms; it takes time for young guards in particular to grasp the responsibilities of running NBA offenses.&nbsp;
But what if I told you Orlando has wielded bottom-10 offensive ratings every season for the last decade?&nbsp;
Change can start in the draft, again with some of the top offensive forward options like Banchero or Smith. Adding another ball-dominant guard in Jaden Ivey might be overkill, but AJ Griffin and Bennedict Mathurin feel like good wing fits at first glance. Spotrac estimates the Magic could have up to $30 million in practical cap space, leaving plenty of room for veteran players to accentuate the young talent.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
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THE D IN DREW STANDS FOR DUNK DO NOT GOOGLE THIS <a href="https://t.co/2AojdAskYV">pic.twitter.com/2AojdAskYV</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1508636734900166659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (9.0% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via New Orleans (if 5-14), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Memphis
Potential free agents: Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic, Ben McLemore, Anfernee Simons (restricted), CJ Elleby (restricted), Elijah Hughes (restricted), Keljin Blevins (restricted)
Central question: Is Portland actually trying to win "now" or win soon?
Some really great development happened for the Blazers during the "wash" portion of the season in the form of players like Trendon Watford, Keon Johnson and Drew Eubanks. Add them to Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little and the incomng draft picks, and Portland suddenly has... kind of a sneaky-deep prospect pool? There's real potential to mold this group into a rotation cast that gives Portland one of its deepest rosters in years.
That's why these <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant trade rumors concern me</a>. Giving up a possible lottery pick to try and piece together a short-term playoff team risks too much and keeps the Trail Blazers in the limbo they have lounged in for several years. Understandably, the franchise wants to build a contender while Damian Lillard is invested and in his prime. With some patience, Portland can without sacrificing sustainibility.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Draft assets: First-round pick (7.5% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick (via Chicago)
Potential free agents: Jeremy Lamb, Josh Jackson, Damian Jones, Donte DiVincenzo (restricted), Neemias Queta (restricted), Trey Lyles (team option)
Central question: How does Sacramento turn into a competitive NBA defense?
The Kings have trotted out lackluster defenses for as long as I can remember. In fact, they haven't ranked above 20th in Defensive Rating since 2005-06 &mdash; notably, the last time they made the playoffs.
And that didn't change under interim head coach Alvin Gentry. (Gentry will not return as head coach next season, but is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-alvin-gentry-no-longer-interim-coach-of-the-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in talks for a front-office role</a>, per ESPN.) However, the on-paper roster actually shines some hope. Davion Mitchell made highlight reels out of his "Off-Night" defense. Justin Holiday is a solid individual defender, as is Harrison Barnes, and even De'Aaron Fox has his sporadic moments.&nbsp;
Can Sacramento find a head coach who turns a group of intriguing players with defensive potential into even an average squad? What draft and free agency options exist? Of course, the Kings would like to end their NBA-leading playoff drought. That'll come with changing the culture on defense.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, depends on Play-In results), Second-round pick (via Dallas)
Potential free agents: Bradley Beal (player option), Thomas Bryant, Raul Neto, Tomas Satoransky, Anthony Gill (restricted), Cassius Winston (restricted)
Central question: What style of guard play is a feasible best fit?
Okay, so obviously the biggest question mark surrounds Bradley Beal's free agency. But from a conceptual standpoint, Washington has tried and failed over the past few seasons to find Beal's best-fitting partner in crime. John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Spencer Dinwiddie were each supposed to provide the downhill juice Beal lacks. The Wizards either did this at serious expense of another skill area (Wall, Westbrook), or it just didn't translate their at-rim ability (Dinwiddie). All battled injuries as well.
"I think we need bigger guards," <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/bradley-beal-outlines-what-wizards-need-build-contender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beal said in March</a>. "We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes."
I mean, Beal's needs make total sense. The problem is that every other basketball team on Earth also wants this type of guard.
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Ethan Fuller sets the offseason stage for each team that missed the NBA playoffs.

Summer plans for the NBA's 10 non-playoff teams

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Rookie Jalen Green scored a career-high 32 points, including 10 in overtime, and the Houston Rockets outlasted the slumping Los Angeles Lakers for a 139-130 win Wednesday night.
&ldquo;That was so much fun and exciting and great for a packed house to see us play like that,&rdquo; coach Stephen Silas said. &ldquo;And also great for our team to respond to the adversity, get down and come back out fighting."
The Rockets, who have the worst record in the Western Conference, withstood a triple-double from LeBron James and 30 points from Russell Westbrook to get just their second win in 15 games.
&ldquo;We have a really small margin of error this season and teams are making us pay," James said.
The loss is the ninth straight on the road for the Lakers, who have dropped six of their last seven games and are running out of time to get things together before the playoffs begin.
&ldquo;It is hard losing when you&rsquo;re pouring everything you have into it and trying to get traction for this group," coach Frank Vogel said. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;ve got resolve and this is a tough stretch we have to fight through."
Green, the second overall pick in the draft, opened overtime with a layup before adding a 3-pointer and then swishing a hook shot soon after that to make it 127-120. Eric Gordon added a 3-pointer to push the lead to 10 before the Lakers finally scored in the extra period on a basket by Westbrook with 2 1/2 minutes to go.
But the Rockets used a 6-3 run with 3s from Kenyon Martin Jr. and Green around a 3 from James to extend the lead to 136-125 with a minute left in OT and seal the victory.
&ldquo;We had too many defensive breakdowns throughout the game," Vogel said. &ldquo;Our guys fought but it just wasn&rsquo;t enough."
Green was asked about his big night.
&ldquo;It felt good," he said. &ldquo;They kept feeding me. Told me to keep attacking until they stop me. So that&rsquo;s what I did. The basket felt super big tonight.&rdquo;
James had 23 points, 14 rebounds and a season-high 12 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season. But his career-long streak of consecutive games with 25 points ended at 23 games on a night he was 9 of 26 overall and made just 1 of 9 3-pointers.
&ldquo;I missed a lot of shots that I know I&rsquo;m capable of making, have made throughout the course of the season and my career," he said. &ldquo;Shots just weren&rsquo;t falling for me tonight."
It was his first game since scoring a season-high 56 points Saturday night after he sat out Monday at San Antonio with a sore left knee.
Rookie Alperen Sengun set career-highs with 21 points and 15 rebounds and fellow rookie Josh Christopher added 21 points off the bench to help the Rockets to the win.
Silas spoke of growth of Green and Christopher, who are 20 years old, and the 19-year-old Sengun after their performances Wednesday night.
&ldquo;It means a lot," he said. &ldquo;It means that they&rsquo;re learning the importance of the work and sticking with it and fighting through the hard times and finding success at the end of the rainbow when the lights are the brightest."
A jump shot by Westbrook tied it at 120-all with a minute to go but he missed a shot a few seconds later to give Houston the ball back.
Green missed a layup under heavy pressure from James to give the Lakers another shot to take the lead.
James missed an off-balance shot in the lane with 17 seconds left but officials ruled that Houston knocked the ball out of bounds while vying for the rebound. The Rockets challenged the call, but it was upheld.
James drove into the lane and dished to Carmelo Anthony in the corner for the final shot of regulation, but his 3-point attempt was off to send it to OT.
A 5-2 spurt by the Rockets in the fourth tied it up, but James drove into the lane and finished with a monster, one-handed dunk to put the Lakers up 113-111 with 5 &frac12; minutes to go.
Los Angeles trailed by 1 with about three minutes left when James made 1 of 2 free throws to make it 118-116.
Green scored four quick points to give the Rockets a 120-118 lead with about two minutes left. He made two free throws and then grabbed a rebound on the other end and finished with a jumper to put Houston on top.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Malik Monk had 20 points. ... L.A. made 18 of 47 3s. ... Austin Reaves added 17 points.
Rockets: Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate sat out with a sore left ankle. ... Dennis Schroder returned after missing four games with a sprained right ankle and had 12 points.
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THEY SAID IT
Anthony on how well the Rockets played Wednesday night: &ldquo;It is surprising that we were in a game that close and that tight. But that says something about the Rockets. They don&rsquo;t quit coming at you."
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Washington Friday night.
Rockets: Host Dallas Friday night.

Rookie Jalen Green scored a career-high 32, including 10 in overtime, and Houston outlasted the slumping Lakers 139-130.

Rookie Jalen Green has 32 as Rockets down Lakers in OT, 139-130

Victor Oladipo entered a game for the first time in nearly a year, a loud ovation greeting him as he stepped onto the floor.
<a href="https://twitter.com/BallyHEAT/status/1501001569667584000?s=20&amp;t=EYgJTt33bMljcN_GxNnUoA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He took a charge seconds later.</a> The cheers got louder.
And when he capped his night with a dunk, even louder.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
victor oladipo knows how to throw a welcome back party <a href="https://t.co/cidzecIh1X">pic.twitter.com/cidzecIh1X</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallyHEAT/status/1501023198405664768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Welcome back, indeed. Oladipo scored 11 points in just under 15 minutes of action, Tyler Herro came off the bench to score 21 of his game-high 31 points in the second quarter and the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets 123-106 on Monday night.
&ldquo;At the end of the day, I&rsquo;m a winner,&rdquo; Oladipo said. &ldquo;And this team is all about winning.&rdquo;
Oladipo was playing his first game since April 8 following a second surgery to repair a right quadriceps tendon. He took a charge on his first defensive possession, hitting the deck without any signs of problems.
Jimmy Butler scored 21 points for Miami, which got Kyle Lowry back after a four-game absence for personal reasons. Bam Adebayo finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who had a quick celebration for Oladipo in the postgame locker room.
&ldquo;That was very uplifting for everybody," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points for Houston, which got 20 from Jalen Green, 16 from Josh Christopher and 14 from KJ Martin. Green was 4 for 4 from 3-point range in the game&rsquo;s first 5:40, then missed his final six tries from beyond the arc.
Alperen Sengun had 13 points and eight rebounds, getting the start at center for Houston because Christian Wood was ill. It was just the sixth start this season for the 19-year-old from Turkey.
&ldquo;We are almost to the end of the season," Sengun said. &ldquo;I'm playing more comfortable and I've learned a lot."
The Heat trailed by 13 late in the first half before Herro scored 15 points in a 23-6 run over the final 4:35 before intermission. Butler had the other eight points in that run for the Heat, a burst capped by Herro making a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left and then a 36-footer just before the buzzer.
&ldquo;Just trying to come in and impact the game," said Herro, the likely frontrunner for the NBA's sixth man of the year award. &ldquo;The second quarter was fun."
But the story was Oladipo, who was 4 for 7 from the field, 2 for 3 from 3-point range, plus had four assists against his former team. He was with the Rockets briefly last season, before getting traded to Miami and playing in just four games before being shut down for a second surgery on the leg he originally injured in 2019.
&ldquo;Everybody is really encouraging him," Spoelstra said. &ldquo;They've seen him behind the scenes, really working and grinding."
Rockets coach Stephen Silas had Oladipo in Houston last season and said he enjoyed their 20 games together.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s competitive. He wants to do things the right way. He is a fighter. For him to fight through all of the injuries that he&rsquo;s had and manage the ups and downs and the emotional part of what he&rsquo;s been through is admirable,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;And he&rsquo;s just a great guy, a really good person to kind of sit down and talk to.&rdquo;
Oladipo had missed each of Miami&rsquo;s last 89 games, including last season&rsquo;s playoff appearance. He missed 201 games since the initial injury three years ago, sidelined for a year following the first surgery and more 11 months this time after the second surgery.
Finally, he's back.
&ldquo;Just to see him out there, it&rsquo;s crazy,&rdquo; Heat forward P.J. Tucker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s unbelievable. It&rsquo;s pretty cool.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Rockets: PG John Wall, who missed his 77th consecutive game dating back to last season, was in attendance. ... An off-court item that the Rockets pointed to as a positive came a few nights ago, when Wood rented out a movie theater to take teammates to see &ldquo;The Batman,&rdquo; which was released Friday. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s growth from Christian to do that. ... We&rsquo;ve had a lot of cool moments,&rdquo; Silas said.
Heat: The Heat outrebounded Houston 50-33. ... Miami had more than just Oladipo playing with ties to Houston. Lowry and Tucker &mdash; who had 11 points and 12 rebounds &mdash; both spent parts of four seasons with the Rockets and Butler is a Houston-area native. ... Lowry was scoreless, missing all three of his shots. ... Gabe Vincent and Max Strus were out of the regular rotation with Lowry and Oladipo playing. &ldquo;Guys understand the opportunity with this group. ... We're going to need everybody," Spoelstra said.
22 OVER
At 44-22, Miami is 22 games over the .500 mark for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 season. The Heat remained three games ahead of Philadelphia in the East standings; the 76ers beat Chicago on Monday night.
STILL OUT
Rockets guard Dennis Schr&ouml;der missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been able to do his rehab. He&rsquo;s been on the floor for a couple of days. He&rsquo;s just trying to get to 100%,&rdquo; Silas said.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Host the L.A. Lakers on Wednesday.
Heat: Host Phoenix on Wednesday.

Victor Oladipo scored 11 points in just under 15 minutes of action in Miami's win over Houston.

Oladipo returns, Herro scores 31, Heat top Rockets 123-106

Do you know that Joe Johnson will turn 41 in June?
Do you think he knows?
Do you think he cares?!?
Well, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/things-to-monitor-as-the-next-fiba-world-cups-next-qualifying-window-arrives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as noted last week</a>, Joe Jesus is back on Team USA this week. You may or may not remember that Johnson was part of the 2006 World Championship American-squad that won a bronze medal. (The redeem team was still two years away.) Additionally, Johnson suited up for Team USA one year ago, playing in two FIBA AmeriCup 2022 qualifiers last February. Seven months later, he won his second BIG3 MVP Award in as many seasons, since the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID. Johnson even signed a 10-day NBA deal in December with the Boston Celtics, and scored <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrH_zCL9xts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a garbage time bucket in his only appearance</a>.
We saw Johnson play again last night for the first time since, and he led Team USA to a <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/game/2402/USA-Puerto-Rico#tab=boxscore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">93-76 victory over Puerto Rico in Washington D.C.</a> last night, beginning the second-window of round one for the FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers with a win. Team USA had trailed Puerto Rico 44-42 at halftime, but flipped the game on its head with a 32-14 third-quarter outburst. Johnson, who played about 23 minutes, led the way with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, also making 4-of-6 free throws, and collecting four assists.
And he looked &hellip; like Joe Johnson!
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0:38 &ndash; Maybe a travel, maybe not, but off the screen, catches, triple threats, puts the spin on Luis Hern&aacute;ndez, and creates just enough space to rise for the mid-range jumper. Vintage Joe Johnson, as Michael Cole would annoyingly say. &nbsp;
0:58 &ndash; Former Kent State and Christ The King standout Christopher Ortiz knew what was coming. He played fine defense but still couldn&rsquo;t stop Johnson from posting-up, dribbling four times, fading away, and drilling in the well-contested turnaround. Elite full-court run in August type of bucket.&nbsp;
1:22 &ndash; Johnson gets a pass from Langston Galloway, quickly drives baseline on Ortiz, and floats one in over 6-foot-9 Ismael Romero after just one dribble.
1:42 &ndash; Receives a pass on the right wing, pump fakes gets Jonathan Rodriguez to bite, takes two dribbles, sees that both Romero and Tyquan Rolon won&rsquo;t commit, so Johnson rises up for the open leaner.&nbsp;
That bag is still there. His game is still gorgeous, and he didn&rsquo;t need a three-point make the entire night to pull away from a fellow top-20 team in the nation, and one of the best in the Americas. (As a Puerto Rican, it was also 20% hurtful.)
Let&rsquo;s also shoutout former Golden State Warrior center Jordan Bell, currently of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League, who played a great enough game to get his own highlight reel (!!) afterward. Bell finished with eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals, and two assists in 23 minutes off the bench, and was a game-best +21 for the night. Puerto Rico was led by Javier Mojica (Northeast Conference shoutout!), who led with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while former West Virginia point guard Gary Browne Ram&iacute;rez added 16 points and four assists.
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The W improves Team USA to 2-1, and drops Puerto Rico to 1-2, both of whom will return to action to close the Group D second-window on Sunday. In Washington D.C., Team USA will face 3-0 Mexico, who&nbsp;defeated them in Chihuahua City in November, and in Havana, Cuba, Puerto Rico will play against Cuba, who&nbsp;they beat in November, as well. Mexico defeated Cuba 82-72 on Thursday, and the rest of the Americas will begin play on Friday the 25th or Saturday the 26th.
In the African region, South Sudan defeated Rwanda 68-56 and the Democratic Republic of Congo outlasted Kenya 66-56, both on Friday morning, in what were the first games played of any kind in Groups B and D in the African Region. By the time you read this, other games might&rsquo;ve been played, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/african-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which you can follow here</a>. Again, as outlined last week, especially keep tabs on Cameroon vs. Tunisia, which&rsquo;ll begin at 4 p.m. EST/1 p.m. PST.
In Asia, South Korea reportedly withdrew from qualifiers this window <a href="https://www.spieltimes.com/news/south-korea-withdraws-from-fiba-world-cup-qualifiers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due to COVID protocols</a>, forfeiting Thursday&rsquo;s game to the Philippines, which officially goes down as a 20-0 final. That matters because point differential could help break a tie if needed, and South Korea is currently last in Group A, where they&rsquo;re the only winless team in the group. The Philippines, who&rsquo;ll host the 2023 World Cup along with Japan and Indonesia, are 2-0 after also beating India 88-64.
So, Indonesia is 0-3, and their automatic World Cup bid &ndash; which is usually the case for hosts &ndash; is <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171213161459/http:/www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2017/12/13/1767946/learning-2019-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provisional due to their lack of international success</a>. So far, they&rsquo;ve lost to Lebanon 96-38, and again 110-64, before having a slightly better loss against Saudi Arabia, 95-66. In Group C, not only are Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon each 2-1, but Indonesia is dead last with a -133 point differential, the worst out of anyone in World Cup qualifiers at the moment. Do with all that what you will. For more updates on Asian qualifiers, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/asian-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go here</a>.
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And, in Europe, Lithuania, now 3-0, remained undefeated after a narrow 78-77 win over Bosnia; as did Spain after winning 88-74 against Ukraine; and Russia, who won 80-69 over the Netherlands. Czech Republic, who stunned many and finished sixth in the 2019 World Cup, is now 0-3 after losing to Bulgaria, 79-70 on Thursday. Currently, they're last in Group F, and on pace to not even return to the World Cup without a substantial turnaround. Europe is the busiest of the regions and will spawn the most qualifiers, so the bulk of their games are from Friday through Sunday. For more on Europe, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here you go</a>.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s a lot else worth getting to, but we&rsquo;ll leave some on the table for when we reconvene on Wednesday. By then, this window will be over and we could see where things stand before round one finishes over the summer.
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Bryan Fonseca reviews the action from Joe Johnson and Team USA, keeping the updates coming about the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Joe Johnson’s game and more notes from FIBA World Cup qualifiers

Looking at the Houston Rockets' 15-43 record, one might think that this season hasn&rsquo;t gone quite as planned.
Houston has by far the worst record in the Western Conference, and the Rockets have the NBA's 30th-ranked defense (allowing 114.3 points per 100 possessions) and 27th-ranked offense (scoring 104.3 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
However, the Rockets entered this season with the sixth-youngest roster in the NBA. Eleven of their players are age-24 or younger. Houston knew that this would be a rebuilding year, with a focus on developing their young talent and getting as many reps as possible for Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Alperen Sengun, Christian Wood, Josh Christopher, KJ Martin, Armoni Brooks, etc. This is a talented core, as our Mark Schindler and Mat Issa recently pointed out in a terrific <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rocket-revival-evaluating-houston-rockets-young-core-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-part</a> <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rocket-revival-evaluating-houston-rockets-young-core-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">series</a>.
The Rockets' decision to prioritize their youth is also why John Wall hasn't played this season. The 31-year-old guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-no-trade-or-buyout-on-the-horizon-john-wall-remains-in-limbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> wanted to play a featured role on offense, but the Rockets&rsquo; decision-makers wanted him in a complementary role behind the youngsters, so the offense could run through Green, Porter Jr. and Co. The two sides couldn&rsquo;t figure out a solution, so Wall has been working out in Miami with fellow veterans Michael Beasley and Tyreke Evans among others.
Interestingly, despite their struggles, these young Rockets have pulled off some shocking wins this season, beating the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.
Ryan Hollins, a 10-year NBA veteran who is now the lead television analyst for the Rockets' broadcasts, has been really impressed with this young core and loves what Houston is building.
&ldquo;I think this season has been an absolute success thus far because the whole goal has been for the young guys to get minutes and grow and take their lumps and get better,&rdquo; Hollins told BasketballNews.com. &ldquo;And when I think of every young guy that has been in the lineup, they have improved. The sky's the limit. I&rsquo;m watching Jalen Green, who is only 19 years old, develop and grow; he&rsquo;s getting better at attacking the rim and learning NBA defenses and understanding where strength is a factor in games. Josh Christopher, who just set another career-high [with 23 points against the Spurs], is just playing lights out right now off the bench and I think he&rsquo;s been one of the bigger surprises of the season.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And the steal of the draft, by far &mdash; it&rsquo;s not even close &mdash; is Alperen Sengun; there&rsquo;s no other name that we should be saying. He&rsquo;s made so many plays that it&rsquo;s just crazy and when I talk to NBA executives, coaches and staff, they always ask about Sengun and talk about how good he is when they sit back and watch his film. He&rsquo;s a rookie and he&rsquo;s getting double-teamed on the block. They are double-teaming him to get the ball out of his hands! For a player, that&rsquo;s the ultimate sign of respect. Unfortunately, Usman Garuba broke his wrist and he had to spend some time down [in the G League] with the Vipers, but we saw him improve and get better too.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I give Houston an A++ as far as their development, and that&rsquo;s really what this year is about. And what&rsquo;s really cool is that you also have veterans like Eric Gordon, who&rsquo;s shooting a career-high percentage from the field, and that&rsquo;s something that a lot of people didn&rsquo;t really expect. In the midst of a rebuild, Gordon is having a career-year and really flourishing and, even bigger than that, just staying healthy, which has been the only real question when you think about Eric.&rdquo;
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Speaking of Eric Gordon, the Rockets had the option of moving the 33-year-old prior to last week&rsquo;s trade deadline, but they ultimately decided to hang onto him. While Houston could&rsquo;ve added a draft pick in exchange for the veteran guard, they apparently felt that he&rsquo;s more valuable as a mentor and locker-room presence than as a trade chip. Hollins raved about what he&rsquo;s seen from Gordon &mdash; on and off the court.
&ldquo;His professionalism has really helped teach these young guys how to be successful,&rdquo; Hollins said. &ldquo;And they see Eric Gordon night in and night out scoring a not-so-sexy 20-to-30 points off the bench without having plays drawn up for him. You have to appreciate what Eric brings to the table. He has that type of demeanor and impact here, and he just means so much to this team and this community.&rdquo;
The Rockets will have another top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, which <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">features some very intriguing talent</a> such as Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey and Chet Holmgren among others. If they can add another stud to this young core, don't be surprised if Houston is just a few years away from making some serious noise in the Western Conference.

Houston has the West's worst record, but Ryan Hollins says this season has been "an absolute success" as they develop their core.

Why the Houston Rockets' season has been 'an absolute success'

The Rockets' fortunes changed when their bearded superstar came into training camp like a wrecking ball (<a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1339012498544943104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1339012498544943104%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbolavip.com%2Fen%2Fnba%2FUnreal-James-Harden-is-now-very-fat-and-social-media-exploded-20201216-0003.html">quite literally</a>) and demanded a trade that, upon its execution, sent the championship hopefuls spiraling into a rebuild of massive proportions.
The subsequent bombshell left new general manager Rafael Stone scrambling to accumulate the pieces necessary to initiate this wholesale reconstruction. The resulting aftermath left the 2021-22 Houston Rockets with a motley crew of talent that indicated to the outside world that one-third of the NBA's Texas trio was operating without a true sense of direction, running aimlessly into the future.&nbsp;
But what if the Stone (and head coach Stephen Silas') vision is more transparent than we think? What if this band of mismatched players was brought here for a reason? And what if this young core has what it takes to someday springboard the Rockets back into contention?
To answer these questions, Mark Schlinder and I &mdash; two young prospects in our own right &mdash; teamed up to look at the state of the union in Southeast Texas and figure out just how good these young Houston Rockets can be.
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Christian Wood
Most people will write Christian Wood off as the next casualty in the Rockets&rsquo; insatiable quest to obtain draft capital. But even with the recent controversy surrounding his relationship with some of the <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rockets-suspend-kevin-porter-jr-christian-wood-for-behavior-in-loss-to-nuggets-per-report/">coaching staff</a>, there are still plenty of reasons to keep Wood around moving forward.&nbsp;
This season, he's maintained a <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/woodch01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">True Shooting percentage slightly above league</a> average, despite leading a team that&rsquo;s in the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bottom five in the league in offense</a> in shot attempts per game. Non-elite scorers on bad teams generally struggle to maintain good efficiency on high volume (see <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grantje01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant)</a>, but Wood&rsquo;s productivity has remained effective thanks to his unique offensive repertoire.
Few big men in the league possess the mobility and ball-handling acumen to moonwalk into stepback jumpers, face-up on the perimeter and barrel to the rim, or glide down the hardwood for elegant coast-to-coast finishes:
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Also, the nature of Wood's off-ball scoring &mdash; proficient corner three-point shooting (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4077#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">88th percentile for his position</a>) and cutting numbers (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/cut/?sort=PPP&amp;dir=1&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*" target="_blank" rel="noopener">67th percentile overall</a>) &mdash; indicates that he'll scale well next to other high-end offensive talents that the team may add or develop.
His detractors will cite his poor performance on the other end of the floor as the primary reason for his dismissal. But I posit that his poor production is a symptom of being miscast as a defensive center. According to B-Ball Index, Wood spends 33.5% of defensive possessions guarding centers, which is a problem because his slight build often leads to him getting battered and bruised by opposing teams&rsquo; paint enforcers.
Like his offense, Wood&rsquo;s value on defense stems from his ability to maneuver on the perimeter where he can weaponize his length and tap dancing toes to stay in front of guards and forwards:
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Even in a suboptimal defensive role, Wood is able to manage a slight positive score in impact metrics like <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/2021-22-lebron-data/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D-LEBRON</a> (my personal favorite) and <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/10/nba-stats-and-player-projections/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D-DRIP</a>. This suggests that pairing him with a classic rim protector who can handle all the dirty work down low would allow Wood to stick to his strengths &mdash; and combine his dynamic offensive profile with consistently positive impact on the defensive end of the floor.
Josh Christopher
Here&rsquo;s some trivia for you: according to Cleaning the Glass, which qualifying Rockets rookie has the highest Effective Field Goal percentage? Common logic might suggest it&rsquo;s the electrifying second overall pick or their crafty Turkish phenom. But alas, neither of those answers are correct &mdash; the top spot is occupied by the final of their four first-round selections, Josh Christopher.
Partially because of his lower volume, but primarily because of a shot diet that is unbalanced in the best way possible, Josh Christopher has been a driving force (no pun intended) in the <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1481389776523649025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most prolific rim attack</a> in the NBA this season. As it stands, Christopher sits in the 94th percentile in rim frequency, with a whopping 44% of his shots coming from the most coveted area of the court (per Cleaning the Glass). To top things off, he&rsquo;s converting on those looks at an above-average clip for his position (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4887#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">64th percentile</a>).
His rim rushes disregard the safety of those in his path. And although he may be slight in stature, his arrival into the painted area warps defenses and creates open looks for shooters on the perimeter. Like right here:&nbsp;
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Christopher&rsquo;s defense is of the typical rookie variety &mdash; highly volatile. There are times where he may press too hard on-ball and end up surrendering an angle to the opposition or where he might get caught stargazing off-ball and lose his man on a cut to the rim.&nbsp;
However, there are also times where his wildly gesticulating hands create some much-needed disruption:
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Eventually, his defense performances will begin to stabilize. When they do, Christopher will be able to leverage his floor-tilting abilities to inject life into the Rockets&rsquo; second unit in a manner eerily similar to that of an Ish Smith.&nbsp;
Garrison Mathews
You know how they say the old maxim &ldquo;practice makes perfect&rdquo; is flawed and that it&rsquo;s actually &ldquo;perfect practice makes perfect?&rdquo; Well, it&rsquo;s the same thing with shooting and contracts. Teams don&rsquo;t pay a premium for shooting. They pay a premium for <a href="https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/2021/08/02/duncan-robinson-signs-biggest-nba-contract-ever-for-an-undrafted-player/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">movement shooting</a>.&nbsp;
Fortunately for Gary Bird, he&rsquo;s got that down pat.&nbsp;
Mathews is in the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/off-screen/?CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">58th percentile</a> in possessions coming off screens, and he&rsquo;s doing this on possession volume similar to renowned movement shooting aficionado Patty Mills. He&rsquo;s also knocking down 40% of his 1.2 pull-up threes a game, which further reinforces the sentiment that there&rsquo;s far more to his marksmanship than mere sedentary stroking (although he&rsquo;s doing that as well &ndash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/spot-up/?CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">96th percentile in spot-up possessions</a>).
What&rsquo;s even more fascinating is that there&rsquo;s another layer to his off-ball offensive game &ndash; his cutting. Just watching the way he interacts with screens, you can see a sort of technical artistry present in his navigational abilities, especially when he&rsquo;s using them to cut to the basket.
This next play is my favorite from Mathews this season. He starts by booty bumping Green towards the baseline a bit, then notices Embiid overplaying the second screen and has the presence of mind to punish him by freelancing into a backdoor cut:
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If Mathews were only a one-trick, catch-and-shoot specialist, he&rsquo;d become replaceable when his asking price becomes too steep. But since he&rsquo;s got more than one parlor trick in his routine, and since the value of his services (movement shooting and cutting) only increases the more you surround him with on-ball talent, the Rockets would be wise to keep their sniper under contract going forward.
Kevin Porter Jr.
It&rsquo;s only fitting that we saved the most curious case for last.
When you look at the numbers &ndash; True Shooting <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/porteke02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine points below league average</a>, <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4601#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">19th percentile</a> in rim accuracy, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/ball-handler/#!?sort=POSS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25th percentile</a> in pick-and-roll ball-handling, and <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4601#tab-offensive_overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7th percentile</a> turnover rate &ndash; you get a picture of a player seemingly in way over his head.
Then you see it play out in practice &ndash; the hesitation moves, the transition hookups, the manipulative passes, the volcanic eruptions at the rim &ndash; and for a few brief moments, what looks like Tenacious D on the eyes plays more like Nirvana on the soul.
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Porter Jr. probably isn&rsquo;t equipped for life as a full-time point guard in the NBA, but his glimpses have high-level secondary/tertiary shot creation upside written all over them.
The perfect version of a future Green/Porter Jr. centered lineup probably features a bigger and stronger third guard who can provide steady playmaking on offense and size for the perimeter on defense (and no, I&rsquo;m not talking about THAT bigger playmaking/defensive guard).
Speaking of defense, it seems Porter suffers from the same volume mismanagement issues that hurt him offensively. He often finds himself at the helm, defending the point of attack, where he leaves a lot to be desired. His paws are always itching to swipe at the ball and, because of this, Porter can get a bit overzealous and forfeit driving lanes similar to Josh Christopher. He also dies on way too many screens (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/ball-handler/#!?sort=POSS&amp;dir=1&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TypeGrouping=defensive&amp;CF=TEAM_ABBREVIATION*E*HOU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">31st percentile</a> as a pick-and-roll ball-handler), which is probably the most efficient way to guarantee your team is at a 4-on-5 disadvantage on defense.
However, when off-ball, Porter is a lot more comfortable. He's currently forcing 2 turnovers per 75 possessions (per Backpicks). His athleticism and natural playmaking instincts allow him to play cornerback on backdoor cuts like this play:
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Porter Jr.&rsquo;s ideal defensive ecosystem is most likely similar to his offensive one &mdash; an environment that affords him the luxury of weaponizing his playmaking and athleticism while also being mindful of his usage.
And ultimately, that will be the litmus test that decides if the Rockets can unlock Porter Jr.&rsquo;s full potential. Can they find the happy medium between freedom of experimentation and proper load management? Achieving this perfect balance will be difficult. It will require time and patience. But Porter Jr. is already showing flashes, and for a player as talented as him, that makes all the effort worth it.
&nbsp;
Conclusion
Taking final stock of the inventory, the cupboards look pretty fruitful in Houston after all. Wood is probably gone at the deadline, but if they can get him to stay, they'll have a guy that's only twenty-six and has an offensive skill set that meshes perfectly with their up-and-coming ball-dominant studs. Even if he is gone, that&rsquo;s more young talent in his place. Christopher has all the makings of a steady, change-of-pace backup point guard that can occasionally moonlight as the team&rsquo;s spark plug. Mathews' shooting and movement is a fit alongside literally any amalgamation of talent. And Porter Jr., with the proper care and nurture, could be ripping and running with Jalen Green in the starting five for years to come, or even steering the ship for the second unit if need be.
Overall, I can&rsquo;t help but come away from my review of the Rockets with general positivity. The vision hasn&rsquo;t fully manifested itself, and the pieces don&rsquo;t all perfectly fit yet, but they all appear capable of contributing long-term &mdash; that&rsquo;s a pretty great start, especially for a team that had to rebuild on the fly.
Stay tuned for <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rocket-revival-evaluating-houston-rockets-young-core-part-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part 2</a> of Rocket Revival, where Mark Schindler will break down the rest of Houston&rsquo;s young core.

Mat Issa breaks down four of Houston's brightest talents in Part I of his Rocket Revival series with Mark Schindler.

Rocket Revival: Evaluating Houston's promising young core — Part I

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook both had triple-doubles and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a season-high, five-game skid with a 132-123 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;The hardest thing to do in this league is win," James said. &ldquo;So when you win you never take it for granted."
James had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his third triple-double this season, and it was his fifth consecutive 30-point game. Westbrook scored 24 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh of the season.
Houston stuck around for most of the night, but James took over late to allow the Lakers to pull away and hand the Rockets their fifth consecutive loss.
&ldquo;For us to battle through this together and to finish the way we did with LeBron and Russ doing it together, bringing it home, I think that&rsquo;s a big step forward in this," said assistant coach David Fizdale, who was filling in for a fifth straight game for coach Frank Vogel because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Rockets trailed by one when James was called for goaltending on a layup by Jalen Green that would have put Houston on top with 2 &frac12; minutes left. But the Lakers challenged the call, and it was overturned. Carmelo Anthony made a 3-pointer a few seconds later to extend the lead to 120-116.
James added two free throws after that and his one-handed dunk after a turnover by Houston made it 124-116 with less than 90 seconds to go.
Kevin Porter Jr.&rsquo;s 3-pointer got Houston within five before James struck again, making a layup to extend the lead to 126-119 with less than a minute remaining. James made four free throws after that to secure the victory.
&ldquo;I just feel like I&rsquo;m in a really good offensive zone right now," he said.
Green, the second overall pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, led the Rockets with 24 points after missing 15 of the last 16 games with a strained left hamstring.
&ldquo;We expected to win," Houston coach Stephen Silas said. &ldquo;We had no problems standing up to those guys, not backing down. They had some great players out there that played very well. Russ with the triple-double, LeBron with the triple-double and Melo doing his thing. It was tough."
Anthony had 24 points off the bench on a night James started at center and big men Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan didn't play.
James said it was the first time he'd started at center at any level of basketball.
&ldquo;I never played center in my life before," he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always been on the wing or handling the ball."
Fizdale raved about the versatility James showed in his role Tuesday night.
&ldquo;This guy is unbelievable," he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re all very lucky as basketball people to get to watch what we&rsquo;re watching with this man."
The Lakers took the lead by scoring the last five points of the third quarter and opened the fourth with a 6-0 run to make it 103-92 with 11 minutes to go.
Green got Houston going after that, making two 3-pointers during a 10-2 spurt that cut the deficit to 105-102.
Porter had 22 points and nine assists in his return after missing the last 12 games with a bruised thigh. Christian Wood also scored 22.
Josh Christopher tied it on a layup with less than a minute left in the third quarter. But the Lakers scored the last five points of the quarter, capped by a 3 from Westbrook, to take a 97-92 lead into the fourth quarter. Westbrook pointed at the L.A. bench and smiled broadly as he walked off the court after the shot.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Fizdale, said that Vogel was getting close to returning but he wasn&rsquo;t sure exactly when he could rejoin the team. ... Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Austin Reaves and Rajon Rondo missed the game because of health and safety protocols. ... Wayne Ellington missed the game for an illness that the team said was not COVID-19 related.
Rockets: D.J. Augustin, Kenyon Martin Jr., Garrison Mathews and Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate were out because of health and safety protocols.
BILES AT BASKETBALL
Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles took part in the team's first shot promotion for charity before the game. Biles didn't make the free throw but Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta still donated $1,000 to the team's foundation in her name for the effort.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Visit Memphis Wednesday night.
Rockets: Host Miami Friday night.

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook both had triple-doubles and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a season-high, five-game skid.

LeBron, Westbrook have triple-doubles, Lakers' skid ends at 5

Alperen Sengun has always been an intriguing prospect to follow since he entered the NBA. Acquired by the Houston Rockets during the 2021 NBA Draft for two future first-round picks likely to convey in 2023 (via the Wizards) and 2025 (via the Pistons), Sengun instantly became an integral piece to the next chapter post-James Harden.
Exiting the Harden era, Houston is in the midst of a full-scale rebuild, building around young players such as No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green and Sengun. With Green sidelined due to injury, Sengun is beginning to take the spotlight and shine under the bright lights.
As a unique, throwback player, Sengun brings a crafty style to the basketball court based around footwork in the post, savvy playmaking and strong rebounding ability. Recently against the Milwaukee Bucks, Sengun's interior footwork was dazzling to watchm as he continously punished his matchup around the basket on countless possessions. Eventually, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer had to adjust and put Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sengun. A small moment, but one that provides a glimpse into a potential future outcome for the Rockets' rookie.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Expected to have an adjustment period to the NBA after winning the Turkish League MVP at age-18, not many expectations were laid upon Sengun in Year 1 &mdash; especially as a reserve big man. Recently though, he&rsquo;s flashing an extremely high ceiling that has many within the Rockets organization giddy for his next developmental steps.
Sengun&rsquo;s season averages don&rsquo;t scream "breakout campaign," but, when placed into a per-36 minute workload, it changes the equation: 17.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.5 blocks while carrying a 57.9% True Shooting percentage.
Ready for a crazy statistic revolving around Sengun? Here are the only players joining the Turkish rookie amassing at least 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 block per 36 minutes: Giannis and Draymond Green.
If Sengun is allowed to further spread his wings later this season, there&rsquo;s a real trajectory path to him becoming a member of the First-Team All-Rookie lineup. Sure, there will be some ups-and-downs in terms of inconsistency along the way, but the bright spots make up for all of it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sengun in 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆 😤 <a href="https://t.co/jnFP7MpEPa">pic.twitter.com/jnFP7MpEPa</a>
&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1471279315463639048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

There is something in the way of Sengun receiving heavy minutes however &mdash; the two bigs currently ahead of him on the Rockets&rsquo; depth chart: Christian Wood and Daniel Theis, a pair of veterans who are heavily mentioned in trade talks around the Association. Our own Nekias Duncan recently wrote a piece regarding <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-christian-wood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential destinations for Wood</a>, who would be an instant-impact piece on a legitimate playoff contender. Theis is another piece who could help boost the depth of a contender as well, providing floor-spacing and defensive versatility.
Sengun&rsquo;s ceiling already looks similar to ones we&rsquo;ve seen enter the NBA before. Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vucevic all play a similar game as the young Sengun. If the Rockets properly construct a versatile roster around Sengun, he could help the organization reap significant benefits soon enough.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Houston&rsquo;s goal is to construct a sustainable winner with multiple hits on draft picks. Green looks the part of a future 25-point-per-game scorer. Sengun could be the hub of an entire offensive system, a la Sabonis. Kevin Porter Jr. is an offensive spark plug himself. Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate, Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba all look like valuable depth pieces of the next great Rockets era as well. Houston still has considerable distance to being a real threat in the Western Conference playoff picture, but the foundation is coming along together at a quicker pace than expected.
If the Rockets are lucky again in the lottery, could you imagine Auburn&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jabari-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jabari Smith</a> alongside Sengun providing defense and transition scoring? What about Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero as a frontcourt partner for Sengun? This was initially expected to be a rebuild that lasts awhile, but one or two moves could truly change the whole equation. Having a big man like Sengun as an anchor is a very promising start to it all, and one who can seemingly provide a little bit of everything on the basketball court for the Rockets.
The buzz around Sengun is palpable, and he&rsquo;s slowly but surely making his way up the top rookie ladder. By season&rsquo;s end, Sengun could be alongside Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham for Rookie of the Year honors &mdash; particularly if he's given more of a runway, with Wood and Theis moved elsewhere.

Alperen Sengun is turning heads with his recent play for the Houston Rockets. Are we seeing the beginning of another star big man?

Alperen Sengun's surge providing hope for Rockets' rebuild

During the Houston Rockets&rsquo; 15-game skid, coach Stephen Silas wasn&rsquo;t too keen on getting out and about in the city.
After they got off the schneid by winning seven games in a row, things changed for the second-year coach.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s exciting to walk around town and people will be like: &lsquo;good job coach,&rsquo;&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;There were some times where I just decided to stay home, and so I wouldn&rsquo;t have to deal with (fans). So yeah, it&rsquo;s a good feeling.&rdquo;
The last victory in the winning streak came Wednesday when they took down a Brooklyn Nets team led by former Rocket James Harden with Kevin Durant sitting out to rest.
The 114-104 triumph made the Rockets (8-18) the first team in NBA history to have a 15-game slide and a seven-game winning streak in one season, much less back-to-back.
This year&rsquo;s up-and-down performance comes after Houston sunk to the NBA&rsquo;s worst record at 17-55 in the wake of the trade of Harden and most of the team&rsquo;s other veterans last season.
The Rockets have lost their last two games after the winning streak, but Silas remains encouraged that his team is making progress.
&ldquo;It means a lot that the message is getting through,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We knew that we were going to have to grow this year and we&rsquo;re doing that. We are growing and improving and it&rsquo;s producing some wins, which is good as a coach.&rdquo;
Perhaps most impressive about Houston&rsquo;s winning streak was that all but one of the victories came without rookie Jalen Green. The second overall pick in the draft has missed the last eight games with a strained hamstring.
His absence has allowed some unlikely heroes to emerge in this stretch. Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate scored a career-high 32 points in a 114-110 win over the Thunder and was a consistent contributor in the other wins.
But the most surprising star for the team in the streak was Garrison Mathews, who was signed to a two-way contract in October.
The third-year pro averaged more than 16 points in the seven wins behind hot 3-point shooting. Mathews had 24 3-pointers in that span before setting a career-high by making six in a loss to Milwaukee on Friday night.
&ldquo;When I first got here, we were on a losing streak and it was tough,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re losing a lot of games, it&rsquo;s hard to keep morale up. But just getting on the winning streak was a huge boost to our confidence.&rdquo;
Now that the streak is over, Mathews and the rest of the Rockets are focused on improving every day so they don&rsquo;t end up in another long skid.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to remember this feeling and continue that down the road, especially when things get hard,&rdquo; Mathews said.
The Rockets are an exceedingly young team and had five 19-year-olds on the roster to start the season. They&rsquo;re down to four now after Josh Christopher celebrated his 20th birthday Wednesday by scoring a career-high 18 points in the win over the Nets.
Christopher, who was the 24th overall pick in the draft, has had trouble with consistency so far and has spent time in the G-League. But his performance against the Nets gave the Rockets confidence that he&rsquo;s focused on learning and getting better.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been working at his game day-in and day-out,&rdquo; Silas said. &ldquo;There were times when he probably didn&rsquo;t think he was going to get a chance. But this league is like that, and you&rsquo;re always going to get your chance and he was ready for it.&rdquo;
But it wasn&rsquo;t only the young guys who came up big to help the Rockets in their stretch of success after such a difficult start. Thirty-two-year-old Eric Gordon, one of the only veterans who wasn&rsquo;t shipped out last season, had four 20-point games during the streak. Silas also credited him with being a calming influence on his young team.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all about growth,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And whenever you see a streak like (we had) you see and know what it takes to win. And so, you can never forget moments like this. And you can&rsquo;t never forget the moments beforehand when we lost all those games because during that time, it wasn&rsquo;t fun.&rdquo;

The Rockets have lost their last two games after the winning streak, but Stephen Silas is encouraged that his team is making progress.

Rockets hoping to grow after following skid with streak

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points and 17 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped the Houston Rockets' seven-game winning streak with a 123-114 victory Friday night.
&ldquo;I was just looking to be aggressive," he said. &ldquo;Last game I wasn&rsquo;t as aggressive as I wanted."
Houston hadn't fallen since ending a 15-game losing streak Nov. 24. The Rockets led by 10 at one point Friday and hung around until the Bucks pulled away in the fourth.
Eric Gordon's 3-pointer got Houston within 1 before Khris Middleton scored the last five points of a 7-0 stretch to extend Milwaukee's lead to 117-109 with about four minutes to go.
Houston scored the next three points, with a layup by Christian Wood. But Jrue Holiday intercepted a bad pass by Garrison Mathews and dished it to Antetokounmpo for a dunk that made it 119-112 with less than a minute left and sent fans toward the exits.
Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer was asked about the play of Antetokounmpo and Middleton down the stretch.
&ldquo;When you have a good team and have players like that, you&rsquo;re fortunate to put the ball in their hands and let them make plays," he said.
Mathews led the Rockets with a season-high 23 points and made a career-best six 3-pointers. Wood and Armoni Brooks had 21 apiece for Houston.
Jae'Sean Tate had six points for Houston with nine assists and a steal.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s very much the pulse and heart and soul on what we have going on," coach Stephen Silas said.
Bobby Portis and Middleton added 21 points each for Milwaukee as the Bucks won for the 11th time in 13 games.
Budenholzer raved about the defense of Wesley Matthews, who was signed less than a week ago.
&ldquo;He just has that focus that I think you need," he said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s delivered early in a good way and we&rsquo;re excited that we have everything he brings to the table. I thought he was huge tonight."
Milwaukee trailed by eight early in the fourth quarter before scoring the next 10 points, capped by a 3 from Antetokounmpo, to take a 100-98 lead with about 8 &frac12; minutes remaining.
Gordon ended Houston&rsquo;s scoring drought a few seconds later when he made a 3.
Houston led by seven at halftime, but the Bucks opened the third quarter with a 10-3 run to tie it at 68 with about 9 &frac12; minutes left in the third quarter.
The game was tied again about two minutes later when a dunk by Antetokounmpo put the Bucks up 75-73.
Holiday made two free throws to get Milwaukee within two late in the third quarter, but Josh Christopher hit a 3 for Houston to extend the lead to 95-90 entering the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Budenholzer received a technical in the second quarter for yelling at officials about a foul call. ... G George Hill missed his fourth straight game with a hyperextended right knee. ... Holiday scored 12 points with seven assists.
Rockets: G Jalen Green was out for the seventh consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. ... G Kevin Porter Jr. missed a third straight game with a bruised left thigh. ... F Danuel House sat out for a second game with a sprained left ankle.
BLOCK PARTY
Antetokounmpo had two blocks to give him 805, passing Alton Lister (804) for most in franchise history.
He set the record when he stuffed a layup by rookie Alperen Sengun midway through the second quarter.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s big time, a great compliment to my career, but I&rsquo;ve got to keep getting better, keep defending better," Antetokounmpo said.
SENGUN'S NIGHT
Sengun scored a career-high 15 points for Houston, but Silas kept him on the bench for the last few minutes of the game.
&ldquo;I wanted to figure out a way to keep him in the game, but when they have Giannis at the 5, it was hard," Silas said.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit the Knicks on Sunday.
Rockets: Visit Memphis on Saturday night.

The Rockets led by 10 at one point Friday and hung around until the Bucks pulled away in the fourth.

Milwaukee ends Houston's 7-game streak with 123-114 win

Three weeks ago, the hottest basketball team in the NBA was 1-16, its head coach was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-wrong-with-the-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly on the hot seat</a>, and its best guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-will-continue-to-sit-games-after-meeting-with-rockets-front-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was asking why he couldn't play</a>.
Now, the Houston Rockets are steamrolling through their schedule (albeit an easy one) and have won seven contests in a row &mdash; the longest active streak in the entire league.
According to Cleaning the Glass, since Nov. 24 (when the streak began), Houston has the third-best offensive rating in the NBA; the team ranks 27th on the season. Further, parts of the streak have come without No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green, top scorer Christian Wood and lead ball-handler Kevin Porter Jr. due to injuries.
... How on Earth?
The Rockets have done it with a true ragtag bunch of players I thoroughly enjoy, ranging from unproven rookies to undrafted fliers to castoff veterans. In their most recent win against the Brooklyn Nets, Houston was without Porter Jr. and Green, but had six players reach double-digit points. Only 32-year-old Eric Gordon and 2021 No. 24 pick Josh Christopher were drafted.
Garrison Mathews was cut by the Boston Celtics in training camp after two seasons in Washington. The 25-year-old forward has now latched on with Houston &mdash; and is leading all NBA wings in points per shot attempt (1.37). His shot diet, per NBA Stats:
<ul>
<li>32-for-80 (40%) on jump shots, all of which have been threes, with 71 as catch-and-shoot</li>
<li>5-for-5 on dunks</li>
<li>7-for-8 on layups</li>
<li>Of his 93 total shot attempts, 85 had him holding the ball for less than two seconds</li>
</ul>
That's the whole thing. Mathews, like Stephen Silas and the Rockets, is an efficiency extremist.&nbsp;
Undrafted guard Armoni Brooks has taken on a rotation role since Houston's last loss to the Boston Celtics. He's another volume three-point shooter who lives to fire away from above the break; per Cleaning the Glass, a whopping 76% of his shots have come from that one zone. Brooks has canned 42% of those shots since he joined the full rotation, which ranks in the 81st percentile at his position.
The 23-year-old is also a solid ball-mover. Brooks has handed out 15 assists against just 6 turnovers in those eight games, five of which involved zero turnovers at all. I'm a major fan of his game dating back to summer league, and the opportunity is well-deserved.&nbsp;
Of course, there's also second-year standout Jae'Sean Tate, who is building on his breakout season as an undrafted rookie in 2020-21. Tate is averaging a healthy 15.3 points, 5.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game on the winning streak. He's bullied his way to the basket; 62% of Tate's shots have come at the rim on this run, and he's finishing at a high-level 69% clip. His 1.6% block rate is in the 90th percentile among forwards.
Houston obviously has Christian Wood and Eric Gordon as well, who are both making over 46% of their respective threes during this run. The rookie Christopher cashed in with 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting on Wednesday night. Journeyman D.J. Augustin may not be the engine, but he's drilled 50% of his threes while averaging 3.2 assists in 14.6 minutes per game off the bench during this stretch.
The team's shot chart reads like a "Basketball Analytics for Dummies" manual. The Rockets lead the entire league in rim frequency and are fifth in three-point frequency. That trend hasn't changed with the winning &mdash; Houston is actually up to second overall in three-point frequency since the streak began.&nbsp;
What's different is that the shots are going in. Since Nov. 24, the Rockets have the eighth-best percentage at the rim (66.4%) and are fifth-best beyond the arc (40.7%). A remarkable 67.2% of their made field goals have been assisted by a teammate, which is second among all teams over their past seven games.
Is this just some giant collective hot streak bolstered by a lull in the schedule? Or have the young Rockets finally clicked? Either way, it's been fun watching players capitalize on their opportunities &mdash; despite their record, this is a team worth tuning in to watch.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>Speaking of hot shooters, we have to give Mike Conley more love. Among NBA players with at least 75 pull-up attempts this season, he leads with a 61.5% Effective Field Goal percentage. That's over six percentage points higher than second-place Stephen Curry, who's a decent shooter in his own right.</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III has played in 6 of the Kings' last 8 games since Alvin Gentry took over as interim head coach. He appeared in just four games under Luke Walton this season. Bagley is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes under Gentry, while making 11 of 13 at-rim shot attempts and 5 of 12 three-point attempts. It's nothing wild, but I'll have Bagley in the back of my mind going forward.</li>
<li>We're back to grumbling about the Mavericks' shot distribution. They're 3-11 since Nov. 17 and, rank 29th in at-rim frequency during that span. This is a team with arguably the best driving threat in the league in Luka Doncic and a cast of good pick-and-roll bigs. WHY??</li>
</ul>

Garrison Mathews and Armoni Brooks have helped complement a red-hot Houston Rockets team.

Stats Notebook: Rockets winning with an unlikely band of heroes

HOUSTON (AP) — Eric Gordon scored 21 points before being ejected in the fourth quarter and Garrison Mathews added 19 as the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to seven games with a 114-104 victory over the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. 
Before the streak, the Rockets dropped their previous 15 games. It's the first time Houston has won seven straight since winning eight in a row in November 2019. 
“The adversity that we went through prior to this point has made it even sweeter," coach Stephen Silas said. “We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves."
James Harden had 25 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Nets on a night when NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge both sat out for rest. It was Harden’s second visit to Houston since he was traded in January during his ninth season with the Rockets. 
The Rockets led by 17 to start the fourth quarter and the Nets cut the deficit to four before Houston pulled away. 
Mathews, who had 12 points in the fourth, scored four in a 5-0 run that extended Houston’s lead to 109-97. Patty Mills made one of two free throws for the Nets before a three-point play by D.J. Augustin made it 112-98 with about two minutes to go. 
“When you beat a team like that it means something," Mathews said. “This streak's been a huge boost to our confidence. It’s been a huge boost to our morale." 
The loss snapped a six-game road winning streak for the Nets, whose nine road wins are tied with the Suns for most in the NBA. 
The Nets shot just 8 of 33 from 3-point range, with Harden going 3 of 12 and finishing 4 of 16 overall. He was 14 for 16 from the line. 
“I got the shots I wanted, for sure," he said. “I just didn’t make them.”
Harden received a fair number of boos when he was introduced and each time he had the ball early. But he got a warm ovation after a highlight video of his time in Houston was played during a timeout in the first quarter. 
He formed his hands into the shape of a heart as he held them over his head and then moved them to his chest and smiled as the crowd cheered. 
Harden said playing in Houston will always be meaningful to him.
“Very special," he said. “I spent some of my most amazing years here on the court and off the court.”
Cam Thomas had 18 points for Brooklyn, and Mills added 12. 
A 10-0 spurt by the Nets got them within four with about 7½ minutes left. Harden capped that run when he made a 3-pointer as he crashed to the court after being fouled by Mathews and made the free throw for a four-point play.
Gordon was ejected soon after that when he received his second technical foul of the game for yelling at the officials about not getting a foul call. 
Harden’s free throw after Gordon’s technical cut the lead to four, but a 6-1 spurt by the Rockets, highlighted by a 3 from Mathews, made it 104-95 with 4½ minutes left. 
Houston led by as many as 20 and took control of the game with a 37-point second quarter. 
The Rockets ended the third quarter on a 6-2 run, punctuated by a one-handed dunk by Kenyon Martin Jr. to make it 90-73 entering the fourth. Houston rookie Josh Christopher stole the ball from Jevon Carter and dished to Martin on the other end, and he sailed over Carter for the slam. 
TIP-INS
Nets: Nic Claxton received a flagrant 1 foul for a foul on Mathews in the second quarter. ... Paul Millsap scored 10 points off the bench. ... Claxton had eight points. 
Rockets: Jalen Green missed his sixth straight game with a strained left hamstring. ... Kevin Porter Jr. missed his second game in a row with a bruised left thigh. ... Danuel House sat out with a sprained left ankle. 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
Christopher had a career-high 18 points off the bench on his 20th birthday. 
“He’s been working at his game day in, day out," Silas said. “He played a really solid game on both ends of the floor."
Asked what it was like to have such a big game on his birthday, Christopher thought for a second before answering. 
“Perfect, perfect day," he said. 
UP NEXT
Nets: Visit the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. 
Rockets: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
___ 
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 114-104 for their 7th straight win on Wednesday night.

Rockets beat shorthanded Nets 114-104 for 7th straight win

I'm going to give you a moment to prepare your eye roll.
Go on. Take a few seconds. Get it together.&nbsp;
You ready?
[Clears throat]
Houston, you have a problem.
The losers of 15 straight games, the Rockets currently hold the worst record in the NBA at 1-16. Their 0-11 record on the road seems like a typo.
While it's understood that this was supposed to be ground zero of the post-Harden era, I'm not sure anybody expected things to look like this. Chief of among the "anybody" group: Rockets management.&nbsp;
Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, head coach Stephen Silas is <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2950751-sources-houston-rockets-weighing-future-of-head-coach-stephen-silas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">firmly on the hot seat</a>. From Fischer:
Now, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have indicated to B/R that Rockets brass are weighing the future of Stephen Silas, who may become the league's next coach to be terminated, following Luke Walton's exit in Sacramento last weekend.
It would be a tough break for Silas, whose first head coaching gig has been the literal opposite of what he expected.
He beat out candidates like Jeff Van Gundy for the job heading into last season, with the reward being James Harden and Russell Westbrook as a star backcourt duo. Instead, Westbrook was traded before the year began; Harden was later flipped to the Brooklyn Nets for a bounty of picks.
Shifting from "dark-horse contender" to "let's kick off the rebuild" isn't an easy transition. With the roster trending much younger &mdash; the primary goal being to foster the development of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. &mdash; it would make sense that the losses would pile up this season. Silas is not the&nbsp;reason the Rockets are awful right now.
It is fair, however, to acknowledge that he has a role to play in the rough start.
If you looked at the Rockets' roster heading into the season, you'd likely assume they'd be a poor defense and a below-average offense. A bad team, of course, but one in which you'd see a little more cohesion on the offensive side of the ball.
That just hasn't happened.
The Rockets rank dead last in offensive rating (97.3) despite having the most efficient shot profile in the NBA. Per PBP Stats, the Rockets (and Blazers) have an expected Effective Field Goal percentage of 55%; put another way, based on where they get their shots from, they should be blowing teams out of the water offensively.
Put&nbsp;another&nbsp;way: roughly 80% of the Rockets' shots come at the rim or behind the arc, easily tops in the league.
But this reminds me of last year's Timberwolves before the Chris Finch hire. They had a similar share of shots from fruitful areas of the floor, but&nbsp;how&nbsp;they got those shots &mdash; and who took those shots &mdash; made their profile fool's gold.
The Rockets have a double-whammy in this regard. Their starting backcourt of Porter and Green, when healthy, is a combined&nbsp;40 years old. On top of the two needing experience to effectively lead an offense, neither of them are natural playmakers.
On top of&nbsp;that,&nbsp;and this is where Silas deserves some blame, their offense is pretty static from a scheme standpoint. They're a drag-screen-or-bust group in early offense, with middle ball-screens (that devolve into isolations if they don't work) making up the largest chunk of their half-court attack.
They often empty a side to stress the defenders of the ball screen &mdash; and simplify reads for their young backcourt. With no real weak-side movement, or at the very least some decoy action to set up that empty corner action, you get a lot of possessions that look like this.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ud10f4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
There are hints of goodness in there. Go back to the Warriors game earlier in the month and you'll find some flavor. A Spain pick-and-roll here:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wh1t47" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
A middle pick-and-roll, but with David Nwaba (love that guy) attempting to set up a flare behind him (don't mind the miss).
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/a37ela" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
More often than not, though, it's a bunch of bland. The young guys are often left to make a dollar out of 15 cents.
And about that youthful exuberance: they make mistakes. They try things. They turn the ball over, and boy, does this Rockets team turn it over. Their 18.2% turnover rate not only ranks last in the league by a wide margin, it's the worst mark since the Process Sixers back in the 2014-15 season (18.3%).
(That might be the biggest reason Silas doesn't trust Alperen Sengun with more minutes yet, though I &mdash; and probably 80% of Rocket fans &mdash; would argue his injection of randomness is worth it from a development&nbsp;and&nbsp;give-me-something-fun-to-watch standpoint.)
When the personnel isn't great, there's a limit to how effective you can be. Another benefit of empty corner pick-and-rolls, for example, is to generate an extra pocket of space; the Rockets kinda have&nbsp;to spam that to a degree because of the lack of shooters available. That isn't completely on Silas.
He certainly isn't helping himself right now, though. Playing Tate, Theis and Christian Wood together just hasn't worked out. Whatever benefit they're getting from the defensive insulation Tate and Theis provide is throughly erased by the lack of spacing the trio brings.&nbsp;
Houston's two most-played five-man linups <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/advanced/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612745" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feature those three</a>; those groupings have an 80.9 and 67.0 offensive rating respectively.
The third unit &mdash; Porter, Green, Eric Gordon, Tate and Wood &mdash; has a 106.0 Offensive Rating, and plus-13.3 Net Rating overall. It might&nbsp;be worth exploring that one a little more when everyone's available.&nbsp;
Defensively, it's easier to explain. They're an absolute mess at the point of attack with Porter, Green and D.J. Augustin logging most of the guard minutes. Porter and Green are even messier off the ball &mdash; typical young guy stuff &mdash; which further forces Silas into a tough spot.
There are defenders on this team that can help &mdash; Tate, Theis, Nwaba, KJ Martin (weak-side rim-protecting GAWD), and rooksters Josh Christopher (fiesty at the point of attack) and Usman Garuba &mdash; though none of them help the spacing issue in a real way.
In short (shut up), the Rockets don't have a Stephen Silas Problem. They have an Everything Problem. The organizational goal shifted underneath Silas' feet. The roster is young and flawed. Silas has failed to implement a system with any real juice, and his handling of the ill-fitting roster has been poor.
It's hard to imagine a Silas firing fixing everything, as a good chunk of this is out of his control. But there are certainly improvements that could be made. Drawing back to the Timberwolves example from earlier, if the Rockets feel their version of Finch is available on the market, it makes some sense to get that guy in place.
It would be an unfair shake for Silas, but such is life as an NBA coach.

Nekias Duncan breaks down what's going on in Houston, and why head coach Stephen Silas is on the hot seat in year two.

The Rockets' problems extend beyond Stephen Silas

If this Houston Rockets season was a movie, it would likely be called: Young and Younger.
With James Harden and P.J. Tucker both long gone, the Rockets are rebuilding from the ground up with an extraordinarily young roster.
After sinking to a franchise-worst 17-55 last season in the wake of the Harden trade with Brooklyn, they will look to four 19-year-old first-round picks to get the franchise moving in the right direction this year.
The leader of that group is Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the draft who spent last season in the NBA G-League. Green is Houston&rsquo;s first first-round pick since the Rockets selected Sam Dekker with the 18th pick in 2015 and their highest pick since they took Yao Ming first overall in 2002.
A bevy of trades in recent years left the Rockets with a stockpile of first-round picks in this year&rsquo;s draft and they also snagged forward Usman Garuba with 23rd pick and shooting guard Josh Christopher at No. 24. They got a fourth teenage first-rounder came when they traded for center Alperen Sengun, who was chosen at No. 16 by the Thunder.
&ldquo;The thing that stands out to me about this group is that is that they&rsquo;re all looking at this year as an opportunity, as a fun opportunity to let the rookies live out their dreams,&rdquo; general manager Rafael Stone said. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s also a chance to really take a step forward in our venture.&rdquo;
They also don&rsquo;t lack confidence, with Green vowing that the team will be much-improved after finishing with the NBA&rsquo;s worst record last season.
&ldquo;I think we can compete with any team in the NBA,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re young, fast and talented.&rdquo;
WALL ON THE SHELF
John Wall and the Rockets have decided that he won&rsquo;t play for them this season as they attempt to find a trade destination for the veteran point guard. While Wall won&rsquo;t be on the court, he stressed that he will remain part of the team and wants to help this young team any way he can.
&ldquo;My job here is to be a mentor,&rdquo; Wall said.
Stone said they aren&rsquo;t looking to buy out Wall&rsquo;s contract but want to find a suitable trade.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking at what can we find that works for everybody&hellip; for the long term,&rdquo; Stone said.
Wall said it will be &ldquo;very tough&rdquo; not to play while the Rockets find him a new team but the plan is what&rsquo;s best for him.
YEAR TWO
Stephen Silas is excited about his second year in Houston after dealing with so much last season, his first as a head coach. While the results were certainly not what he wanted, he believes the experience was valuable.
&ldquo;Last year was challenging,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It started off one way and then we had a bunch of changes and COVID and injuries and everything. I learned a lot last year. So, there&rsquo;s not a feeling that last year was lost at all because I learned a lot about a bunch of our guys as far as them sticking with it and playing hard at the end and who we can depend on.&rdquo;
GRANDPA GORDON
At 32, Eric Gordon certainly isn&rsquo;t old, but on this team he&rsquo;s seen as the grandpa of the group. He laughed when asked about that but said as far as he knows the younger guys haven&rsquo;t give him a nickname yet.
Gordon, who is entering his 14th NBA season, is looking to bounce back after being limited to just 27 games last season because of a groin injury. He&rsquo;s not a naturally outspoken leader but knows he will be looked at to set an example.
&ldquo;I always tell people my role doesn&rsquo;t change, but I do have to speak up more now,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;In this league it&rsquo;s all about having a good routine and with a younger team, you&rsquo;ve got to focus in a lot more every day.&rdquo;
SCHEDULE STUFF
The Rockets open the season Oct. 20 at Minnesota before returning to Houston for consecutive home games against Oklahoma City and Boston Oct. 22 and Oct. 24.

With James Harden and P.J. Tucker both long gone, the Rockets are rebuilding from the ground up with an extraordinarily young roster.

Youth is served: Rockets to rely on 4 teen first-round picks

Opening night of the NBA season is just 16 days away, which means this year's top rookies will soon see their dreams come true when they step onto a professional court.&nbsp;
Between the close-to-normal offseason, Las Vegas Summer League and upcoming preseason, we now have a decent grasp on who each player is and what skills they could bring to the court. And while it takes years (decades, arguably) to ultimately assess a career, some young talents can outshine their draft position in a single season.
I'm writing this week's Stats Notebook on the All-Rookie teams, and I'll end by making my predictions for the squads. But the train of thought left the station a few days ago with this stat:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
At least one non-top-20 draft pick has made an All-Rookie First Team in 7 of the last 8 seasons. Who could it be this year 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/5PkFWcaVov">pic.twitter.com/5PkFWcaVov</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1443983998343159842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Patterns exist in recent All-Rookie history; some are obvious, while others are more subtle. I'm going to put them to work to create my teams. First off, let's start with the top picks: Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green. I would consider them both locks to be on the All-Rookie First Team in spring.
Since 2008-09, No. 1 overall draft picks have appeared on all but three All-Rookie First Teams. The exceptions: 2009-10 (when Blake Griffin missed the season due to injury), 2013-14 (Anthony Bennett... didn't work out) and 2016-17 (Ben Simmons did not play due to injury). Griffin and Simmons both were awarded the following season; only Bennett and Markelle Fultz never made an All-Rookie first team. So unless you have an extremely negative view on Cunningham, I'd pencil him in.
Green is perhaps the best scorer in this rookie class. Since 2008-09, 30 qualifying rookies have averaged at least 15 points per game, according to Sportradar. Only three &mdash; Eric Gordon (2008-09), Dennis Smith Jr. (2017-18) and Collin Sexton (2018-19) &mdash; did not make the All-Rookie First Team, and they all landed on the Second Team. If you buy Green as a day-one bucket, which I do, he'll make it.
Jalen Suggs may be another score-first addition to the list. He's not nearly as polished as Jalen counterpart, but the Orlando Magic are a rebuilding team that should prioritize his development. Suggs might be the leading scorer on the team as a rookie, even with a crowded backcourt.&nbsp;
Here's another noteworthy factor: age. At least one player over 21 years old (as of Feb. 1 of that season) has made all but two First Teams since 2008, with the outliers being 2018-19 and 2015-16. I'm a firm nonbeliever of the "age equals NBA-readiness" agenda. But a statistic is a statistic.
The top-five picks who will clear age-21 by February are: Davion Mitchell, James Bouknight, Chris Duarte, Corey Kispert and Trey Murphy III. Depending on your thoughts regarding each player's available minutes, I'd consider them as the primary options to check this box.&nbsp;
Finally, we'll return to the Twitter stat, and spell out those surprise players who made the All-Rookie First Team:
<ul>
<li>2020-21: Jae'Sean Tate (undrafted)</li>
<li>2019-20: Brandon Clarke (No. 21), Eric Paschall (No. 41) and Kendrick Nunn (undrafted)</li>
<li>2018-19: None (The All-Rookie First Team was literally the top five draft picks)</li>
<li>2017-18: Kyle Kuzma (No. 27)</li>
<li>2016-17: Malcolm Brogdon (No. 36), Willy Hernangomez (No. 35)</li>
<li>2015-16: Nikola Jokic (No. 41 in 2014)</li>
<li>2014-15: Jordan Clarkson (No. 46)</li>
<li>2013-14: Mason Plumlee (No. 22), Tim Hardaway Jr. (No. 24)</li>
<li>2012-13: None (lowest was No. 7 pick Harrison Barnes)</li>
<li>2011-12: Kenneth Faried (No. 24)</li>
</ul>
So in eight of the last 10 seasons, a player selected after pick No. 20 cracked the All-Rookie First Team. That's a pretty large pool, but we can try to narrow it.&nbsp;
Four of these honorees made the list on playoff teams: Kenneth Faried with the Denver Nuggets, Mason Plumlee with the Brooklyn Nets, and Kendrick Nunn with the Miami Heat. Also, only Plumlee and Willy Hernangomez averaged less than 20 minutes per game. So following the trend, this selection would have to have a clear path to playing time, and that probably happens with a franchise unlikely to make the postseason.
It's still a bit of a wild-card selection, but Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher immediately stand out as potential options on the Houston Rockets. Second-round picks Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins could receive opportunities with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Logical fallacies exist with this layout &mdash; some "qualifiers" could overlap with each other. But given all of this, here's how my All-Rookie First Team looks:
Preseason All-Rookie First Team: Cade Cunningham (G), Jalen Suggs (G), Jalen Green (G), Trey Murphy III (F), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (F)
For the Second Team, I'll only add one additional note. Four of the last five eligible (2018-19 doesn't work for obvious reasons) lists included at least one top-five pick on an All-Rookie Second Team. Given that Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley should both have rotation roles with their respective squads, I feel good about marking them down. Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland makes the cut because he could be an electric microwave scorer in Denver with the absence of Jamal Murray.
Preseason All-Rookie Second Team: Davion Mitchell (G), Bones Hyland (G), Scottie Barnes (F), Evan Mobley (F), Alperen Sengun (C)
As always, remember that these are just All-Rookie teams and not career projections. Based on some of the earlier names I mentioned, it's pretty clear that making an All-Rookie team isn't exactly a ticket to Springfield. But with such a deep rookie class, I think the races this year could be extremely fun to track.

Ethan Fuller looks at past All-Rookie honorees to predict this year's teams.

Stats Notebook: Predicting the NBA All-Rookie teams from past trends

The first practices of the season in the NBA are here, with teams set to hit the floor on Tuesday to formally begin getting ready for the 2021-22 campaign.
A six-pack of things to watch as things get started:
THE CHAMPS
Milwaukee is running it back.
The Bucks used eight players in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the title-clincher against Phoenix, and seven of them are still on the roster; the exception is P.J. Tucker, now part of the Miami Heat. The Bucks also have seven of their top eight scorers, in terms of total points, back from a year ago; the exception in that case is Bryn Forbes, who returned to San Antonio.
Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo played the game of his life to finish off that title run, a 50-point, 14-rebound masterpiece &mdash; and he isn&rsquo;t even 27 yet. His best easily may be yet to come.
CAMP CENTRAL
San Diego hasn&rsquo;t technically had an NBA team since 1984.
This week, the city has three.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets are all calling San Diego home this week for training camp. They&rsquo;re all practicing separately, using three different facilities. The Nets will play in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Sunday before returning home, while the Nuggets and Clippers will play in Los Angeles on Monday.
YOUTH IS SERVED
If so inclined, the Houston Rockets might be able to do something very rare in the preseason.
Start with a three-guard lineup: Josh Christopher, Jalen Green and Daishen Nix. Put Usman Garuba at forward, put Alperen Sengun at center.
It adds up to five teens on the floor.
There are no fewer than 21 teens on NBA rosters as training camps begin Tuesday, including five Rockets and a trio of 18-year-olds &mdash; Golden State&rsquo;s Jonathan Kuminga, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Josh Giddey and San Antonio&rsquo;s Joshua Primo.
Of those, Kuminga and Giddey will turn 19 before the regular season begins. Primo doesn&rsquo;t turn 19 until Dec. 24. He&rsquo;ll be 18 years, 300 days old when the Spurs open their season Oct. 20 against Orlando.
That means he&rsquo;s in line to become the youngest player in an NBA game in more than 15 years &mdash; Andrew Bynum was 18 years, 191 days old when he appeared in a playoff contest for the Los Angeles Lakers against Phoenix on May 6, 2006.
There have been four 18-year-olds to debut in the NBA since Bynum: Dragan Bender, Sekou Doumbouya, Devin Booker and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But technically, if Primo debuts before Nov. 17, he&rsquo;ll be younger than any of them were for their NBA regular-season games by a matter of days.
HOW THINGS CHANGE
It hasn&rsquo;t even been a year since the 2020 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat &mdash; they were played in October.
&ldquo;Feels like three years ago,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Lakers used 12 players in that series; of those, only LeBron James and Anthony Davis have remained with the team on an uninterrupted basis. Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard are back now, after playing elsewhere last season.
The Heat also used 12 players in that series; of those, only Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson remain in Miami.
It should be noted that in both cases, the Lakers (Talen Horton-Tucker) and the Heat (Udonis Haslem, Gabe Vincent) have had other players remain on the roster since those finals. They just didn&rsquo;t play in that title series inside the restart bubble at Walt Disney World.
PRESEASON PERSPECTIVE
The games that start Sunday when Brooklyn visits the Los Angeles Lakers mean, and this can&rsquo;t be stressed enough, absolutely nothing in terms of wins and losses.
Milwaukee went 0-3 in the preseason last year and won the NBA title. Phoenix went 0-4 in the preseason last year and went to the NBA Finals.
The only team in the last 25 years that had the best record in the preseason and went on to win the NBA crown was Golden State in 2016-17.
FINALLY, HOME
For Raptors fans in Toronto, the wait is nearly over.
The team plays at home next week. Really at home, that is.
For the first time since Feb. 28, 2020, the Raptors will play a game in Toronto when they open their preseason schedule against Philadelphia. Only a handful of players and staff remain from that team, so the Raptors are having camp in Toronto instead of going elsewhere in Canada &mdash; as they&rsquo;ve done often in recent years.
Toronto called Tampa, Florida, home last season because of the pandemic.
&ldquo;We thought it was really important to re-establish our base here and get everyone familiar with the city,&rdquo; Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said. &ldquo;A lot of our players, a lot of our staff, haven&rsquo;t been here, so we thought that was really important for us to do that.&rdquo;

The first practices in the NBA are here, with teams hitting the floor on Tuesday to formally begin getting ready for the 2021-22 campaign.

6 things to watch for as NBA training camps are set to open

The career arc of John Wall has made yet another turn. After being traded to the Houston Rockets last offseason for Russell Westbrook, Wall is now set to join his third team in as many seasons. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania, Wall and the Rockets&rsquo; front office have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-houston-rockets-mutually-agree-to-work-out-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed upon him being active in training camp, but sitting out games as they try to move him</a>. It's the logical next step in a massive tear-down rebuild, which was put into motion with the James Harden blockbuster eight months ago to this day.
Wall was the salary-filler needed to move Westbrook &mdash; who was a part of another star backcourt combination that didn&rsquo;t work out alongside Harden &mdash; but the former has also has served a pivotal role to the current version of Houston&rsquo;s roster. As the veteran on a tanking team, Wall embraced his leadership role to its full extent, being a guiding voice for young prospects. Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals last season in Houston.
However, following unfortunate injury luck related to a torn Achilles tendon, Wall simply doesn&rsquo;t look the same as he did in his prime years being the face of the Washington Wizards franchise. For years, Wall was the most electric point guard in the Association thanks to his quickness and explosiveness towards the basket. At 31 years old, Wall's performances have taken a dip from an average efficiency mark to an abysmal one. Wall shot a career-low 40.4%, including a 50.3% True Shooting percentage clip &mdash; the worst since his rookie campaign in 2010-11.
Wall just doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline for the Rockets, who are ready to embrace their youth movement head-on. No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green headlines an enticing core of prospects in Houston. Alongside Green, Kevin Porter Jr. will help <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">form an entertaining backcourt</a> filled to the brim with hot creation ability. Rookies Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba will join Jae'Sean Tate to make up a promising trio of bigs. First-year swingman Josh Christopher and Kenyon Martin Jr. also add their fun mix to the wing rotation.&nbsp;
Wall will still be around the team until a deal happens (if that ever comes to pass with the negative value associated with his remaining $91.7 million through 2022-23). Being a valuable mentor for Green and Porter will only be a positive for Houston&rsquo;s long-term outcome, and learning from a dynamic point guard like Wall certainly helps the future outlook for not only Green, but also Porter.
This could become a new trend for players on good terms with their organizations, only when it&rsquo;s apparently obvious a deal is best for both sides. Kevin Love&rsquo;s situation in Cleveland could be the next Wall-like story to surface in the NBA rumor mill soon enough.
But who would be interested in taking on Wall&rsquo;s contract? Houston would have to surrender some draft capital, being the immediate &ldquo;losers&rdquo; of the trade. When canvassing the landscape, very few fits bubble to the surface. However, there&rsquo;s a small possibility for the following three organizations.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Any time a player with a bad contract becomes available, Oklahoma City is No. 1 on any potential destination. The Thunder are not being shy about their intentions over the next few years &mdash; stockpile as many draft picks as possible to take swings on high upside prospects to build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Acquiring Wall would be an interesting move for a Thunder team who just invested heavy draft capital in the backcourt (Josh Giddey, Tre Mann), but we can never rule them out in a scenario like this. If Houston offers any future draft compensation to general manager Sam Presti, he would bite.
Wall would form a fun backcourt alongside SGA while also serving in the mentor role he just exited in Houston. If Wall were to rebuild his value for a year with the Thunder, Presti would be able to potentially receive some positive value in return next offseason.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: John Wall, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Derrick Favors, Isaiah Roby or Gabriel Deck
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Dallas has been in the market for a point guard. Whether it be Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry or Spencer Dinwiddie, the Mavs have sniffed around adding another ball-handler who could take pressure off Luka Doncic. Wall isn&rsquo;t the perfect fit next to Dallas&rsquo; young phenom &mdash; who&rsquo;s an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mvp-odds-analyzing-the-top-5-candidates-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP favorite entering his fourth season</a> &mdash; but they could make it work. Wall allows Doncic to play more off-ball, and the veteran can cut to the basket and attack off signature Luka dimes.
In order to make the salaries work, Kristaps Porzingis would be heading to Houston or another team who gets involved. Porzingis hasn&rsquo;t been the No. 2 option Dallas had hoped for when they went all-in on him a few years ago. This would certainly be one way to shake things up entirely for the Mavs. A potential starting lineup of Doncic, Wall, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell with Reggie Bullock as the sixth man is a fun thought.
Dallas Mavericks receive: John Wall, Usman Garuba or Alperen Sengun, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Brown, Willie Cauley-Stein
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
This is where it gets super wacky in terms of hypothetical Wall trades. Currently, Wall&rsquo;s fit with the Spurs makes no sense. However, what about a convoluted four-team trade featuring the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns as well?
Here&rsquo;s the entire framework of a crazy four-teamer I spitballed in my head:
Houston Rockets receive: Ben Simmons, Isaiah Joe, Daquan Jeffries
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Jakob Poetl, Al-Farouq Aminu, multiple future first-round picks
Phoenix Suns receive: Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks
San Antonio Spurs receive: John Wall, Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, Paul Reed
That&rsquo;s the only way I could ever fathom Wall entering San Antonio&rsquo;s odd attempt of trying to thread the needle with competing and tanking simultaneously. With a young combination of guards spearheading their core, the Spurs are on pace to be a top-five team in lottery odds at the end of next season. Also, Simmons landing in Houston to lead its young core is a somewhat unrealistic, insane thought to have as well.
As you can see, there will likely not be many takers on Wall. It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds for Wall and the Rockets.
Are we looking at an imminent deal for Wall, or one that lasts all the way until the NBA trade deadline in February?

When canvassing the NBA landscape, does any team make sense for John Wall? Evan Sidery looks at possible landing spots.