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Why these Houston Rockets Summer League hot takes need to stop!
Jul 13, 2022, 11:12 am
Let's not rush to judgement. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images.
Every year, in every sport, there's an offseason. Every year, in every sport, there's some sort of rookie draft. And every year, there are some superlatives placed on said rookies to one end or the other. They're either proclaimed to be a future Hall of Famer, or they're the next biggest bust. Fans overreact. Haters do too. But when the media does it, that sends things into overdrive? Why? Because too many of you will take the opinion of a media member and pass it along as an unquestionable fact. Once that gets cycled enough times, people stop asking questions and assume it's all real because they've heard it too many times from too many places. This is far too common in sports.
Here we are in the midst of the NBA's Summer League (the annual showcase of rookies and young players post-draft) and it's happening again! The Rockets' rookies are getting it from different sides. Most specifically Jabari Smith Jr and Tari Eason. The numbers three and seventeen overall picks respectively in this past draft have garnered the most talk on the team this year. While the talk about Eason has been overly positive, most of the talk about Smith Jr hasn't. The extremes have gone from Eason being the next great two-way player, to Smith Jr being an average role player that got over drafted.
Could two things be true. Absolutely. Are these two extremes true? Hell naw! Eason is a really good player. He could end up being the steal of this draft. Smith Jr isn't nearly as bad as those opinions would have you think. They've both had their moments to shine and not look so good. Eason has had more consistent performances (a double-double in all three games so far), but Smith Jr has shined as well. Smith Jr has shown the IQ on the defensive end that made him a threat to be taken number one overall. His offensive repertoire has been on display, but hasn't fully been put out there for all to see. Eason has shown his hustle and all-around ability. His scrappy, yet athletic style will fit right in on this team. Both guys have the ability to contribute on the court, and be a presence on both ends.
The effusive praise and overwhelming criticism have got to stop. These guys are playing against players who may not even make the G League. Sure, there are fellow rookies out there, but most of the Summer League rosters are camp bodies (players brought in to fill preseason rosters and burn reps). Giving a gold jacket to a preseason Hall of Famer is a saying in the NFL. One can look very good playing against lower-level competition. The key is to observe a player's skill set and see how it can translate to minutes in the rotation when playing alongside and against much better competition. I have no doubt both of these guys will contribute to the Rockets' success the next few years. So will Josh Christopher, who's been a star in the Summer League for the Rockets. We have to give these kids a chance. Too many of us are conditioned to the microwave dinner and have lost sight of the home-cooked meal. That home-cooked meal is full of love and ingredients you know where they all came from for the most part. Those microwave meals are loaded with fats and all kinds of bad stuff for you. One gives you instant fulfillment, while the other takes your gratification on a journey before the payoff. Not everything comes in the stroke of a few keys on your phone. Some things have to be built by hand.
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Rich Eisen lays out how Stefon Diggs trade will impact Texans next season
Apr 19, 2024, 3:03 pm
Impersonal as it might seem to have their dynamic on-field relationship end with an exchange of phone texts, Bills quarterback Josh Allen made it clear on Thursday how much receiver Stefon Diggs meant to him during their four seasons together in Buffalo.
Allen made no mention of Diggs’ mercurial temperament or the occasional sideline flare-ups by expressing only praise in his first opportunity to discuss his now-former teammate being traded to the Houston Texans earlier this month.
“Just thanking him for everything that he did for me, and (I’ll) always have a spot in my heart for him. I’ll always love that guy like a brother. And I wish him nothing but the best,” Allen said, in disclosing what he texted to Diggs. “My lasting memory of Stef will be the receiver that helped me become the quarterback that I am today.”
Brought together in March 2020, when Buffalo gave up a first-round draft pick to acquire Diggs in a trade with Minnesota, the duo went on to re-write many of Buffalo's single-season passing and scoring records, and lead the team to four straight AFC East titles.
Diggs, now 30, also brought an inescapable sense of drama with him in raising questions about his commitment to the Bills and whether his tight relationship with Allen had soured.
A day before being traded, Diggs posted a message, “You sure?” on the social media platform X in response to someone suggesting he wasn’t essential to Allen’s success.
Whatever hard feelings, if any, lingered as Buffalo opened its voluntary workout sessions this week were not apparent from Allen or coach Sean McDermott, who also addressed reporters for the first time since Diggs was traded.
“Stef’s a great player, really enjoyed our time together. Won a lot of games and he was a huge factor in winning those games. We’ll miss him,” McDermott said. “You never replace a player like Stef Diggs, and we wish him well.”
Allen turned his focus to the future and a Bills team that spent much of the offseason retooling an aging and expensive roster.
Aside from trading Diggs, salary cap restrictions led to Buffalo cutting respected center Mitch Morse, the breakup of a veteran secondary that had been together since 2017, and the team unable to afford re-signing No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.
“I don’t think it’s a wrong thing or a bad thing to get younger,” said Allen, entering his seventh NFL season. “I think it’s an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader. And to bring along some of these young guys and new guys that we’ve brought in to our team. And that’s an opportunity, frankly, that I’m very excited about."
Despite the departures, the Bills offense is not exactly lacking even though general manager Brandon Beane is expected to target selecting a receiver with his first pick — currently 28th overall — in the draft next week.
Receiver Khalil Shakir enters his third year and tight end Dalton Kincaid enter his second following promising seasons. Buffalo also added veteran experience in signing free agent receiver Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins.
While Beane acknowledged the Bills lack a true No. 1 receiver, he noted there’s less urgency to fill that spot now than in 2020 because of how much the offense has developed under Allen.
“Now that Josh has ascended to the player he is, is that a requirement? I don’t think so,” Beane said.
Diggs’ role also began diminishing in the second half of last season, which coincided with Joe Brady replacing Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator. Brady placed an emphasis on adding balance to a pass-heavy attack and getting more receivers involved, which led to an uptick in production for Shakir and Kincaid.
While Diggs’ numbers dropped, Buffalo’s win total increased.
With the Bills at 6-6, Diggs ranked third in the NFL with 83 catches, seventh with 969 yards and tied for third with eight TDs receiving. Buffalo then closed the season with five straight wins in which Diggs combined for 24 catches for 214 yards and no scores.
”(Diggs) meant a lot. You look at the statistics, they don’t lie,” Allen said, in referring to Diggs topping 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo. “I don’t get paid to make changes on the team. I get paid to be the best quarterback that I can be and try to lead the guys on this team.”