Also, the Rockets are primed to just draft another wing in the upcoming draft since they are likely not going to be a top 2 pick to get Wemby or Scoot so they might be more open to moving on from him than most people expect. They have Tari Eason as well as you mention. I do love KJ but yeah I feel like he's always going to be demanding more and more and this team can't give it to him. Obviously Green, Bari, Sengun, even KPJ, come before he does. He's always just going to be a role player here.
if he wants to go, then kenyon martin should be out trying to convince other teams to give up a 1st round pick and trade for his son.
It is well known that KMJ wants out, he has asked out several times already. His dad has no confidence in the Rockets coaching staff. The Rockets can hold onto him, but there is a real chance that he eventually forces himself out. Perhaps it gets better when Gordon is dealt, but no guarantees. I have been his biggest fan, but I don't think that he is really a long term solution.
He is role player, not great, but decent. He seems to be on a positive trajectory, but still has several flaws that may keep him on the bench or may eventually start for a couple of years. I like KJ. I want him to start as well since I think these years should be the ones we experiment with line ups, but definitely not going to be heartbroken if we lose him. I would like to keep him though because you still need role players in this league.
Somebody brought it up but no contending team out there will give him 39 minutes. He’s a specialist role player. The teams he looking for are most likely rebuilding teams at the beginning of the process(like the one he’s on). He’s not a defensive 3 or d and he can’t facilitate, so what reason would a team have to give him 30 minutes. He’s a e ergy guy. Lie I said if you can find a team to give up an unprotected FRP pick for him then do it
Some people are mad about this, but I would be happy to see EGo traded and KMJ starting. I won't declare what KMJ's ceiling is but he's playing better this year and I wouldn't be upset if we got to see 40ish games with him as a starter so we get a better idea of who he is.
The org messed this up - this was the risk holding on to EG for a 1st - you were risking not finding out what you have in KJ. Now you have to decide what to do with KJ before you really can assess him, because you didn't give him enough minutes.
I think KJ has a ceiling of mid level talent... decent starter... not really an all-star... at this point in the game... we're taking swings at higher potential upsides... and hoping for a dinger or two... if he was cool... and wanted to stick around to be a 'glue guy' and vie for the starting job - fine... im good with him potentially on a Tate deal or a bit better... but if he thinks he's all that... and can make demands... then he's an outgoing asset as far as I'm concerned... I'm hoping we swing at least 1 notable trade - off season or before (either disgruntled star or guaranteeing Wemby or scoot)... i'd like to consolidate our current 'assets' (Ego, KJ, whoever) into that trade... Ego becomes a zero asset at the end of the year and i dont foresee KJ's value taking some huge jump... so i'd think grabbing whatever draft revenue we can - and opening up the minutes for the kids now - would be beneficial... i dont know if we wanna try to swing a deal for a needle mover while were tanking... so turning kj into draft revenue to be used in the off season may be the way to go... imo...
Agreed -- nothing in this story to make you feel any different about anything than if they'd never written it.
There are currently 3 players on the team who are surefire capable starters. One of them is Gordon who will be traded. The Rockets are currently a collection of bench players that think they should start.
Once KMJ gets his wish of getting traded I don't think he will care if he starts or comes off the bench.
