- Patrick Beverley is now shooting 49% from deep on the year, after another stellar performance in his return to action Saturday night. That figure certainly won’t hold, but I’m curious to see how far his accuracy regresses. Recall that since last summer, after a year in which Beverley shot 36% on 3’s, I penciled in Beverley’s magic number as 39%, saying if the point guard could just simply raise his percentage by that small margin, he’d be the ideal fit at the position next to James Harden, long term. While many disagree, I think I still stand by that point. Beverley knows his role, takes few risks and manages the game, is of course one of the best defenders in the league, and is perhaps the emotional leader of this team. If he’s spreading the floor, what more could you ask for from that position? Wouldn’t it be better to have someone who is happy expending 100% of his energy on defense rather than someone who possibly might not be happy with his number of touches?
- It’s an important question going forward for the team with Beverley’s impending free agency this summer. And don’t look now, but New Orleans is now 9-10, having fallen to last place in the southwest division. Many, including myself, feared the Pelicans might make the playoffs this season after witnessing the frightening dominance of Anthony Davis in the season’s first week. Those concerns are proving to have been premature as not only is New Orleans behind the current top 8 teams, but they are also playing catch up to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ultimately, that means the Rockets are pretty good odds to have a late lottery pick sent their way this summer. And that matter ties in with the issue of Beverley.
- What do you do with the pick? Watching this team navigate the waters of the young season, its still abundantly clear that their most pressing need is frontcourt help. But who is even available? Paul Millsap was the hope all along, but with Atlanta off to a 14-6 start, with the second best record in the east, such an acquisition would seem to be a longshot at very best. Hawks ownership has historically been content with mediocrity, so no amount of mental gymnastics as to what the Hawks should do won’t change reality. As long as that team is in playoff contention, it is difficult to see them dealing off key pieces. And if I could even think of a desirable backup big, other than Brandon Bass, that guy probably wouldn’t be worth a lottery pick.
- Point guard was the other need heading into the year, with the big name being Goran Dragic, who is back to putting up MVP numbers with Isaiah Thomas out of the lineup. Despite Phoenix’s relative success on the year, unlike Atlanta, that management group has operated much more rationally, so a trade of a key part isn’t out of the question. But does a Dragic acquisition really make sense? Perhaps I’m too clouded by Houston’s latest run, but say the package ends up being Terrence Jones and the pick (and maybe Canaan), has Houston really improved itself long term and made the maximum use of its assets? To be sure, Dragic is absolutely terrific. But part of why Houston is off to one of its best starts in franchise history is because there is a clear pecking order with every player not only buying in, but embracing his role. Like Harden, Dragic needs the ball in his hands; as I said earlier, Beverley is more than happy expending every ounce of his energy merely being a pest to the other team.
- And what do we make of continuity? We’ve seen the Warriors and Grizzlies take major leaps, bringing back the same core they’ve run for years. Replacing Beverley with a star offsets the stability this team has built. But again, beyond replacing a major piece, Beverley, in many ways, is the heart and soul of this Rockets team. And now with their newfound emphasis on defense, he is the exaggerated personification of their core identity. In my mind, I want the image of the Houston Rockets to be Patrick Beverley flying around the perimeter, with Trevor Ariza on the other wing, and Dwight Howard waiting inside to clean up everything. That to me is beautiful basketball.
- But again, what to do with the pick? You can’t just hold onto it, I don’t think. Despite the early contributions of Nick Johnson and Isaiah Canaan, you can’t bring on another rookie next season. You need to be all in now, at least in as far as it doesn’t cripple your future.
- Perhaps I’m just on an emotional high after the recent string of victories, and getting Dragic makes the most sense. For all Beverley brings to the table, having another attack dog like Dragic in a playoff series would make worlds of difference.
- I tweeted the other night that at 16-4, Houston is on pace to win 65 games, a mark that would shatter their franchise best 58-24 record from the 1993-1994 season. They won’t win 65, but can they crack 60, I asked. Most of you responded that they wouldn’t, predicting a mark in the mid 50’s. I personally am not sure where I stand. On the one hand, as many of you stated, as thin as Houston is, they’ll wear out at some point and hit a rough patch. On the other hand, they’ll be that much stronger once everyone else comes back. They also are winning with the most replicable brand of ball: they’re not just getting hot from the field; they’re shutting teams out defensively. That bodes well for the long haul.
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