“Let’s Talk Houston Rockets” – Amen Thompson Named NBA All-Defensive First Team

“Let’s Talk Houston Rockets” – Amen Thompson Named NBA All-Defensive First Team

[Music] What’s up everyone? How are you doing out there? It’s Saturday evening or Sunday if you’re in New New Zealand like some of the viewers are. Welcome to this edition of Let’s Talk Houston Rockets. The Houston Round Ball Review presents Let’s Talk Houston Rockets. I am of course KG Chris Gardner, owner of the Houston Round Ball Review. Doing something a little bit different today before game three of the OKC Minnesota series. See if Minnesota can get off the snide and win a game in the series. Make it a series. If not, get out the broom. But just want to talk up with uh Yep. Justin, not too random. Thursday’s high noon is to take over. Postgame shows at the Rockets. That’s after the Rocket games. So, this one’s kind of different. This is random. But other than that, we’ll be back to uh doing folks talking sports on Sunday, Sunday evening. Me, Kenitra, Willie Gibson, and Kim Davis are going to talk some sports. Getting the some of the band back together for that. So, tune in on this YouTube channel. We’re going to talk sports on Sunday. Some college, some pro, mix in a little bit different things. NBA, NFL, football, maybe some baseball, who knows? But notice this, this streaming platform has a beta test going on. got the uh comments chat box in the right side of the screen that you can see on the screen. I’m curious as to why they started doing that because the platform I use on Thursdays has that feature and I began using it like a month ago and then lo and behold, this platform has a chat box on on it. So, who knows? But you know how we do it. I just roll with the punches. Here we go with it. I just wanted to do a theme. This today’s show is really a theme. So I may do may steal some of my colleagues thunder and do some more frequent rocket shows based on news that happens for the Rockets on that day or may do more folks talking sports shows and talk sports in general uh the rest of this these next few weeks, rest of this year. Who knows? But Solar, how are you doing? Thank you as always for chiming in for the discussion. And uh today’s tonight’s or the theme of this show is to salute the young man who I believe and you guys believe I think this award will be the first of many he’s going to receive in his NBA career. Assuming he stays healthy and has good health and has a long career. I want to give this man his flowers. A man Thompson named NBA alldefensive first team. You see that right there? So, salute to him. Just want to give him his flowers. So, that’s what we’re going to talk about for the most part on this show. I touched on some Rockets conversation on Thursday on the takeover. May get into that, but the whole point of this particular episode is to salute a man Thompson, give him his his kudos, his props. He it’s welld deserved. I think he should have got more honors for hell. I think he should have been one of the three finalists for the defensive player of the year. He didn’t. But more from the press release. Thursday, the NBA announced that Houston Rockets guard forward Amen Thompson was named NBA alldefensive first team. He is the fifth different player in franchise history to have been selected to an alldefensive first team. A Hakee five times. surprisingly only five for Dream, Rody McCrae, Scotty Pippen, and Pat Bev. Patrick Beverly Thompson is the ninth player in NBA history and the seventh who didn’t come from the ABA to have made an alldefensive first team in either the first or second season of a career. Walt Frasier in his second season in ‘ 68 69. Don Bu who I don’t don’t know much about him at all and Bobby Jones in their first two NBA seasons after coming from the ABA in 7677 and 7778. Michael Ray Richardson in his second season and that is how he spells the first name. Yes, it is like that. In 8081, David the Admiral Robinson in his second season in 1991. Tim Duncan in his second season in 1989. Evan Mobley in his second season in 2022 23 and Wimi in his rookie season last year. Well, excuse me, 23 24. A man is also the seventh player who was 22 or younger for the majority of a season to be named all NBA all defensive first team. Excuse me, jumping ahead myself there. Visualizing Houston allowed the sixth fewest points this season, 109.9 points per game, and ranked sixth in field goal defense, 45.9. Thompson had the lowest defensive field goal percentage, 40.7 of players with more than 10 games played who defended at least nine shots per game. He also ranked 10th in defensive rating for players who average at least 30 minutes played. This past season, Thompson averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.41 steals, and 1.29 blocks. He stuffed that stat sheet, folks. He became the first player with at least 10 games played in a season. That’s a hell of a stat. at least 10 games played in a season to have averaged at least 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks since AD did it in 2019 2020. From the start of January, Thompson was one of four players with at least 10 games played to have averaged at least 15 points per game, nine point nine rebounds, and five assists per game along with Giannis, the Joker, and Damontis Sabonis. Thompson was the first player to have reached his total of points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a season since Giannis in 201718. He is also the first player to have reached his totals of points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks through the first 131 games of a career since CEB Chris Weber. You can tell that info is from the Rockets PR department. Stats chalk full of stats saluting their player Houston Rockets own Am Thompson joining him on that team. Dyson Daniels, Lugans Dorton. Finally, Lugans getting some shine on the first team. Draymond Green, Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson. Those five made the alldefensive first team, second team, Tammani Kamar, Rudy Gobear, Triple J, Jiren Jackson Jr., Jaylen Williams, and I visa Zubac. Some stout defensive players right there. Slit to all 10 of them for making defensive teams. Y’all know defense is important to me. So, kudos to all of them, even that guy in the Bay Area. Yeah, that that guy that guy in the Bay Area. That’s all I’m going to say about that guy. So, but that’s what I wanted to do. Give a man his flowers. Give him some shine. Talk about him on on this show. Your thoughts on it. Mr. Tran, thank you. This is different for you. Tran Tran, I miss you on Thursday. Usually you chime in. Last few Thursdays you chimed in on the takeover, but thank you for joining. He’s saying don’t trade for Giannis depending on who it is. I’m disagree. But that’s all right. It’s all good here on this show. But now back to get this back on the screen here. But the hope for Justin is a man ceiling is Kawhi Leonard. That’d be great. That’d be superb. Solo, I think Tari or Jabari can make it next season. Tar gonna have to play a lot a lot of minutes consistently for that. You know, it’s got to be at least 65 games, too. So, I’m not sure he’s going to do that. Hopefully. But, uh that’s a lot. And and from a Piston perspective, I think a certain Thompson might jump ahead of Tar and Jabari for next year’s team. So, there might be two Thompson on the team next year. Wouldn’t that be something? That’d probably be a first that brothers make the all defensive teams. How about that? Assar Thompson and Amen Thompson. Assuming they stay healthy, both of them should be all defense for quite a while because both of them are tremendous competitors on defense. And then they have the the skill set and the will to defend and the learning how to be better defensive players as well. It’s all part of the process also. But Tran is talking about Shingun Brook Smith or no trades. Yeah, I know about all that right there. Uh Justin says this, put it on screen. Folks were shopping around the idea that idea that Jaylen Brown would finally come to the Rockets for Eay. But with Tatum probably missing all next season, Brown isn’t going anywhere now. Agreed. Most likely Boston’s probably they’re going to make other moves to free up some some room and lighten their tax burden and and avoid paying having a team payroll of half a billion dollars. So, they’re probably going to do some things and Jaylen Brown probably won’t be traded, but you might see uh Drew Holiday, the old man might be gone, too. So, you three or four different guys from Boston might be gone. We’ll see what they’re going to do. Ownership, how they’re going to play things out, handle things. But that’s might be a good thing for other teams. Any thought on who was it? Who was it who said one of the reports? We talked about it before. I haven’t changed. I don’t believe y’all have changed about any Giannis trade proposals including Amin Thompson. No. Rockets just hang up the phone. Referral should just hang up the phone. No. No. Not doing it. Shame. It’s nice of you to ask, but but we’re not doing that. Thank you very much. You want someone else? How about this person? How about that person? Because we’re not trading a man. That’s what we’re felt. No. No. No. And trend. There’s no way Jiannis is overrated. No. No way. No. How Yiannis is overrated. No way. And and Giannis is getting some of the treatment that a big guy like Shaq got back in his day when Shaq was in shape. Shaq was, you know, so dominant. Well, all he does is is dunk. He all he does is is score from within two feet and stop him. If he’s so overrated, stop him. No one folks can stop Shaq. Folks can stop Giannis. The job is to get the ball in the hoop. I don’t I don’t care if you taking If you can take a dunk, a one-footer all day, do it. That is the highest percentage shot in the NBA. Would it be nice if he and he’s worked on his jumper? It has improved three-point shot. I don’t want I don’t want sevenfooter taking threes. If they can get down on the block and get a dunk or a layup or a three-pointer for a teammate. Yeah, it’s nice to see cat shooting threes. Good for him. And making them at a decent clip, he can score on the block and get a three-point play that way. I’m I’m old school. I’m not changing that. I don’t Hey, I want other guys to shoot threes at a high clip. I want guys to get to the free throw line, attack the bucket. That’s what I want. Now, Giannis become a better free throw shooter. He can do that. That’s one thing he needs to do. Sure. Solo says he thinks Rocket fans that don’t want Giannis are because of what Harden said about him. Consider the source. consider the source. And folks, Giannis, what is it? 30 points, double figure rebounds, six assists, and shot 60% from the floor. He’s done it twice. No one in the history of the NBA has done that. Twice. Twice. Boy, come on now. He makes it easy for everybody else. And hey, that’s a that’s a nice problem to have. Justin with despite some contractual uncertainty, the working assumption among NBA executives for is for Fred. Oh yeah, Fred’s taking a pay cut. Fred’s taking a pay cut. Yeah, get a longer contract. Fred’s taking a pay cut. No doubt Fred’s taking a pay cut. Fred wants to stay in Houston. The Rockets want him to stay in Houston. Well, to do that, they’re going to come to an agreement on a better contract for the franchise. That’s that was going to happen. That was known for months. Naen, how are you? Naen, thank you for chiming in. Appreciate you. She want Na wants KD. [Music] You might you’re in a small group. You’re not alone, but you’re in a small group of Rocket fans who want KD Kevin Durant on this team. But you know, Tran Wimby can’t get the Spurs to the playoffs. He had a blood clot last half of the season. I mean, he didn’t play and they probably would have made the play in if he would didn’t have the blood clot. But you know, it’s all discussion here on this edition of Let’s Talk Houston Rockets. Naen, don’t be a stranger. Tell your friends about this show. Tell your friends about uh the Houston Round Ball Review YouTube channel. It’s not just Rockets here on this channel, though. They are Rocket Devoted channels. Y’all can go to those. That’s That’s good. But the media group here for the Houston round bar review talks about hoops, rockets, Cougs, college, NFL with the Texans, my man AD Moore, and we’re going to be at the Big 12 Football Media Day in July. I won’t be there, but the round the Round Ball Review will be represented. And hopefully we’ll be on podcast row. So, think about that. Little old Houston round ball review on podcast row radio row for the Big 12 at football media day. Yes, that’s right. Football media day. That’s respect. All right. Justin states the only way they get KD is if they think they can win it all next year. Besides that, he doesn’t fit the timeline. I agree with what you say. It depends on who has final say or fail has final say. Justin, you’re probably correct. If Tilman says, guys, I hear what you’re saying. It’s Kevin Durant. I’ve been an owner for a long, long time. I believe he’s the final piece. He’s not, but I believe he’s the final piece to get get us over the hump and win a chip. So, if the ambassador to Italy has final say, well, who knows? And see, Justin, you said it right there. He he wants to keep that’s part of it too. And he he also wants to win a championship. I’m not saying that he’s has stated privately or changed his going back to his ways from a few years ago before the tanking and once he’s you know wants that superstar you know at all cost I don’t believe he’s gone back to that mindset but if he does KD shrinks the Rocket’s timeline for chips to about two years. Rockets timeline right now is what, five or six now. They need to stay competitive and keep up with OKC, San Antonio, and probably Minnesota. I’m not worried about, you know, think about Golden State and and their two-year timeline. Yeah, whatever. Whatever. Steve Kerr and Steph, bless God. God bless you. Lakers, not really. No, they got to make changes as well. Denver’s improve their bench. Put them back in there cuz Joker’s getting is in his prime. But Justin, Tren, Solo, Naen, do y’all believe that the Rockets should make a wise trade or two, signing, what have you? to improve the roster, not Stan Pat, but also improve the roster to keep up with other teams in the West like OKC, like the Spurs and like Minnesota, the other young guns in the West. Halun, thank you for chiming in. Appreciate you. That’s a become over become a consistent contributor. Thank you for joining the discussion. Best trade for the Rockets would be Hallebert not going anywhere. Donna Mitchell not going anywhere. I’ll ask Willie Gibson about him tomorrow on folks talk sports. But Dom not going anywhere. No. Made all NBA first team. What was the first team? Uh he’s not going anywhere. No. No. No. No. No. Jamal Sh not going anywhere maybe for a year. Nadem believes the Rocket should make a trade or two. Solo. Whoops. Solo states, “I can see them trading the 10th pick for a win now player.” Who you got in mind, Solo? You know I’m going to ask you that question. Who you got in mind? Who topped your list for that win now player? Justin, thing is the West is getting better and the other teams in Texas are getting better. Should the Rockets make some type of move to stay competitive or can they be a top team in the West again? They got to, in my opinion, they have to make a move. They have to make a move of some sort. Not too complicated states. Welcome, welcome, welcome again. Always good to see you. The Rockets are just missing a consistent scoreer. Walter Clayton would be a perfect pick. Not at 10. That’s kind of high. Not saying he’s not a good fit, but I don’t believe that he’ll be there. Two. 10 is too high. JRX, good to hear from you as well or see you. trade decision based on who leaves a current roster. Tony. Tony wants a move. Absolutely. Make a move. If not, they’ll be trash with a team or role players and doesn’t take long for teams to figure out figure each other out. I think not too complicated. Agrees with you. Solo on this person, Cam Johnson. Right, Commator? That’s your guy, right? Rockets need a shooter to spread the floor in that 10th pick. Who you got in my Let me see if I can do this, fellas. Let me see here. Get this right in case I did not see this. This is part of This was part of Thursday’s show since 2000. Oh, no. That’s right. You want Cam Thomas. My fault. You want You You want Cam Thomas? Excuse me. That’s right. My bad. You want Cam Thomas. That’s right. It’s my fault. Since 2000, take a look at this list. These are the guys who were picked 10th the last 25 drafts. Keon Dueling, Iso Joe, Karan Butler, Jarvis Hayes, Luke Jackson, Andrew Binham, Mohamd Cena, I don’t remember him at all. Spencer Halls, Brooke Lopez, Brandon Jennings, Paul George, Jimma Fredette, Austin Rivers, CJ McCollum, Alfred Payeyton, Justice Winslow, Don Maker, Zack Collins, Male Bridges, Cam Reddish, Jaylen Smith, Zia Williams, Johnny Davis, Kase Wallace, Cody Williams, Seeing those names, what does that do for you and the Rockets at 10? What does that do? Does it give you hope? Does make it shaky? Oh, man. Does No. No. No. No. Uh, let’s see. Justice got hurt. Justice never improved. Justice, I’m not sure. What? Justice, didn’t he get traded from the Heat to Memphis and then somewhere else? I’m sure he’s in the league anymore. That’s a good question. Solo states, so basically Paul George and role players and some of them not even role players. Tony asks, “Any champs on that list? Did uh Andrew Bayham win the championship?” Maybe, maybe the Lakers won and he didn’t play a lot. I think that might have been him. Maybe. I think he might have won. Uh Joe Johnson, I sold Joe. Yep. He was He had talent. But out of this list, does it give you hope or pause for the Rockets keeping the 10th pick in next month’s NBA draft? Do you believe that the Rockets will find someone who can make an impact? I’m not even asking for someone, you know, when Paul George was in his prime, but do y’all believe that the 10th pick, well, let me go right. The 10th pick will be someone who will be part of the rotation next year. I think that’s the question that needs answering. So, should the Rockets keep the 10th pick? And will that 10th pick be someone who can crack the rotation? Jimmer is a 3×3 guy, 3×3 guy, and college legend. He can never get over the hump. Agreed. He just retired. Yep. Stayed playing in China. Yeah. But do y’all See in that list, keep the 10th pick. Naen states we need to trade 10th pick and a few others to get shooters. Naen wants shooters. Tony Tony states wish we could sue the NBA for screwing us. Solo. If Canipple or Malach Malouch falls to 10, then you draft them. If not, then trade the pick. All right, Solo. I’ll go back to it again. Justin says, “No, got to trade it away. Need shooters.” Naen, I don’t believe you were part of the discussion from maybe two shows prior. Would you or the folks who might have missed the previous conversation? Do y’all want the Rockets to trade up in the draft to get Kanipple or I think would help solve that lack of shooting problem. comicated said the Rockets should just go after Jaylen Brown. You know, call Boston and see what they want. Yes, Jason Tatum’s going to be out for most of the year, if not all of it, next season. You probably have to trade more now without Tatum to get Jaylen Brown than you would with Jaylen Brown, but call anyway. WK, how are you doing? Good to see you. Would I trade some picks and salary filler for Derek White, Drew Holiday? Make the call. See what they want because they’re going to have to free up some lighten that that payroll load. Boston staring at half a billion dollar in payroll. $500 million team payroll without making changes. Al Horford probably gonna go. Drew Holiday. I can see Drew going. The older guys with Boston are going. I don’t see Boston giving up. Derek White really giving up Jaylen Brown. They should give him a hell of offer. Now you make give him a hell of offer then. Who knows? But that hell of an offer probably would break up the Rocket’s core because yeah, it would take a lot. I would assume it take a lot to get Jaylen Brown. Naen says Naen straight up just need to do something. Although she does like Derek White. And it’s going to be interesting what what Boston decides to do. What what direction they decide to go complicated. you. I admire your persistence. I do. I do. Oh, wow. I I do. Uh let’s see. Solo with if Jabari works on his handle, he might be an allstar. That’s because of the competition up front in the front court. You’d have to really really step up his game. But he just needs to improve his handle to help the Rockets. Jaylen Brown makes a lot of money. Guys who make all NBA make make a lot of money. You know, Kate Cunningham’s about to start making $55 million a season, something like that for making 13. Got a boost in pay a $9 million per season raise the next five years. Good living, boy. That’s good living. Justin, we all know Tatum is a guy in Boston. Yeah. But if Jaylen stays, he will have to show his worth without Jason. It’s a heavy load. I mean, you know, like I said, it’s Boston has a lot of questions they need to answer. Derek White would be a he’d be a good fit. Just don’t see him happening. Don’t see it happening. WK going a different route. Peyton Pritchard, even though I think Peyton Pritchard is under contract as well, so I don’t see the Rockets getting him in a trade, seeing Boston trade him. Now that I think about it, I’m glad Shenon didn’t make all NBA because he would have to pay him a lot more money. Yeah. I mean, it’s a bump in pay. Yeah, because Kade Cunningham was already set to get the contract extension that he goes into effect this coming season. was already a allotted what was it like 45 million something like that and now it’s the allNBA honor it’s like 54 million and last year is like 60 million boy Mr. Big Texico how are you doing thank you very much get this one right here see Mr. Big text code says bring in Giannis Naen Chris Middleton a lot of money. Chris Middleton I think makes 30 million. He’s injured. Battled injuries. Not sure how much he has left. He’s I’m sure he’s going to opt into his that player option because he’s not he won’t get that much money anywhere else. Uh Chris probably know CZ McCollum might be maybe a little bit of an upgrade maybe not not enough in my opinion though it probably get someone for less money this uh right Bakito I didn’t say hi to you too I’m sorry Bakito Thank you very much for chiming in. Appreciate you always for joining the discussion from across the world. It’s going to take a lot to get Yiannis. Yep. Sure would. The new CBA. And I’m going to let you guys go before so we can go watch so so I can go watch Minnesota OKC. But I’m curious at the thought of why really both sides agree to the clause for players any players who are named to an allNBA team first, second or third team. Why they agreed to have those boosts in pay count toward the salary cap, the team cap. Just pay the player, you call it a bonus every year, whatever. Whatever. But you are penalizing the team and the player, not not the player, but the team for having great players have success. It’s great. You have a team have a player make all league, all NBA, first team, second team, third team, but it hurts the team salary cap. Why would I agree to that? Why have the money count toward the cap? I don’t I don’t I don’t understand that the rationale there. The guys are still well well paid, but if you make an all league team, first team, second team, third team, your contract extension kicks in, you’re getting paid that extra money over the next five years, whether you make the AllNBA team again or not. What the hell? But it impacts the team cap the next five years. I don’t I don’t understand the logic there. I don’t get that. Robert Mills, Robert Mills, thank you for joining the discussion. See if the Clippers would trade Norman Pal. Great shooter. I mean, there are options. Rockets, I’ve said it. I’m going to say it again throughout the summer. I believe the Rockets need to do something to upgrade the roster. I That’s based on what he’s saying publicly. I mean, I think it’s just for public knowledge. The Rockets cannot stand pack. Continuity is not going to be enough for them to get over the hump in the West. Being second seed in the West, great accomplishment. Yes, it is. But the objective is to go far in the playoffs and get to the finals. To do that, they’re going to have to improve the roster. I’m basing on what I’ve seen in in mock drafts. That’s all I’m basing on is Walter Clayton had a hell of a college career. I have not seen him as high as 10 in any mock draft. If you have, show me. I’m kind of surprised he’s not higher in mock drafts. I don’t understand it. I don’t I don’t I don’t get it. But I mean, I’ve seen him. Wow. Maybe highest is 14, 15 and lows in the 20s. I don’t get it. Justin states, Texas teams are getting better. Either someone on the team takes a leap or they got to make a trade. Agreed with both those statements. Solo states, look at the paces and thunder. Both teams are deep and have a superstar with a good number, too. Many of you believe that the Rockets do not have a superstar yet. Shenoon could be that guy. Got to be a better closer around the paint, finisher around the paint. All of y’all, I think, agree that Jaylen Green is not that guy as number two. Maybe not even that. But that’ll do it everyone. Like I said, I wanted to just give a man Thompson his flowers for earning and being named to the all defensive NBA all defensive first team. Had the new Hallebertton Hallebert made 13. He made all NBA 13. Yep. And I’ll talk more about that the teams tomorrow on Folks Talking Sports. So join as a sports fan, as a basketball fan. Join us tomorrow. Join me, Willie Gibson, Kim Davis, and Kichra Pulliums. 6 o’clock central time for folks talking sports. And as the name states, we’re going to talk sports, not just hoops. So I I agree with this. I’m glad he said that. him and his brother work on that. Work on the jumpers going to work over his break mid-range. Good. That’s good. Shake is a mid-range maestro MVP. Ain’t nothing wrong with his game. WK as Rockets fans we have to stop living on the second seed. Agreed. And that’s I think the Rockets front office needs to as well. Hey Dean, thank you. Do not be a stranger. Come again. Click on that bell so you can be notified when new shows are posted. We’re going to do it. I’m going to do it again on Sunday talking sports with my colleagues. So join us tomorrow and Justin. We’re going to talk some Kaylin Clark. Yep. We’re going to do that as well sports. So yes, thank you very much everyone. And y’all know it. Hope you enjoyed the little new feature with the comments on the right side there. Something this new platform just launched. I want to say today, but I’m going to wrap it up so you guys can go watch game three with me. Going to watch as well since 1994. The Houston Round Ball Review. Local name, global perspective. Everyone, take care. Peace. Game over. [Music]

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