In the summer of 2023, James Harden could see himself returning to the Rockets. Except that the new coach, Making Udokawas not in favor of “The Beard” returning, preferring instead to sign Fred VanVleet.
“I have nothing against James”assured the coach. “But Fred just sticks better.” I trained James in Brooklyn. He's one of the smartest players I've ever been around. The words 'Ime doesn't want James' never came out of my mouth. Instead, I said, 'Let's see what the best option is.' If we want Jalen and the kids to take the next step, they have to have the ball. As for saying I don't want James, that's never been the case. It was a question of complementarity.”
Leave the ball to Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun
A year and a half later, the Rockets are in second place in the Western Conference (17 wins – 8 losses) thanks in particular to the development of Jalen Green et Alperen Sengunwho were able to learn with the ball in their hands. Which would have been more complicated with a player like James Harden, used to directing the game.
“My main objective was to know what was best for our young people, so that they continue to develop” explains the coach. “But also, out of respect for James, I told him, 'You're at the stage where you want to win, and we're not there yet.' And it wasn't just James. I had five or six veterans who had joined championship teams and wanted to come (in the summer of 2023), and I told them all the same thing. »
Already a champion, and used to playing with or without the ball, Fred VanVleet simply fit the project better.
“He played with Kawhi (Leonard), with DeMar (DeRozan), with (Pascal) Siakam” concludes Ime Udoka. “He had to do both. And so, for Jalen and Alpie to develop, as well as the other guys, I felt Fred just fit better… They (Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks) adapted perfectly to what I was trying to do, and they had that defensive mentality that rubbed off on our guys every night.”
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Fte | Pts |
| Jalen Green | 25 | 32.5 | 39.7 | 32.1 | 87.4 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 19.2 |
| Alperen Sengun | 25 | 31.0 | 47.6 | 24.3 | 77.2 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.6 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 18.8 |
| Fred Vanvleet | 23 | 35.1 | 38.5 | 31.6 | 83.1 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 15.6 |
| Dillon Brooks | 25 | 31.3 | 42.4 | 38.1 | 83.3 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 12.6 |
| Amen Thompson | 25 | 27.0 | 55.2 | 30.0 | 69.9 | 2.2 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 11.8 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 25 | 30.3 | 43.6 | 35.2 | 85.7 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 11.6 |
| Tari Eason | 23 | 23.0 | 47.9 | 31.3 | 76.7 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 11.2 |
| Cam Whitmore | 8 | 9.9 | 37.5 | 4.8 | 62.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 5.9 |
| Aaron Holiday | 15 | 9.7 | 46.7 | 44.1 | 77.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 4.3 |
| Jock Landale | 14 | 11.1 | 44.7 | 50.0 | 52.6 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 3.9 |
| Reed Sheppard | 24 | 11.7 | 35.7 | 30.4 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.8 |
| Steven Adams | 13 | 11.1 | 59.1 | 0.0 | 40.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 2.6 |
| Jeff Green | 7 | 5.7 | 53.8 | 37.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.4 |
| Jae’sean Tate | 10 | 5.9 | 56.3 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
| Nate Williams, Jr. | 3 | 3.3 | 75.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Jack Mcveigh | 6 | 3.6 | 27.3 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.3 |
