By The Numbers: Chase Budinger In Transition
by Tom Martin on Aug 28, 2010 6:35 PM CDT
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PrintToday's Number: 25%
I'm going to try to start a little series here where we examine overlooked numbers and statistics concerning the Rockets' personnel last season, though, to be honest, there's no telling how long it will last. Today, we begin with Chase Budinger.
Budinger played the role of spot-up-shooter during his rookie season and actually fared quite well, finishing with 1.17 points per possession, good for 37th in the league. If there's another facet of Budinger's game that initially comes to mind, it's that he can run the floor and get out in transition. Unfortunately, Budinger's transition game wasn't very good in 2009-10, despite the many flashy dunks that he dropped at times. His subpar points per possession (1.08) placed him at number 202 in the league in transition.
Budinger looked much better finishing around the rim during the Summer League, but that's nowhere near the same level of competition. In studying game film from the regular season using Synergy sports technology, I noticed that Budinger tended to bail out on dunk or layup attempts when a defender was able to square him up on the fast break. In other words, if someone got in his way, he wasn't able to side-step the defender and rise up a la your traditional finishers in the lane.
Interestingly enough, Budinger's biggest downfall in transition (and in his three-point shooting as well) was his field goal percentage on transition threes. Bud only shot 25% (11-44) on transition three-point attempts. If you look at his final three-point percentage (37%) and wonder, "I could have sworn he shot better than that," well, here is your evidence. Budinger actually shot 40% on spot-up situations behind the arc, which is quite good. Clearly, if Budinger can either improve upon or reduce the number of his transition threes, he will be able to kill two birds with one stone, thus also improving his transition ppp as well as his overall three-point percentage.
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Bud more of an emerging threat than given credit for
As this is the first comment i shall leave on a blog i have come to regard highly and hold in a fair amount of esteem i find it fitting it will be centered around a subject of great concern, though not a very widely recognized concern. That being said i will now attempt to explain an understandably radical notion while attempting to avoid as much scathing critisim by remained coherent and on-topic….as much as my abilities afford.
More of this teams’ hopes rest on our development of freshly drafted talent than anyone cares to admit, it seems at times. This is not to say we are a rebuilding, or developing team or that our season’s hopes for success lay contigent upon the production and utilization of said emerging talent. Our hopes, ‘Melo or no, remain firmly fixed upon the shoulders of a certain 7 and a half foot monstrosity with the shooting touch of guard and the footwork of a forward, but i digress (too easy to get lost in excitment over Yao’s immenent return.)
Whatever Mr. Riley would like us to belive the most sure way to a championship is through the drafting and trading of vauled assets in order to construct a balanced, cohesive, chemistry-saturated supporting unit for the one, or at best, 2 elite level talents leading your team’s on-court production. Granted there are more than half a dozen contrary instances in which such was not the case but the argument remains fairly easy to substantiate as the vast majority of championships were won through such means.
Assuming that such is the case, to say that the acquistion and development of any promising athlete is paramount to a team’s success (be it though a trade or the added relevancy allotted to teams with a potential star on its roster. see-washington) should not be so ground breaking, but Chase is different, and I’ll tell you why.
Draftted as late as he was, to say his arrival in the NBA was eagerly anticipated by anyone outside of Houston would be a stretch at best. On the other hand, to say his performance didn’t lend credence to the argument being made for the efficiency and impact our front office affords us would be insanity. This is important only when considering that, as it currently stands, one of the best things are organization can pitch to an elite talent, is itself.
Last year, when rookies around the league had an opportunity to vote on who they believed would succeed most amoung them, Chase reecieved votes for most successfull in the long term (forget actual phrasing of the catagory but that was the point) and this was no mistake. A deceptively athletic, 6’7’’ wing, with a lethal touch, strong mind, and dedicated work ethic could become alot more than a roleplayer, very quickly. Especially when all reports indicate his extreme interest in Battier’s approach to defense, as players who can be equally efective on both ends of the floor get you rings (not by themselves mind you but as primary help, certainly.) Budinger’s ceiling is much higher than almost anyone has dared broach. A Superstar in the making? Not likely, but an all-star calibur starter and key contributor to success at the highest level? Most certainly.
With Ariza departure and Battier potentiall being moved for his expiring deal (dear g-d, i hope not) Budinger’s importance becomes clearer when viewing him as a key bench player/ starter in the rough or when injury strikes, a starter(ala darren collison….ohhh wait)
While far from the most important player on our roster, I firmly believe that if Budinger doesn’t devlop a stronger all-around game, our chances at winning at the highest level are negligable. His contribution, be it off the bench or in a trade, is integral to our development into a legit contender in this league.
Once again, this was my first comment. Let me know what you think. Its is an understandably difficult concept to swallow but keep my ceaseless retractions in mind before attempting to reiterate the importance of Brooks, Martin, Scola or Yao over Budinger as I feel the obvious need not be stated. Attempt to view my argument within the prism i have so feebely constructed.
by ShookednShanghaied11 on Aug 28, 2010 7:58 PM CDT reply actions
Blogs are for concise statements and large arguments like this should be broken up into several comments [or have some parts removed].
Other that that, though, it’s good. :)
I don’t think Budinger’s integral to the development of the team, but he does have a chance to be more than a bit role-player, which is always exciting.
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
Just adding more paragraphs would help.
You have good things to say Shooked, but the “wall of text” will put many readers off reading your whole post.
"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."
Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake
SS11...
I am a lawyer, or was one for over 6 years, I have read and drafted 300 page credit agreements and SEC disclosure documents, but man this was dense. Verbose, dense vernacular,..keep in mind, this is a Rockets Blog.
But density aside, the basic point is the Bud has tons of potential and that should not be underestimated. I totally agree.
The thing with any trade, for Melo or anyone else, is that we have not honestly seen what this team can do. I guess if Melo is on the move now and we are interested then we have to move now, but I would much rather wait a month or three and see what this team can do.
How many teams out there have 4 players in their starting lineup that can easily go for 20 pts a night?
Granted Miami has three but that is the exception that proves the rule. Scola, Yao, Martin and Brooks are all way above average offensive threats. Throw in Battier, Lowry and apparently Lee’s D and you have a damn good team. At to bring it back to this article, you add in the explosive potential of Bud and Hill, these two maybe being the Cassells and Horrys of this generation of Rockets teams, and it looks pretty damn good.
Does anyone else out there think DM is not actually that interested in Melo? I don’t think the team is successful with Melo and Martin on the court at the same time. Martin has almost the same offensive ability but more efficient and cheaper. Not that Melo isn’t a great player but Martin and Bud or Martin and Hill together may be better than Melo alone. Just talking off the top of my head but honestly, I don’t know if I have seen enough of Melo success to warrant trading away great, key parts of our team.
SS11, tone down the dense language and just make short points, but welcome aboard.
Oooh - bond indentures - that's painful stuff.
Another Dreamshake lawyer! We’re almost able to start our own firm.
"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."
Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake
Very cool Tom, stuff like this is becoming your calling card in my book
Seeing things other people don’t. I never realized he was such a poor transition 3 point shooter. I hope he gets better at that as it is such a great opportunity to get a clean look, but I guess its only as good as your success rate.
This is the coolest thing I’ve read here in awhile. Keep em coming brotha.
"The French Army: Better defender than David Lee" - JE Skeets, in response to David Lee getting a vote for Defensive Player of the Year.
I will go out on a limb and say he
will be a future all-star. (i hope i’m right)
GO ROCKETS, GO TEXANS, GO ASTROS (EVEN THOUGH THEY SUCK)!!!
On the bailouts
It’s partially due to Chase’s handles arent the greatest in the world and will lose control in more chaotic situations, nor does he have the shear physical strength to power through defenders. one or both of these aspect can be improved upon, it’s likely the ball handling judging by his summer league performance as pointforward(he is also a better passer than I thought)
I’m surprised he took as many transition 3s as he did, a guy like his athleticism should be sprinting down the floor for the alley oop or follow up.
although I dont think Bud’s ceiling as high as people thought, he’s still a really good player in my book. He can improve, but I am not sure how much. He’s already very developed offensively, and all the things he is good at now, he had already put together in college in a very consistent way. I dont know how much more we could ask of him offensively. It’s not like he’ll become a much better shot creator, nor will he suddenly hit Kevin Martin like foul drawing rate with his style(though that would be awesome). He lack the NBA grade lateral quickness or physique to be a good one on one defender(though he can only get better as he was the worse isolation defender last year), but he can learn to become a good team defender(much of his poor defense is also due to bad defensive fundamentals). But Bud is a smart player, and smart with his combination of athleticism and shooting can be a very scary combination, especially after seeing him flash some playmaker ability in the summer. in his second year, I hope to see him improve on the rebounding and assist numbers.
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