It appears that Nene will play a key role for the Rockets this season.
When players cited teammates who stood out during voluntary workouts earlier this month, they typically listed two or three Rockets, changing the list depending on the day asked but always including Nene.
When Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni was asked about standouts in his first six practices at camp, he mentioned several names from the certain starters to a few vying for places in the rotation. But he always had Nene on the list.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander included Nene among the key additions, though Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon were signed to free-agent contracts worth $133 million, and Nene was brought in with a salary-cap exception worth less than $3 million.
‘Top five center’
James Harden, Pat Beverley and Anderson all cited Nene’s play.
A pattern seemed to be emerging.
“He is looking good and he’s playing well,” D’Antoni said. “He feels good. He’s in shape. He’s at a good weight. Nene’s one of the better players in the league, one of the best centers in the league, when he’s healthy, and he’s healthy.”
Keeping the 6-11 Brazilian healthy has been a challenge. Nene averaged 59.5 games in his four full seasons with the Washington Wizards. But a day after D’Antoni said Nene is a “top five center” when healthy, he reiterated Nene’s importance to his plans.
Nene exhibited a broad smile when asked about the praise, but he offered little else.
“I just try to work every day,” Nene said. “Whatever they want to say, I let them say. My job is work.
“I’m going to try using my talent to help my team, help my teammates to make them better, work to make myself better and help this team win.”
He has seemed to have played his way into a significant role, especially with restricted free-agent forward/center Donatas Motiejunas still unsigned.
The Rockets hope to use Nene as a playmaker on the perimeter, allowing cutters to move without the ball with the post open.
“We play a certain way, and it kind of fits his style for us,” D’Antoni said. “He’s going to be a playmaker for us from the top of the key. He can do a lot of things.”
That ability could make Nene a better fit with the Rockets’ second unit, especially when Harden is out of the game and the Rockets need playmaking from another source.
Voice of experience
D’Antoni doesn’t yet know whether Nene will starter or the Rockets will stick to the plan to turn the position over to third-year center Clint Capela.
The decision likely will come down to how each fits with the players around them. But that there might be any uncertainty about a starter could indicate how impressive Nene has been since he became a late-July addition well after most of the NBA’s free-agent smoke had cleared.
“I don’t see it as a battle,” D’Antoni said. “We need to make sure we take care of Clint and do what’s best for him, whether that’s start him or not start him. We need them both to be great. They’re both going to have a big role. They’re both going to contribute nightly to the team.
“Some of it’s (about) matchups. Some of it is who you fit best (with) on the floor. If you’re a starter … do you fit best with Ryan Anderson? Not whether you are better or not? If you’re D-Mo, if we ever get him in, does he fit best with Clint or Nene?
“I think both will accept whatever it is.”
Nene also brings experience lacking in most of the Rockets other big men, especially with Motiejunas still not in camp. Montrezl Harrell is heading into his second year after playing 39 games last season. Capela heads into his third season a veteran of 89 games.
‘I still do my damage’ Nene, 34, was not brought in to mentor, but those specks of gray dotting his beard are not the only indications Nene has played more NBA games over 14 seasons than any Rocket.
“He’s very helpful, just to learn the game from somebody who has been here for so long,” said rookie Chinanu Onuaku, the Rockets’ youngest player at 19. “He’s teaching me things on both ends so it will be easier for me. Like on the defensive end, he’s teaching me little (veteran) things to do to be a better defender.”
As little as Nene will say about his own play, he did warn that he is not to be confused for a teacher yet.
“Don’t look (at) my age,” he said last week. “I still do my damage.”
Few around Rockets practices would argue, as they have been quick to point out.