Player reviews (in alphabetical order): Chuck Hayes

Is there anybody that doesn’t love Chuck Hayes? He played center last season, but at 6’6”, is shorter than most NBA guards. Chuck is a man’s man, fighting in the trenches for every rebound and refusing to give an inch on defense. He even improved his offense last season from 4.4 to 7.9 PPG, hitting 53% of his shots. Unfortunately, Hayes is not a go-to offensive player. Most of his points come from offensive rebounds or being in the right place when a guard penetrates and dishes off. While he is the hardest worker on the team, few opponents fear him blocking their shot.

Chuck Hayes is a power forward who was asked to step in and fill a void. He did so respectably, but the Rockets need a true center. If they get one (or Yao comes back healthy), a Scola/Hayes power forward combo might not get the Rockets to the NBA finals by themselves, but the pair would be imposing at best, competitive at least.