Chase Budinger, shown here during the regular season, needs to be more attacking with the ball in the NBA Summer League, according to Houston coach Rick Adelman (US Presswire photo/Derick Hingle)

Last year at this time, Chase Budinger was the talk of the NBA Summer League with his torrid shooting. Now it’s Houston coach Rick Adelman doing the talking without all the compliments and some suggestions.

Adelman pulled Budinger aside Saturday night after the former UA wing player looked tentative again in a 3-of-7 shooting performance from the field, including 0-of-1 from three-point range, in Houston’s 87-78 win over Dallas at the Cox Pavilion. After two games, Budinger has played the most minutes for the Rockets (57:44 overall) and he’s made only 8-of-21 from the field (38 percent), including 0-of-4 from three-point range.

Last year, he made 68 percent of his field goals here and converted on 8-of-11 three-pointers in five games.

Different from last year, Houston wants to see how Budinger handles a playmaking role off screens, or if he can create on his own. He has five assists and three turnovers, which in Adelman’s eyes means he is not forcing the issue enough and getting others involved.

“We know he’s a great spot-up shooter,” Adelman said. “We want him to attack and handle the ball and try to expand his game so he can be more effective. He has to be more aggressive and be more attacking. He can pass the ball. He can do a lot of things. But he has to make it happen.”

Budinger is trying to get acclimated to an entirely different role than he had last year in Las Vegas. Last summer, he was hungry for a spot in the NBA and played with that type of passion. Now, more is expected of him, and his mental game has to adjust along with the physical aspect of being more of a ball handler.

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It took a half for Jordan Hill to wake up in Friday's NBA Summer League game, but when he did, he was a force (US Presswire file photo/Brett Davis)

LAS VEGAS — This city is famous for hangovers and that applied to the way Houston’s Jordan Hill began his first game of the 2010 NBA Summer League here Friday afternoon.

Hill, a 6-foot-10 center from Arizona, was extremely sluggish from the start in Houston’s 100-82 win over Phoenix at the Cox Pavilion. He was so out of sync that he had more fouls (four) than points and rebounds combined (one) toward the end of the first quarter.

“His focus and recognition needs to improve,” said Houston assistant coach Jack Sikma, a seven-time NBA All-star center who can write a book on proper footwork for a center. “The lack of focus and recognition shows up mostly on the defensive end.

“When you are defensive big, you really have to be ahead of the play and react.”

Hill, who visibly looked in a rut, picked up three fouls in a minute-span in the first quarter with either a reach-in call or a block attempt that was too late to develop. Hill picked up his fourth foul on another late attempted blocked shot attempt with 2:49 left in the first quarter (players are not disqualified here for fouls because of the scrimmage premise).

That’s when Sikma, who led the NBA in defensive rebounding twice during his illustrious career, pulled Hill aside during the ensuing timeout and gave him instruction and how to gain proper position defensively along the baseline.

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Chase Budinger will try to create more offense off screens and penetrations toward the basket during the NBA Summer League in Houston (US Presswire photo/Brett Davis)

Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill are not in Las Vegas this week to earn a spot on Houston’s roster — a better spot in the Rockets’ rotation is more like it. Consider this a business trip for the former Arizona duo.

Last year, Budinger slipped to the second round of the NBA draft, his future in the league was a mystery. The NBA’s Developmental League seemed more reasonable for Budinger, who turned scouts off with his perceived lack of aggression. He was selected by Detroit with the 43rd pick after five other players at his position as a wing were picked ahead of him. Wayne Ellington, Christian Eyenga, Omri Casspi, Victor Claver, and DeMarre Carroll were all among the top 30 picks.

RELATED LINK:

• Houston’s 2010 NBA Summer League schedule

Houston included the former Arizona duo of Budinger and Jordan Hill on its NBA Summer League roster to see how each can work into the Rockets’ rotation next season, according to the Houston Chronicle. The five games Houston plays in the next week, starting Friday at the Thomas & Mack’s Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, are almost like in-season scrimmages for the Rockets’ coaching staff to see how Budinger and Hill can fill certain roles.

Budinger, 6-foot-7 and 218 pounds, will be tried more as a ball-handler. The Rockets’ brass want Budinger to create more offense for himself and his teammates off the dribble. They tried the same thing last summer, but Budinger played so well on the wing, they did not try to force him to do too much.

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