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[ClutchFans] The Rockets sacrifice their future to get Russell Westbrook

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Jul 12, 2019.

  1. don grahamleone

    don grahamleone Contributing Member

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    That was rather dark.

    My take: Westbrook is a good player that doesn't fit certain molds we've created, but he's still a good player. Next year we're gonna have two very good players contributing to the team. To quote the great Alex Bregman, "LET'S ****ING GO!"
     
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  2. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Reminds me of those innocent years when Yao and TMac were so washed that the board as a whole didn't want to admit it, while instead living high off of meaningless win streak records and gritty player memes.

    Is this a return to asset peddler Maury? Much different than the Maury we've seen for the past 3 years....
     
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  3. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    SO a weird part of me is wishing it doesn't work out, Jimmy Butler or Bradley Beal or...heh.... D'Angelo Russsel or whoever becomes available, and voila -> Russ is flipped .
     
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  4. mdoggnic

    mdoggnic Contributing Member

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    Very well written article. I couldnt agree more with everything you said. I really have a hard time seeing Harden relinquishing the reins though. I hope he is able to see that doing so will make the team better though. I still have visions of the Rockets playing 4 vs 5 when he was on the court and CP3 had the ball though. Russ/Harden taking turns heading downhill with spot up shot makers in the corners and Capela looming on the baseline ready with his vertical spacing is very intriguing.

    Im also buying into the notion that this appears to be a Fertitta move and not a Morey move. Hopefully it pays off.
     
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  5. Rockets FTW

    Rockets FTW Member

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    So, we have to blow it up in a few years? LOL.

    Give me a break.
     
    houston19519 likes this.
  6. blink52y

    blink52y Member

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    Usually agree with Clutch on most of his tweets and articles but don't on this one. Disliked WB for a long time. Hate his inefficient game. BUT hes younger and you can not deny his motor and relentlessness on the court. Its a good mix up and think we did the right thing. Have to constantly try. Could it not work? Sure. But at least Rox management/owner is trying. Never a dull moment in Htown! Im excited to see what happens this season. Appreciate your article none the less Clutch!
     
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  7. BJE

    BJE Contributing Member

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    I love you Clutch, but unfortunately I can't agree with you on this. I have never liked Russell Westbrook, but the fact is we traded a 34 year old Chris Paul, who had a huge drop off in his athletic ability in one year for an NBA All Star who is 4 years younger. Just that alone makes this trade worth it. I would rather have Russell Westbrook four years from now at 34 than Chris Paul 3 years from now at 37. Also, if we are playing at an elite level, those 1st round picks will be in the high 20s. Not exactly the draft picks you want to rebuild a team. If these were lottery picks, I would agree with you. Also, Chris Paul has missed 48 games because of injury over the last two years. If James Harden didn't become Superman last year, we wouldn't have made the playoffs. His body will continue to break down as he ages and will miss many more games going forward.

    Is this a gamble that Westbrook will get with the program and work as a team player, the answer is yes. But Westbrook was an MVP two years ago and has played with James Harden as a teenager and with OKC. I had already accepted based on us having Chris Paul with The Rockets, that our championship window had closed. Now I am really excited for the season to begin and as always, being the homer I am, will have visions of an NBA Championship.

    Maybe Chris Paul will find some young legs with a different team with a different system. I hope that is the case for him. But I was fully expecting more of a drop off in his physical ability this year and being stuck with an albatross contract that would prevent the Rockets from adding any new stars or rebuilding in the future.

    All the kudos in the world to Tillman for making this trade happen. I quite honestly can't believe that OKC did this trade. Presti should be fired. By the way, I have been a Rockets Fan since 1979.
     
  8. donkeypunch

    donkeypunch Contributing Member

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    Morey gonna bounce on these fools(owner and his spoiled ass kids) after this year. Then, were really gonna be screwed.
     
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  9. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Contributing Member

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    Hey Clutch ....tell us what you really think! lol

    I have to say, you make some great points. Agreed CP3 is a better fit for this team. No idea how they'll make it work. Very worried about our defense. The fact that those picks are so far out with so little protection scares me.

    That said, i really think Russ is going to help take enormous pressure off Harden and that the team will be better off for it. If teams trap Harden or he's having a bad night, there is now a legit option who can create his own offense; a competitor with an infinite motor who can help carry a team or give us a spark when we need it. I just don't think we had that with Paul. I see Harden running out of gas when he has to do too much. This trade should help extend his career.

    But i can't stop scratching my head about how Russ will fit in with what MDA does.
     
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  10. cebu

    cebu Member

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    I have mixed feelings about this trade too. it's not gonna change anything unless we change our offense. that is less harden iso.
     
  11. marky :)

    marky :) Member

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    They both have accomplished the highest regular season accolade and can focus on working together. There was a strong desire by both of them to play with one another and that is something that we can't over look.

    They "should" only have one goal and that is to get a championship and I see no reason for them not to defer/make sacrifices for the greater good. It's still weird that I'm finding ways to root for Westbrook but I would love to see Westbrook run the PnR with Capela and have Harden be more of a spot up shooter.

    It's crazy to think that this is probably the last chance for the Harden era and I can't wait to see how this plays out.
     
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  12. Uprising

    Uprising Contributing Member

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    That certainly felt like it was written with emotion, being pushed by your disdain of Westbrook.
    I'll say this, I'm more excited for Rockets next season than I was this time yesterday. And on top of that, I'm more excited about watching some NBA games after this crazy summer....than I've been in 6+ years.

    I'm not worried about first round picks....this franchise isn't worthy of having them....
     
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  13. Another Brother

    Another Brother Contributing Member

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    Great read, but I’m at odds with the tone.

    First of all, we’re talking about 4-6 years from now with the draft picks and a whole lot can happen between now and then. Capella is still young and tradable even with his current production. We still don’t know who Daniel House is going to develop into, and in a few years who’s to say that we can’t accumulate picks trading any of those or any other assets.

    Everything you said about CP3 was correct although you left of the most crucial element; he was destroying the locker room. He’s the same Chris Paul who forced trades out of New Orleans and LA. The same guy who was so hated by his teammates that they wanted to fight him upon his unceremonious returns. That same Chris Paul was a clear antagonizer to Harden and a ‘know it all’ even though he no longer has the skill set to practice what he preaches.

    Sure it was worth a shot but I think this one is better. Morey is doing what any Curator would do. He’s putting together the best pieces for presentation and trusting that ballers will ball. Russ isn’t coming to a surprise team that he’s unfamiliar with, he knows what they do and I’m sure that as he contemplated the possibilities of playing here, he resigned himself to a role that will contribute to a championship strategy.

    I would much rather this move than to watch Chris Paul ultimately devolve into a ‘get off my lawn’ type mentality with an extra year to boot. What we had with him was certain to be worse next year, what we have in Russ remains to be seen, but I’m sure that at this point in James’ career he’d rather take a chance with a peer than fail with a teachers aide.
     
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  14. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Contributing Member

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    Agree with this 99%. Only bit I would disagree with is Russ’ rebounding being a positive. Steven Adams is a really really solid rebounding big who puts up minuscule numbers for one reason only.... to allow Russ to pouch rebounds he needs to pad his stats.

    I mean he’s good at getting rebounds but it’s not rebounds that Capela and PJ wouldn’t be getting regardless and Russ being on the wings to get a pass from Capela or PJ off the rebound would actually be better for the Rox offense in the fast break. This team needs Russ defending the perimeter far more than it needs him playing free safety to lay back and get rebounds for the sake of stats.
     
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  15. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Contributing Member

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    i'll go one step further. Coming out of last offseason, i am way more excited about this team than the one we started with last year. Last year it was pretty clear heading into the season that the team had taken a step back (or at least had not improved). This year it's clear the team is at least as good as last year's team (we have everyone back, we swapped Nene for Chandler and swapped out Paul for Russ) ...and there may be more to come. So I'm pleased we aren't just sitting back and being passive. We are continuing to improve the team without sacrificing most of our continuity.
     
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  16. BowlingBaller

    BowlingBaller Member

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    Didn't Morey always say tanking was the best way to get star players, but Les never wanted/allowed him to do that? Something like "get better while remaining competitive" was the strategy they went with.

    Maybe Morey was willing to take the risk on Russ if the new boss gave him the OK to tank in the future. Of course, there's that whole problem of not having any draft picks now, but that could change.
     
  17. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Contributing Member

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    With the assets given with swaps I seriously doubt Morey has any intention on being here past 2022. Otherwise you’d never deny yourself those kind of draft assets during the obvious timeframe you’ll be rebuilding in.
     
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  18. BigM

    BigM Contributing Member

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    I don’t think Clutch was unfairly dark here. It’s a tough call but I’d do the trade again if we had to. Westbrook keeps the window open longer and you have to take the risk when you have a prime James Harden.
     
  19. T for 3

    T for 3 Member

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    I completely disagree with this take. 1. A couple of future first rounders and swaps does not equate to sacrificing the future. 2. Corey Brewer and Westbrook should never be mentioned in the same sentence. 3. At this point Westbrook is a significant upgrade over Paul in terms of what he is going to bring to the court on a nightly basis. I'm sorry clutch, but this sounds like a guy who has spent significant energy over the last couple of years dissecting and dismantling WB's game (for the sake of Harden MVP campaigns), who is now realizing that he is going to have to sing WB's praises, as he potentially succeeds wildly for the Rockets. The whole MVP crusade on Harden's behalf was stupid, and now, the perpetrators are going to have to eat a lot of words. Deal with it. This is an upgrade, plain and simple. Nothing personal. Thanks for everything you do and have done with the site.
     
    #39 T for 3, Jul 12, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2019
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  20. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    I agree with Clutch's take completely here. Desperation move, not a good fit, inefficient shooter, all of it. It'll be a fun team to watch but I'm highly doubtful it gives us a better chance to win a championship.
     

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