Deal done: Rockets trade Capela for Covington in 4-team deal

You really think having two guys in the game with James Harden that can only make layups was something they would have figured out?

 

Planning this Lakers Rockets game right on the day of the deadline was just ridiculous. The NBA should have a few days of no games, players traded get their physicals and all are ready once teams play again. Should be doable, even if it means having independent doctors / physicists.

 

Harden Iso is most efficient offense than anything a gimpy CP3 could offer.

CP3 messed up, not Harden.

Rockets still play PnR, but hard to do that when Harden is doubled at half court.

This is not rocket science, its Rockets science.

 

Physicists???

 

Seriously . and let teams get in a practice / meeting with their new players . Raise the level of play tremendously lol

 

What I really don't like about this trade and the commitment to going small is how short-sighted it is.

What happens when they get bounced from the playoffs? D'Antoni is widely expected to walk in the offseason, so what then? The Rockets will have a roster designed by the architect of small ball but nobody to guide it.

All this talk of the Rockets having to deal Capela because D'Antoni's "system" can't deal with having 2 non-shooters on the floor is ridiculous. How about change the system instead of overhaul everything to suit the coach's style of play?

The fact that the Rockets traded the best player in the deal and had to throw in a FRP makes this trade go from bad to horrible. I really can't get on board with this strategy, no matter how much I try to convince myself that they know better than me.

 

We need big man and we deal the only big man. It will bite you hard when playoff time starts. Maybe we won't need worrying that anymore..............

 

Clint Capela was not the best player in that deal. Robert Covington is the best player. He's an elite defender who shoots 3's at a good clip. Capela was limited in what he could do, and he always wilted when we needed him the most in the playoffs. People keep talking about the playoffs, and how we'll match up against other teams.....how the hell are they going to match up with our 5 outs that can all shoot and defend on the switch?

 

I guess I rate Capela higher than you do. I expect him to become an All Star in the east over the next couple of years while I see Covington's ceiling as similar to a prime Trevor Ariza.

 

I think that’s what they’re hoping for really.
Houston’s strongest line up and possibly the NBA’s in the past two years was
Harden CP3 EG Ariza PJ

We’re hoping Russ and RoCo >= CP3 and Ariza

 

Love Clint but Trae is always going to have a better shot at making it than him. And Atl isn’t sending two all stars unless you think they jump from one of the worst teams to one of the best in a short time frame

 

I can’t for the life of me figure out the Lakers, Clippers or Bucks would struggle any more or less against today’s squad than yesterday’s?? To the extent they have bigs, their bigs are pretty decent at switching, rotating and playing on the perimeter at times. To the extent we take them out of that they have deep teams that can run out their own “non-center” lineups.

AD at center isn’t exactly a liability against this rockets team.

 

I knew that Westbrook had made Capela obsolete. I was only half joking when I said that.

Now are we going to start Tucker at center full-time? Who is going to play the backup center? Bell? Westbrook? iHart can go back to the g-league now? @Williamson faints.

And is Covington going to play the 4 or the 3?

 

Yes, but those teams wouldn't have struggled against us yesterday either. At least this way, we have a very real strength that none of those other teams have. We can at least TRY to exploit a mismatch with them, and force them to consider a lineup they aren't comfortable with.

 

They won't be able to go big against the Rockets and that's important.

 

Yeah this occurred to me as well, unless Mike wins the ship’ he is gone either by his own accord or Tilman will boot him, then what ? A knew coach is forced to accept MDAs/Moreys small ball team next year and without many assets how do we change yet again ? as much as I see the points about Clint’s limitations this team newly configured with RoCo doesn’t move the needle much at all me... I could be wrong and hope I am, but if we wouldn’t win again then I’m betting we lose Russ or Harden because they will want out, maybe even both ... Morey has had a way of keeping the team relevant since he’s been here, but I just don’t think this plays out all that great this year or next tbh but but we shall see

 

If the rockets dont pick up a big like Looney/Baynes or someone similar, they are going to have a huge problem deterring shots at the rim.

Players like Kawhi, Lebron, Jokic, George and everyone else from Lilard to Cp3 to Shrouder is going to have cart blanche to drive into the paint and score.

Good news is, with Covington the perimeter defense should be much improved and opponents will have a tough time defending a Harden, Westbrook, Covington, Tucker, Gordon spread offense.

 

I guarantee that they still go big against the Rockets.

 

And they would get destroyed defensively. Dwight/Javale cannot guard on the perimeter and the Rockets would matchup hunt them at all costs.

 

If Harden and Westbrook don't do their parts, adding Covington is not going to make our defense any better, now that Tucker is "protecting" the rim full-time. (I pity PJ Tucker. He is now the starting 5, backup 4, and backup 3. He is going to play 48 minutes a game.)

Our offense is better though.