https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...AhAB&usg=AOvVaw3-z93We_Tp3fcYb1ww0EFG&cf=1 Houston’s problem: Rockets’ house of cards set to collapse from within by VINCENT FRANK Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is nothing if not innovative. His decision to trade starting center Clint Capela and go with small ball ahead of the trade deadline added another layer to this. Morey figured his former iteration of the Rockets were not good enough to compete with the big boys out west. He was right. Unfortunately, it does not look like this team in its current form is going anywhere. What we know: Houston enters the unofficial second half of the NBA season at 34-20 and as the fifth seed out west. As of right now, it would have a difficult opening-round matchup against the Utah Jazz. That’s the short-term problem for these Rockets. They are relying on the 6-foot-5 P.J. Tucker to play center in this small-balll lineup. A hypothetical Round 1 matchup with Utah would include going up against a lineup that consists of the 7-foot-1 Rudy Gobert. The only real backup option is the recently-acquired Jordan Bell. It’s part of a larger systemic issue for these Rockets, one that Morey thought he could overcome with bold moves. This has included signing the likes of wings Jeff Green and DeMarre Carroll. The systemic issue: As noted above, Morey attempted to get cute at the deadline. It’s likely going to backfire once the playoffs start The idea of going up against Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee of the Los Angeles Lakers in a hypothetical playoff matchup is hilarious. Los Angeles can simply just pound the rock inside. Le’s not even mention LeBron James’ physical ability. It doesn’t change too much out west with the Nuggets boasting bigs Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap. That’s a nightmare matchup waiting to happen. We can go up and down the list and note mismatches in the opponent’s favor. Small ball worked with the Golden State Warriors over the past five years. But when it was needed, the team was able to throw bigs such as Zaza Pachulia, Kevon Looney and McGee out there. Houston does not have that same capability. Moving forward: Let’s assume for a second Houston does not shock the NBA world and come away with a title. The future looks bleak. The Rockets’ decision to trade for an aging Russell Westbrook this past summer was a desperation move with a short-term goal in mind. Westbrook has not been a tremendous fit with James Harden thus far this season. His contract is crippling moving forward, as is Harden’s. Westbrook is set to count $132-plus million against the cap over the next three seasons with hits of $41.4 million, $44.2 million and $47.1 million, respectively. Harden’s cap hit over the next three seasons comes in at $41.3 million, $44.3 million and $47.4 million. This does not give Morey and Co. any reasonable hope of improvement behind these two. The cap: Houston currently finds itself $17.1 million over the cap and dangerously close to the luxury tax. The team’s cap situation outside of Harden and Westbrook is not great moving forward. Eric Gordon, Robert Covington and P.J. Tucker are set to count a combined $37-plus million against the cap in 2020-21. Add in the Harden and Westbrook hits, and that’s a total of nearly $120 million for five players. Austin Rivers has an opt out he’ll almost certainly use this summer. Outside of that, Danuel House is the only rotational player under contract for next season. Houston will have to fill out the roster with veteran-minimum players. This begs a major question. Where will the depth come from in Houston next season? Can they add any viable big man to change up Morey’s currently philosophy on the fly? We’re not seeing an avenue here. The draft: By virtue of the Westbrook trade and the deal we saw last month, Houston is going to be irrelevant come draft time moving forward. Houston yielded first-round picks in 2024 and 2026 to Oklahoma City in the Westbrook-Chris Paul trade. Said deal includes Oklahoma City owning the right to swap first-round selections in 2021 and 2025. The Rockets’ first rounder in 2020 was also sent to Denver in the multi-team deal that brought in Robert Covington from Minnesota earlier in February. This means that Houston controls its first-round pick just twice (2022 and 2023) over the next seven years. That’s not going to get it done from a team-building standpoint. Bottom line We don’t blame Morey for going all in. It’s what has made him one of the best general managers in the NBA. Unfortunately, his most-recent trades have handcuffed this team big time moving forward. Without a reasonable expectation of contention this season and failing to boast both the cap room and draft pick assets to improve moving forward, it seems like Houston does indeed have a problem. Harden and Westbrook are aging. Both are playing under huge long-term contracts. There’s no depth on this team. There’s no size on this team. It’s going to cause the Rockets’ house to collapse from within sooner rather than later. All Rights Reserved
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...AhAB&usg=AOvVaw3-z93We_Tp3fcYb1ww0EFG&cf=1 Sorry incomplete link
Only option at backup C is Jordan Bell?? Huh? No chance against 7'1 Gobert (beat him smallball without Westbrook Harden OR Roco) Lakers pound it inside (go for it. We beat them with small ball too!)
Epic fail? Honestly, I don’t think he’s that far off from the truth. Maybe the truth hurts, but there’s nothing he said it isn’t true. It was a huge gamble by Maury but I think he also knows this is it with the coach that’s likely not coming back. No way this team stays together next year if they make a quick exit from the playoffs. I suspect Gordon will be shopped possibly Westbrook and who knows maybe even Harden. That’s the only way we get some of those draft picks back with some good players in return. Swapping out minimum contract players every year isn’t going to cut it. At some point the Rockets will have to cut your losses and decide it’s time to go on a different direction. Personally, and this is just my opinion alone, I’d rather see them do it before Westbrook and harden or be on their prime years. This was the risk with Chris Paul. He would’ve been 37 years old when his contract expired. No way should the Rockets wait for Harden, Westbrook, or Gordon to be traded as their trade value will go down the toilet as they age. By the way, I thought it was pretty spot on when I talked about the Golden State Warriors. They had big guys it could come off the bench and certain matchups. The Rockets don’t have that luxury. A 37-year-old Tyson Chandler ain’t going to cut it. Now, maybe if they claim Cousins off of waivers that would give them a decent back up
Haha sorry, I was just interested in knowing so I have a better idea of who's gunning to be the next Vincent Goodwill and Jason McIntyre.
Nothing he said is untrue; yet none of it is true. All of it is bent in the most negative light possible instead of a balanced analysis.
Even the worst of the CFers can write a better more insightful piece. LOL - blow it up, when every team in West does not want to face us in playoffs???? Needs to dig deeper into advanced stats for a start.
Who cares, in a 5 spread offense, Westbrook can basically back down any guard/sf... giving you presence on the inside on offense. You get any double team and he kicks it out basically any direction. Eventually, you can out-run teams with traditional big-man. Every position can hit a 3 you’re toast. The opposing teams had the luxury of laying off Capela in last years... not this year. Yule C
The people that talk about the Rockets having to guard AD with PJ Tucker are completely missing the point. Yeah the Rockets are going to struggle guarding AD down low but he is going to have to guard somebody too. And it really doesn’t matter who he guards, it’s advantage Rockets. Guard PJ Tucker? Fine, go out to the corner and watch Harden and Westbrook get wide open layups all night. Same thing would happen if he guards Covington or Eric Gordon. Guard Westbrook since he is our worst shooter? Fine, good luck staying in front of him on isolations. Guard Harden? Haha, don’t make me laugh. For every minute AD is on the floor, the Lakers are going to think they have the advantage. The problem is, while the Lakers are posting AD up on one end, the Rockets are getting wide open three pointers and layups on the other. Is that really advantage Lakers? I honestly don’t think so.
One thing I agree with, give up First round picks assets from 2016 to 2026. new Rockets GM in 2023 would make excuses if he can’t compete for championship like Spurs from 1999 to 2018. For 20 years plan, Morey is shortsighted compared to GSW too.
Dude seriously just said other teams have taller players so Houston will lose. Like that's some kind of analysis. Man, we can only hope that rival coaches are dumb enough to go with the "just pound it inside" strategy all playoffs. Like Utah is going to run their offense through Gobert, lol. Lakers will be a challenge but duh, they're supposed to be. Denver stands little chance. Jokic is super slow and our new defense will swarm their perimeter guys. Utah would need both Conley and Mitchell to go superstar on us while we underperform for them to reliably beat us. Have no idea how we match with the Clippers. We'll see. I'm more concerned with us goofing off in the first round and having a hell of a time with the Mavs or the Blazers with either Luka or Lillard going absolutely crazy than anything. After that, not sure we have what it takes to beat the Bucks but we've yet to see.
Did Shaquille O'Neal or Charles Barkley write this, only they would be this Low Level IQ with being stuck in the past. Without knowing our players. Real Post Up Centers Do Not Exist in Today's NBA. Point Blank. 2 Point Guards, 1 Shooting Guard, 2 Forwards Offense runs this System.
