Patience

Some people now want to copy the Thunder, but we can't do that without drafting. We'd need another superstar and all star(Ibaka) and tons of great role players. Their stars having been growing together since 2009. I believe we have some very good role players that need to come off the bench, but it is our starting lineup that needs a complete overhaul.

Right now the Rockets can't be afraid to give either a rookie or young player a starting role and allow Ariza and Bev to be bench players. Look at Andre Robersons terrible stats in the regular season and tell me KJ McDaniels can't do that while bringing intangibles or even Harrell? Hell, Dekker might turn out to be a solid 3 and D player. This whole notion that you need old veterans is BS. The Rockets started a rookie in Robert Horry. Also rookie Sam Cassell played major minutes in our run. The Thunder start Roberson and even Adams. Tell me how Capela can't play 25 mpg and get you 8 and 8 and a measly block per game? Their career averages are nearly identical right now with Cap obviously playing less.

The combination of Les pushing this whole win now window every era and teaching our fans impatience and the game going global and seeing foreign fans coming in and not wanting to stick with the team through the downs are what's setting us back constantly over the past 20 years. Blame it on injuries. I blame it on not having the patience to let a team grow together. Perhaps that is why we draft poorly, because our management doesn't care knowing they won't even play much anyway or they will be traded in the future for old vets.

This summer, there is no superstar to get. Only all star level guys like Horford, Conley, Whiteside, Ryno. These are the guys you DRAFT. Not pay max money to have. This is not the way to build. Were going to get ourselves into 4th seed at best territory and be a pretender that "no one want's to face in the playoffs." I envisioned Biyombo and Batum signings being the smarter route, but i have to think are they really worth what they are going to make this summer and is that going to push us into true contender status? Not at all. Those are guys you get before they blow up and earn max money. I don't want to see us go out and use up all of our cap in locking us into some overpaid pretender roster.

I've been a Rockets fan all of my life and i will be a Rockets fan til the day i die. If the Rockets choose to not spend their money and opt to let Capela, KJ, Harrell develop on the floor with Harden and instead sign guys like Jared Dudley, and/or resign DMO and also get a young Head Coach. I'm okay with this because it tells me they are being patient and have the foresight to see that nothing outside of signing Kevin Durant will put us into true championship contender status.

Let the young players play and develop and have fun. We will have fun watching it too especially after this miserable and unbearable to watch season. Harden has proven that he can carry a team on his back to the playoffs. Why not let him carry young guys who could end up surprising us and develop into our very own all stars on cheap contracts?

(I can accept going after those all star level guys with max money if it's only 2 year contracts. If we pay for a team that only has a 2 year window to align with Harden's free agency year in 2018, i understand this and find it to be a smart route to take. Just as long as we don't lock ourselves into 5 year deals with those guys and then Harden becomes a free agent and has to decide on leaving or resigning with a bunch of guys who make a ton of money and aren't helping the Rockets be true contenders.)

 

I understand that, but how much of that is also on Les seeing it a better option to star chase? The proof is there long before Morey. Chasing Drexler, Barkley, Pippen, T-Mac. Obviously Drexler and T-Mac were no brainers. But, Barkley and Pippen were unnecessary had we kept Horry and Cassell.

I know it's not pretty but eyeing players like Pau Gasol, Rajon Rondo, Loul Deng, Derron Williams type of guys on 2 year deals might be the best course to take. They are all guys that can still allow the young backups to play heavier minutes.

I'd also like to see the Rockets experiment with giving Harden less minutes so that he can spend more energy on defense. Harden has the tools to be a good defender. He just needs discipline to not ball watch anymore and to fix his defensive stance. It's as easy as drilling it into his head to not stay flat footed in his stance.

 

I don't agree with that quote if he means letting them go after they are worth more money. You keep the players you develop that everyone wants to pay big money to. But, i think he just means you draft those guys to have on your roster and not pay big money to steal from other teams.

 

That's a good point, but Conley and Horford are about to be 30. So i'd say age is the bigger factor for me. Resigning your own Conley or Horford when they are 23,24,25 years old is a no brainer. A guy like Whiteside has too many question marks. What kind of effort and what kind of attitude is he going to bring after he gets his max contract?

I made no mention of Ibaka other than he's an all star, i believe it's DaDa that brought him up. They resigned him at 24 years old. He's going to be 27 next season. I have no problem with signing free agents at 24 years old. I still am high on Biyombo who is 23 years old.

 

Yeah, that is weird. It really does feel like everyone is rooting against him just to prove Morey sucks at drafting. I'll be rooting for him in summer league simply because he's a Rocket and he seems like a good kid.