Kind of weird how we're back where we were 2-3 seasons ago...

Ok.

That's a completely different argument. One that is pretty cut and dry - they don't have and did t sign enough bullseye shooters. Can't argue with that. Can say they had better shooters... Who then decided to take a year off in that category - principally Brewer, Ariza, Lawson.

It's not like there were lots of fans or even media who thought the Rocoets are going to suck in 15/16. Pretty much everyone saw it working. And working well... Hence the preseason predictions.

 

Even if that's true (and I don't think it will be), aren't you tired of 1st round playoff exits? We're not gonna be contenders, and I'm not satisfied with "being competitive" (that's code for above average, which means jack to me)

 

Well too bad because that's the bottom line according to Les Alexander. Unless you have some way to change the owner's mind we can't suck enough to tank and get the picks necessary to create contending team.

As for the OP it's a good observation but not really surprising given we just went through the first half of the Harden era, it was a good attempt but ultimately failed because the Harden and Howard isn't enough talent wise or chemistry wise to compete with other teams.

We'll see what the 2nd phase of the Harden era brings, to be honest though it seems like this is already make or break time for Morey. If we end up sucking and Harden doesn't renew his contract in a couple of years I think Morey is fired.

 

Our team is GOOD. There were chemistry issues last season. Players weren't on the same page. The talent is there & the off season just started. Most fans felt Rockets were going to win it all during the beginning of last season. I'm excited for next season, and I'm not being biased. This same team, as is, could possibly be better than last season. Rockets havnt had a coach like this since Rick Adelman (offense wise) and their defense can't get any worse. The Rockets are better with a lot more flexibility moving forward. What they pulled signing Gary "too good to not be drafted" Payton should let you all know the Rockets will be ok.

 

Les wont let us rebuild through the draft. so forget about that. harden is the only thing that makes this team relevant on tv and in ticket/jersey sales. he's not getting traded to rebuild.

morey's only option is to attract a second or even third star via trade or FA.

1) via trade, he needs valuable trade assets which would be starter-level players on rookie contracts (capela/dmo), picks, and starter-level vets on good contracts (ariza). that means this summer we have to hope guys like capela, dmo, dekker, harrell, and KJ take the next step. We also have to hope to land another player or two equal to or better than ariza. this would really help stockpile the "asset" column.

2) via FA, you have to be established as a winner. the best players care about winning because their money and endorsements will be the same anywhere they go. KD doesn't need to be in LA or NY to get endorsement money the same way dmo does. for a real star player, it comes down to joining a team you know will win. so morey's job is to build a winner this summer. you need to get to the second round at least. that means loading the team with the best FAs we can get this summer, even if they aren't all stars.

so it may be that our only option is to forge ahead to fight for mediocrity, but that is the path Les chose, and morey tasked with building a winner from the middle-up, rather than from the bottom-up which would be much easier.

 

Rockets about to go in the "tank" like Orlando & LA did after Dwight left. Neither team has recovered.

Then Harden will be gone in a year or two.

Lakers:
27-55(Mike D'Antoni)
21-61(Byron Scott)
17-65(Byron Scott)
First 2 years post-Dwight: 48-116
Overall: 65-181(.264)

Magic:
20-62(Jacque Vaughn)
23-59(Jacque Vaughn)
25-57(Jacque Vaughn/James Borrego)
35-47(Scott Skiles)
First 2 years post-Dwight: 43-121
Overall: 103-225(.314)

Will be closer to the 35-win team than the 20-win teams but still...
Les & Daryl are gonna battlefight for that 8th seed/"winning" season

 

None of those teams had a James Harden.

 

That's nice. James(not his fault) couldn't carry Howard & that cast of scrubs to "winning season" this past season.

Harden - Goudelock
(Dudley) - Beverley
Ariza - Brewer - McDaniels - Dekker
(Anderson) - Beasley - Harrell
(Motiejunas) - Capela

Insert Ryan Anderson, Jared Dudley, & D-Mo.

Nice 43 win team. :grin: I'm sure the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Blazers are quaking in their shoes!

 

This is the way I see it too. The sad thing is that they overlook the draft at their own peril. All it takes is to hit on one young player with star potential (like we did with Parsons) and the whole world opens up. Just look at what teams were offering for Kris Middleton on draft night. Think about what we could have gotten for Parsons if we had moved him before free agency.

The draft is a boom or bust asset pool for the taking; and we've completely overlooked it. As you point out, The sad thing is that our desirability as a destination has taken a hit because of the losing and the perceived mismanagement and poor chemistry. So that hurts our potential free agency market. And as you said, we don't have the assets, so that hurts our trade market.

You would think that given those two things, we'd try and pursue the draft more as a way to turn this thing around.

I absolutely loath the whole instant gratification philosophy. The only way we'll be winners again is if Les sells the team.

 

And being at the mercy of the draft is much better? Aeems there's a teams still spinning their draft wheels after several years.

 

Lolololololololololololol. The Blazers?!?! That's a good joke, seems fans overrate other teams too.

 

You couldn't be more wrong when you say we have overlooked the draft. Do you even rockets bruh?

 

Incredibly substantive reply. Thank goodness for your keen insight and eloquent prose.

 

If you didn't say something that was obviously stupid, it's possible that you wouldn't have gotten an equally stupid response.

Do you even clutch fans bruh?

 

They were doing pretty well the year before without Dwert. Just saying.

 

Yep, or maybe even taken that 5 + Rubio package the Wolves were offering for Butler. There's about a 90% chance Harden leaves and the Rockets get nothing (and I wouldn't blame him).

 

Exactly.

We just need to get on the same page.

Then we can turn the corner.

Stay calm, Durant hasn't signed with anyone.

We'll be ok, we'll be fine.

 

Morey is bound by Leslie, but before this season I actually thought we'd only win 40-45. I never believed in Lawson and putting our hopes on a Ty Harden backcourt was always going to fail. We weren't good as Morey pretended it to be. The extension of McHale, everybody knew that was a mistake. We all saw our flaws: counting on Josh (again), a Beverley - Jet PG rotation, riding Harden since we didn't have a back up etc.

Morey has a philosophy, put in a system and didn't get the right players, we're still waiting and it's a combination of both Leslie & Morey that has me thinking we will never win anything unless we get very lucky and all of a sudden get the right role players after Durant is quickly off the market. However, with D'Antoni and Harden, I fear a 7-8 seed tops with Harden leaving us meaning we are back to where we were in 2010.

 

People act like retooling is a rockets phenomenon. Harden and Howard simply didn't work out and we are moving on.

 

We tried to get Howard to stay