Why would KD want to leave when OKC is doing great and the Rockets are pretty mediocre? Our only chance to snag KD was if OKC struggled to get used to Donovan's system and there was a power struggle between WB and KB, and if the Rockets were keeping pace with the best teams in the league. If the Rockets finished 2nd in the West and were right there in the WCF, you could convince KD that he is the missing piece to push us over the wall. KD is probably looking at the Rockets right now and thinking that this team needs way more than him to even be in the same league as the Spurs or Warriors. Lawson, one of KD's friends, is sure as gone by the offseason if not the trade deadline, if his play does not exponentially improve. Harden, another good friend of KD, is still showing signs of immaturity and not taking winning seriously. I'm sure KD at least respects Howard (calling him a p*ssy, excluded) but does he want to play with a center making just as much as him who might not even play 60 games per season? Why would KD even consider the Rockets under these conditions? As great as it would be to get KD to Houston, this team needs way more to be considered in the same league as the Warriors. We still need help at PG and PF, while assuming Capela makes the leap and Howard is going to be healthy. A quick rebuild for this team in this offseason should go more along the lines of: - Trade Brewer for an expiring to get rid of his salary, opening 8M in cap room. - Let Lawson leave, opening 12M in cap. - Trade/Let Jones walk. - Go hard after Mike Conley, offer 4 years/56M. - Go hard after Ryan Anderson, offer 3 years/45M. (Maybe use Dmo to sign and trade with another team..?) - Resign Howard, hoping he takes a slight pay cut for 3 years/54M. - Resign Smith for his 2M/year (max we can offer him). - Resign Thornton or find replacement back up SG for vet min/MLE if worth it. - Resign Terry for min. Team would be: PG: Conley / Bev / Terry SG: Harden / Thornton SF: Ariza / McDaniels / Dekker PF: Anderson / Smith / Harrell C: Howard / Capela
I can only hope that Harden, Durant, and Westbrook already have an agreement that they'll reunite in Houston. Last time they were together, they made the Finals and none of them have gotten that far since.
I keep praying they collude together like Wade, Bosh & LeBron in Miami. With the way the Warriors are playing that may be their only shot at a ring.
That would be pretty freaking funny if that did happen. You go to the finals with all 3 when there young. Immediately trade harden over 4 million dollars. Never go back to the finals again. The. All 3 end up were you traded Harden too and win a ring first year. Ohh the irony. I think presti would get fired and never get a job in basketball again. Poor guy
As much as I would like to see Rox getting Durant and Horford. I would rather have rox getting Conley and Harrison Barns and Ryan Anderson. Yes those names are not sexy, but those are the players you have playing around Harden. And I still have hope that DMO will be good. As do Josh and Dwight.
i dont think harden can do it. as the 2nd option of course but i'd rather trade him. how likely is it we're gonna find someone better than harden this free agency? durant and lebron aren't gonan waste the last years of their prime on underachieving teams. get off those pipe dreams. that leaves the likes of beal, p gasol, conley, drummond. maybe drummond can be better but he aint going nowhurrr. i dont think a team led by harden will win a ship. only as the 2nd option but rockets will have to give up too much or not have enough room to sign enough competent role players that way. before this season i thought he can do it. things changed fast as hell with this team. despite what most of you think i believe we can get equal value for harden. the only problem is do we trade lawson too? cuz his contract wont allow the equal value talent. i dont wanna give up lawson for nothing.
You argue he wouldn't go home to join a backcourt of Wall and Beal because they hover around .500 yet you think he'd choose us...a team that is hovering around .500 in a conference that holds the defending champs, the Spurs who have been dominant for 20 years and his own former team plus the Clippers with 3 of their own stars? Durant will stay or join GS and form a superpower. His final option would be going home to DC. Im sure he knows his best option for winning without forming a superteam that hurts his legacy is going East where he would basically only have LeBron to deal with. ****...hate me for saying this, but him going to GS would be insanely fun and incredible to watch. Any time a super team is formed, it makes that much funner to watch the playoffs and witness a team overcome that superpower. It would make for a great NBA if he joined the Warriors. Lets not pretend the Celtics and Lakers of the 80s didn't have 4 HOFers on each of their teams and the Bulls of the 90s had 3 of their own. Super teams have always been around and in the long run in terms of history, no one cares...its just about winning. LeBrons legacy isn't hurt because he had DWade and Bosh. People forget this crap, and will only remember that he won 2 rings. Hell, look at Kobe. Soooo many people argue he's the 2nd greatest bc he has 5 rings and was a deadly scorer...yet..does his 5 really stand up to MJ's 6? NOOO! Kobe was a Pippen for more than half of his rings. Kobe should only be thought of as a 2 ring player like LeBron, but everyone forgets and only sees the results regardless of what your place was with the team.
I think at this point there is a higher probability of Harden taking his talents back to OKC than Durant coming here.
Doubt it. That would be a turrrrrrrrible look for him. However, if it does happen, I'm with you. Won't be worth watching outside of the Rockets.
Haha. They could have an agreement. But if they did, zero percent chance it's in Houston and 100% it's in LA
I think that had we carried the momentum from last season into and throughout this season we would have had a chance at Durant. But the only way we can still have a chance now is if we make A LOT of noise in the playoffs. Our team has just been too disappointing this season for any player to be looking at us and considering us a contender they can put over the top.
