Minnesota, Portland, and now (with their former GM's departure to Toronto) are all pretty badly managed teams, so these two second round picks should both be in the top ten or so overall in the second round. Pretty reasonable to assume that Morey will be able to find a future rotation player that high, maybe two. Can somebody type out all of the draft picks coming and going? What picks will Houston have going forward?
Minnesota yes... Portland... not so sure why you'd consider them poorly run. Regardless, if you look at the 2nd rounders the Rockets will be receiving here in the future, none of them are projected to be anywhere near the range you would like to be in if you are looking to get 1st round talent that slips into the 2nd round. All of those players will go much earlier. Look at the protection on those picks coming from Minnesota, & Philly. The Pick from Philly the Rockets might never get.... making the Royce White trade a complete negative. The picks from the Clippers & NYK will probably not be high 2nd rounders unless the Knicks plummet. More than likely, trades barring, the Rockets are going to be filling out their roster in the future through free agency & using their exceptions, trades of course, late first round picks, and potentially buying picks in the 2nd round. Keep in mind that the Rockets have all of their 1st round picks in the next few years to use at their disposal to try and bring in high upside young talent.
I still don't like the trade. Robinson is going to be a beast this season. But they needed cap space, so, oh well.
Thanks. Summary, in plain English: Houston presently owns all of its own first round picks. Houston does not own any other team's first round picks. 2014 second round: Houston picks once in the 46-50 overall range (my projection) (Knicks' pick) and that's it. Houston doesn't own its own pick. 2015 second round: Houstons owns either three (!) or four (!!) picks. Houston picks first in the 41-45 overall range (Denver's or Minnesota's pick), second in the 46-50 overall range (Knicks' pick), and third in the 56-60 overall range (Houston's own pick). Houston picks an additional (a fourth) time if the Clippers have either the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th best record overall in the league in 2014-15; I think there's about a 50-50 chance that this happens. Note: Houston obviously will not receive a pick from Philadelphia. 2016 draft: Houston has only its own pick. 2017 draft: Houston most likely owns two picks, Portland's pick (36-45 overall?) and its own pick.
From a locker room perspective... agree 100%. Royce White is probably going down as the worst Houston Rocket of all time. At least Scottie Pippen played games for the team. From an asset standpoint, it stands as one of Morey's biggest only negatives. The T-Will trade now isn't even a negative IMO. Look at it this way- Had the Rockets still owned their 2014 1st rounder they were giving up in the deal obligation, they would have had to practically trade that pick for nothing, take a player that might never come to the NBA from Europe with a very decent pick, or trade back into the 2nd round. Worst case scenario, they Rockets might of had to trade either Terrence Jones, or D-Mo for practically nothing to make the additional cap-space to sign Dwight to the full max. Regardless, as others have pointed out... He got Dwight so all is well.
Had the Rockets FAILED to add Dwight Howard in free agency, I might agree with these statements. But the Rockets SUCCEEDED in getting Dwight, and the trades of Robinson and White (and Marcus Morris) were each made primarily for the purpose of clearing cap room to make a "super-max" contract offer to Howard. The end result of these cap-clearing moves? The Rockets essentially made the following trade: Marcus Morris, Thomas Robinson, Royce White, the draft rights to Furkan Aldemir and the opportunity cost of not adding a 3rd-tier free agent with sizable (but not "super-max") cap room for Dwight Howard, Isaiah Canaan, the drafts rights to Kostas Papanikolaou and Marko Todorovic, and 2 future second round picks I don't know about you, but I'll take that deal. (I might also add that, even after trading away 3-4 power forwards, the Rockets STILL have a logjam at the 4.)
I agree with the deal but so far I'm not impressed with anyone at the 4 for more than a couple of backup minutes. I really hope someone surprises me and can at least somewhat fill the spot without losing too much (ie keeping a low bar for the starter PF because not every position can be a stud) but right now I think were in for some more small ball until the trade-deadline.
True...but does the "trade" above really change anything negatively from the Rockets' perspective? Of those power forwards traded, the most effective on-court player was Morris, and he wasn't even all that effective on a consistent basis. All of Morris, D-Mo, Robinson, White and Jones have/had fairly high upside (a motivating factor in Morey drafting each of them). However, Robinson and White have been sorely disappointing so far, and Morris has not lived up to initial expectations. While it is still possible that one or more of the power forwards traded away could become a very good NBA player (I'd say Robinson has the best chance, but likely only as a potentially elite rebounder with little else to his game), the odds are just as good--if not better--that one of D-Mo and Jones turns into something. Aside from all that, and to reiterate your point about small-ball, I think it's entirely possible--if not LIKELY--that the Rockets' power forward in crunch time of many close games will either be Chandler Parsons or (if he excels in the Rockets' system) Omri Casspi.
I was, am, and will always be 'in' on the risk/reward. It was so non-Bucks! As for the 4 logjam, what is the end-game there??? I am rooting for Asik+TJ/and/or DMo, but anticipate a late fall Hardenesque deal or a Feb deal. I can wait.
Absolutely agree. The end definitely justifies the means. Just looking at the trade as a single transaction with the former statement. Had this deal been made in a vacuum, its an obvious loss, but as you look in perspective of the totality of moves, it makes sense as most all of his moves do. Even the T-Will trade which Morey has said himself is his worst move, actually turned out to not be that bad since that draft pick would have needed to be moved, or another player have been traded for nil had T-Will not been traded for with that pick.
You all just don't get it, no matter who we get at the 4, if his name is not LBJ, then harden will take most of crunch time shots, with exeptions of low posts match ups of course. If we match up with a team with a strong 4, then they must have a weak link of other pos.
T Rob vs D How? T Rob takes the cake for best nickname. Sorry guys, we lost the name game to Portland aka Rip City. Clutch City still better though
