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Trading either Harden or Dwight is a suicide mission, it's delusional to push for on the board

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by _RTM_, Feb 6, 2016.

  1. _RTM_

    _RTM_ Member

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    I’ve seen a ton of posts and threads about trading either Harden or Howard on the board over the course of this horrendous season and you guys are delusional if some of you truly believe that this scenario has a chance.

    Despite the fact that basketball is a team sports, NBA is obviously a star player’s league.

    If you have any big name players, you have a chance to become elite one day, if you don’t have them you have no chance, so once you got your star player – whoever he is, no matter what kind of struggles he has – you belong to him. If you quit on him on a bad day (you’re never looking to trade them or let them go when everything is going right as you’ve planned) players and agents would quit on you on the open market.

    We have been there before with T-Mac, who was one of the biggest names in the league, got injured while playing on one leg in the playoffs and was thrown out of the club less than a year after. Despite his own mistakes, it was obviously considered as a red-flag for the Rockets organization and Morey & Les were ignored not only by star players, but even by players like Marcin Gortat.

    If there was no Harden trade, we won’t have our own star till now, looking on a way Rockets act with both Lowry and Dragic I can guarantee you that. "The Assets MEME" didn't help them either.

    We are not talking about Knicks or Lakers, they are trash, but just let's take a look on Boston now.

    They have one of the biggest markets, terrific history, excellent management (owned BKN with KG & Pierce trade, owned Mavs with Rondo trade), terrific young coach, great system, excellent and cheap role players, ton of assets, but they are struggling to make a move for a star even when their leverage is way bigger than ours.

    They’ve traded their stars when they knew that those guys were damaged goods, but they are unable replace them for several years despite pushing badly for deals on draft day, trade deadline and in offseason. Celtics front office simply failed to attract any free agents they push for or make a move for a big name player, while having not only a nowadays All-Star in Thomas and future star in Smart, but also Nets super picks and cheap and terrific 3&D athletic role playing wings in Bradley and Crowder, whose value and production is amazing in today’s league… and they are struggling as we were before Harden deal.

    But so-called "Harden trades" are not going to happen often, it’s a big luck to have even a chance to make a deal like that.

    Any kind of accepted trades for our stars would put us in Boston position at best, but I believe that in would be more of a Denver, Utah and Orlando position. There are no players available via trades who are better than James and Dwight and could have a similar impact. If you make a move, you are looking to receive a worst star / prospect and picks / quality role players. It's going to get worse with no guarantee it gets better in a year or in a five years.

    Denver got a bunch of guys for Melo, but turned not only into mediocrity, actually to a sub-par team. Orlando got talent for Dwight in Vucevic? They are still unable to reach even 8th seed in the East, despite drafting in the high lottery for several years. Jazz got former Rockets goal Favors for Deron, but were turned into a 8th seed team and eventually were forced to blow it up.

    No matter what you believe, but team that gives away the best player on a deal is always considered as a loser in terms of 3-4 years.

    Trading either Harden or Howard is not only a suicide mission for Rockets in that particular deals, but also for their reputation as a strong front office.

    You are looking to go through good stretches and you are looking go through bad stretches together, otherwise you’re not good and patient enough to work with those divas of today’s NBA that most of the stars or so-called stars are.

    That's how it works.
     
    4 people like this.
  2. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Status quo is suicide.

    They still have tradeable value for now.

    Unfortunately you are largely right and we don't have any good options.
     
  3. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    The only reason i wouldn't be excited at all about a tanking team is Daryl Morey.

    He hasn't shown me that he's a good talent evaluator. Outside of Parsons he hasn't drafted anyone significant. Larry bird is a better talent scout then he is.
     
  4. Liberon

    Liberon Rookie

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    Even a team of Durant and Curry would fail if they had Bickerstaff as their coach. Lebron might be able to get to the Finals however, he doesn't need a coach.
     
  5. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    It's a fair criticism. We haven't had great first round picks.

    He's been good at free agency and second rounders though.
     
  6. RocketsFido

    RocketsFido Member

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    So we are waiting until Dwight walks and get nothing back like the Lakers. Mavs are looking to give Dwight the max in off-season.
     
  7. Rio Rocket

    Rio Rocket Member

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    if you dont think a player is worth the max i dont think this type of thinking applies to that player.
     
  8. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Sacramento is imploding.

    Just saying
     
  9. eman

    eman Contributing Member

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    What do we have to lose?
     
  10. Rocket_Man_2.0

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    I can see us trading Howard and being better...notice how Rockets struggle offensively when he's on the court. Half of our turnovers are trying to pass it to him?!
     
  11. Newlin

    Newlin Member

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    Not true. The Rockets traded Moses Malone and ended up in the finals with Ralph Sampson, Rodney McCray, and Hakeem. The Rockets were fortunate with some coin flips, but luck always plays a role.

    You have to ask yourself. Can the Rockets build a team around Harden in the next two years that will be better than the Warriors? If the answer is no. Then it's best to start a rebuild while our assets still have value.
     
  12. Raven

    Raven Member

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    Harden isn't going anywhere, yet, though he's well on his way to being labeled an empty stats hero ball scorer, just like AI. Dwight, on the other hand, should be shopped, especially if he's not happy.
     
  13. ibm

    ibm Member

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    if championship is the team's true aspiration, then trading anyone, incl. those 2, s/b an open option.

    if the goal is just to sell some tickets and some merchandise, having a watchable (barely) team, and maybe getting fans excited in the playoffs for a short while once every 5-10 years,,, then yeah, status quo isnt too shabby...
     
  14. rocketsballin

    rocketsballin Member

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    its simple - harden proved this season he can be a 2nd and not a 1st. no 1st is wanna go here after this season. dwight can re-sign for cheap and can do a lot better in a real system. harden cant, so trade him only for equal value which can happen.
     
  15. zcarenow

    zcarenow Member

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    No they're not.
     
  16. Rocket_Man_2.0

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    You just watch! Rockets better get what they can for Howard.
     
  17. Blurr#7

    Blurr#7 Contributing Member

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    5-10 years
     
  18. dmoneybangbang

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    .... and what was the highest draft pick Morey has had to work with?

    And what has Larry Bird done with the Pacers in the Eastern Conference that is so much more significant?
     
  19. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Trade Howard.

    DD
     
  20. Tristan_fiore

    Tristan_fiore Member

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    I was wondering if we were to trade Harden what we could get back for him. Would it be a player like an Andrew Wiggins or Jimmy Butler? If we were to get either of those 2 I would make the deal in a heartbeat. I just don't think Minnesota would be willing to make that deal and I am not sure Chicago would either. As constituted I don't see this team winning a championship because Harden has to have the ball in his hands. If he were willing to give up control to an actual PG (ala Ty Lawson/Jeff Teague) and play some God-damned defense I could maybe start to see it. Look at the Celtics back in 2008, Pierce, Allen, etc. To a large extent they did not play all that much defense before they got there. Doc Rivers sat down with them and told them hey if you guys want to win a championship you have to play defense. If we could get a coach that the players respect and will listen to and play for that would be fantastic. Hopefully in the summer we get Thibs and our defensive and even offensive philosophies change for the better.
     

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