Fertitta said something to the effect of we need to sign Chris back and try to get Capela back. Right there, it’s guaranteed we’ll get Chris back but Capela is not a foregone conclusion. Sounds like Fertitta isn’t sure he wants to pay all that tax for Capela. Sure he played a big part in the Rockets success but it was enhanced because of our system and our 2 great play makers. If we have to, I think Morey can find a replacement. This just screams like the Parsons situation to me. Morey has been on record to say we’re a team that finds the Parsons but not to pay max for Parsons Just my opinion on this subject
Also, as far as the Brooklyn parallel, a few things: 1) One of the biggest issues for the Nets was mortgaging future picks in a Herschel Walker-type trade to acquire KG, Pierce, etc. in the first place. The hole Brooklyn is currently in isn't just because they took on a bunch of huge contracts and then paid to offload them later for tax savings. It's largely because of the enormous asset cost it took to get them there in the first place. In terms of comparing that situation to current CP/Capela deliberations, those are already your players. It'd be a better analog if Capela were somewhere else and the Rockets were using cap space or trade resources that could otherwise be applied elsewhere. 2) Another reason the Brooklyn scenario was ill-fated was that Brooklyn's upside was limited. Even in the best-case scenario, it was hard to see them in the class of LeBron's Heat. We just watched the Rockets take 3 from the Warriors, and in all likelihood they close it out if not for CP's ill-timed injury. There's a lot more upside here. 3) Even if the worst-case scenario happens, and it sends the Rockets into a prolonged rebuild starting in 2023 or so, I'm OK with that if you have a real shot at the title. Legitimate chances, particularly in today's superteam era, are incredibly precious and hard to come by. I'm OK with the risk. And everything I've heard from Daryl suggests that he is, too. Players like James Harden, signed under contract in their prime, don't grow on trees.
Luka as the second option to Booker, he will only succeed. Maybe not a superstar but definitely a productive player.
The only moves that matter to the Rockets should be: (i) get Lebron (ii) get PG Without one of those two happening, the end result is still lose to the Warriors. Something like Jimmy Butler sounds nice on paper... but the guy is ALSO always injured here or there - he's only played in more than 67 games twice in his 7 year career, and has never played more than 12 playoff games. Chris Paul is also always injured. Any other meaningful get isn't available (eg. getting KD somehow, or AD, or the like). Any other "smaller" gets are great. And should be explored. But ultimately, it will still come down to health. Maybe (lol) CP3 manages to stay healthy an entire playoff run. EG is due for a health issue, though. The two guys above fit into your position of most absolute need, and are potentially get-able. Probably cross of PG though - LA seems a lock. So it comes down to Lebron. Everything else is fun to speculate, but just moving around the chess pieces for the same checkmate ending (bear in mind, GSW has great savvy management themselves and will retool their bench again).
Yeah, the Rockets have the MVP of the league in James Harden. If they aren't doing everything they can to augment the team around him for a championship.....then what are we doing? If you don't think Morey has an exit strategy (pivot) for this run then you are fooling yourself.
As close as we were... you replace Anderson's salary with $20mil in functional talent... I don't know. Plan C wouldn't be the end of the world IMO.
We all appreciate your valuable input and support. Keep it coming, but please any non-Rockets potential roster moves belong in the NBA Dish, not in the GARM. No offense intended.
Good points. But on the rebuild, I'm guessing it would start before 2023, even while some of the current superstars are still under contract. I'm totally in agreement with you about taking your shot now. But the "pain" won't start in 2023. It'll likely start before then. And it'll last several years. Fans just need to be prepared for that. FWIW, I am.
You're making a mountain out of semantics. We've heard Daryl Morey say Capela "couldn't price himself out" of Houston. Just last week, both D'Antoni and Morey spoke as if Clint coming back was a foregone conclusion. As for Fertitta, after Game 5 vs. Minnesota, he said this: You're right that the Capela and Parsons scenarios are similar, though I'd argue Capela is a better player. Here's what you forgetting, though: The Rockets were going to match Parsons if they got Chris Bosh. They were willing to overpay if it meant a chance to win a title. But when Bosh said no, and the Rockets were left with the same team that just lost in Round 1... that changed the calculus, and future flexibility became more important because Morey didn't think that roster was worth going "all in" on. The current team, coming off 65 wins and pushing the Warriors to the brink, has much more in common with the Bosh scenario than it does a squad that lost in Round 1.
Good points but let’s say nothing else changes and we roll out the same squad next year that we had this year... do we win 65 games or more? Do we push the Warriors to 7 or beat them? I say no on both.
Unless you land LeBron, letting Capela walk would essentially wave the white flag on competing with Golden State in this era. Considering you just signed Harden to a multi-year deal that's going to soon pay him over $40M per season, and may soon give a similar contract (in annual values) to Chris Paul, those decisions seem completely idiotic if you're not going to try and maximize those years. Quite frankly, if the Rockets let Capela walk, they should probably let Chris Paul walk, too, and focus on 2-4 years from now -- presumably when there could be some age-related decline from Golden State. It makes no sense to sign one but not the other. In today's era of super teams, the worst thing you can do is dip your toes into the water. Either you're in, or you're out. Paying Harden/Paul $40M+ per season while letting Capela walk over a small difference in annual salary is a recipe for consistent 50-55 win seasons with no chance at the title, all while Harden/Paul depreciate as assets. That is completely incompatible with everything we've heard from Daryl Morey and everything we've seen from his operating procedure over the past 10+ years.
Get Bron and you def match Capela. @The Cat makes a great point. We match Parsons if Bosh doesn't back out on his verbal agreement. Capela is in town if Lebron is. I can't see him going anywhere.
The Rockets are not letting Capela walk. If they have to, they'll get rid of a few other players(Ariza?) and find cheaper replacements if necessary. And don't even try to compare him to Parsons. That dude proved nothing in the postseason whereas Clint just outplayed Towns and Gobert and helped the Rockets get within a game of the Finals(and really the title).
