winning 60+ during the reg season great. harden can win 50+ games with a bunch of role players. That doesn't really matter. Are you happy with being just a good team or being an elite team that really has a shot at a title. The Rockets had the third-ranked defense in the NBA from the Feb. 6 lineup change, when P.J. Tucker became a starter, through the rest of the regular season. Prior to the change, it ranked 11th. that's how you become elite and give yourself a realistic shot
Keep in mind that one of Murray's best attributes is that he flat-out refuses to overvalue role players. Sure he wants to keep PJ, but not at the expense of bringing in another All-Star. It's almost like people haven't been paying attention to Murray's well-established MO: Step 1) Get superstars Step 2) Get All-Stars Step 3) Find undervalued role players and youngsters with possible upside to fill out the roster Morey will absolutely give up some of step 3 to pull off a step 2. Then he can just re-do step 3 again.
We still had PJ coming off the bench? Same with Luc? I mean this isnt a good argument. Even when Ryan started I would like to see how many minutes he got over PJ. And I believe basically all of our team stats got better with Tucker in AND .....well Playoffs, ......Playoffs PLAYOFFS.
Lazy lotto busts have been, and always will be, protected until it’s too late...because fans embrace hope. Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me, But the next guy can fool me again, that’s all good
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=24951610 If it's not Miami, where is Jimmy Butler gonna go? Windhorst: To me, the only teams that will trade for Butler at any sort of premium are teams that can't sign him in the summer today. If Butler hangs on through February, talking a pure rental situation, anything is possible. Unlikely a team will pay Minnesota's asking price that can sign him in the summer. I want Butler on my team. I'd rather have him at 4 years than 5 so I'd rather sign him outright anyways. Houston, there's some stuff with Houston but I don't see how a trade goes down there. MacMahon: Someone told Stefano Fusaro that Houston is refusing to put Tucker in there. I haven't heard that that firm but I do know certainly the coaching staff doesn't want to let Tucker go. Tilman Fertitta said they don't want to give up too much. By giving up too much, if you're talking about not including Tucker, how are you doing that deal? Windhorst: There could be 3 opinions there. Number one, Minnesota, you don't want to include Tucker? Call me back. Click. You don't get Butler. This is how this gotta work. There might be 3 different opinions in Houston. Daryl Morey might look at it & say "If we get Butler, this might really be something." You got the coaching staff who loves Tucker & how he brings it every day and his versatility and then you got the owner chirping about the luxury tax. He pretty much said we're not paying the repeater tax, which I get, and drove a hard bargain with Clint Capela and got him at a reasonable number. I'm not sure Tilman Fertitta is getting ready to go give Jimmy Butler a max. MacMahon: If you ain't paying repeater & you're trading for Butler, you're doing it as a rental. Windhorst: That's what I'm saying. The owner could see it one way, front office another way & coaching staff another way. I'll never b**** at an owner about not wanting to pay the repeater tax. Not saying Tilman is wrong but if you're the GM or coaching staff, you gotta know you have that line you can't cross. Butler, if I'm Houston, I wait & see what happens with Golden State in a year and hope you get lucky this year. Jackie MacMullan: If Les Alexander is still the owner, do they care? MacMahon: I don't think he's trying to pay the repeater tax either. Jackie Mac: I think he would. That dude is a generous man with his money. My understanding, in his stepping away from the Rockets, he plans to give most of his money away. He would have said go for it. Windhorst: Les Alexander, ...first off the Rockets are a very profitable team(top 5). Tilman used a big chunk of his net worth to pay for this. Jackie Mac: I get it. I'm not criticizing him. MacMahon: I'm telling you, it's one thing if everyone says "Hey, we do this, we'll beat the Warriors!" It's another if the coach says "We have the offensive firepower, PJ Tucker is indispensable part of what we're doing & we have a great dynamic between our superstars. Now we're bringing in Melo. To bring Butler to Houston, if you're getting rid of a culture piece in Tucker, that's a chemistry experiment that I'm not sure benefits the Rockets & not sure D'Antoni would be enthusiastic about. Windhorst: When we convene at the end of next week, will Butler be a Timberwolf? MacMahon: He'll be a Heat. Not sure if it's next week or when it happens, but I agree with Jackie. Some point sooner than later.
As I said for Wolves fans these are the best news possible. The only way left to motivate KAT and Wiggins. The immediate leaks also help. After all these,if you can't step up your effort when you are publicly humiliated then you are a lost cause.
