[Ryen Russillo]There are people around the league who believe that Westbrook is available for trade

just so we’re clear on efficient, ruthless savage...

For the month of December...

.428/.228/.901

.508 TS%
.449 EFG

And he shot it TWENTY FOUR times per game! lol

Those efficiency numbers would be close to career worsts if he continued with it all season. They are well below league average.

He’s still having too many awful, high volume shooting games.

 

B/R article echos my thought
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2869053-every-nba-teams-2020-new-years-resolution#slide10

[After 8 straight seasons in the black, Russell Westbrook’s, net rating swing is comfortably below zero
for the 19/20 season Houston Rockets.

They’re plus 3.1 pts per 100 possessions with him on the floor and plus 6.6 with him off. When Harden
is operating without Westbrook, they’re plus 8.8. A net rating that ranks in the 90 percentile.

Blah, blah, blah...

Because at the moment, it’s hard to see the right role for Westbrook with the Rockets. And it’s not hard to see
another epic “shoot his own team out of a playoff game in the playoffs,” moment.]

Shooting the Rockets out of 2 playoff games would be certain doom for a 7 game series in the playoffs.

 

Last 11 games.

47% from the field.
27% from three.
90% from the free throw line.
Assisting and Rebounding at historically elite levels.

His last 11 games drawing criticism proves what we already know about the relationship between Clutchfans and Westbrook.

Coming off knee surgery, early struggles should be expected. But no prisoners when it comes to Westbrook it seems. He is clearly improving. God help the NBA If we can somehow find our Ariza replacement. We are a little hot streak away from being the 1-seed...

 

Fultz is Magic's PG, now and future. ORL is desperate for an all star scorer but I believe that they prefer a wing to pair with Isaac and Fournier.

Vuc has not been their best player this season (injuries and slow start) so Fournier and Isaac have been carrying team.

 

lol I only take issue with blatantly false statements

Which you clearly made.

His last month of games, like most of his career, were anything but efficient.

It was extremely high volume and extremely low efficiency.

 

Russ role is increasing pace and being part of the highest scoring tandem in the history of the NBA.

Neither Dwight or CP3 w/Harden combos are top 5. Harden/ Westbrook own 2 spots in top 5. That's better than Jordan/Pippen, Steph/Klay, Steph/Durant, Durant/ Westbrook, Lebron/Kyrie.

Only duo better was Shaq/Kobe.

 

I do not believe ORL will give up those 4 players for Russ. Maybe 1 young lottery pick player but not two. This trade would decimate ORL roster and rotation as well ( although that us not saying much).

 

It was just an example of what I’m looking for in a trade of Westbrook per conversation with @hakeem94

Hakeem was saying he would rather Harden run with Westbrook over bringing in another superstar
(who is probably disgruntled with current team), and I mentioned that I’m looking more for two
players getting about $15M in salary (each) and one player for about $9M.

I’m the guy that said the Rockets can win 57 games in the regular season despite Westbrook being erratic, but
the playoffs would be another story. The more I see Westbrook with Harden the more I feel I was right.
Westbrook doesn’t compliment Harden enough in my opinion. Harden gets doubled at mid court because
Westbrook can’t shoot for distance we’ll enough. So Westbrook attacks to free throw line (4 on 3 action)
with kick out to corners. Good teams are learning to show pack the paint with intention of quickly jetting out
to corners.

Works better with Aaron Gordon playing the role of Westbrook because he can actually hit 3’s. So can Bamba.
Orlando is 7th with those lottery picks with big “Bigs” have less value during this small-ball era. Bamba
would still be a backup and maybe a replacement for Capela over time. Westbrook would elevate the Magic
from 7th to possibly 5th because Westbrook is easily better than Fultz right now.

Just Aaron Gordon and Ross makes the trade worthy for Houston. Westbrook 36-minute point total is about 24.8
points per game while just Aaron Gordon and Ross 36-minute point totals equal about 33.4 points per game.

Westbrook is 26.8 percentile this season in transition.....Aaron Gordon is 76.3 percentile while Ross is
60.3 in transition percentile.

Pick-n-Roll (ball handler) Westbrook is 30.7 in NBA percentile while Aaron Gordon is right with him at 28.1 percentile;
but Ross is 61.8 in NBA percentile.

Aaron Gordon is 91.3 in NBA percentile as Pick-n-Roll (Roll-man).....Westbrook registers nothing here.

If you noticed when Westbrook and Harden sat a game.....the Rockets ran more PnR than the entire season
with Clemons, Rivers, Eric Gordon and Hartenstein. Rockets could run more PnR with Westbrook gone.

As I also mentioned, the Rockets could use another team (3-team trade) to make it work. As everyone knows
I’m still partial to Markieff. Morris/ C Wood...........add them to the deal with Aaron Gordon/Ross. Leave off Bamba
and Aminu.......Blake Griffin going to Magic??? Westbrook/J Issac/Griffin/Vucevic goes a long way.

 

For the right deal everyone is available for trade.

This is not news.
Daryl is working the phones every second.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge proponent of Aaron Gordon's fit on the Rockets.

If Morey pulls off this trade, would happily eat crow.

 

Lmaoooo at trusting Aaron Gordon to be a difference maker in the playoffs.

 

Man please. After we trade Russ, who’s out 2nd option in the playoffs? I get it you cats hate Russ for some reason but dame some of these trade suggestions suck. Smh

 

My preference would be to trade Clint for AG instead of Brodie.

ORL: Gordon Hayward, Carsen Edwards- Magic add coveted all star scorer plus 1st rounder in score first guard in Edwards
BOS: Clint Capela, Ben McLemore, Thabo Sefolosha - Celtics add defensive 5 to challenge 76ers, Pacers & Raptors & McLemore, former lottery pick.
HOU: Aaron Gordon, Lob Williams (Clint Capela potential), Wes Iwundu

No FRP necessary.

AG adds length and athleticism, upgrades starting 4 spot, rim runner - speeds up pace even more, another lock down switch defender would play 5 when Rockets play small ball (floor spacer). Rockets double team buster - Beard, Brodie, EGo, Tucker, AG.

Russ/Rivers/Clemons
Harden/EGo
Tucker/Iwundu
AG/House/Clark
Lob Williams/Hartenstein/Tyson

 

I'd be down with two trades:

1. Westbrook to L.A. for Harrell & Lou Williams - Paul trade comes back around full circle.

OR

2. Westbrook to Sacramento for Holmes & Fox

I'm sure there are much better duos out there we could use to help us at the 4 and fill in the hole Westbrook leaves but those are 2 deals I could be happy with. Have NO CLUE what the numbers are so could be way off on the feasibility.

 

How dare you project Robert Williams to play ahead of Hartenstein!

 

Can we swap Fox for Buddy lol. Buddy getting the open 3's Harden generates.... Wow

 

one thing is for certain. i'm sure glad ya'll aint our GM.

 

You no nothing about basketball, do you?

Yeah, trade a superstar for 2 role players...lol.

 

WE beat most teams with JUST Harden. Come playoffs, having Westbrook running downhill is going to pay off. He's not going anywhere. And it's hard to take someone that says "I hate the Rockets" seriously as a journalist.

 

Westbrook isn't a superstar.