[ClutchFans] Podcast: Capela trade rumors, the deadline and Westbrook's fit in Houston

One hour of Clutch takes! Thanks Clutch!

Is Bima in the bathroom, looking at our LTS situation. “Bimathug: reporting Live on Tilman from his toilet”

 

Hot damn! Clutch out here surprising us with a Podcast! w00t!

 

pray for good things happening

 

Manna from Heaven.

 

Can't wait - thanks guys!

 

YAS!

Been a long time since a podcast!!

Rocket River

 

Dang Clutch is pretty sold on CC getting traded this week and really really big on Clarke

and agreed people should really feel for PJ and how much work specifically defensively has been put on his shoulders alone

@BimaThug brought up a interesting point. His fear of what the rockets are doing to PJ is what Tibbs did to Deng

 

Wow the clutch Russ/CP trade hangover is real.

 

C (on Covington): I do not like the report of two first round picks. I would not give up 2 firsts for Covington. He's become this symbol of this extremely elite wing. I don't think that's it. He would add a lot defensively. Great wingspan, good defensive instincts, solid 3pt shooter. It's adding an Ariza type and going full-time small ball. We won't match up to your bigs, you have to stop us.

Would you swap Capela for Covington straight up?

C: I think I would. This whole thing was unnecessary because of the Westbrook trade but I would. I would trust the Rockets to find center help. ... I think the Rockets are leaking the heck out of this stuff. They're trying to create a market. I read it as the Rockets aren't quite getting what they want from Atlanta. We've seen this so many times. It's not like the Celtics called up Woj and said 'We're also going after Capela.' It's coming from the Rockets. They're trying to move Capela. If they want to succeed or take the next step, he's not a vital as he used to be because the changes they made.

...

If all falls through, will the Rockets "accidentally" avoid the LT?

C: There's nothing accidental. I had actually been told they were planning on being a tax team. If they right over the edge & see the opportunity to get under, they'll do it. I would absolutely expect them to do it. A lot of fans are on edge about Tilman Fertitta & his ownership and his 2 years as owner. There's numerous cases where in a vacuum, a single move they make, 'OK, that makes sense. I don't fault them for that. That works, I understand.' But you put it all together, they've hurt the bottom line for this team, no question. Imagine had they gotten Jerami Grant in the Westbrook trade. There's a lot of instances where they've saved money & it's backfired long term. It's adding up. People are looking at this deadline & if they do nothing more than cut costs to get under the tax, there will be a lot of angry fans.

BT playing goalie for Fertitta.

No problem ducking the tax last year.
They are pushing the repeater tax out another year.
They'll need to commit to spending starting next year.
We'll see ownership's true colors next year.
This is the same owner who paid Chris Paul.
This is the same owner who took on an extra Westbrook year.

...

C: I would trade 2 firsts for Iguodala & Clarke.

...

C: I do think Clint ends up getting traded.
BT: OK. Count me skeptical (on a Capela trade). Gun to my head, one scenario that plays out, they were close on a big trade that fell through last minute & end up dumping Nene, maybe get a buyout guy and avoid the LT.

...

C: I don't see them as contenders as is. They have to make a significant addition. Just getting Markieff would be help but nothing that puts them over the top against a team like Milwaukee. Even last year with Chris Paul, the Rockets needed upgrades to compete with Milwaukee. 2017-18, they win the West this year and competes with Milwaukee. Last year was different without Ariza/Mbah a Moute. This year's team, maybe they can win some series against a lot of these teams. I just don't see them as a championship contending team right now and got to make changes.

...

BT: Not overly optimistic about a big trade and may turn our hopes to the buyout market.

 

@Clutch

here you go.

https://tradenba.com/trades/_K8xa0z8a


I think I do this trade.

 

Would LOVE taking Markieff for a second rounder as Bima suggested.
We need competent bodies in a big way

 

I love Clutch's Iggy/Clarke trade.

Hard to imagine the Grizzlies playing ball.

 

Haha! No, I was in my office at home. Just bad sound quality. Sorry about that.

 

LOL. Straight from the BimaCave

Rocket River

 

Iggy, really Clutch? Cannot support that one...guess we're really done with Capela, which is good news in my opinion. Our ceiling with Capela was low.

 

Imagine if we had just used those picks from the Westbrook trade on upgrades to the team and had Nene/Shump are large one year deals as contract filler.

We would be in such a better position.

This whole season has just been one big nightmare.

 

The #TilmanTax depletes the assets.

 

Hard to imagine, because Harden likely would have been gone, gone, gone If he was forced to live with Chris Paul for another year.

We might have been in a significantly worse position.

 

Damn wish I had this for my road trip! Thank you @Clutch and @BimaThug