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If Harden demanded Westbrook stay, which one of the following would you agree with?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by jevjnd, Oct 19, 2020.

?

What would you do?

  1. I’d trade Harden. It might not be worth it to keep Westbrook.

    55 vote(s)
    45.5%

  2. We owe Harden, listen to him.

    53 vote(s)
    43.8%

  3. Take the second pick and other, non-core, players from Golden State. then draft Killian Hayes.

    4 vote(s)
    3.3%

  4. Same as above, but take Lamelo Ball.

    6 vote(s)
    5.0%

  5. Take the pick and get someone else with the second pick.

    3 vote(s)
    2.5%
Page 4 of 5
  1. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    If we'd have done that, this entire forum would likely be censored in no time.
     
    #61 BigDog63, Oct 19, 2020
  2. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

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    It’s fine that you believe that this team can win with Westbrook, but I’d bet you’re in the minority, as the poll reflects thus far. There is a purpose for the choices by the way, I wouldn’t want Ball, but I would want Hayes. Other people might want other players and that’s an option there, too. What’s wrong with wanting a more granular view of what people here think? I’ve seen that a number of people here would have interest in Ball. I like Hayes. I wanted to see if I was in the minority. You don’t have to select any of the options if you don’t like, but this question was exactly what I wanted to know. Is it not listening to him if Tillman was in fact eager to move Westbrook before Harden intervened? I don’t know if that happened but I did want to know what people here thought. If I wanted to trade him with certainty you would have seen exactly that post. I don’t really know if that situation actually happened, but if it did, I would move him. There is a distinction. I don’t see Hayes as equal value, but I do see a player like that as being an opportunity to make the most of the situation. Especially if Westbrook was his (Harden’s) decision in the first place. So, you know where I stand. You feel otherwise, and I’m glad that I know that now. That was the purpose of this post. I’m not going to attack your opinions and will instead simply disagree. Thank you for sharing your opinions. I have enjoyed you posting your thoughts over the years and will continue to do so.
     
    #62 jevjnd, Oct 20, 2020
  3. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

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    That is the question isn’t it? In a sense, the rebuild may have already started if the window is gone. I think that Westbrook has the most value to us because of the picks and pick swaps we traded away. He can buy us some wins if we needed that. I just don’t think we could get anything that wouldn’t be negative value back for him.
     
    #63 jevjnd, Oct 20, 2020
  4. pahiyas

    pahiyas Member

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    Voted to keep Harden, but not for the poll reason. Ride out his talent, just be creative and intelligent with whom he should be partnered with (coaches, teammates).
     
    #64 pahiyas, Oct 20, 2020
    D-rock and jevjnd like this.
  5. mfastx

    mfastx Member
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    Agreed. Too early to trade him, but that point is coming soon (2-3 years).
     
    #65 mfastx, Oct 20, 2020
  6. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

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    He’s still a transcendent talent. I’m curious, how heavily would you continue taking Harden’s input into who that should be? Some people seem to say good things about Rafael Stone. How good of a successor do you think he’ll be? I felt that Morey was one of the best to ever do it, and if Morey was responsible in any way for Stone being a part of the organization, that counts for a lot for me. I’m glad that you participated in the poll and added some discussion. Thank you.
     
    #66 jevjnd, Oct 20, 2020
    D-rock likes this.
  7. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    There a long stream of 'the next xxx' players. Almost none of them ever are.
     
    #67 BigDog63, Oct 20, 2020
  8. verysimplejason

    verysimplejason Member

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    Would you? Rebuilding does not mean mediocrity. You just have to convert Harden and Westbrook to good, wise decisions. That's why you need a good GM and coach. Just look at where Brooklyn is now. Rockets is in much better position than Brooklyn years ago.
     
    #68 verysimplejason, Oct 20, 2020
  9. Juxtaposed Jolt

    Juxtaposed Jolt Member

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    OP wants to see a Curry / Harden / Thompson / Green superteam.
     
    #69 Juxtaposed Jolt, Oct 20, 2020
  10. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    This is what it looks like to be scratching the surface as a fan especially in this Covid time, I didn't bother to research.

    I had no idea who Rafa Stone was or Eli Witus before.

    Unknown after unknown...... at least the frustration and initial shock seemed to fade from the Morey saga.

    And I have no idea about those draftees, no idea who Ball or Hayes are as players but do keep Lavar and his sons away from the franchise.
     
    #70 daywalker02, Oct 20, 2020
    jevjnd likes this.
  11. BigDog63

    BigDog63 Member

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    Most of the time, particularly in the NBA, it does. You don't get value back (how can you when you trade a superstar?). So, you are taking steps backward. Then, you have to strike it rich in the draft. Philly has been trying that for almost a decade now, with a whole slew of very high level picks, and where are they at? Same place Rockets are (ie, at the blowup stage, apparently). Everyone likes to assume building a team is easy, and it isn't. If it WERE easy, everyone would be a title contender, wouldn't they? When you rebuild, you start a process, and that process takes years to work through, and even then may not end up where you want to be. That's just reality. Everyone is free to wish for something else, but hope isn't really a plan. You MAY get lucky and accelerate it (like the Mavs did with Doncic), but those are unicorns. Lots of donkeys out there people think are unicorns. maybe some of them are even decent horses. But they aren't the transcendent talents you need to get to the championship. When you have one of those, and get rid of him, you're back to looking for unicorns.
     
    #71 BigDog63, Oct 20, 2020
    pahiyas likes this.
  12. mikol13

    mikol13 Protector of the Realm
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    #72 mikol13, Oct 20, 2020
    D-rock and treyk3 like this.
  13. jevjnd

    jevjnd Contributing Member

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    I agree with you about the Ball family. I don’t think we’re going to have the same front office or player experience whenever we rebuild. That’s what I was wondering with the poll. I don’t see a way to win a championship for the organization. Some disagree, but I don’t see it with all these unknowns. I’m willing to not be pessimistic, but I don’t see a championship for Harden in Houston. I do think that Hayes is a special player and is an opportunity that won’t be there in the future. It’s possible that he doesn’t become a great player, but if he does, that might be worth more than riding this current situation out. I think that if we don’t do something soon, things will get really ugly with this lack of picks. I also think that it’s a real possibility that Harden won’t resign. The front office should have a good feel for this. If those feelings are shared by the front office, why not take this opportunity now, while he’s still great?
     
    #73 jevjnd, Oct 20, 2020
    daywalker02 likes this.
  14. BigggReddd

    BigggReddd Member

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    I wouldn't be ready to look James Harden in the eyes and tell him to his face he's no longer a Rocket. Could you do it?
     
    #74 BigggReddd, Oct 20, 2020
    daywalker02 and D-rock like this.
  15. D-rock

    D-rock Member

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    Why would you do it is better question.

    Cutting off your nose to spite your face.
     
    #75 D-rock, Oct 20, 2020
    jevjnd, BigDog63 and BigggReddd like this.
  16. fattz

    fattz Member

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    We need to do what is best for the Rockets and not one player on the team. If there is a deal that moves us forward then do it if not run it back.
     
    #76 fattz, Oct 20, 2020
  17. BigggReddd

    BigggReddd Member

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    I don't believe there's many avenues to improving this team but ditching your superstar in his prime is not it, fam. Give it AT LEAST one more season, especially if Beard wants it here in H-Town.
     
    #77 BigggReddd, Oct 20, 2020
    fattz and D-rock like this.
  18. YOLO

    YOLO Member

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    no chance harden and westbrick win a title together. they won't even get close
     
    #78 YOLO, Oct 20, 2020
  19. kjayp

    kjayp Contributing Member

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    I say keep Harden and make it work with WB...

    I'm betting JVG could make it work...
     
    #79 kjayp, Oct 21, 2020
  20. ROXonROXonROX

    ROXonROXonROX Member

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    IDGAF if we keep WB, I think the dude can be great again if he’s coached by an X’s and O’s guy that will put him in positions to succeed. Problem with MDA and WB is that WB can’t shoot and MDA offense needs guys that can shoot. MDA refused to adjust according to his roster and always just said that he’s not going to make Russ change who he is, basically just rolled the ball out there and see what happens.
    If Tilman and co. can somehow put a roster around WB and Harden that includes an actual big and actual shooters I think this team becomes interesting. Can’t go into next season thinking this small ball BS is going to work for 82 games, nevertheless, the PO.
    We definitely need to trade Gordon for a solid big that can stretch the floor. Gordon is just so awful during the regular season and so inconsistent in the PO. I think the only guys you bring back is Jeff Green and extend PJ. Austin Rivers can go along with every other guy that’s not under contract for next season. You can go into the season with

    Westbrook/ (FA PG)
    Harden/ David Nwaba
    RoCo/ House
    PJ/ Green
    (A legit starting big)/ FA stretch 5

    And a solid coach to make it all work.
     
    #80 ROXonROXonROX, Oct 21, 2020
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