I don't know if we wouldn't be able to be so bad lol, i think we could, but yeah, i can see what you're saying.
We probably couldn't be the worst team in the league with any return from a Harden trade whether it's that awful Nets group or the better Ben Simmons package, so it's moot. We would lose what would likely be a late lottery pick with the assets we gained from Harden. We'd end up with Miami's pick in the mid 20s. Not an end of the world situation when really thinking about it but not ideal.
I get this is probably a joke, but as dumb as our FO/Owner are, they should have some basic. business sense to not make moves like this. I hope.
I think Ariza is still solid, even at this age. Probably get one last good year out of him (if we elect to keep him). If we don't keep him, he does make for a good trade asset to use in another trade (whether to be competitive in the free agent market, i.e. Ibaka) or later in the trading deadline. He doesn't have to be traded for Ibaka straight up (just an example), the Rockets could easily package him to a team that has the cap space to absorb a contract and get a trade exception out of it to use in a sign and trade. There are options out there. It's really hard to gauge what the hell the Rockets are doing right now because we don't know if they are actually trying to convince Harden to stay, or if they are truly attempting to start rebuilding.
Think about it this way. This is like trading CP for Russ, but rather than giving up FRPs, we got two FRPs. Not to mention that Ariza is expiring.
Factoring OKC into the decision that way only hurts the Rockets. OKC is probably going to be worse this year with no CP3 and Gallo. Let's say they end up with a top 10 pick. The Rockets options are 1. Hold on to Harden. Pick in the 20s that OKC won't swap. 2. Trade Harden at deadline. Pick likely in the teens because Harden won them a bunch of games. OKC won't swap. Rockets keep pick. 3. Trade for Simmons. Get a lottery pick. If it's top 4 they keep it. If it's higher than OKC they keep it. If it's 5 or higher and lower than OKC you give it up for OKC top ten pick. Scenario 3 is by far the best for the Rockets if they are getting a Simmons level return for Harden in the end.
I think we could, let's say you trade Harden even for a good player like Simmons, you trade literally everyone else (PJ, Gordon, Wesbtrook), the team would be filled with scrubs around Simmons, then you can sit Simmons here and there for rest or fake injuries, i mean, what literally every tanking team does every year lol. My fear is just that i don't want to waste other assets (the very few we have left) just for a wasted season if Harden is already out of here with his mind, i think i'd rather risk and go for the top 4 pick, if it doesn't happen whatever, we could still use a tanking season to wheel and deal, take on bad contracts with picks etc so, it wouldn't be a wasted season even without getting that pick in the end. The Nets did the same, they didn't have their pick but they still made some moves which got them some picks/asset, and it was the right move in the end.
If Stone manages to flip this pick in a trade of Westbrook for a young prospect and or a pick and cap relief then he's learned well from master Morey. That's the only way I find this a positive.
one of the swaps Oklahoma City will receive the two most favorable of its 2021 1st round pick, Miami's 2021 1st round pick and Houston's 2021 1st round pick protected for selections 1-4 and Houston will receive the least favorable of the three (via Miami to Phoenix to Philadelphia to L.A. Clippers to Oklahoma City; via Oklahoma City's right to swap Oklahoma City or Miami for Houston) (if the Houston pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyable, then Houston's obligation to Oklahoma City will be extinguished) [Miami-New Orleans-Phoenix, 2/19/2015; Philadelphia-Phoenix, 6/21/2018; L.A. Clippers-Philadelphia, 2/6/2019; L.A. Clippers-Oklahoma City, 7/10/2019; Houston-Oklahoma City, 7/16/2019]
It’s going to be a rebuild. Ibaka is not coming. The next 5-10 seasons will be exactly like the pre harden years. Churning assets/mediocre players, barely scrapping into the playoffs and hoping that a young disgruntled potential star is available via trade. This sucks donkey dick.
For the time being, I'm holding out hope. Harden is signed for another couple of years. The franchise really should have no actual pressure to trade him if they want to keep him, however, the franchise should be doing everything possible to get decent players around Harden to give it another go. Harden does have a player option on his last year, so in theory, next season could be an expiring deal thus dropping his value (plus a year older). My hope is that Harden is trying to get the franchise to spend money. After all, if I remember Morey's interviews, he always stated how Harden was not necessarily understanding of the salary numbers and such and just wanted things to get done. Remember that he stated that Harden wanted to keep CP3 and also bring Westbrook on board. I am sure Harden's agent is well aware that the Rockets are not just going to trade him for scraps just because he says so.
Honestly this is a great trade. I freaking loved RoCo, but this era is a wrap. Glad Stone decided to move quickly on getting value for him. Good first trade for the GM.
I think we are definitely trading for George... Costanza. Sadly, he's already demanding a trade to the BIG APPLE!
This definitely gives us more trade flexibility than we have had in a while. It sucks to lose RoCo but you are likely trading him at his peak value and if we aren't going to play true small ball anymore, then he doesn't have as much value on this team IMO. This makes me wonder if we are looking to trade Westbrook for a versatile 5 with height that can protect the paint, spread the floor and rebound. Not sure who that is but swapping RoCo for Ariza gives us some versatility on the wings. Ariza has lost a step but I assume his perimeter defense is still a bit better than RoCo. RoCo is a beast at help defense, etc. but there are some things that Ariza still does well as a 3 and D wing player especially if we have an actual center anchoring the defense once again. Ariza also still shoots at a consistently high clip surprisingly. Morey's biggest failure was failing to get a player like JJ Reddick with Harden as well as a truly versatile 5 like a Paul Milsap/Al Horford. Obviously those guys aren't easy to get and have been overpaid most of their careers but Morey not focusing on high efficiency/consistent shooters around Harden was really the nail in the coffin. That was never more evident than when we went 0-27 down the stretch in Game 7 against GSW.
