Let’s not get carried away with initial impressions. It’s great the Rockets are making music on the court. But it’s a relatively new team core style, coaches around the league will be scheming about how to beat them. Usually it takes 20 games for the league to expose fundamental problems. But the first hurdle of playing well with each other and having fun has been a success. First impression is the Rockets are a legitimate playoff bound team.
Well that will always be the case. IMO the reason Les sold the team was because he saw players pushing owners to exceed the Luxury Tax threshold in order to win a championship. TF and PF will take the team to about $6 or $7 million under. That way they can pick up a player bought out and cut/waive an existing fringe player with the hit about the LT. Sort of a buffer.....Morey preached that flexibility with TF and had to learn to master that concept with Les as well. Lakers emptied the cupboard thinking every free agent would love to play with Kobe and live in L.A. Kawhi and Paul George wanted to be in L.A. but they didn’t want to play with Kobe. When Kobe retired that opened up the team to be LeBron’s team. All the free agents were already committed to teams so the Lakers had to settle for the Lance Stephenson type outcasts. It took AD joining LeBron to now attract any and all mid tier free agent. So the lure of the big city was not enough. Knicks emptied their roster basically after Melo left. Opening up money to bring in multiple max contracts and of course the lure of the big city of New York will always attract big name free agents. Wrong, players haven’t wanted to be the first star to be there inland in hopes of attracting others. So the lure of the big city has not been enough. Houston has been hated by NBA front office, officials, fans-internet for many years (Oilers, Texans, Astros as well). So do you think that just C Wood and the fine city of Houston will attract big name free agents? Probably not. House, Tate, Mason Jones, Kevin Porter, Eric Gordon will make for accessory parts with C Wood......but if the Rockets think they can sell Oladipo, Wall, House, Ben McLemore and just free up money and the star players will come. Good luck with that. Empty out the cupboard and we may go hungry for years to come. Wood is good but no one star will win a championship. Ask LeBron year one as a Laker. He was floundering and when it looked like slim chance of making the playoffs.....they shut down LeBron. Wall is under contract control, so my intent would be trying to convince Oladipo to stay beyond this season, knowing you have Wall and his contract control to fall back on. I wish the Rockets could move John Wall because I don’t trust players that have undergone Achilles repair. It’s every persons weakness. Brad Pitt played Achilles in the movie “Troy.” Awesome warrior that seemed invincible, until his heel cord was severed. Then his base of support was taken from him. Achilles tendon gets its name from Achilles the warrior (same character in the books and movies). When a person has a hidden weakness, it is referred to as that persons “Achilles heel,” I don’t think it is wise to go predominantly rookies. Most rookies take 3 years to develop. End up investing money training players, only to have them bolt for another team in year 4. Other teams benefit from the on the job training that the Rockets provide. Some may stay, Harden recently said he was staying in Houston forever. DeShaun Watson recently signed an extension thinking he was staying long term.......or did he think that? People say Harden was spoiled; I say every star is spoiled or wants to be spoiled. Don’t let them get what they want and they pout and have a temper tantrum......demand a trade. Or petty excuse, wanted to be elsewhere all along?
Team ball!!! So much fun!!!! Finally, we’re free to not make the playoffs and have no dreams of winning a title!!
BUT THEY PLAY SO HARD AND WITH HEART!!!! Reminds me of the good ol Scola/Chuck Hayes days. REAL HUSSLE N GRIT!!! Grrr... This team ****in sucks
Ahh I remember when I was called a troll because I wasnt iving on the hype of that 6 game win streak when we played terrible teams or injury ridden teams. This team isn't very good and honestly there isn't anything wrong with that. They need to embrace the rebuild.
I somehow imagined freedom would feel better than this. I guess I’ve been freed from thinking we will win when we have a game. There is an odd sense of freedom and peace in feeling like that and having low expectations. We just got beat by the Wizards for goodness sakes. They have Westbrook and a stupid name. Doesn’t get much lower than this.
lol beating injured teams is not a sign of greatness but losing when decimated with injuries is sign of not being great ok so much for being objective...
I didn't think they we were very good prior to the Harden trade. I thought we were 6th at best. I've stated from the jump this wasn't a playoff team even when healthy damn sure wouldn't change when Wood is out.
I'm glad that I don't have to see a Rocket player put up a 40, 50, 60 point triple doubles anymore. Who wants to see that? I want everyone touching the ball at least once before someone shoots it.
Losing basketball at a historic rate with historic margins of loss? We are certainly free. Tickets will need to be free to watch this kind of basketball you have longed and pined for.
