If you haven't noticed, the top teams have multiple super stars. There's no guarantee that anyone on this team will be a Mitchell, a Curry, or any of the other caliber players that you see with other contenders. If you want to win a chip, you gotta have stars. And the Rockets aren't the best at attracting free agents without a star like big market teams can. We need to role the dice until we get that game changing player to build around. We don't have that yet. Time to play lotto.
This is the point, the team is different since the win streak began. Discovered Brooks and Done (Get'r Done Mathews).....now the Silas system can be seen with spacing where as the first 17 games lacked it. I posted above in post #87 teams #5 and on that are tanking and begging Houston to overtake them. #5) Mavs 4-6 in last 10, Doncic (sore ankles) and Porzingis out. #6) Clips 4-6 in last 10, Kawhi not coming back this year #7) Nuggets 3-7 in last 10, Michael Porter Jr back surgery. They want high draft pick. #8) Lakers 4-6 in last 10, a mess with Westbrook, AD and LeBron getting older each day #9) T-Wolves (surging.....the exception.....not tanking) 7-3 #10) Blazers 5-5 in last 10, Dame not the same since fouls are called differently #11) Kings 4-6 in last 10, shopping Hield and Bagley #12) Spurs 4-6 in last 10, playing better since I called out Pops. Said we were one game behind. #13) Pels 5-5 in last 10, tanking since they think Zion may never be healthy again. It's about getting our players "Playoff Experience" All NBA players get that, "Deer in the headlights feeling," during their first PO's. I want that out of their system somewhat sooner rather than later. If we can get 6th or 7th seed.....free agents will come. Removing Wall/EGo salary makes a lot happen. Possibly going after UFA Robert Covington 30 y/o and 38% (3P%) UFA T J Warren 28 y/o 6'8" and 36% (3P%) UFA Jalen Brunson 25 y/o, 35% (3P%), 14.7 pts, 4.8 Ast UFA Tyus Jones 25 y/o, 43% (3P%), 3.7 Ast _________________ Playoff. experience for Sengun, Jalen Green, Garuba, Josh Christopher, Porter Jr. Exit : off-season or sooner: House, Wall, Eric Gordon, Nwaba, Augustin Add: Covington or T J Warren and/or Jalen Brunson or Tyus Jones if you think Porter isn't hacking it. Next season could be incredible with: (22/23) Brunson or Tyus Jones.........Porter jr Green (stronger).....................Mathews / Brooks / Christopher T J Warren?...............................Tate / Kenyon Tate..........................................Covington? / Kenyon Wood........................................Sengun / Garuba / Theis? (If not traded) ....and whoever we draft.....(combine picks and move up?)
We are not even close to good enough to be in the playins, don't be stupid. We beat OKC three times and the Magic once. Literally two teams that are also actively tanking. oKC lost by 70 points the other night for gods sake
I think people overvalue playoff experience - especially if you're just going to be fodder. You play an extra 5-6 games to find out that you can't hang with the better teams. What would you learn from that, that you don't already know? Memphis made the play-in last season and got bounced by Utah. Washington made the play-in last season and got bounced by Philly. Neither team look better this year because they played a few extra games. The Rockets pre-Harden/post-Yao were what the minority voters want them to be - able to reach the playoffs or at least come very close to, but give up a high draft pick. Nothing good happens when you're mediocre. There's a difference between playoff experience against teams at full strength vs teams that are demolished by injury. Per your list: Mavs - injuries, so bad last few games. Clippers - no Kawhi. Nuggets - no Murray, no MPJ. Lakers - look like garbage and LeBron is more injured this season. Wolves - they might have something there, but could be a fool's gold streak (like ours). The rest of the teams on the list are not worth talking about. Let's say that trend continues in the postseason, and we somehow win against a banged up playoff opponent. What can you learn from beating up a less-than-100% team?
How many rookies make it to conference finals? 1% How many get bounced in the first round their rookie season? Probably greater than 50% M Jordan had trouble getting past the Hawks and Pistons his first few years. And he had college championship game in his background
I don't understand your point. Are either of Garuba, Christopher, Green or Sengun, Jordan? If not, are they going to turn into Jordan if they make the playoffs, this season? What are you trying to say, by bringing up those stats and Jordan? One rookie season of missing the playoffs is not going to stunt a professional NBA player's growth. One season of making the play-in just to get bounced, might cost us a really good future NBA player if we miss out on Holmgren or Banchero.
Talking to rocket anti tankers reminds me of dem Texans fans that were bragging about winning afc south
If you think the Rockets are going to stay out of the playoffs and pick up Banchero or Chet and immediately go from basement to penthouse without years of growing pains.....then you are sadly mistaken. Tatum was the closest I've seen.....and he hasn't sniffed the finals since his rookie year. Good luck with that. Guys like Fultz are a dime a dozen.
If we make the play in after a 1-16 start, we will be one of the hottest team at the end of the regular season. To borrow the immortal words of Darnell Maury, "Nobody will want to face us in the playoffs."
If the Rockets are closer to a top 5 pick than they are a play in spot at the deadline then I think the tank has to be on. Between Sengun and the top prospects being bigs, Wood has to be traded if the team is just that bad. The Rockets aren't going to break the bank for a guy that doesn't lead to wins when there are cheaper options with potentially better futures. His value decreases each day he gets closer to that payday so if he isn't the future, the better off everyone will be when he's in the past. And if Wood is gone then the team will lose totally organically. Unless you believe that Green or Sengun have potential to be top 5 players then you have to continue to accrue blue chip prospects. In the NBA, teams only go as far as their star players.
Fact of the matter is, those who expect Banchero or Chet to join this team and take us from basement to penthouse in one season have loftier dreams or fantasy..... than those of us saying let's make the Play In tournament or better this year. Commentators are always bringing up the team/players accumulative amount of playoffs games vs the other team. Usually the team with over 80 playoff games of experience beats the team with around 20 or less playoff game experience. It's not a coincidence
If you think the team is able to compete for a playoff spot now, why not next year without Gordon and Wood and with the addition of Banchero, Chet, or Smith Jr? Or the year after that with Scoot or Wamabamasalmmayomamma? The Rockets deadline is 2024, that's when we lose our pick to OKC, same for 2026. If we need to add elite talent, now's the time.
No one is saying the incoming rookie class are generational talents and can take to you to the championship in a year. What most people want Holmgren or Banchero for is the ability to develop that guy alongside a Green and Sengun. An extra year of not making the playoffs means that we might be able to select one of those guys. Then you'd be developing a core of Green / Sengun / 2021 rookie instead of getting a Green / Sengun duo 5-6 more games so they know what it feels like to get bounced out of the first round. Let's elaborate further on your basement-to-penthouse example. Sure, Chet/Paolo might end up being a bust. That's the worst case scenario, but always a possibility. So let's say the Rockets try their damnedest to make the play-in but end up getting bounced, which would be expected. And end up not selecting in top 10. Would the Rockets suddenly go from the basement-to-penthouse next season, just because we played an extra 4-7 games and got "playoff experience?" That's also incredibly unrealistic. We'd still be a similar mediocre team, only this time with no top 10 pick. Look, if Green or Sengun was a LeBron, a generational talent of a rookie who makes everyone else around him better, then it wouldn't matter if we tanked or not because they'd be too good to tank. They'd kill the regular season and price us out of picking high. But he's clearly not a generational talent now, and has a long way to go before being considered a great NBA player.
Usually the team with over 80 playoff games of experience has better players than the team with around 20 or less playoff game experience. It's not a coincidence.
Ok this whole thread is hilarious So we just beat the worst team of all time okc twice, barely at the end of both times..... We beat the second worst team in the league the magic in Houston by only two points... And by doing this people think we have a good chance for the play in. Hornets took us to overtime and they were on a back-to-back and dead tired. Bulls took us lightly because we were the laughing stock of the league. I just don't see a single quality win in this win streak Hilarious. I'm not saying tanking is the answer. Personally I am not impressed with either chet or banchero. Chet is WAY to petite and banchero easily looks 2 inches shorter than his listed height just like cade was last yr. Not impressed. I would perfectly happy with a pick from 3-8. But.........we need to trade vets for picks asap . Using our vets to make a playin is naive on many levels. I should not even have to explain the reasons. 1.trade the vets NOW 2.START sengun 3. Try to win with the young guys, if they make the playin without wood and eg and house ...GREAT but they won't. Great...good lotto pick this way But playing vets to "win now" doesn't make sense when they don't fit the timeline, makes the draft worse, and slows the development of the kids from lack of playing time Gosh..I know losing sucks, it's called rebuilding guys. Trying to do a quick fix always derails the process. I'd rather have extra draft picks and experience for our kids instead of make a playin with our "soon to be gone" vets
If we're playing the young guys and we are winning, that just means we have a grat young core to build on. You draft players so that they can lead you to the playoffs then you enter stage two of finding players to compliment your core. But if we make it to the playoffs having Wall, Ego, Wood, lead the way...no. It's really not likely we make the playoffs, the winstreak is nice but I never felt they were that bad. I felt like they are in the bottom tier, the very bottom tier, but better than OKC, Orlando, Detroit, and whoever else is in that tier. Felt like we are like the 7ht-8th worth team...which could still nab you a top 3 slot with how the lottery works now.
I'm down for Mitchell .... but I don't want to give up any of the young guys other than Green to make it happen. Literally the only players I'd be willing to part with would be some combination of Green , Augustin , House , Nwaba , Theis , Garuba & picks. KPJ / ??? Mitchell / Mathews / Brooks / Christopher ???? Tate / KMJ Wood / Sengun
