Spurs traded away Leonard July 18, 2018 Rockets traded away Harden Jan 14, 2021 It was clear Spurs did not want to 'tank' or tear it completely down, meanwhile it was clear Rockets did. There have been strong feelings towards how to rebuild a team on here and those discussions will come back this off season or anytime Rockets win or lose a few games in a row. There's no question Spurs have upper tier upper management and have a winning culture. Rockets' current front office does not have that kind of track record, obviously. You could make the argument Spurs 'rebuild timeline' are a few years ahead of where Rockets were after the Harden trade. If time starts at 0 years after the trade of each of their respective franchise player, Spurs are 2.5 years ahead of the Rockets on the 'rebuild timelime'. Spurs have spent the last few years since the Leonard trade playing to win. In the meantime, they're not really accumulating high end talent/assets. They have a coach who has been considered the GOAT. Rockets have focused on accumulating first round draft picks, young talent, shorter term commitments. If time starts at 0 for each team after the trade of their franchise star, which team will be in the top 4 of the West first? *Note: I recognize that even though I am using a 'rebuild timeline' of 0, that does not mean I believe both teams are starting from the exact same situation.
Different scenarios spurs want to win because of pop . Like biggio chasing 3k hits .. pops record is more important to the organization than drafting 5 spots higher . plus .. they believe they can develop talent taken in the teens to be just as good as top 5 picks . I think primo is gonna be an absolute stud ... And guys like Murray and keldon Johnson look like nba players . to answer the q . Prolly spurs . I’d be 100 percent sure they make the playoffs before us . Their future starts again next year when they hire a new coach .
I think the Rockets have the brighter future, they could easily get another shot at drafting a franchise caliber player this offseason and those future Nets first round picks are looking better and better every day. The Rockets could be absolutely stacked with young talent in a few years.....and the Spurs won't have Pop anymore.
That's the exact reason why I chose Spurs as the team to compare us to. Regardless of the reason why, I believe they are taking the opposite approach as the Rockets
Not really, they are staying a 10th to 12th place just to keep Pops happy until he retires IMHO, nothing to see there.
Absolutely true, the Spurs can get talent with the 15th pick, in the range of 20th to 30th picks and in the 2nd round. How do guys think they got Ginobili, Parker, Kawhi.
I don't know there roster but I think our mid first rounders are going to be as good as some if not most roster. Im thinking senguin, Christopher. Also we got guys like Tate who would be equal to their lower round picks. I think we have a more superstar potential type of players (green, kpj) and will add one more in the next draft All we need is some time and a good coach
Yeah, that is one of the biggest questions I have with Spurs. Are they going to trade for another player to pair with Dejounte or trade him to tear it completely down. Dejounte is better than any player on the Rockets and he is still young, so I could see them going various directions. Usually Spurs don't make big moves at the trade deadline, but I'll be watching them closely.
Rockets with Sengun are already way ahead of San Antonio, if San Antonio had Sengun Pop would turn him into one of the best players of all time...Unfortunately for us, Silas's eye test is crooked af....
Nice thread xaos, I often compare the course of Rockets action to what the Spurs endured following Kawhi forcing his way out of San Antonio. Spurs had Rudy Gay, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and DeRozan the past couple of years while their young players got their feet wet and get use to the grind of the NBA. People said those players were washed up.....but yet they are all flourishing with their new respective teams. Rockets are trying to clear the contracts of EGo, DJ Aug, Wood, Wall to allow the kids (JC, Garuba, Sengun, Nix, Mathews,KMjr) to get more reps. It's sink or swim after the trade deadline; but the players and team will be better next year as a result. Don't believe what teams say about being content to keep their tradable assets. It's just leverage tactics. ______________ After trade deadline the Rockets will mostly have 1 or 2 years of experience across the board. Spurs Murray is in his 4th year (1 more year on contract) Derrick White is in his 4th year (1 more year on contract) Lonnie Walker is in his 3rd year (1 more year on contract) Bates-Diop in 3rd year So they have prospects of Josh Primo, Vasseli, Keldon Johnson, Jack Lindale, Joe Westkamp. I feel like Spurs are same place Houston is as they lose Thad Young, Zach Collins, Poeltl. This is why I don't want to waste too much time having our young players getting playoff experience. If we wait too long the Murray, Derrick White and Lonnie Walkers mature just in time to benefit their next team as they leave in free agency. And to trade them for draft picks is just spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. I have the Rockets elevator passing the Spurs next season as the Spurs hit a snag and may be headed down upon completion of next season as Murray, White, and Lonnie Walker depart for greener pastures (always the New York, Miami, California, Chicago markets that call out and appeal to these kids). Doubt either make top 4 next season; but Houston will have the inside track there after.
Rockets, the Spurs are stuck on the mediocrity treadmill and the problem of getting a top FA to play in San Antonio is real
But they didn't. They had the opportunity to, but they picked Primo 12th. If Pop believed he could turn Sengun into one of the greatest players of all time, I think he would've pushed hard for him over Primo, right?
Thanks for the response. I agree that Spurs are trending on the path of realizing that they need to do what Rockets are already doing. Spurs have all of their upcoming picks, so they also have options to make a stronger push towards being better now or adding picks to their stash. Do you think Murray is a perfect fit for a team looking to compete now? The only one that comes in mind is Philly, but haven't looked at what they have to offer to the Spurs if the Spurs were to have a teardown rebuild.
The Spurs have won 4 more games than the Rockets and are spotting the Rockets nearly 3 seasons. The Spurs are trying their hardest to win games. The Rockets are trying to develop players and aren't playing with a PG. I don't see the Spurs finishing in the Top 4 this year or next. So basically, the Rockets have until trade deadline 2027 to be in the Top 4 to win or at worst tie most realistic best scenario for the Spurs of being in the Top 4 at end of 2024. Stone can have a lot of mistakes and still sneak into the Top 4 by then.
You could be right, but I think that would be short sighted of the Spurs to just hang around until Pop retires and it would be equally selfish of Pop to just hang around without having any real goals. I can't think of any examples of a team just hanging on a coach with no long term plans. Dallas and Dirk come to mind as an example of a team and a player hanging around each other based on the player's legacy. But, even in that situation, Dallas communicated to Dirk that they're going towards a rebuild and they landed Luka. If Spurs aren't the team that we could compare to the Rockets, which team is? I think the key ingredient here has to be the team trades their franchise player.
It's admirable that Pops and the organization still want to compete and try to win as much as possible. On the flip side attracting superstar talent via free agency has been highly improbable and, without high draft picks, the Spurs are going to keep on lingering in NBA purgatory. They had luck/flexibility to take a chance on drafting the Tony Parkers and Manu Ginobilis of the world because they had Duncan. Hoping that you draft a franchise player after, say, the 10th pick is pretty rare.
