I sense sarcasm in this post. The Rockets have 6 rookies and 2 incoming FRPs already. KPJ, KMJ, and Mathews aren't going anywhere. Outside an LA team acknowledging reality, Wall will still be on team though not on the floor. Stone needs to jettison/consolidate players which will be easier in the offseason and not add more 2022 picks that are later than the Nets pick. Stone is definitely more selective on what the Rockets get as they can only have so many players on the roster even if most of them are still developing. I don't think Stone likes that many players in the upcoming draft over Garuba and KMJ. From everything out there, it seems other teams are trying to trade players and 2022 picks mostly. As far as random trades, I'm intrigued by the speculation for picks in the future from teams that may or are already are falling apart (eg Lakers, Clippers).
NBA Rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers Could Trade 2022 First-Round Pick For Caris LeVert Or Eric Gordon https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-trade...st-round-pick-for-caris-levert-or-eric-gordon
Amazed people are into the idea of acquiring players like Jerami Grant, John Collins and Ben Simmons. These guys are going to get to get us where we were when Les wouldn’t let Morey tank. These aren’t guys that are going to attract big free agents and make us considerably better or deserving of their contracts (Grant’s next). We need to acquire as many assets as we can, maintain cap flexibility for big fish sign and trades and hopefully two big names will want to team up and we’ll have the finances free to make that happen. That coupled with our (hopefully blossoming) young talent, we should be in a solid position to try and succeed. I have 2023-24 as the earliest to see real progress towards the future, but more likely like 2024-25.
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: -9.1 ppg, -0.8 rpg, and -2.3 apg. Incoming Players Tobias Harris 29 year old, 6-7, 230 lb F from Tennessee 19.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.8 apg in 35.1 minutes in 2021-2022 Outgoing Players Eric Gordon 33 year old, 6-3, 215 lb G from Indiana 14.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg in 29.7 minutes in 2021-2022 Daniel Theis 29 year old, 6-8, 245 lb C from Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany) 8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg in 22.5 minutes in 2021-2022 D.J. Augustin 34 year old, 6-0, 183 lb G from Texas 5.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.2 apg in 15.0 minutes in 2021-2022
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: +8.7 ppg, +5.2 rpg, and +2.6 apg. Incoming Players Alec Burks 30 year old, 6-6, 214 lb SG from Colorado 11.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.6 apg in 26.9 minutes in 2021-2022 Kemba Walker 31 year old, 6-0, 184 lb G from Connecticut 12.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.4 apg in 26.3 minutes in 2021-2022 Quentin Grimes 21 year old, 6-5, 205 lb SG from Houston 5.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.0 apg in 15.9 minutes in 2021-2022 Outgoing Players Eric Gordon 33 year old, 6-3, 215 lb G from Indiana 14.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg in 29.7 minutes in 2021-2022 Armoni Brooks 23 year old, 6-3, 195 lb SG from Houston 6.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.3 apg in 17.3 minutes in 2021-202
Theis, Nwaba and Augustin have been glued to the bench, they are blocking NOBODY. Why over exaggerate? Rockets will have drafted at least NINE players in 3-4 drafts, if not more. No team will contend if 80% of roster is under 26. Rockets have proven unreliable to develop the current number of young players on the roster as is. Rockets already have TWELVE players 26 or under on roster right now - Green, Jaygup, Sengun, Garuba, Nix, KJ, Snipa, Queen, KPJ, Mathews, Tate even Wood. And only ONE vet over 26 (out of FIVE total) in starting lineup or receiving any regular rotation minutes. One of those vets (Wall) has not suited up and likely will never suit up this season. The Rockets do not need a plethora of EVEN MORE unproven inexperienced EVEN younger players. Rockets need better more productive talent. PERIOD. And the rebuild thru draft ONLY mentality is myopic and irresponsible. And this mantra that young players progress being blocked is dishonest. This team plays almost all its young players, minutes allocation is a whole different issue. Only Garuba and maybe Snipa have been completely ignored when it comes to NBA minutes. Nix and Queen are 2 ways. And this issue will only be compounded and list of young players not getting time will only increase after the next draft.
While I agree you can’t conceivably field a team of 19-22 year olds and expect many positive things, I do think we have to move on from players while their values are high (Ego/Wood) and can net us a positive return other than their stat stuffing that still result in L’s. That said, I’m all in to package one or two of the younger guys (Brooks, KJ,…) to make room for another younger guy who’s more proven and higher upside.
Sure but only 1 top flight prospect in green from 1 draft in which we threw 4 darts in a deep draft hoping for something to stick. So just because we have young talent that isn't good enough or isnt improving fast enough, we just stop adding young talent? Seems quite absurd for a complete rebuild when you want to add as much young talent as possible. The Rockets DO need more inexperienced unproven talent if they want any hope at ever contending again, because those are the players that break out into what it takes to contend, not fuucking theiss, gordon or wood. Sure, let's get some vets and meddle our rebuild and win 8-12 more games a year with vets, while completely shooting ourselves in the foot to acquire another top 4 pick. Sacramento has proven it works lul. Rebuild thru the draft only isn't the only way but it's the best way we have because the 2nd best way is be a destination franchise which WE ARE NOT and third is to trade for the franchise players which takes, you guessed it, a shiit ton of young players and draft picks / assets. Sure, we can say theiss isn't blocking anyone, then he's dead salary and dumping him for cap space and flexibility to try and obtain a star player via free agency makes sense. Wood is a loser player but the only one worth keeping but quite frankly not worth keeping because he doesn't fit the timeline and he's a selfish non winning player
First, have a real plan. Second, utilize EVERY resource available to add talent. Third, nail down a philosophy and a system that you want to run, offensively AND defensively. Get the most innovative or most successful coaches with proven track record in this system. Fourth, create a profile of the players needed to run this system most efficiently. Evaluate, develop, churn. Fifth, ADD talent ANY way and EVERY way possible. Trust your analytics and scouting teams and acquire the absolute best player every chance you get. Sixth, DO NOT PASS ON UNICORNS WHEN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF. *And don't suckered in by players that call themselves unicorn - this label needs to be given by legit NBA people and not the player's little sister. This rebuild only through the draft and dump every productive vet is not a plan, it's a rook GM infatuated and masturbating to ESPN Trade Machine nonstop.
Draft picks don't necessarily mean rookies. Hopefully we use picks to nab the next guy like Harden who wants out. That said, after reading Stone's latest interview, I don't think he will be loading up on more rookies like he did this season. I think there is a solid chance that picks we get this nest week will either be for 2024 or parlayed for later picks in the future, especially this years BKN/MIA pick. Or we could see the 23 MIl or 22 BKN/MIA pick be used to move up the same way we used PJ and 2nd to move up last year. I think we're more likely to see the BKN/MIA pick traded since Stone is prioritizing getting picks a few years ahead vs this year. Something like MIA/BKN pick and Gordon for Knicks pick this year. All my logic goes out the window if you can secure a lotto pick.
That is the smart play. Get TWO picks in top 6 instead of multiple picks toward bottom or even middle of draft or even FRP in latter drafts. Identifying and taking advantage of talent rich drafts is as much of an artform as it is numbers. But easier said than done, how are they going to do it is the better question.
I agree with everything you said about nailing down a system and philosophy and blah blah. That doesn't interfere in the trade convo, that's front office convo. It seem like a lot of what your saying is misguided angst towards Silas, stone and the Rockets, more so than the random trade discussion at hand. I can agree with everything your saying and still believe everything I'm saying. I don't get it. I want a system, I want better coaching, I want better development, I want all these things including more draft capital and more assets and more young players. Dumping productive vets has been proven the the right move for rebuilding teams time and time and time and time again. Holding onto them for no reason does literally zero towards a rebuild.
1. Tank this year. 2. Hire Kenny Atkinson and upgrade development staff. 3. Trade Brooklyn 1sr, EG first, Wood first to get into top 8. 4. Tank 2022-2023. 5. Trade future picks+whatever youngins dont fit in 2023 offseason for veteran talent and/or star. 6. make playoffs in 23-24.
you are correct. D-rock can’t get over the Jalen/Mobley mistake and has no patience for a re-build. He would have us trade away youth for head case Simmons and be stuck in mediocrity for years. There is a plan, it is to build up assets, make progress with young players and make moves after wall is gone. At the very least jg, JC, and alpi are going to be very good players. If we get a top 3 pick this year and secure future first round picks we can continue the re-build with trades using all the assets we are gathering. One thing he is right on is getting a better coach.
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: +5.6 ppg, +13.7 rpg, and +2.5 apg. Incoming Players Josh Hart 26 year old, 6-5, 215 lb SG from Villanova 13.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.1 apg in 33.5 minutes in 2021-2022 Tomas Satoransky 30 year old, 6-7, 210 lb PG from Coosur Real Betis (Spain) 2.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.4 apg in 15.0 minutes in 2021-2022 Willy Hernangomez 27 year old, 6-11, 250 lb C from Cajasol Seville U18 (Spain) 9.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.3 apg in 16.7 minutes in 2021-2022 Outgoing Players Eric Gordon 33 year old, 6-3, 215 lb G from Indiana 14.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg in 29.7 minutes in 2021-2022 D.J. Augustin 34 year old, 6-0, 183 lb G from Texas 5.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.2 apg in 15.0 minutes in 2021-2022
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: -3.8 ppg, +1.7 rpg, and +1.3 apg. Incoming Players Joe Ingles 34 year old, 6-8, 226 lb F from Melbourne South (Australia) 7.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.5 apg in 24.9 minutes in 2021-2022 Jared Butler 21 year old, 6-3, 195 lb PG from Baylor 3.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.9 apg in 6.7 minutes in 2021-2022 Outgoing Players Eric Gordon 33 year old, 6-3, 215 lb G from Indiana 14.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg in 29.7 minutes in 2021-2022
Houston Rockets Trade Breakdown Change in Team Outlook: +1.6 ppg, +11.5 rpg, and +3.4 apg. Incoming Players Patrick Beverley 33 year old, 6-1, 180 lb PG from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) 8.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.0 apg in 25.7 minutes in 2021-2022 Jarred Vanderbilt 22 year old, 6-8, 214 lb PF from Kentucky 7.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.4 apg in 26.0 minutes in 2021-2022 Outgoing Players Eric Gordon 33 year old, 6-3, 215 lb G from Indiana 14.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg in 29.7 minutes in 2021-2022
Did Rockets get mired in mediocrity when they traded away their "best" youth (Beal) AND "best" vet (KMart) for 6th man in Harden? Simmons is same age as Harden right now when that trade was made. And Simmons is the more individually accomplished player if you compare the 2 at same age. Rockets should not overvalue any of their players, young or vet. Unless the player is playing at All Star level (Dream) then the players, all of them, are assets just as valuable if not moreso than FRP. That is the lesson that Morey imparted to us. Youth for the sake of youth is a terrible plan.
Agree with 2, 4 ,5, and 6. On 1, I will say plans don't survive contact with the enemy, and it is very difficult to project how young players will turn out. I think the Rockets have a very loose plan, because they don't have the talent that they can be sure who to build around. On 3, the NBA depends heavily on talent. I think Rockets want an open offense with guys that an shoot at the 4 and 5 to allow room for other players to work. Though, I think Sengun is going to throw a kink in this philosophy and that Silas will have to adjust. On defense, I think it will really depend on which players establish themselves on offense for what they need defensively. If Sengun is a keeper, a mobile rim protecting 4 that can shoot would be nice. On this rebuild only being through the draft, that is only to this point. The Rockets are open for making themselves better in anyway, but to this point don't have the cap space for free agents or trade assets to bring in a star without messing up the rebuild. I think the Rockets moves in 6 to 18 months will be a lot different. The Rockets have salaries of various sizes for salary matching, a lot of young players, and soon either one of the largest expiring contracts or cap space for whenever they decide they have that guy to build around. I think a lot depends on Green down the stretch. If he blossoms, the Rockets build around him starting this offseason. If not, Rockets probably are trying to build around the 2022 pick a year from now and looking at trades/free agents that fit with whoever that is.
