If teams are tanking for Wemby the Rockets should....?

Do they speak for your "org"?

 

Well, you'd think so, but apparently almost 73% of those who voted in this poll fail to understand the obvious.

 

If I remember media day correctly, Stone and Silas harped on playing hard and being hard to beat. I think Stone said they would not judge the team on wins and losses.

 

Just checking because I haven't heard the sound bite... has the Spurs, Pacers. Thunder or whoever came out and announced "we're going to tank"?

Curious

 

That seems solid.

 

In last year's training camp, Christian Wood was quoted as saying something like "this team only cares about getting wins." That didn't sound like a rebuilding or tanking attitude either.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/gregg-popo...uld-bet-spurs-to-win-nba-title-165638900.html

This is code for tank.

 

Um yes, I do think everyone is going give an F to a 9 win season with the goal being landing Victor Wembanyama only to then not land Victor Wembanyama. Why would you think otherwise?

Spurs not even remotely an apples to apples comparison.

 

Contenders are going to start tanking for Wembanyama

 

Having now seen him play, if we're remotely looking like a bottom tier team which I expect, then we absolutely should be getting in the race if we can. Just something else entirely, forget the Mobley and Chet hype, this kid makes unicorns look pedestrian.

 

This is the difference @DaDakota .

 

The betting line for the rockets is 23.5 wins, which is only better than the Spurs. Our goal, until the all star break, should be developing players ,play as good as you can and nothing else, as we will probably be a bottom 5 team anyways. And the difference between 5th and last spot for the top two picks is about 6.5%, not big enough to digress from your main goals. After the break, we'll probably be tanking hard.

 

Imagine a team like the Suns or the Celtics. Top two guys get hurt in December. Shut them down the whole season. Be one of the bottom teams. Win the lottery and get Wemby.

That's exactly what the Warriors did in '19-20 and got a #2 pick.

 

Can you point to any games last year where the Rockets actually employed this strategy of removing their players when playing well to ensure a loss? Maybe you could argue for Sengun earning more minutes early, but I'd also argue that playing Jalen in the beginning of the year was the single biggest factor of why the team's record was so bad.

From what I can see, the Rockets were already the 3rd worst team in the league on Feb 2nd, 2022, at 15-36. They then went on a 12 game losing streak, but they pretty much kept the same starting rotation they had all year, with the exception of day-to-day injuries necessitating substitutions.

On March 6th, when the Rockets finally broke the losing streak, the top 9 guys in the rotation and all the starters all were exactly the same as the day they started the losing streak.

From the time that they won that game, they went 4-14 the rest of the way, and held out Wood for 10 of 18, Gordon for 12 of 18, and Schroeder for 8 of 18.

So it really didn't make much of a difference as to whether the Rockets sat their veterans or not. They won at a 25% clip with all of their veterans (and also suffered 15 and 12 game losing streaks), and they won at a 22% clip while benching them. Literally one more win during the last 18 and they would have had a higher winning percentage after starting to bench their veterans versus when they were trying as hard as they could.

With regards to taking contract pressure away from a tanking team in exchange for assets, you still haven't addressed why such a team wouldn't just sit a player on the bench like the Rockets did with John Wall. None of the worst teams in the league are anywhere close to the luxury tax; in fact, Indiana and San Antonio are both around $15M below the minimum team salary, meaning that cutting salary for both of them literally does nothing. If you're saying you want to take on 2023 - 2024 salary from teams trying to clear cap room, I actually think that might be a smart idea since the FA class next summer is not looking great. But it would feel a bit disappointing if the Rockets committed to spending their max-level cap room next summer on salary dumps of overpriced veterans, rather than trying to lure a big FA to plug holes in the roster.

 

I support the Nets and Bucks shutting down their seasons and tanking for Wemby in case of injuries to their top guys next year. Just imagine French Durant next to Papa Durant, or an 8' wingspan next to Giannis's! Future dynasties in the making, and it would only be one season of pain for each franchise. It worked out for the Warriors, these contending teams could absolutely afford a single pit-stop in the lottery for a chance at generational talent. Let's make it happen!

 

Watching him and Scoot play I'll take either result this season if we make a big leap or tank.

He looks like a generational talent, and Scoot looks like a beast as well, but we also have potential future stars on the roster, it's tough.

Need to see what the first 20-30 games look like.

 

I'd try to get protected firsts for Gordon and Tate. We will win less while funneling minutes to Eason and KMJ. Even Bari could take a few SF min a nite to open up mins for Garuba.

 

Or you're just wrong as always