If players have the power to demand trades and the connections to recruit super teams, how much control does an owner or a GM cede to them? Do you bench them for not hustling? For breaking plays? Do you let them dictate moves? Like trading for one friend or keeping another? There's no doubt that the NBA is a players league. One single player can completely transform a franchise in a way that can't happen in football or baseball. So how do you as an owner or a GM deal with that imbalance? Thanks to the salary cap you can't just buy obedience. You have to get commitment some other way. I don't know the answer, which is why I ask the question. But I do know that you have to draw a line somewhere. I also don't know where the Rockets draw the line, and perhaps they don't know either.
I think you look at the Rockets with Harden, and if you do hold a player like that accountable, and not bend to his whims, you don't make the Westbrook trade, and you just deal with possibly moving him a season earlier while keeping CP3, Capela, etc. Had the Rockets been a team that had a backbone to begin with, it would have sucked to lose Harden, and perceived contention a year early. However in the longrun I think what would have come out of that Harden trade with CP3, Capela, etc. still here along with the assets we would have gotten in that trade when Harden had even more value, it's safe to say we'd be in a much better spot. My answer to this question is as an organization you do have to be willing to take the heat, and let primadonna stars walk if they are going to demand to run the organization into the ground.... that is unless it's truly a generational top 5 player of all time like Lebron in 2015 or something. I don't think Harden was worth ceding that to, and I sure as hell don't think ANY of the current Rockets players should be treated as if they have any agency in demanding a damn thing until they build trust long term.
Are you arguing against player empowerment? It’s a two way street. Quid pro quo. Nothing wrong with players empowered to have their own minds and make their choices and have leverage.
Not at all, but there are limits to everything. Where do you draw the line? It seems to me that Stone is afraid to discipline these kids.
See there was a situation where the player clearly had total control and we all seem to think that was a bad situation. But look up at the standings and you see the same player with the same control of the same GM in Philly with the 5th best record in the league right now. In truth there are no easy answers.
I would also add that even though Philly on paper looks to be in a great spot, beyond the surface this is a team that is still very unstable, and could combust at any moment. Many in the media that I actually respect have hinted that they think it's likely if Philly doesn't at least go to the ECF that Embiid will demand a trade. Then there's Harden again already having reports that he's looking to go elsewhere. Then there's Doc and whatever Doc has going on. The value of having a culture with respect at the highest levels that permeates in healthy ways has value beyond wins, and losses. IMO I would trade the culture and stability that both San Antonio, and OKC have for much of what Philly has or even the Rockets had before the Westbrook trade. Win or lose. Contend or rebuild, you know that you have owners, and senior leadership that knows what the heck they are doing, and knows how to instill a culture that does the right things to ultimately contend for longer. The Rockets (as currently constructed in the senior leadership) might take bigger swings, and contend faster than a team like San Antonio... but I will be willing to bet that as currently constructed when San Antonio gets to a point where they've build a team ready to contend, that team will contend longer, and be more resilient after losses... whether in season, or post season.
It's easy to talk about keeping CP3 around in hindsight but in reality, he looked washed up & his contract looked like one of the worst in the entire league when he was traded to OKC, where he had a miraculous revival and looked even better once he got to PHX. As for Capela, we got the best of him while he was here, injuries have reduced his effectiveness ever since he left.
Currently they have too much leverage. They can ink a max contract today and demand a trade the next .... or show up fat and half ass it. There was a time when players had to honor their contracts, at least up until the final year where they would be traded. Now, they get where they want when they want. Just look at the history of the Finals. 3 teams dominate the last two decades with at least one of them in the finals in 19 of the last 23 years. (Miami, LA & GSW). Those teams aren't "that much better operated" than the rest of the league. They are just destination cities for big names.
Yes but after trading Harden we would have been in asset building mode rather than making win now moves. So the gameplan with CP3 would have been much the same that OKC had with him. Coach on the floor until we can move you etc. It’s all hindsight but regardless the one thing I knew at the time (and you can ask my friends who thought my dad died or someone when Woj broke the news) was that the Russ trade resembles everything wrong with this organization and the star empowerment era in general. Everyone including the GM knew it was extremely detrimental but you felt that your star controlled the captains seat on the titanic. The captain in title was paralyzed from grabbing the wheel to turn away from the iceberg. We aren’t alone but we have a culture where the people in leadership positions aren’t empowered to actually lead. Instead those with the least experience and wisdom are the ones really calling the shots. It’s a problem and leads to the chaos and drama year after year … but maybe that’s why we tune in to watch the train wrecks as well as the masterpieces when they happen as well. It’s funny when it’s the Nets or Lakers. Not so funny when it’s the Rockets.
Not really, all the talk about him and his contract. That's just how bad the Rockets FO has been... CP3 in bad shape is still Top 3 PG and he showed it. This year was the only year he started declining in freaking 2023. We just catered to Harden and he left regardless. You get this situation because you played biatch to someone, it happens. There is not much to interpret here either... We freak out every time, we freak out when our veteran team has a 0.49 record, we freak out a little now even knowing we have a high pick at record 0.20......
It obviously didn’t scare the best GM in the league IMO. I honestly think though that it didn’t scare Morey either. Maybe Tillman a bit but in the end he wasn’t traded because of Chris Paul. He was traded because Harden forced it and the owner overruled Morey to both keep Harden and trying to acquire a star perceived to be a longer term high performer. On the Rocketscast last night someone said it best that they need adults in the room. Rookie owner. Rookie pushover coach. 20 year old players etc.
I sensed it was bad and chaotic when reports came out that JH had a disconnect with his fellow players and could visit strip clubs or Lil Baby whenever he felt like it. Just didn't realize it was this bad, these honchos don't even get it in their melon head. They always found a way to ignore news reports and act like nothing happened.
If you were an NBA player would you want max dollars for you and your family? Would you want to promote your brand? Would you want to maximize your endorsement deals? Would you want a say in the team’s personnel decision making? Now if you choose an unusually humble and selfless approach and honestly answer my question with, “No” then it’s fantastic that you are able to be that selfless and understanding to be able to save Fertita some cash while never wanting more for the amount of work and dollars you bring to the franchise and league. Now that’s admirable. How many people who criticize players can say this—that they wouldn’t want the maximum amount of dollars for themselves and their families?
What makes Harden a “primadonna”? How is he different than other star players in the NBA or other sports such as the NFL? Being a mega star and master at your craft brings great privileges. Corporations do it all the time with their managers and execs so what’s so different when Harden or an NBA player does it? When you generate that much money for the franchise and league of course you deserve a voice and seat at the table. Why would power be concentrated with management and ownership? Aaron Rodgers publicly wanted more power in personnel decisions and got it. Manning and Brady wielded great influence on their teams personnel decisions and even had privileges to call their own timeouts etc. Russell Wilson didn’t get a say in Seattle and was one of the reasons he left. I am pretty sure if you all who argue against player empowerment were at the top of your game knowing you make the league billions per year would feel the same way. Player empowerment shouldn’t be looked at as negative. Management and ownership aren’t moral and honest in their dealings as well and self interested make no mistake.
