Sources: Eric Gordon seeking buyout - trying to make his way to the Suns

Damn!

 

Problem = you lose Wood and gain J Smith
Problem = you lose EG gain Amen Thompson
Neither move the needle for this year or next year so we still suck again big time next season.

 

I'm fine with losing if we played our youngsters and figure out the pecking order. But we spent a a good portion of spamming heavy mins of nix and Gordon just to buyout Gordon.

 

Leverage.

Likely pressuring the FO to trade him in response to the increasing likelihood of us keeping him after the trade deadline, without an extension.

 

EG was a terrible role model for this team good riddance.

 

Rockets are cutting off their nose to spite their face. The team is toxic and are soon going to find themselves in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity. We are going to have to overpay for a bad veteran or veterans, Tilman doesn't have the cojones to hire a coach or GM that tells it like it is, and the young players are all going to be a year older. There are so many issues at this point that need to he addressed I'm not even sure how you get to them all. KPj being the first.

He's a cancer and no free agent will want to come here to play with him. Add that to the fact that he's a bad influence on the other players. Silas same thing. Stone couldn't outsmart a pyramid schemer. Tilman prefers loyalty to skill.

We're probably the new Kings.

 

I'm so sick of this whole. "He was a great Rocket. He deserves better. Let him go where he wants to go." That's bullshit. He has made millions upon millions of dollars. You do what is best for the team. Yeah if a team is offering a good deal and it is a team Gordon wants to go to, great. If not, I don't give a damn. I'll trade him to the Pistons for a 2nd rounder. He has something of value to someone. I am sick of appeasing millionaires just because they signed a damn contract to play for the Rockets.

 

He was a model teammate and Rocket for years during contention. His value has steadily plummeted as the situation gets worse from all angles over the last 4 years. That is the fault of the GM. At this point do you think there is a bidding war for an inefficient aging highly paid guard on a team with no leverage?

I dont see why we should keep paying him to take someone else's minutes. Rockets need to part ways and accept their mistakes, just like with John Wall.

Our front office is a burning tire fire of mismanagement. Just an absolute circus act of poor decisions.

 

He wasn't "terrible". He didn't get into a physical fight with his coach and leave at halftime. He always showed up to practice on time and was polite to everyone. Did he embrace being a teacher? No he didn't, but just about NO one in his situation and spot would have.

This is all on Stone and Silas. First, Gordon was already known for being a snake when the team isn't winning. Even in the Harden years, Gordon would complain to the media as an "undisclosed source". After awhile, when it would happen, PJ Tucker would play middle man and confront Gordon. Yet, Stone decided that keeping Gordon through a complete rebuild was a good idea. Just stupid.

Stone has proven to be a poor negotiator and poor at understanding human nature.

He handled the Harden situation poorly, believing that he could string out Harden for a full season or more before trading him. It took Harden calling his bluff and going public stating that the situation was insane.

He handled the Oladipo situation terribly. He lied to WOJ (a big no no) and then literally groveled at the feet of the Heat to move him.

He has kept Eric Gordon for what will be three years, costing his younger players playing time.

He signed a center in free agency to a multi year deal and had to dump him 6 months later for a loss.

He held onto Christian Wood for too long and got basically nothing for him.

He traded for Kevin Porter and then installed him as the center piece of the team, which is going to cause issues down the line.

His best draft decision wasn't even someone he really wanted, his assistant GM and analytical department were the ones that insisted on Sengun.

 

I guess they were keeping him to make sure we hit the salary cap minimum and then to have a big expiring contract to trade this year for someone or at least to get that extra cap space from him and Wall being off the cap. We should have almost two max slots available in the offseason if we get rid of a few other contracts. Hope we can get something of value for him at this point without taking back salary beyond this year. Luckily it looks like we will certainly be last in the standings this year and be guaranteed a top 5 pick in this historic draft.

 

That PHX medical staff

 

Excellent layout of events. When you stack up the decisions made since Tilman took over it is staggering.

Incidentally I've noticed that Stone rarely does any media appearances. As a fan of rebuilding teams in other sports I feel that the GMs more clearly articulate their direction and build some confidence among the fanbase in their strategy. Stone seems content to just let things burn.

 

Was Stone bad at understanding human nature in the John Wall situation too? I think everyone needs to embrace the fact that he was tanking at all costs. Guys were up in arms about not keeping Allen and LeVert - buy why? Is being a 35 win team who has no chance of selecting top of the draft talent a good idea? How many of us remember the Loveable Losers era of Scola, Kevin Martin, Lowry etc??? The league would gloat about how they were the next breakout team, but nobody believed that and a team stuck in mediocrity limbo is not a threat to anyone.

He was held hostage by Harden - he got about as much as you could expect in that situation. Silas was brought in to coach Harden/Wood and a veteran team and then it imploded in about a month. Silas is not a good developmental coach. His system delivers for players who have the IQ and shooting ability to take advantage of the shots that are created.

He did get a 1st round pick swap for broken down Oladipo. Lying to WOJ is not a negative in my book. These "insiders" shouldnt always have the most access and be first to drop news. These insiders at times have way too much clout. Treat them like mushrooms - feed them sht and keep them in the dark.

It was Stones maneuvering that was able to nab Wood in the first place. Everyone was VERY happy at the beginning of that relationship. It broke down because Wood came here to play with Harden, not to have to babysit or buy the team beers.

KPJ and his role fits right in with the most egregious tank job in recent memory. I really thought Porter was going to break out. I'd have to guess Stone did not (like most of this board) and gave him the type of contract that lacks any faith in the player if only to keep a brand of basketball that will hopefully lead to a foundational piece via all the losing.

On that note Stone DID trade 2 firsts to nab fan darling Alperen Sengun -- no credit for that? He's probably the lone bright spot on the team.

He found JST on the scrap heap.

I think too many guys are just looking for an excuse to the season and want to apply blame instead of just dealing with the fact that everything he's done up to this point has been with LOSING at the forefront whether superfans want to admit it or not.

Gordon should have been moved long ago I agree. He should have taken the first rounders offered last season and I guess he thought that Gordon would be that veteran presence that these kids needed, but he's anything but. His defense is trash. He's a chucker who isnt showing these guys how to prepare before games or during. He just wants to go play with other vets and hopefully have a shot for a ring. I dont hold it against him, but when the team goes shopping for multiple EFFECTIVE vets this offseason you will be able to see the difference they make.

 

I never said there was a bidding war. I said I would take a 2nd round pick from the Pistons. I don't care. That's the problem with these teams "Oh we will just not make a trade and wait for a buyout". Screw that. If I am Stone I am telling teams "There is no buyout. It is not happening. If you want him, trade for him." It does not hurt the Rockets at all to send him home and let him collect his salary. They are losing absolutely nothing this season by doing that. However, it does teach Phoenix a lesson. You want someone? Do what it takes to get them.

 

This is a great post. It's a long, long list of mistakes. Doesn't the path to respectability require a new front office?

 

Cyberx. Man, that's one account that finally got dusted off.

 

Yeah, he's our "Tjaden" (anyone remember "All Quiet on the Western Front"?) Everyone else is gone, he's the only one left among a bunch of witless boys.

 

This lineup has played 45 minutes this season with an offensive rating of 123.5, defensive rating of 107.3, outscoring opponents by 16.2 points per 100. It's very good!

It is our second best lineup that has played at least 30 minutes this season, the best one is the same lineup but swap KPJ for Eric Gordon. That one has also played 45 minutes, and has a net rating of 19.4.

 

So you finally admit that KPJ is bad and Sengun is good?

 

But who has it played against? 45min is a really tiny sample size and way too dependent on the opponents and form the players had that night.