ESPN Front Page: “Rockets Ready to Move Past Their Rebuild”

You should create 40 threads about how sad it makes you.

 

Me too, Rockets. Me too.

 

I think it 100% should depend on what the coach says. Both Sengun and Jalen I see similarly in that they're offensive minded players who are pretty bad defensively. I'm firm on the new coach absolutely hounding both of them on defense. Tari/Bari I don't really worry about because that side of the ball isn't an issue for them. I think Sengun, if he stays around for a while, needs a real lob threat/defensive center behind him that can play certain matchups where Sengun struggles. I've seen Alpy absolutely roast certain teams, and get absolutely roasted by other teams.

My worry is Stone/Fertitta liking control and just putting in another puppet coach. I feel like Udoka/Nurse are way too much coach for these guys if I'm keeping it real. There is a rotten group of sports figures in Houston (Cal, Ferntits, Dana, Stone) and they all have the same crass good ole boy drinking buddy type of vibe.

 

I agree it should be up to the next coach and based on what they want to do....but also it depends on what happens in the draft.

If the new coach comes in and wants to run a 5 out system where all of the players switch on defense, it's pretty much over for Sengun in Houston. I think if the Rockets land Wemby, it's pretty much a wrap for him too.

That said, there's definitely scenarios where Sengun will be a big part of the future, there's just too many variables right now to say for sure which way things will go.

 

Sooo...again, the Rockets plan to follow the plan they laid out 3 years ago and have followed ever since.

Outstanding

 

Pffft we aren't gonna magically make it into playin next year. Pg and Coach needs to b addressed.

 

Definitely a puff piece but I do like the Jalen/Jabari stuff. Stone is just trying to justify the meager progress that was made this year and the over all 3-year disaster that he engineered and presided over. He gets this offseason and if things aren’t much better next year, he should pack his bags. We’ve suffered a lot; it’s time to see real results.

 

PR Puff piece to hopefully let FA players think the Rockets will be good next year.

DD

 

And they will be if said FA’s particularly Harden sign.

 

It is an article about four guys.

JG, JS, Stone and Tate.

 

You don't just "move past" a rebuild. You have to show some progress throughout the rough years before you're competitive. It's as if the organization is acting like we can just flip the switch and have a 20+ win boost next year. That doesn't happen a lot in the NBA (historically)

 

Boring article much like all of the boring wins this team consistently notches

 

I just want Silas, Nix & Tate gone

And a top 3 pick

Oh and veteran signings next season

That's it

I know we won't be great next season, but I'm done with the tanking, I want improvement, competitive games

I'm fine with KPJ, Green, Smith, Sengun, Martin, Eason, TyTy, Garuba and whatever rookie we get for 1 more season

I'm also fine if those players get traded minus Smith & Green (they untouchable)

Just add vets

 

Of course it’s a puff piece…. They aren’t going to admit they blatantly tanked and after the draft they are going to be competitive

 

KPJ ignored; KMart nearly so.

And no Nix???

 

I don't want Harden he is the wrong type of veteran player....we need guys that can teach the young guys how to be pros.....and we don't need an aging Harden trying to relive his glory days....at 50m+ a year.

DD

 

This article was written yesterday, after the win against Denver. It's probably not a matter of the writer deciding Silas/Sengun/Honcho weren't important or weren't a part of the team's future; more likely he just got quotes from the important guys who were actually available.

 

You are correct. But you can say Rockets ate ready to move past phase 1 of the rebuild.

 

Yep.

Phase 1 (the most painful), 2-3 years: Suck hard for a while and stock up on young talent. Hopefully watch them struggle through the growing pains.

Phrase 2 (2-3 years): Bring in some FA talent to mesh with the kids. Hope for quick growth, but prepare for slow and steady instead. Maybe eke your way into the playoffs in year 2, definitely get there in year 3.

Phase 3 (3-5 years): If all has gone well, compete for titles.

Unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to jump ahead in the process. All those who had us making the play-in this year were dreaming. Even Pop couldn't have gotten this group to win more than 25 games. Realistically, we're still at LEAST 3 or 4 years from making the playoffs and getting out of the first round.

 

You could argue the Rockets have a (historically) unique situation.
After the Harden trade they committed to building from the ground up. The caveat was that they had a finite window (3 yrs) to shed salary and in which they controlled their own draft so they had incentive to be bad during that time frame.

That gave them latitude to experiment in ways most rebuilding teams don't:
KPJ at PG
Resting healthy players for an entire season
Running a rotation almost exclusively with 1st and 2nd year players

Clearly the plan worked as the Rockets have landed two top 3 picks and stand to add another this summer.
They have done well down draft too, hitting on guys like Sengun, KJ, and Eason.

This all leaves them in rather unique position to accelerate their process with enough cap space for two high end free agents, enough prospects and draft capital to make a compelling offer for any talent that may come available by trade, and a group of young talent that is poised to come into their own.

So it's not likely they are hoping just hoping to "flip the switch" but rather to move on to the next phase of a well laid plan.