Latest product of time spent ignoring work: Trade (really putting together 3 different trades) Houston out: Garuba, Martin, & #4 Houston in: TJ McConnell, Kai Jones, #6, & #11 Indiana out: TJ McConnell & #26 Indiana in: KJ Martin Charlotte out: Kai Jones Charlotte in: Garuba Orlando out: #6 & #11 Orlando in: #4 & #26 Draft 6 - Amen Thompson 11 - Bilal Coulibaly 20 - James Nnaji Free Agency Sign Jevon Carter and Brook Lopez from Milwaukee and Grant Williams from Boson Roster 1 - Carter/McConnell/Washington 2 - Green/Christopher/KPJ 3 - KPJ/Eason/Tate 4 - Smith/Williams 5 - Sengun/Lopez/Jones RGV - Thompson, Coulibaly and Nnaji Point Guard This team has veteran point guards to set the tone for the young kids that are up and down the roster. Carter and McConnell would likely play the majority of the minutes for much of the season. Thompson would start in RGV until he gets up to speed at which point he can play 10 or 15 minutes per night with the big boys. This is a red shirt type season for him to work on his shot and get used to the speed and talent of the NBA. Washington would continue to be brought along with the idea that he is the backup as soon as he beats out McConnell or McConnell's contract expires after the 2025 season. Wings Green and KPJ play the bulk of the minutes doing their thing scoring and distributing. The offense relies on Green's gravity and KPJ's floor spacing. Christopher and Eason are the defenders the team dispatches onto the oppositions small forwards and shooting guards behind KPJ and Green. Tate get mop up minutes mostly and is just helping develop the guys in practice and on the road. Bigs Smith also spaces the floor for the offense while Sengun gets the ball to the open man. Defensively Smith protects the paint with the starters and Lopez and Jones do the same when Sengun sits. Williams gets 15 to 20 minutes a night playing the PJ Tucker 3&D role RGV All the draft picks spend the majority of their rookie season in the g league getting acclimated to either adults playing pro ball (Thompson) or a new system in a new country (Coulibaly and Nnaji). Any of these guys could get brought up as soon as they are able to beat out the guy in front of them in Houston but could spend the entire year down south.
I like elements of this, but why the Kai Jones deal? Look at this from Charlotte's perspective—why would they randomly swap one recent first round big for another? I don't understand why they make that deal or what the point of it is, really.
#6 and #11 for #4 and #20. Orlando goes Whitmore at 4. Detroit goes Hendricks or Walker at #5. Amen at #6. #11 KMJ and Christopher for #7 and we take Ausar. FVV 3 years max with team option on the 3rd year. Grant Williams 1 year 25 million team option year 2. Garuba/Washington for Gafford. Sengun/Gafford Smith/William Eason/KPJ Green/Ausar FVV/Amen
Yes this is the way! Sign FVV and trade # 4, KPJ and some of the other young guys (Jaygup, TyTy, Garuba, KMJ) for LaVine and slot him in at SF. Sign a couple of vets to fill out the bench. Let FVV, Green, LaVine, Smith and Sengun grow together over the next 3 years or so. It’s all still dependent on Green or Smith becoming a top 10 player to truly win a ring. But adding two fringe all stars, one a steady vet PG and the other 38% from 3 wing, will make the game much easier for them.
He doesn’t know what he’s doing when it comes to old Harden being in back in Houston partying all night and then piling on mom’s home cooking. Harden is a coach killer. Steer clear, Ime.
Dillon Brooks was drafted by the Rockets and then traded to the Grizzlies in 2017. Maybe Eli Witus, or whomever is a holdover from the draft, has some residual fondness for Brooks. He's a legit defender.
I wouldn't mind him on a small "prove it" contract which gives us maximum flexibility, but I don't want the version of Brooks that thinks he's a superstar and jacks up 16 shots a game.
For Houston, Jones is more of a rim running, shot blocking 5 to compliment Sengun. For Charlotte, Jones is stuck behind Mark Williams and, probably, Nick Richards on the depth chart. Garuba could take some of the minutes thatifht come available if PJ Washington walks. Also, Garuba has been the more productive player and us younger. If it weren't for Smith and Eason, Garuba probably gets a lot more run as a 4 rather than the small ball 5 that he has been.
Is there a way to pry one of Boston's PGs? The Celts are desperately trying to reduce their glut at the 1. We need a 1. We can consolidate KPJ/KJ (maybe include even the 20th pick) into Smart (or White) for example Then not only we have a defensive PG that protects Jalen, it promotes culture and Ime's defensive identity We still have the 4th pick plus money to spend in free agency where we can bring a couple more defensive minded players like Jerami Grant and Brook Lopez
I can't think of anything more redundant than having Lavine and Jalen on the same team. Same strengths, same weaknesses, same build, same play style.
I know that many of you will not like my proposal ! Even so I feel the Rockets need high quality players! To do this we need to use our assets ! We need two quality players from the Nets ! Cam Johnson and Bridges two players who will raise up the quality of the Houston Rockets. We need to trade Sengun, Tate and Martin to the Nets, with Four First Round picks, which had belonged to the Nets previously. 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 We would also need to get Lopez as Free Agent to start in the center Role' Other possible players Kris Murray, and or Lively from the Draft. I also like Austin Reaves ....Y
He's basically Green's median outcome except already 28 and getting paid. Would be a strange backcourt pairing, and even stranger if they gave up Green (younger, cost-controlled, potential to become a better player) in a trade for him. Unless they have some huge move up their sleeves for a true #1 option type of player to vault us into contention right now, in which case it might make some level of sense.