You answered your own question, KPJ knows he has issues too - this was a low risk move by the Rox on a high end talent, and a guy with talent who knew he has major struggles with anger issues and is one move away from being out of the league. In the end, he will get the majority of that $15m......IMHO, the mistake here was the Rox even signing him.....I mean I get it...with all the outs etc....but seems unnecessary unless they knew other teams would offer more, which no one here knows....but we all suspect that is unlikely. In the end, we have had this discussion ad nauseum - I like KPJ as a player, and I think he has great NBA skills on the court......I don't like KPJ as a person - and think he needs professional help. And I don't want him on the Rockets any more - was more concerned that Stone when asked if KPJ was done as a Rocket refused to answer that question...... DD
that's only if certain players are injury prone. There's plenty of guys who bet on themselves for more money and want the freedom to choose their own situation and perhaps one that's even better. The open market has proven to be much better for many as opposed to settling for an extension. It all depends on the player In kpj's case, yeah you won't find many if at all willing to sign for that much non-guaranteed and uncertainty. but kpj is an idiot so that explains a good amount
I was concerned when the rumors spread that the Rockets were wanting to trade him instead of waiving him. This was a red flag because it makes me think that Fertitta is just playing the waiting game to see if the girlfriend ends up refusing to press charges or gets paid to shut up. Or he's banking on the public outrage dying down and people not giving a **** anymore. Now you add Stone's refusal to answer the question, and that just supports my idea even more. He point blank refused to answer a question with an easy slam dunk answer. "Yes, KPJ is no longer part of the team's future." Fertitta and Stone are still hooked on that KPJ Heroin.
So in other words, after weeks of arguing, you now admit that KPJ was full of red flags that he himself and the rest of the league was aware of. I hope in the future, you wouldn't be going on these same crusades for another player, because you absolutely hijacked every thread and went after anyone that even brought up KPJ's red flags.
That's entirely wrong. Can you name another player that signed a contract remotely similar to KPJ's contract? Players prefer extensions if the extension offer is reasonable or good (in their perspective). KPJ type of contract is what you offer for Jock Landale types of players, good enough to be worth a shot but not nearly good enough to be worth a long term commitment . Some players overestimate their value as well, like Dennis Schroder, who rejected a 84 million dollar extension and get worse offers in free agency because he overestimated his value in the market. Either KPJ significantly underestimated his value on the market, or he and his agent do not think he will get a better contract. It's not anything more complicated than that.
This was an unnecessary risk by the Rox on an average talent, who never materialized any of his talent into a useful skill, let alone the million red flags he had.
Do you mean the contract or the initial acquisition? Because the initial acquisition was a no brainer, imo. It cost what? A second rounder?
I meant the contract. The initial acquisition is a no brainer if you know how to handle the situation. For the rockets as it turns out it is the complete opposite. So that was a bad move as well in hindsight.
Regarding what other NBA teams and the national media think of KPJ's talent (and, accordingly, his possible future in the league), I think back to the night he went off for a 50-burger. Remember how all the national media could talk about was his burgeoning talent and his bright future in the NBA? No? Well, neither do I, because the only ones who got excited about that game were Rockets fans, players, and FO. From the rest of the league, it was all just a giant collective yawn. Like they were saying, "So what? This doesn't matter to us because of who he is and the way he plays." Skill and talent are only part of the equation. Unfortunately for KPJ, those are the only two parts he has, and even then it's lacking.
Part one of your statement is true, but not part two. He wasn't average - the talent was high with him. The issue was his mind. The Rockets mismanaged the situation and him. Giving him a big ego and pumping him up was a big mistake not only for the org, but for him as well. Codling players doesn't work. Codling players with mental issues is a recipe for disaster. What the Rockets should have done is helped him get the counseling he needed to work out his issues, but given him stern rules and a defined role on the team as a ROLE player, until he could prove he was deserving of more. In any case, time to move on.
