ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Kings 12/21/2025

The only question is why does FVV accept a trade there? That's the only problem I see with FVV having an NTC. This is why I think we are not going to be a player for Harden, Jrue, or even LaMelo. We just don't have the high salary players with attractive contracts to make the numbers work. Coby seems gettable based on his salary being $12.9 million. I truly don't know if he is that good or just a good scorer that has played on a losing team and has managed to elevate his stats for that reason.

My money is that we find a way to trade for CP3 since really that's likely what would be most affordable.

You probably have Eason, Holiday, Tate, Capela that the Rockets would likely trade. I think FVV is likely to stay because of the NTC and I don't see the team parting with Adams or finding a taker for DFS.

 

SO you guys wanna get even older? lol SMH

 

I think the Bulls get better options than that though for him so I feel like Coby is out of reach.

I don't know, I feel like the option that we will go with is some cheap vet we can get off FA after the trade deadline. Someone that gets traded to a bad team and gets bought out.

Right now though Tari is the most tradeable young player we have. Love him, but he's always hurt.

 

An easy first or second round exit? Really? LOL. The team clearly plays up or down to the competition. And we’re not even healthy yet. There will be no easy beating of this team for 4 games in the playoffs if we are healthy.

Has anyone even beat us “easy” so far? I feel like even the games they lost they could or should have won or it was super close.

The team is inconsistent and plays down to competition sure, but there’s no way anyone is looking at them as an “easy” exit LOL that’s wild.

 

I think not having a dependable PG is an issue for the Rockets.

Our defense is not as good as last season as well so our room for error is a lot smaller.

 

Did you look at the stat lines of Sengun, Amen and Reed? Our pgs all played great problem is Ime with dumb plays and lacking execution. Amen just had 18/9/8 how much more dependable do you want someone to be? Maybe Ime needs a Steve Nash or a James Harden, someone who will run the offense for him but that just means he is incompetent AF and cant do the offense for the team.

What even is the logic of sitting Tari for 3 quarters then bringing him in the last play of the game? Ime should know by now Tari has rocks for brains still put him in ice cold in the most critical defensive possession. And why didnt aime tell everyone to guard the 3 let them score the 2 if need be? Thats something so basic even the audience knows it.

 

I could get on board with this. Maybe Jabari and DFS would do it

 

I did forget all about his NTC lol that really sucks.

Not sure why we are giving a non-all star player a NTC...that does complicate things by a lot, if he were to waive it though, yeah Harden would be high on my list. I wouldn't even be all that worried with his shoddy playoff record because we'd be pretty stacked as a team then and the story of him coming back to the city for one last run would be cool.

I think we can get CP3 if he's fine with playing for Tilman. We certainly can offer him an immediate role, seems like he does want to play his last year so there is that. He's also someone that should be available before the trade deadline so there is that too. It might be the move if the Rockets are 100% set on FVV being on the team next season.

 

thunder, Lakers, and OKC got us? You don’t say? How about the Oklahoma City, you forgot about them ? lol

 

Yikes. I called you out on your stupid post and you doubled down.

I say again.

Tell us again how many times Sengun was involved in the plays where the rookie Sac Town C got his stats.

'Sengun exclusively operates in the paint' - ARE YOU F'ING SERIOUS HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA.

You know, your comment about not being allowed to say anything bad about Sengun might hold weight if I didn't call out Sengun's bad plays.

But yet here we are exposing your stupidity because you chose to double down on stupid.

You see a C doesn't mean they'll always be in the middle of the key. There's such things as switches forcing a big man to play on the perimeter. And Sengun is forced into that position more than most big men.

I'm shocked you tried to make the argument that Sengun exlusively operates in the paint. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA I'm sorry I have to laugh hysterically at that idiotic comment because you're serious when you said it.

But like I said, you won't dare review the game to account for when Sengun was involved vs wasn't. Because it'll make you look like an idiot.

I defend Sengun when necessary. This isn't one of those times. This is me simply asking you to use common sense and comment on things which actually happen.

You won't though, which is a bigger indication of your stupidity than anything else. It's ok bro.

 

Coby White has been awful this year in the games he's played. I know in the past he's been a good player, but with the injury issues he's currently having mixed with his abysmal play I'd rather not trade anything of value for him...Not even the corpse of DFS. He'll need to have a good stretch of healthy games and then also dramatically improve his play this season for me to want the Rockets to consider that.

 

It can't be a high price, Tari at MOST but even then, you might get away with a salary match using FVV/DFS and future draft picks. Rockets have a lot of future draft picks.

Like PHX 2027 is unprotected, PHX is a good team and likely will be better then, so it shouldn't be a high pick. We also have BKN 2027 swap rights. I'd give them that personally. We're not thinking about the 2027 draft anyways and outside of 2029, we own the rest of our picks moving forward.

If it became a bidding war I'd at most give up Tari but I'd be reluctant of that but I really do think Harden could make this team a legit contender this season. He's 10x better than FVV anyone saying otherwise isn't watching other NBA games.

 

Overreact much ? Lol

 

Bro you can quote numbers at me all night long, but I saw a team struggling with the on ball pressure the Kings were throwing at them. That Sengun / KD pick and roll only works so many times. Every single close game this seems to be the issue. I'm not saying our PGs played bad, Amen and Reed had good games numbers wise, but they aren't dependable with the ball handling at the end of close games.

 

Clutch made a fair assessment. Its specifically talking about back-to-backs.

Steven Adams doesn't play in 2nd game of a back-to-back. Where the Rockets by far have their worst games. The Rockets have much worse stats in 2nd back-to-back games to show it.

Rockets generally outrebound the opponents by 10+ boards per game. But in the 2nd back-to-back game, the rebounding is almost dead even. That's before today. After today, Rockets rebounding in 2nd B2B will actually be worse than the opponent.

That's while defense gives up 10 more points per game, gives up much higher FG%, fouls more. While offense averages fewer points, shoots worse FG%, commits more turnovers.

So just situationally on 2nd B2B, Adams at least helps the rebounding. Which might be the only thing needed in close 1 possession losses. But any player can have recency bias of recent bad games used against them

 

Unless you can get a franchise point guard not sure how much more dependable are you expecting.

Basketball is a zero sum game if have some generic average pg out there he wont get the stats that Amen puts up so net wise you end up with a loss either way. You cant just brush off 18/8/9 and say those are just nice nos bruh whut? Those are game winning nos.

What our players did is put the Rox up 15 in the 4Q. When the Rox collapsed thats due to mismanagement and lacking tactics by our coach. For example Nuggets also havent had an actual pg in years they rely on Jokic for playmaking buy Malone made it work and even got a ring.

 

I'm not asking for a franchise PG.

 

Which pg are you askig for that is gonna do better than 18/9/8?

 

None of this comments on how bad Adams has looked lately.

 

Yes, but Harden and KD are not going to play B2B that much, Harden is not the durable Harden of yesterday.

I was one of the first that do not trust all 3 of the former OKC, there was a reason they did not win it, although they had more talent than this time's Big 3 over there.

Scottie Brooks was not much of a coach when it mattered.

The Thunder Now have what they lacked ...Integrity, Accountability and Cohesion, remains to be seen if they are a dynasty yet.

All 3 of KD, Harden, WB had entertaining personalities for sure....rofl.