And I guarantee you the Lakers will be more competitive than the Rockets as long as Stone is still in the reign..Stone needs to go
And Ime too. TF should hire new staff headed by more experienced and talented managers and coaches as soon as possible.
He's better than Stone that's for sure. Was able to trade for one of the best players in the nba for a bag of off brand chips.
I really hope we can, either this offseason or by the deadline, use FVV and/or DFS’s expiring contracts to get a final piece. Some options… FVV 25 mil: TMIII, Myles Turner, FVV + DFS (38 mil): Quickly, D. Murray, Holiday, Kyrie Irving
No to Turner. I'm guessing FVV is treated as underwater. As such, I think it would take a really good player to make trading the draft capital needed to move FVV worth it. TMIII defintiely fits. Others, my guess is that the draft capital would not be worth it, but Kyrie and Quickley would be interesting if the price is actually good.
A little column A & a little column B NOP: FVV (HOU) + DFS (HOU) + 2027 FRP (via PHX) MIL: Adams (HOU) + Capela (HOU) + 2 SRPs (2027, 2031) [or possibly top 5 protected HOU 2028 FRP] HOU: Dejounte Murray (NOP) + Myles Turner (MIL) + Matkovic (NOP)
Sam Vecenie yesterday “As long as he stays healthy, I think that this deal (Smart) is one of the best values we've seen in free agency so far. Because he's like the perfect player to where, oh yeah, if Reed Shepard becomes an awesome basketball player and really steps up in the way that they think he's capable of, Marcus Smart can play with him. That's great. If Fred Van Vliet is healthy again next year and is like 100 percent and everything goes great after his knee injury, Marcus Smart can play with him. That's amazing. Or if neither of those guys are ready to go, Marcus Smart can play point guard and you can roll Marcus Smart, Alperen Schengen, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith, and Amen Thompson out there in a lineup. That's not out of the question and not out of the realm of something that can work. I think this is a home run deal for the Houston Rockets. This is an amazing, amazing, amazing contract and fit for what they need. Yeah. He had a good season last year. You mentioned it sounds like there's a player option on the second season of this one, but just that average annual value right around six and a half million over those two seasons. I think it makes a lot of sense for the Rockets. Really, really good addition.” Cannot argue with that. I think sans the big picture of things this is a very decent signing. I’ll give a bit benefit of doubt to the FO since it’s still early in the offseason.
I don't always agree with Vecenie, but this is a good read and why I like his takes (even if I don't agree). Not sure about one of the best values on the market part, but definitely agree that Smart can play with Reed or FVV, or play in their place if they aren't able to go. Mostly, I'm still worried that the Rockets give up draft capital worth more than him to move DFS. Maybe, I'm making a mountian out of a mole hill.
My issue with the Smart deal is that Smart provides nothing the Rockets need and with 65 IQ Ime as the head coach, Smart will almost certainly play way too much despite providing nothing the team needs. If he could shoot or was a good ball handler, that would be different but he's mediocre to terrible at both depending on how kind you're willing to be.
I don’t know how much of the signing of Smart is a capitulation of the concept of Amen being the primary ballhandler full time.
Rockets don't need any extra depth at PG? That seems like a very odd thing to say for someone that supposedly watches and keeps up with the Rockets. You heard about FVV's knee this offseason right? What makes Smart a mediocre to terrible ball handler?
If any random body can be called depth at PG, then no. If someone can't provide shooting or ball handling.... how are they truly PG depth? Honestly Okogie was better "PG depth" than Smart.
I have no problem with the Smart deal. My only issue will be if we don’t do anything else to actually to make this team better.
Lol…. I don’t think you can quantify what makes Smart unable to provide ball handling aside from you don’t like Smart. Okogie is better PG depth? What a crazy thing to say,
