[ClutchFans] For Rockets, winning in 2012 would be nice, but losing might be better

But we are losing, and we are getting a lottery pick. So what's the problem? Package Lowry and 2 first round picks, plus salary fodder, and we can trade for that elusive star, perhaps as soon as right before the draft.

 

Well, at least we have two first round picks instead of only one. Hopefully Morey can have a better chance to get a good player at 13 or 14 instead of only 17.

 

This article was dead on then...and it's dead on now. Enough is enough. Let's stop playing make believe.

 

No offense to Clutch but did he predict in the article that the starting backcourt would go down for a third of the season?

Tanking from the get go just isn't cool. You play to win the games. A high lottery pick doesn't guarantee you anything.

 

it. doesn't. matter.

the team will have played 230 games over 3 consecutive seasons where they finished exactly the same every one of those seasons. i'm pretty sure we know what we have now. that seems like a sufficient sample size. teams deal with injuries. it's part of the equation.

you can keep fooling yourself all you want that this team is a real championship contender...but you're just wrong. i'm sorry...no offense, you're a swell guy...but they're INTENSELY MEDIOCRE.

 

Well, we still could get Perry Jones!

 

YAY!!! There are no undersized PFs in the lottery this year!!!

 

it'll be ok max, we'll trade for dwight howard and his back will crap out on us like tmac 5 years later.

 

I never said the Rockets were contenders. They might have been though if we didn't get Sterned. Btw, the Texans seem to be doing more than just fine with numerous seasons of mediocrity (finishing close to or at 8-8).

Actually, we might now be able to put together a decent package that doesn't cost us too much and move up around 8. I'm all for a high-potential pick.

 

But wouldn't you still love to have the illusion/fantasy of a contender like the Yao/Mac years? I would.

 

because we got lottery picks 2 years in a row now and were aiming for the same number this year.

when this was written it was written with the intent that maybe we should play our youngs more minutes and at the same time aim for lower amount of wins to get a top 7 pick instead of the same 14th or maybe even 13 oooh

 

Lose big or Win big, there is no in between.

 

1. comparing NFL to NBA is apples to oranges entirely. completely apples to oranges.

2. yeah, we might ...and if...and maybe...and i think we could....holy crap, it's time to stop all that crap and get something damn well done. you don't build a franchise around "wow, we were sooo close!!" when all you're really close to is the freaking 8th seed. it's time to stop pretending that you can "remain competitive while rebuilding." we're not building ANYTHING!!! we're assembling a cast of role players to complement a player we don't have. no one cares about this little 9th seed three-peat. people will stay away in droves next season. time to take our medicine so we can get better.

3. you did tell me the rockets were contenders, by the way.

 

just watched the nba.tv highlights of the hornets game. crushed my heart.

T____________________T

 

Yes you are absolutely correct, Clutch. I applaud your opinion and as always it was a brilliant piece of insight.

The fact was our depth was a big help once again. However it was never enough to count on C-Lee and Budinger to contribute big nights game-in and game-out, and we paid the price for that.

None, and I mean absolute 0, of our players have any kind of great upside. Therefore the term "developing", our young players, as some have called the season to be, was a non-issue. The issue was making the playoffs and we failed at that.

Its back to the drawing board again for Morey.

Oh well, at least we have 3 picks in a loaded draft.

 

I think the points that really got nailed by the season are that role players can't maintain success alone:

1)You need a go-to player because when you need the points in crunch time role players either don't show up (Lee) or they don't get calls (everyone else).

2)The idea that collecting role players to groom and trade for stars is flawed because teams that trade stars want draft picks not players.

3) By the time your role players become assets they are up for contract extensions or free agency so teams will just wait to sign them themselves.

Morey needs beg Les to give up this crazy idea of Rebuilding while staying competitive because it doesn't get people in seats, it get's people angry for being fooled.

 

Sigh... In hindsight I definitively agree with the article, especially after the Gasol trade fell through. This season was another worthless mediocre season that could cost the Rox in the long run.

 

Clutch,

I understand all your points, and you were right. In the grand scheme of things, it would have ultimately been better if they would have taken a step back this season.

However, its obvious that you cant make the players, and coaches literally tank (kick the ball out of bounds, etc.). Their jobs are on the line. You also cant force the coaching staff to play guys like Thabeet as another means of tanking. That not healthy for any organization to do at any time. Its just not going to happen, right.

What the org. can do is trade away veteran players, and not sign vet free agents. Thats about all they litterally can do unless they get a coach to "buy in" to tanking. Hard thing to ask of a proud first year coach with a reputation to keep.

So lets say in a vacuum that they were able to trade Scola, Martin, and not sign Dalembert. Would this team have been that much worse? Im not being difficult, Im just honestly not that sure. I agree in theory it would have been the year to loose a bunch of games, but I just dont see it happening even with the Youth playing heavy minutes which other than the 3 or 4 vets, is the entire rotation.

Hope you can clarify your position on that. I just dont know that tanking will ever be a realistic option for this team unless they get a coach to buy in to playing bad players over the good ones. They can trade Scola & Martin, but I dont know how much of difference thats going to make. That and playing bad players like Thabeet are the only way they can force them to theoritically "kick the ball out of bounds."