I think it’s fairly obvious they’ll give the Harden/Westbrook duo one more chance before blowing it up. Which means you need to take your limited assets — Gordon, House, possibly Tucker, [more] future draft pick(s) —and turn that into a better and more consistent third option via trade. Which won’t be easy. It also involves striking MLE free agency gold. Someone like Christian Wood, who’s $9M-ish per year contract, fits either contend or rebuild option. Having said that, if win-now players like Gallo or Ibaka are willing to accept MLE money you have to do that also. Acquiring one of those players at that price tag will not be easy. From there, it’s finding diamonds in the rough and making great value draft picks or bargain free agent signings. In doing so, making shooting a priority. Again, not easy. Bottom line: I think it’s very obvious we will give Harden/Westbrook one more year. It just won’t be easy for Rafael Stone. He needs to check off, at least a version, of every box I just listed in order to actually improve this team. Welcome to the show, new guy. Buckle up!
Don't blow it up for the sake of blowing it up, if the right offer is on the table now, then blow it up, don't act desperate. Even if the right deal comes along right before trade deadline and we are in a 7th-8th seed, I would still pull the trigger at that moment and throw the playoffs away, we know what to expect in the playoffs as currently constructed, don't sell low because you think there is some <1% chance of winning it all. Figure out what the max return can be, if someone gets close to it then do it. My opinion would be completely different if Harden didn't want Westbrook here. You hold onto Harden and try for the next 6 years to win with him. I am not sure if that report on him wanting Westbrook is true, it may just be so when Westbrook does get traded, he isn't viewed as the bad guy playing GM again like with CP3.
I’d rather have a legitimate third option and be forced to be resourceful with our bench than to simply be outgunned like we were in that Lakers series. If we’re swinging for the fences, like TF claims we are, then this is an easy call.
Why "blow it up" when you have one of the top 3 players in the league? Trade him? Anyone seriously think we would win such a trade? I have one word to say to that. Nuts. The teams clearly trading talent head and shoulders above what they are getting back, plus draft picks, win those trades about as often as that guy buying twenty lottery tickets at a time in the 7/11 wins the lottery. Almost never. You do what you can to surround Harden with the best supporting cast we can manage, without a discernable GM and currently without a coach. No problem, right? Sure. So hope for a miracle. A great coach, a GM who knows what he or she is doing, somehow adding talent and dumping what needs dumping, and a new owner. I wish us all luck. We need it.
Find a way to team up Kawhi and Harden. They would be complementary to each other and will deliver you rings. Realistically, not happening, at least not on the Rockets. Honestly, dont care as long as Tilman is here. Losing interest in the Rockets with him as an owner. I hate the man.
Run it back but I am open for business on Brodie trade to Knicks if this rumor is true. Barrett and No9 plus several 1yr options (Payton/TajG/Portis) or Ellington This freakin solves all the Rocket problems. We lose the albatross contract, get size and a younger guy to play alongside James and with the No9 pick we get to draft best available player setting us up for future. And we can still trade EGO for a piece! This is my hope for next season. I don’t think James demands a trade if the team is improved.
Run it back has run its course. It ain't the same without MDA and Morey. Probably a blend of saving face and saving costs.
There will be zero time for a new head coach to implement a new system with entirely new core of players. The CFers screaming to blow it up are being ridiculous. Season starts in a friggin month and Rockets still have not hired a coach or transitioned Morey to Stone.
Try to get the best return possible as a last resort. Our players aren't fitting with each other, but they still retain a fair amount of value.
I've come around to the idea of blowing it up. There are no avenues for this team to get better as presently constructed. We have no chance of beating the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Warriors or Mavericks in a playoff series. Tilman will not spend around the margins to improve the team, Russ is delusional about his offensive role and Harden appears to be completely impervious to adapting. Both Harden and Westbrook are entering the "tail end of their primes" era and are owed massive money going forward. Finally, we have almost no draft picks. How will this team get better if we don't blow it up? If the goal is to win championships, you have to start acquiring young talent to offset aging stars and we have no way of doing that right now.
