Westbrook is flat out trash and has the worst contract in the NBA, the only other way to get rid of him was to pay a team with cap space multiple picks to dispose of our garbage while taking back bad contracts. The fact that we didn't have to pay anything to dump Westbrook is nearly a miracle.
Clearly this is false given you rejecting the metrics that prove you have a delusional idea of his quality. I'm going to give you a pass, you clearly fell in love with flashy but terrible play and it has blinded you.
Unreal take. You realize when you’re taking someone like Wall there’s a very good chance you’re basically giving Russ away but having his money tie up our cap space for nothing.
You realize that when you are stuck with Russ you basically have his money tie up your cap space for nothing? He's an outright terrible player when he's on the court, actively detrimental to the team.....and he wasn't even going to show up anymore. Taking someone like Wall, who at worst can actually shoot a basketball in the right circumstances, and dumping Westbrook is a win even if he plays in a wheelchair. The cap space was shot the second they traded for that scrub Westbrook, this is just making the best of a disastrous situation. A guy that MIGHT fit, is infinitely better than what the Rockets got from Russ.
I'd want Harden finishing a play more than WB finishing a play...... and at some point you are going to have to play them together.... Luckily..... a two man game aint the only option..... But I'm sure you knew that. You mean he got injured...... But KD and Harden can shoot and WB can't..... it's rather simple. I'm pretty sure if you asked CP3, he would have wanted more off ball movement by Harden his first season here. It's not all on Harden (MDA too), but we want 0 for whatever against GSW..... ever say to yourself, why didn't we something else? If those extra 8 shots are wide open/good looks..... then sure? Better than bad shots from WB? Because Adams is a stiffer, stronger version of Capela..... trying to make you think about the blueprint we had for success with the players on our current roster.
that basically tells you all you need to know. the Knicks didn’t want him. The hornets were like “nah!” The magic passed. nobody wants this dude. the other option was to let him play and drive up who’s trade value. Which would have been great. Except he torpedoed at too. Another way he was awful. I’m sure he would have eventually reported but I think the front office wanted to stay competitive (rightly) and not screw up their new coaching hire from day one (as Russ drama would have done. I love the Silas hire but thing The Russ-Harden combo would have ran him over in the sense that they wouldn’t listen to him) and just not have a tumultuous season. malcontent is a word I think of. Even if that’s unfair to Russ... it’s just something you “feel” about him when he’s on the court of off the court or whatever. dude got in yelling match with the other teams family in the middle of a game for f sake. I’d have chosen other better packages too... but that they weren’t available for a triple double all Star machine like Russ (lol) tells you perhaps executives have caught up where media hasn’t.
But Russ has been playing NBA basketball for the past two years and isnt coming off an Achilles injury. At worst.... Wall may not be able to contribute this season. Availability is important....
He could still show enough to where someone could bite and give us something. Like anything......This organization isnt great right now. You cant count on anyone in the front office to be competent.
that would require Westbrook making good decisions with the ball...too bad we all know he doesn’t do that except you’re the one who brought up this mythical amazing 2 man game that could be possible with Westbrook as the main playmaker...sorry, it doesn’t exist Did that injury mess with his brain as well? Did that injury make him forget how to dribble or throw a pass that’s actually on target? but Harden is a much better playmaker and decision maker than Russ...it’s rather simple now you’re writing fan fiction...the team won 65 games and made it to game 7 of the WCF, but CP3 probably had an issue with Harden...yeah, no... Westbrook was running the 17th ranked offense in OKC... Russ couldn’t even manage a positive net rating against bench units without Harden on the floor next to him, but hey, let’s give this dude the ball more and make him the main playmaker...lol
Russ was actively detrimental to the team, if you had him stay home, the team would have been better....now this season, he wasn't even going to show up....he was garbage when he was available, then he wasn't even available anymore to continue hurting the team. Wall on the other hand, at least wants to be here and has a history of being able to do something that could benefit the team....something Westbrook is incapable of. It's funny, the same people who talk about the Nets and KD being good this year often are the same people who pretend that Wall is dead. I'm not expecting much from him, but if he can still hit catch and shoot 3's, he's infinitely superior to Westbrook when it comes to being a part of the Rockets. It'll be fun watching Westbrook fight with Beal every night, and I wish him well, but I'm glad he's someone else's problem....and I'm curious how many picks the Wizards will have to give up to get rid of him when Beal is demanding a trade due to being stuck on a team with him.
....and he doesn't need one. I was responding to ridiculousness with equal ridiculousness. Wall has been recovering for 2 years now and is already back playing....and has been for a while now. I don't think he'll recover his full explosiveness, but I'm not asking for him to. If he can be like middle to late career Jason Kidd....no explosiveness left just running the point as a passer and able to hit 3's when needed, that's more than enough.
But you’re not looking at the other side. You have to look at the other side when you’re negotiating. If the Russ situation was bad, compare it to Washington and Wall’s. Exact same money. Both asked for trades. Russ had a poor playoffs but also a regular season run that earned him All NBA. Wall hasn’t played! Russ commented on Instagram to clear the air about him and Harden’s relationship even if it may not have been cool. Wall hasn’t always been welcoming of the attention Beal gets. Russ was posting photos of him with his fam and singing in the car with a Rockets shirt. Wall was throwing up gang signs. I honestly could and should have just stopped at the fact that Wall hasn’t played in two years!!!!!!!! Get a better pick, one that can be enticing in a trade today.
But the fact that it’s an IF should get you more leverage in assets. That can’t be argued. Russ wasn’t working out in Houston. Yes. But as a player every GM in the league today is picking him over Wall no matter what the rest of the team looks like. Cuz again, can’t emphasize this enough, he’s been injured!
The fact that it's an "if" is why the Rockets didn't have to package 4 or 5 first round picks just to dispose of Westbrook. Also, if "most" GM's had the option of picking up Westbrook and his contract for nothing in exchange, they wouldn't do it. it's the situation where Wall is a question mark due to being injured and Westbrook is a player you know to be trash that you can't even get to show up. Taking the "maybe" over the "we know we're screwed" is the smart move. According to Wall his top priority while he was out was working on his 3 ball, which was already better than Westbrook could ever dream of. Jason Kidd was over 30 before he learned to shoot the 3, so that's what I'm hoping Wall can do. If he can be a version of old man Kidd, the Rockets are going to be a LOT better than they were with Westbrook.
LOL..... I'm sure his assists at OKC were all just lucky..... all flukes. LOLOL. You literally can't discuss WB without engaging in hyperbole. Where did I suggest it was both mythical and amazing....? 2 man ancient Chinese secrets..... Come on dude..... You just said it did...... remember..... until he got injured? No.... I think that's just rust and not getting comfortable enough with his teammates. No, he is a much better shooter than WB. Just a better playmaker and decision than WB.... It's pretty simple.... the gulf between their shooting abilities is much greater than their playmaking abilities. I just said I bet CP3 wished Harden would play more off ball...... You don't think so? Yup, those OKC teams were usually top 10 and top 5 in defense as that's how Presti built the team around WB. I bet it was ranked much better with an offensive superstar like KD.
