To answer the question, I neither like nor dislike the trade. It was inevitable, but there is also in my opinion zero chance of a successful rebuild under this ownership. The Rockets will simply be one of the many, many teams that ranges from a bottom-dweller to mid-tier squad that occasionally gets eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. I have fond memories of the scola, etc groups but I can't say it's very appealing to me at the moment, after having a true elite team and demolishing it through self-inflicted wounds.
I gotta give props to @Zboy. He called it. He said both Westbrook and Harden would be gone this year before the season started.
this right here is key, look at some of the calls butler was getting in the playoof bubble last year especially in that bucks series. I kept saying if harden got those calls we might not have beaten the lakers but it woulda went 7
"end of an era" Thank you James Harden, I will never forget how you changed the rules of the league while you were with us. nobody could stop you, that is why they had to make some changes to slow you down. thank you for the astronomical offensive numbers that will never be unequaled. Its tough it had to end this way. Good luck in brooklyn! or wherever you'll end up once they flip you in a couple of years. You are truly one of the all time greats!
That 150M super yacht isn't paying for itself. https://www.papercitymag.com/culture/tilman-fertitta-super-yacht-houston-billionaire-waters/
As much as I wanted Simmons , I truly believe he doesn’t have to much of a desire to get better. His game has been stagnant for the most part since he entered the league. I’m the long run I think missing out on him will pay off. It is just a matter of time before another young star wants out, and we will be there fully loaded with a chance to get them.
This is weird. I automatically assumed that Harden would start getting national media love now so I decided to put myself through Bill Simmons, Ryen Rusillo and Jackie McMullen's trade podcast just to hear them flip the switch. But no, Rusillo started off ranting about how he's been hate watching the Rockets and really enjoying how bad we've been and then they had this exchange: Then Jackie and Bill started talking about how Harden wasn't good enough to play for the Celtics. lol edit: it got worse
He just learns from Lebron and KD to form super big. This is the only way to get the champion. Let go with fps are also good for us. Tilman can employ JVG now. The current rockets even full team is not able to beat Lakers. Better than dropping value for him. Cousions and wall are dropping, the defence of woods is not good. Tucker is also not that good now, maybe he wants to left also. Houston needs to fix sf and pf position immediately
It's hilarious how they say AD gave New Orleans a good go and has earned the right to move on while Harden hadn't. AD spent less time in NO than Harden did in Houston and achieved far less, but he "gave it a good go".
A couple of thoughts: 1) I wish Harden left professionally but I guess antics get you traded faster. 2) I will always support the Rockets as the hometown team but I haven’t lived in Houston in almost 10 years and I’m not invested in watching a rebuild from afar. Painful times ahead - the Rockets future is in the draft.
