1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Poll: To Tank or Not To Tank

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by finsraider, Jan 18, 2021.

?

To Tank or Not To Tank

  1. Tank

    119 vote(s)
    57.2%
  2. Don’t Tank

    89 vote(s)
    42.8%
  1. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2007
    Messages:
    50,145
    Likes Received:
    40,819
    Tanking just creates a gambling addiction.

    People that want to do it always think "We'll just do it one year..." then you draft Cade and he's 'meh' and then you go "Okay, next year is the year..."

    Next thing you know you're doing it every year for an entire decade like the Kings.
     
    kjayp, DCkid and REEKO_HTOWN like this.
  2. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    46,767
    Likes Received:
    18,465
    They are not. They are a house of cards betting on an oft injured big man and a guard who can’t shoot. They aren’t a contender for a Championship. Maybe a ECF trip but that’s it.
     
  3. HP3

    HP3 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    22,867
    Likes Received:
    32,132
    If it wasnt for the Nets, they would be championship contenders right now. Lol when is the last time Embid has missed the playoffs? All that matters. He's a top 10 player in this league wether you like it or not. Once Simmons raises his value, they can get a nice return for him too. Why are you trying to tell me Philly is in a "bad" spot.
     
  4. xtruroyaltyx

    xtruroyaltyx Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2011
    Messages:
    10,739
    Likes Received:
    12,937

    Yep.

    We’ve got vets playing for the next contracts...vets playing to redeem their value after injuries....then you’ve got young guys seeking to establish themselves in the league plus a 1st time head coach.

    The motivation will at least be there.
     
  5. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2008
    Messages:
    8,529
    Likes Received:
    11,784
    Do it right, do it once. Trade off the assets, Rebuild John Wall and Cousins for more assets, Wood goes for MIP and you roll with Wood, whichever top 4 pick you can get, maybe Oladipo, Tate, whoever you can get with all the assets and cap room. Then use the net's picks moving forward to continue adding value around that core.
     
    HP3 likes this.
  6. James.B.H

    James.B.H Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2016
    Messages:
    835
    Likes Received:
    1,657
    We had much more success over Philly in the past 8 years because we had such a head start in having Harden. Philly started from scratch. But they were a true contender in 2018-2019 season, when they took the Championship team to a game 7, and lost because of one of the luckies shot in the history of the NBA. Seven years from start of rebuilding to contending, despite their terrible decision of firing Hinkie and hiring an extremely incompetent FO, which wasted almost half of the assets they got through tanking. They're not quite in a position for contending, but still will be competitive for ECF for the next 4, 5 years.

    Let's see how long it takes for the Rockets to get back to be a contender. Our start is still much better than 2012 Philly because of the assets we got from the Harden's trade, let's see if it takes less than 7 years if we don't tank for a year or two to get top picks.
     
    Wulaw Horn and HP3 like this.
  7. HP3

    HP3 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    22,867
    Likes Received:
    32,132
    Meant to say "finals" contender.
     
  8. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 1999
    Messages:
    36,740
    Likes Received:
    13,133
    This team SUCKS. The owner SUCKS. The coach SUCKS. And more dumps are coming. They do not have to tank in order to tank. They will lose the games they try to compete in. Not just this year, but the next and the next.
     
    Sweet Lou 4 2 likes this.
  9. ChillyPete32

    ChillyPete32 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2018
    Messages:
    935
    Likes Received:
    1,427
    I'm also in the "be flexible" camp. It's not like intentionally creating a roster designed to lose as many games as possible has no opportunity costs even beyond the fact that being a fan of a tanking team sucks to watch.

    John Wall not improving his value is an opportunity cost. Dipo not increasing his value is an opportunity cost (especially if he somehow gets to 2018 Dipo and we can reload around him and Wood with another max player in a year). Gordon not increasing his value is an opportunity cost. Gifting OKC a number 6-7 pick if we don't have lottery luck is definitely an opportunity cost.

    I want to see these guys play a few weeks to see what happens. If we're still bottom 5-7 at the deadline, then I'd be fine with seeing if Wall wants to sit for the rest of the year, and whatever chicanery we need to pull to give ourselves the best chance of keeping our pick. But seems foolish to do it now.

    Similar deal after the season, if we finish in the 8-10 range then evaluate after the season if you want 2021-2022 to be a tank/develop year or if there is an opportunity to reload and stay competitive since we're only three years from owing our draft to OKC for three years.
     
  10. Kim

    Kim Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 1999
    Messages:
    8,972
    Likes Received:
    3,664
    It'll be an interesting next 20 games. If they go 7-13 while trying, then they might as well tank. Having the worst record gives them a decent shot a #1-4 and at worst, #5. If it's #5, then it's OKC's, but Houston's if it's #1 through #4. If they're trying and they end up with #7 (which goes to OKC), then damn, that would suck. So let's see where trying goes for now, lol.
     
  11. xiki

    xiki Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2002
    Messages:
    17,491
    Likes Received:
    2,883
    No to tanking.

    Besides, in this pandemmie thingy anything just might happen. Top 4 pick? Ain’t in the offing.
     
    D-rock likes this.
  12. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    OKC has our pick for next draft.

    No way this team is bottom 4.
     
    xiki likes this.
  13. HP3

    HP3 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2018
    Messages:
    22,867
    Likes Received:
    32,132
    We can do it we try man. I know you are competitive bro, but think about titles in the long term. If we are doing this for the Nets pick, why not do this now.
     
  14. astrosrule

    astrosrule Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2002
    Messages:
    4,219
    Likes Received:
    4,513
    Philly also got completely slaughtered by adam silver, if he doesn't force them to get rid of an A+ GM to fire an F- moron, who knows where they'd be
     
    Wulaw Horn, xiki and HP3 like this.
  15. riko

    riko Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2014
    Messages:
    9,634
    Likes Received:
    16,083
    This team as is doesn’t really need to tank. When Dipo is your best player then you really are not a contender
     
  16. HoustonWest

    HoustonWest Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2014
    Messages:
    351
    Likes Received:
    605
    So correct me if I'm wrong, but if this team manages to finish with one of the 3 worst records in the league, then their odds of keeping the lottery pick stand at ~73% (assuming Oklahoma City finishes with a higher winning percentage than Houston).

    In other words: 73% chance of maintaining a top-4 pick, which cover the protections from the Westbrook trade.

    I'd say if lingering injuries keep Wall, Nwaba, Cousins or Oladipo out perpetually, then by all means tank away.

    I think more likely is Houston and Oklahoma City will both finish with about the same mediocre record, more or less nullifying the value of the pick swap. I really wouldn't be surprised in the end if Oklahoma City and Houston swap for the 12th/13th picks.
     
    HP3 likes this.
  17. Reeko

    Reeko Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    45,462
    Likes Received:
    127,163
    go ahead and rev up that tank next season

    we have full control of our pick in 2022 and 2023...it’s time to try and acquire a high lotto pick

    Wall, Wood, Dipo, and the guys won’t be doing anything of note

    tank commanders, gear up and report for duty
     
  18. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    88,856
    Likes Received:
    42,779
    Lol you'll lose more in real life.

    In sports or especially in the NBA you can undo mistakes via trades, buyouts, waivers.

    Well, woohoo, you get compensation for having a bad record while you relegate to a crappier league in soccer.

    You can't undo that much in real life too but suffer the consequences.
     
    #38 daywalker02, Jan 18, 2021
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2021
    HP3 likes this.
  19. coachbadlee

    coachbadlee Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2010
    Messages:
    28,004
    Likes Received:
    8,502
    We have all the picks we need to add to a good team.
     
  20. edwardc

    edwardc Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2003
    Messages:
    9,465
    Likes Received:
    7,587
    Never tank have some pride play it out to win.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now