So wait -- we traded two MVPs for a hodgepodge of lower 1st rounders?

Breaking: Poster who consistently called GM an idiot over the years finally sees what it looks like to ACTUALLY be in a poorly run organization, after said GM leaves.

 

Bolded part is true because LAC was selling the farm since trading for PG meant they were also able to sign Kawhi Leonard for nothing in free agency. LAC was even more desperate than Brooklyn and actually had a young player on a rookie deal to include in the deal to make it better.

Getting Oladipo for LeVert will turn out to be an underrated part of this deal. My hope is that he can even improve on his 2017-2018 form as he was on the way up as a top 30 player in this league before his injury. Assuming he plays well the rest of the season and stays healthy, he will be worth the max so Rockets would be wise to keep him on the team starring in his role unless you truly are planning to tank in the near future. Even then it may be worth it to sign him to max since you can trade Oladipo and still likely get great value unless Rockets medical staff is worried about injury history.

If Oladipo proves worth keeping at the max in the role he played last night, then the smart plan would be to cash in 2 future picks and 2 future swaps for an upgrade somewhere down the line to obtain a young up and coming player or already established star that is looking for a new start to pair with Oladipo and Wood.

Cashing in some of the picks for a more established asset allows us to not put all our hopes in the draft and the demise of the Brooklyn Nets. I would think Stone will be looking to make a move like that for some of the assets gained in the Harden trade sooner rather than later since those picks have too much variability but still keep some of them in case they turn into good picks or trade them again when the timing is right.

 

Picks for Porter Jr. is the only realistic option that makes me thrilled. Hopefully they can pull it off. I know they want to.

 

Imagine its 2018, end of game 6 of the WCF's. Someone tells you in by the second week of 2021, James Harden will be traded for Oladipo and CP3 for Wall in addition to a net of 2 1st round picks.

Try telling them 'its not that bad'.

 

Imagine telling someone in 2018 that Harden, Durant and Westbrook would all be on EC teams 10 games into the 2021 season.

 

Assuming they are all going to be low first rounders is a bad assumption.

 

While I 100% agree with your take on this, I'd prefer not to dwell on the Westbrook trade anymore. That one trade basically completely imploded this organization in a single season and did substantial harm to the rebuild in front of them. But it's over and done with, and there's nothing anyone can do about it anymore. Bottom line, the moves made since then have been positive ones and generally good deals in terms of value for the organization. Stone has made the best of a bad situation—I'm not sure he could have done any better.

 

I hope you are right. That is the type of asset/upside we should be targeting. Not sure why Denver would do it unless Tucker + Oladipo are involved but really starting to think Oladipo is in the Rockets plans and they are looking to find a 3rd piece to pair with Oladipo and Wood.

If Stone can turn 2 BKN picks + 2 BKN swaps into a high upside player, then the Harden trade looks something like this: Oladipo + (high upside player like MPJ or Collins for 2 picks + 2 swaps) + the still remaining 2 picks and 2 swaps from the Harden trade.

Any realistic young SF/PF targets on rookie deals that are about to be paid that aren't quite stars yet, like John Collins, that are on the trading block? These targets would likely not be on contenders which is why Herro and MPJ are off the table unless we are willing to trade Oladipo. It will soon become apparent this team will need to rebuild around Wood/Oladipo.

Stone does not necessarily need to rush to use the assets he has but he would be wise to go ahead and cash them in if a player like Collins can be had without giving up Oladipo.

 

I mean, they were saying in 2013 that the Celtics got "three mediocre draft picks" for Paul Pierce, KG, and Jason Terry. It seems like that trade worked out OK for Boston.

The fact is that the (incoming) CP3 trade resulted in one of the greatest Rockets teams ever. The contract extension was baked into the trade. (And CP3 has played pretty well under that contract). It's the Harden-Paul 2019 feud that resulted in the awful Westbrook trade and the resulting dominoes falling afterward.

 

Made all-the-more believable by the outlier datapoint below the "H" in "HARDEN", so ... I agree with this sentiment. Pitk is much better than Harden over time. Let's get Pitk.

 

Oladipo and a ton of unprotected picks and swaps is about as good as you are going to get. What was the alternative? Simmons? MPJ? Herro? Siakim? Not as good because those teams wouldn’t give up as good of picks.

Only Jaylen Brown would have been better and Ainge wouldn’t trade him.

 

lol, so funny cause its a JR Denton thread

 

Miami didnt have no mvp and almost won the title last year, the only thing that stopped them was injury luck, and they beat 2 times mvp on their road to finals. It was a sweep if i recall well or an almost a sweep.

 

Well first, we traded a hall of famer and some picks for a fake MVP. So this is just step 2 of the meltdown. At least you address that partially in #1. Yes the last 3 years have absolutely been an unmitigated disaster. Basically every single move since CP's hamstring popped has been a headscratcher.

 

That sums it up

 

I think one shouldn’t look at equal value in this situation. There is no such thing. One of one generational talents are very rare. The move provides the Rockets with a lot of flexibility. It is a gamble and projection by Stone and management team no doubt but Those picks are essentially the Nets’ future. All 3 of their stars will be free agents in 2023. Aging stars. Likely they won’t sign all 3. But Rockets essentially get their 2024 and 2026 picks and swaps for 2025 and 2027. Thats way after the era of the big three and Nets may be in rebuilding mode. The very least Rockets get first round picks which are still valuable for a rebuild. They can be used for assets in trades as well. And as mentioned in other threads Oladipo can be signed using bird rights and not dip into the cap or be used in a trade. Houston also gets a trade exception to acquire another quality player. It’s an interesting move no doubt but the end game is flexibility and hope in a more promising future.

 

Herro is not a star lol. Not even close to one yet.

 

I agree.

I meant to say a young guy with star potential.

I don't love him as much as most people here but his upside is undeniable. I'd prefer the team keeps Oladipo and goes all in for MPJ using picks.