Like Harden, many Rockets fans underestimated this team without seeing them all on the floor, getting practices and time together. We're not a championship team, but far, far from the bottom. Honestly, with Harden this team would have been one of the best teams in the West after a few months together. Oh well, good riddance, and here we go with some fun bball.
On tanking. No way . This team is 9 or 10 deep. This team has youth and experience. Instead of sellers in March maybe Rockets will be buyers. Last season Miami made the finals. At end of a close game, Harden would wipe off the bottom of his shoes and dribble clock away and throw up a shot. Sometimes win sometimes lose. Give this team a chance. Games like last night was 100 percent more fun to watch than Harden playing hero ball. Wall Wood Oladipo Tucker Tate is a team ready to go to war with. Go Rockets.
The Mavericks were ~50+ win out of 82 team last year, they brought back pretty much the same core. Sure, some of it is role players, some of it is Luka, I don't think anybody thinks the Rockets as currently constituted are a 50+ win team. Mostly because even if you like the Rockets depth pieces better than Willie Cauley Stein - they're not as valuable on teh Rockets as they are next to Luka/Harden/LeBron. That's why PJ Tucker ABSOLUTELY MUST be dealt, he is worth far more to a star-laden team than to Houston. He's not doing it currently, teams are happy to single cover him, he rarely gets assists, and in fact he's assisted on most of his shots. Listen he's played well but he's not that type of player.
The Rockets are a top 10 defensive team. What? Lets look. Opponent Stats: #1 Assists #8 FG% #8 3P% #8 Points #18 TO #27 Rebounds https://www.espn.com/nba/stats/team/_/view/opponent/table/offensive/sort/avgPoints/dir/asc OK, maybe not. But if they can find a way to give opponents fewer boards, this is a case I would make.
These next 3 games are going to tell us a lot about this team. NO and OKC are both slightly below average teams. Both teams are healthy. If the Rockets can look like the better team in these games they might be a playoff team. Right now I'd still bet against it because the Mavericks win is the only game they looked good against bad rosters.
So maybe Silas knows what he is doing? I still would prefer to move Tucker, Dipo, and Gordon this year, but its fun so far.
But but I was told this was a team of scrubs and that we should tank.. I guess those people need to adjust their narrative.... Now it will be "well were not good enough to beat the Lakers - so we should tank... Thing is people said that when GSW was riding high - and look how quick they fell...
Perhaps, but just be aware: There are deals on the table for good ol Tuck, where he can get his money and go to a contender. I'm hearing chatter of within the next 2 weeks. He's not unhappy, and won't say he wants to leave, but he wants to win. It makes sense at his age. (I've heard LAC and Philly as main sources of interest) Similarly, House is being offered, but the response hasn't been overwhelming. I see him gone by the deadline. Denver has an interest, as does NY. He wants to win, but I don't think Silas is doing a good job maximizing his offensive skills. Hes more than just the corner three. Look at Tuck on past teams before the Rockets 3s/Layups era. The best part of Tuck is that he and John Wall are the locker room voices. As expected. I hate tanking. I find it to be too risky. This team, if healthy, could fight for 6th, or they could fall off if injuries hit hard. Happy Friday. And, give Sterling Brown some better looks!
Love PJ and I want him to be traded to a contender as well. He's sacrificed his body for this organization and they owe it to him to get him to a contender. Any nuggets, pun intended, whether the Rockets are looking to bring a rotation player back or are they just going to trade him for 2nd round draft picks? Thanks for the info Cod.
We need to keep winning, or as least competing hard, during our post Harden reboot. Once you squander away a winning culture and expectation it's not easy to get back. We don't own our pick this year, we need to be rooting for Miami to be mediocre as that is overwhelmingly likely our pick, as well as root for Brooklyn to implode over the next few seasons while we continue to compete. A further reason not to tank is the career of and respect for Coach Silas, if he gets this squad to the playoffs that is an indication we may have a fantastic young head coach.
Thank you for this update! With Tate on the roster, the PJ move seems to make sense for everyone (not that Tate is quite there yet). I might hold onto House if the offers are too low. He's a solid starter and won't cost much for next season either, but if other teams don't see that value, I'd hold him. I would really like to see Benny Mac moved as well. He just doesn't fit on this squad where seemingly every guard is a dribble threat, but he could really help out a contender that needs more shooting.
My updated trade proposal: Houston Trades - PJ Tucker / Danuel House / Dante Exum / SRP Receives - Harrison Barnes Philadelphia Trades - $8.2M Trade Exception (Al Horford) / SRP Receives - PJ Tucker Sacramento Trades - Harrison Barnes Receives - Danuel House / Dante Exum / 2 - SRP
I'm trying to convince myself that they may want to move on from Harrison Barnes (since they aren't winning) and Danuel House would be a cheaper alternative and could provide roughly the same output (minus veteran leadership). I know financially, from a salary cap point, they are not hurting, so I know I'm likely reaching. It doesn't feel totally unfair, but I understand that Sac will likely not make a deal like that.
I think they have a shot at playoffs but prob a first round exit. What I think is the negative of that is by keeping tucker and dipo is that you will lose them for nothing in the offseason. I def think they need to try to get a first round pick for pj bc his 7 mil coming off the books won't make a difference next year. You can argue keeping dipo and using the salary relief to sign a player.
The Rockets could be overachievers and in a good way this season. Virtually everyone in that locker room has something to prove. Wall - ACL/Achilles tear Oladipo- Hammy tear Tate - Prove his worth in the NBA Tucker - Wants an extension Wood - Prove his worth as an NBA star Cousins - Achilles/ACL tear Nwaba - Achilles tear Brown - Underpaid MJ - Undrafted EGo - prove he doesn't suck KPJ and ALL the rookies House - Prove he doesn't think with his pp McLemore - wants another deal to prolong his NBA Career Did I miss anyone? *edit, yes I did! Coach Silas has a chip on his shoulder as the new HC of the Rockets, Stone wants to prove his worth to Tilman/the fanbase. We're 1 feisty star away from being in the title mix, but our window is quite short with Oladipo/Wall. Hopefully someone out there gets disgruntled real soon. Also need another big for when Cousins is off of his game
