Time to Meet Tank?

The Rockets aren't on national tv as much so it's not so hard to miss them. But if you're pro tank, tonight's game on NBATV shoes a favorable trend line!

For real though, this current roster is trying to have it both ways. The Rockets, for better or worse, took their present value in Harden and invested it in future bets, some if which may not even show any return until 7 or 8 years from now. As a fan i hate this and wish teams couldn't do jt but as a GM seems like the best they could do.

In it's place is a mediocre to borderline playoff team full of over-the-hill/fragile vets or rookies whose ceiling is valuable role player. The team as currently constituted can maybe finish as Lakers first round fodder, if things break the right way. This is the worst place to be from a rebuild perspective.

From a fan perspective it's also waste. We've been spoiled and there's more to life than winning, but it's very hard to get invested here in a placeholder squad like this

On the other side - it's a great year to tank, in view of the swap rights, deep draft the no expectations and the wtf pandemic season.

The Rockets decided to blow it up, or at least, Harden and Morey and Dantoni did. They should blow it up...all the goddamned way.

 

The answer to this question has been yes ever since they traded James Harden. Nothing has changed.

 

All the way meaning trade Christian Wood and sendIng a first round pick with John Wall’s contract to get rid of him?

 

Re sign Corey Brewer and Josh Smith and give them the green light?

 

Hard to win with no superstars

 

Adam Silver hates the Rockets. He won't give the Rockets a top 4 pick. He'll rig the ping pong balls so it won't happen.

 

The best part about tanking is that you never lose. Of course a win is always fun. I'm pro tanking but I never root for the team to lose. A win here and there is still great fun, especially with the new lottery odds, because they'll probably still lose enough games for a decent shot in the long run. And when they do lose, I'm still happy. It's win-win baby.

 

You trade Wood when his value is maximized in a rebuild situation. You keep Wall and eat the contract and don’t attach any assets to move it. Maybe you get lucky and someone wants him as an expiring or something and will give you slight value in his walk year, but no- you don’t attach any picks to send him along in a league with a salary floor.

 

I thought it was when Hartenstein got traded

 

Resting Gordon is tanking.
D
D

 

we're not gonna be bad enough to utilize our top 4 protection on the pick - so tanking is meaningless...

After all of the last few years this org needs to focus on building a culture - a winning culture... not tanking.

I'd say utilize this year as an opportunity to play everybody and see what you have, work to improve the roster (move PJ), let Silas experiment... and let whatever happens happen...

 

Here is what my idea of tanking is:

-You stop trying to put the best team on the floor and move into asset collection mode
-You spend absolutely zero assets at improving the team or dumping contracts.
-Anyone who is considered a bad contract (Gordon, Wall) you ride out, rehab value, and trade if anyone wants to give up an asset.
-Any expiring contract (Oladipo, Tucker, Cousins) should be heavily shopped and best offer taken no matter what.
-Anyone who is tradeable but not getting better you make available (House, McLemore)
-Anyone who will get better (Wood, Tate, Nwaba, Jones, Porter) who play extensively to try and maximize their value.
-You use your eventual cap space and expiring contracts to take bad bad deals with assets.
-You use your cap space to sign guys to market deals you can eventually trade to contenders.

Draft night should be a ****ing field day for the Rockets with multiple picks and the ability to move in any direction to land the next foundational piece.

This is purpose, this is focus, this is direction.

Right now we are on the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornet path. Mediocrity.

 

It's going to be like this all year isn't it

 

Guys come back and its a winning streak.

Do not jinx it.

 

Make Tucker your starting PF or SF these days that's already meeting you halfway.

 

I’m all about tanking. But why would you tank when you don’t have your on pick?

 

Yes , its gonna be like this all season and probably next year too .... there's a group of fans that seem to trust the process but don't understand the math involved in actually keeping the pick.

IF they had the leagues worst record , its just as likely they'd send #5 to OKC as it is they would end up 1-4.

I'd rather not help OKC anymore than necessary ... and that means making sure they keep their pick and Miami's.

 

I agree with all of your points. I just haven't seen any clear evidence that the Rockets are not doing everything you mentioned. We've collected seven first round picks since November. This team looks like they're in it for the long haul rebuild that centers around the draft.

A successful NBA rebuild is about 5 years if things go your way. So, if you're okay with waiting for that, can we at least wait 1.5 more months until the trade deadline? There have been two trades in the NBA over the past two months...they both involved the Rockets. Should be evidence enough that not many other teams are ready to deal quite yet.

 

Or you can compete

Only 3 games back from the 4th seed

Get by a tough first round, then a very beatable Utah Jazz team in the 2nd round

And reach the WCFs to give yourself a shot

Gives the young guys playoff experience and develop a winning culture that could attract elite talent to pair with Wood

 

No, but just because we owe FRPs (don't think it's conceivable to be bad enough to get into the top 4).