Agreed and one guy could end up changing everything, you don't necessarily need a full roster of guys that play 95% of the games, when you have one superstar that can carry the team while people are in and out of the lineup. I think KPJ or a top draft pick would have a higher probability of being that guy over Wood, but maybe it can be Wood.
Consistency is important, but when you're the Rockets it's probably not the MOST important thing. The Lakers can pluck the best free agents out from the league AND be choosy about consistency. The rest of the teams have to make some compromises between talent ceiling and consistency, and hope to get a little lucky. Let's face it - Harden was a miracle in that regard, so comparing anyone to him is useless. You simply can't beat him for both talent and consistency and the Rockets may go 50 more years before they have another like him. Eric Gordon is an extreme case and you're absolutely right, but we know how Morey loved "increasing the variance" (decreasing the consistency, aka choosing talent over consistency). We don't really know about Wood yet. Wall may or may not be a consistent player in the future, but I think there's a chance.
Whenever we do get back to a Championship Team level, we're going to have to take STEPS; 1) Next yr shoot for a lower seed playoff spot 2) Following yr shoot to win a Round or two 3) After that hopefully WCF 4) Championship Level We all know its going to take time BUT they have to take steps and not look to be out of the playoffs yr in and yr out, like Minn, Sac, N.O, etc. All I've been saying is I think we are AHEAD OF THE CURVE! We have a good young big in Wood, that'sonly gettingbetter, a very talented guard in KPJ and very good role players in Tate and KMJ, plus we have assets to get better! The same thing Clutch said last night!!
Guys, when you are a young team, you have to set REALISTIC goals but if you overachieve, that's even better. Let's say this! If everything went the Rockets way; they were lucky enough to win the lottery this yr., get another productive player in Free agency and make a few trades this off-season that we felt would propel them to be a better team.....IF THEY WALKED INTO TRAINING CAMP AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP, WE WOULD THINK THEY WERE CRAZY!! However, if they said we're just going to shoot to make the playoffs, the #8th Seed, that would be more REALISTIC.
All the doom and gloomers just ignore the young talent we have, definitely ahead of the curve. KJP is super young, Wood can still grow, and if the Rockets keep their pick and pick the right guy they would be right there. There being, a young team on the rise. If KPJ finishes the season strong I wonder if it will affect the draft decision of the rockets. It shouldn't sure, you should draft the BPA when you are rebuilding and figure out who plays where later but...I do wonder if a performance like this might make the Rockets think. "Nope, we have our PG, let's go for someone else" and look at Mobley should they get the #1 pick that is. Obviously yeah you have Wood as a big but Mobley would theoretically provide a more paint dominant big that can get boards and protect the rim and might fit better with the team giving both Wood and KPJ space to grow into roles better fit for them.
Hmmm, looks like somebody else thinks the Rockets are ahead of the curve and has a bright future at the 5:20 mark
we’re right on the cusp of greatness Rockets must have some secret formula to be the worst team in the league but still be ahead of the curve
Wood Gordon Wall are injury prone PorterJr is inconsistent Tate House are solid rotation player We don't know what we have in MartinJr yet. Augustin & Bradley are not part of our plans & on the trade block. We'd probably take an expiring for Augustin and an expiring and a 2nd for Bradley.
As far as bottoming out, the rockets are doing it faster than i say any good team would have done. You got to remember once you balance a roster, take it to the west finals 2 years and then the window closes. This team did a complete 360, and is now in rebuild mode. Ive seen it in baseball plentyl, so you can name numerous amount of teams who have bottom out after the big players leave. The key is getting the players that will make a foundation. Since the rockets have 3 first i see this a perfect time to make sure you get 3 guys who can come in here and mesh with Wood, and Porter fast. This is exactly what Celtic's did when they bottomed out. So in time you got to think, once you get these young rookies going, you need to make sure that one free agent acquisition for a player that will be looking for money. I want to see the rockets match Cade With a free agent out there looking for his big payday. You think maybe in 4-5 years from now. You got to remember cade is just 19, and porter 20. Wood will probably be gone by then to the best offer when hes 28. I doubt the rockets over pay for C-Wood. He is just filling this time period as a player who can put up the numbers for them to win games. Wall will be gone.Alot of this team is going to be gone, you will see alot of faces. But you think who ever the rockets draft, if Cade, and build with Porter etc.. what free agents will be around during the rebuild process. This team could be alot different in 3-4 years. Porter and Wood may even be traded in a package for a players that complements Cade Cuttingham, Jalen Green, Suggs, or Mobley. WHo ever the rockets get in top 4. But i doubt they trade porter if he continues his play, i mean i would not. Porter will probably be a rocket for awile after that bucks game lol.
You didn't say anything I disagree with. However, I am a little uncomfortable with how certain so many of you are that we will get the #1. We have a small chance of that and almost a coin flip of not having that pick at all. In regards to Wood, everybody here is ready to build around him but his health already concerns me. I think he's raised his stock though, so I'd look at trading him while his value is still high if we were to get Cade and, even more so, if we end up getting Mobley.
I could see the Rockets easily being god awful next year or with a good top 4 pick and KPJ,Tate,KMJ improving in the offseason I could see 30-40 wins. I wouldn't be shocked either way. Def not playoffs though. That's a brain dead take
Winning 30 to 40 games next year would be terrible. Thats why the Magic and the Kings have been consistently bad.
Last year's winning %: .611 This year's winning %: .246 I wondered if there had ever been a bigger drop off over one year, then I quickly found this: Golden State Warriors 2018-2019 winning %: .695 2019-2020 winning %: .231
Agree that if Mobley is the pick you have to seriously look at trading Wood. I would approach the Knicks (for their 2 firsts) or Toronto (Anunoby and their first) to start with. I just dont like the fit with Mobley and Wood. If they get someone else I am not as determined to move Wood. While I do not want to build around him, I think he is a talented guy who might help the young players I anticipate the Rockets acquiring on the court. I could see keeping him around for the next 2 years, winning some games and, if he wants to see things through, signing for a little less than he could get on the open marked. In that case he'd be another trade asset too. If, however, he wants to get top dollar in 2 seasons I look to facilitate his departure for something then.
I'm not sure why all the negativity. This team has talent; what they don't have is experience and health. They've had some of the most used starting lineups in the league which affects consistency. The loss of Eric Gordon has hurt the depth because Bradley/Augustin don't provide the same offense off the bench. Wood missed half our losses. We played an aged PJ Tucker and replaced him with Olynyk. If you're adding a top 4 pick, a relatively healthy year out of the roster, and a better version of John Wall; this could be a pretty decent team (5-8 seed). Wall won't be what he was; but he's going to be better with this year's minutes and a full offseason. PG Porter / Wall SG Cunningham / Gordon SF Tate / Martin PF Wood / Late 1st C Olynyk (re-signed) / Wilson That could be a middle of the road playoff team depending on how things play out. It's not a given, but reason to be optimistic that next year won't look like this one...
