Woj: Houston will be open to trading pick for player to accelerate rebuild

I don't think they will do this unless its someone like Lukka. I can see the trading up to #1 or down to #3. The 2 and 3 spots could be a toss up and go either way so if they trade down its not an issue.

 

Pass

 

if rox trade down to #5, will that go to okc?

 

If you were holding the #4 pick, would you give up assets to trade up to #2?

 

Not sure if i would do it... but...

To Cleveland:
John Wall
#2 Pick
#23 Pick
#24 Pick

To Houston:
Collin Sexton
Kevin Love
#3 Pick

Would depend on Cleveland thinking we'll pick who they want.....

Sexton's 40% spot up 3pt shooting could pair well with Porter... concern over defense of course... maybe Mobley at 3 if there for rim protection...

Love could make Olynyk expendable if bidding gets high...

Having Wood, Mobley, Olynyk, and Love gives us front court depth and spacing...

Unloading Wall gives Porter more control...

I'm fine with Tate/House/Martin at the 3...

 

I've been thinking about this a lot. Ujiri has to be head over heels with someone he knows will be gone by Cleveland's pick for him to make that kind of move. I think the Cavaliers would key in on Mobley or Green because picking Suggs would be problematic to their team building with Sex-Land already entrenched there. Cleveland could try to make Green work as a small 3 or they could simply take Mobley (if Houston picks Green at 2) to build out their front court. Would Ujiri want to build a front court of Mobley, Siakam and Anunoby? Or would he want to use that #2 on Green and pair him with Van Vleet? If the Raptors really want Suggs I'm pretty sure he'll be there at #4 so they can just stand pat.

Either way that would leave Suggs at #4 for us. Would Stone trade the #2 for the #4 and an unprotected 1st? would it take two additional 1sts?

 

If it did then they wouldn't do it, but they wouldn't do it because #5 isn't as strong as the top 4. The top 3 is the strongest so I don't see them trading beyond 3.

 

Yes if its a championship team and 3rd best player is relevant i'm not sure Ayton is the third most valuable player on that team, just like Bosh, Ayton unlocks a lot for that team and contributes greatly to winning.

I have no idea why this draft pick has to be the guy on a championship team, those guys are not available in every draft, you have to look at the big picture and not be asking is this guy, the guy.

 

WTF?

Who in their right mind would do that?

 

I'd do it if we keep the picks and they take Mobley at 2. I like Green better anyway

 

Trade for Zion or Luka or pick Mobley.

Otherwise we storm the the capital..... I mean Landry's head office.

 

Can anyone share this?

Offseason moves for the Houston Rockets, starting with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...ton-rockets-starting-no-2-pick-2021-nba-draft

 

• Bobby Marks

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Facebook Messenger
• Pinterest
• Email
• print

Although the Houston Rockets finished with the worst record in the league, GM Rafael Stone is convinced that good things are on the horizon in Houston, starting with July's NBA draft.

"We're going to get a good player in some way, shape or form," he said. "We're going to build something special here over time." Stone is right that the Rockets are likely to add a franchise-type talent with the No. 2 overall pick.

As for the rest of the roster, for the Rockets to get back to being a playoff team, it will take patience and a deliberate approach in how they retool the roster.

"We're trying to compete," Stone said. "We're not going to shortcut the process. We're trying to win a championship, ultimately."


The draft evaluation
There is a process that the Rockets will now undertake when it comes to draft preparation.

While it is unlikely that the No. 2 pick will be moved, Stone made it clear after the lottery that they will exhaust every option when it comes to their three first-round picks.


2021 NBA mock draft: Projections for all 60 picks after the lottery
2dJonathan Givony

• 
  Why this year's NBA draft class is getting historic buzz
  3dMike Schmitz

"It's not necessarily that you're looking to do that [trading out of the No. 2 spot], but you shouldn't foreclose any option," Stone told reporters following the lottery. "You have to do the work. You have to use the allotted time. You have to have the discussions. You have to go through the process."

The process includes the Rockets having dialogue with the other 29 teams, draft workouts, player interviews, conducting thorough checks on background, medical and psychological issues and, most important, relying on their personnel department for game and practice evaluations.

In the next four weeks, a menu of questions will be on their whiteboard, and by the time July 29 arrives, there will be an answer to each question.

Here is what the Rockets will analyze in the next month.

1. Do we explore moving No. 2 for an established All-Star or young veteran?

As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported, expect the Rockets to explore their options with their lottery pick as it relates to a young veteran or All-Star-level player who can help accelerate their rebuild.

"We have to figure out if drafting is the right thing," said Stone, who noted that he would have had the same approach even if Houston had landed the No. 1 overall pick (and a clear shot at Cade Cunningham). "The easiest way to make a mistake is predetermining what you will do."

Houston will weigh the upside of players such as Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs, who will be on a four-year rookie-scale contract, against players who can make an immediate impact. For example, moving No. 2 for a player like Collin Sexton is intriguing, but considering that the Cleveland guard is rookie extension eligible and will cost significant money with his next contract, it likely does not make sense.

"The goal is to find a star player," Stone said. "When you bring in young players, especially, you're really looking for star potential. I wouldn't use the word 'expect.' I don't want to put that pressure on a player. I do think we're likely to get somebody really, really talented if we pick the pick."

2. If we keep the No. 2 pick, do we draft best available?

This is not the NFL, where you might bypass the top QB to select an offensive lineman.

Listen

If the Rockets feel that Evan Mobley is the best available player and that there is clear separation from Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs, they should take him, despite having a starting center in Christian Wood.

"We're young and we have interesting young guys in almost every position," Stone said. "We have guys who are multipositional and will play with others. If you're a great basketball player, you can play with other great basketball players. The truly great players enhance one another, play off one another, enjoy one another. I don't worry about position-ability very much." Wood proved at the end of the year that he can play power forward, and he has tremendous value around the league not only with his play on the court but also with his team-friendly contract.

3. Do we take the quantity-over-quality approach?

This scenario would see the Rockets explore moving No. 2 to a team like Orlando (5 and 8) or Golden State (7 and 14).

It sounds appealing to have two picks in the lottery, but ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz considers this year's draft to be top-heavy:

"'The draft starts at 6' will likely be a phrase used to exhaustion during the pre-draft process, and for good reason. You could make an argument that four, and potentially even five, of our top-rated prospects would be the No. 1 pick in a normal year when you talk about Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga. While the top five feels fairly set from talking to NBA executives, there's still a lot of fluidity in this draft starting at 6."

Even moving out of the first round with one of their picks in the early 20s for multiple second-round selections is something that should be taken into consideration, but Houston should pass on that.

4. Would we move up into the teens but at the cost of our two picks in the 20s?

This is more of a question that gets answered the night of the draft and is dictated by the Rockets' draft board that ranks the 60 best prospects.

For example, if Houston has Gonzaga's Corey Kispert ranked No. 10 on its big board and he is still available when it comes to Oklahoma City selecting at No. 16, would the Thunder entertain Nos. 23 and 24 and perhaps a future first to move back in the draft? And if so, is that price tag too rich for Houston?

5. Should we explore trading either No. 23 or 24 for a future first?

We saw this happen in 2019 when Brooklyn traded the No. 27 pick to the LA Clippers for a lottery-protected first (from Philadelphia) in 2021. The first that the Nets would acquire eventually resulted in the No. 19 pick last November.

Stone is convinced that whatever direction the franchise goes in the next month, it will lead to a good player.

To be continued...........had to split in half (too many characters for one copy and paste)

 

Continued....
The retooling of the roster
Stone is fully aware of the task ahead on reshaping this roster. "I know some teams have done wholesale rebuilds, going extraordinarily young," Stone said. "I think one of the advantages to the various moves we made this year is that we do have a lot of future draft picks that are unprotected that aren't just ours. I think that gives us the luxury of trying to be competitive and grow our young guys and have 30-something guys. The fact they may help us win a game or two extra, or five or six games, is not something that we're worried about."


The playbook on how to build sustainable success started with the Christian Wood sign-and-trade that also netted the Rockets a future first from Detroit and then moved to finding a home for their two disgruntled All-Stars, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

"We're trying to gather really, really talented basketball players and put them together and grow them ... and that process started for us this year and will continue," Stone said. "We're pretty locked into a strategy and really trying to grow a team that can win a championship."

That strategy starts with the draft in July and then turns to exploring how this roster can achieve sustainable success either in free agency or the trade market. Below is how the Rockets have begun to reshape their roster and the different options this offseason and in the future:

1. The draft

Three picks in the top 25

2. The future All-Star

Christian Wood

3. Identifying second-chance players

Kevin Porter Jr. and Khyri Thomas

4. Under-the-radar prospects

Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jae'Sean Tate

5. The former All-Star

John Wall

6. The veterans

D.J. Augustin, Eric Gordon and Danuel House

7. Own free agents

Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley

8. Cap flexibility in the future

The Rockets have a clean slate starting in 2023-24 and could have up to $80 million in room. They can take an aggressive approach this season with their own free agent Kelly Olynyk or explore the sign-and-trade market. Unlike last year, when Houston was pressed against the luxury tax and hard cap, that is not the case this season.

9. Trade exceptions

$8.2 million, $5.0 million, $2.2 million and $1.8 million

10. Future draft assets

Unprotected first round: 2022 (from Brooklyn), 2023 (from Milwaukee), 2024 (from Brooklyn) and 2026 (from Brooklyn). Protected Detroit first: 2022 (top 16), 2023 (top 18), 2024 (top 18), 2025 (top 13), 2026 (top 11) and 2027 (top 9). Protected Washington first: 2023 (top 14), 2024 (top 12), 2025 (top 10) and 2026 (top 8). The right to swap firsts with Brooklyn: 2023, 2025 and 2027.

"The easiest way to make a mistake is to predetermine what you're going to do," Stone said. "I think our approach generally to the draft, free agency, is to look at everything that comes up. We will do all the work. We'll research all the players in the draft, and we'll try to figure out the best way to move forward."

Offseason cap breakdown
John Wall $44,310,840

2. Eric Gordon $18,218,818
3. Christian Wood $13,666,667
4. D.J. Augustin $7,000,000
5. Danuel House Jr. $3,894,000
6. Kevin Porter Jr. $1,782,621
7. Avery Bradley $5,916,750 (team option)
8. Khyri Thomas $1,762,796 (non-guaranteed)
9. Jae'Sean Tate $1,701,593 (non-guaranteed)
10. Kenyon Martin Jr. $1,517,981 (non-guaranteed)
11. Kelly Olynyk1 $19,797,365 (free agent hold)
12. Dante Exum1 $18,240,000 (free agent hold)
13. David Nwaba2 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
14. Sterling Brown3 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
15. D.J. Wilson4 $13,644,840 (free agent hold)
16. Anthony Lamb5 $1,489,065 (free agent hold)
17. Armoni Brooks5 $1,489,065 (free agent hold)
18. First-rounder (own) $8,992,200 (draft hold)
19. First-rounder (via POR) $2,553,120 (draft hold)
20. First-rounder (via MIL) $2,259,240 (draft hold)
-- Troy Williams $122,741 (dead cap space)
Guaranteed contracts $89.5M
Partial/non-guaranteed $10.2M
Free agent/draft holds $72.9M
Dead cap space $123K
Total $172.8M
SALARY CAP $112.8M
LUXURY TAX $136.6M
1. Bird
2. Early Bird
3. Non-Bird
4. Restricted Bird
5. Restricted Non-Bird
The Rockets are right at the salary cap when taking into account their three first-round picks and the $5.9 million team option on Avery Bradley. If the team option on Bradley is declined, Houston is still over the cap when factoring in the $9.5 million midlevel exception, $3.8 million biannual exception and their trade exceptions. They are $23 million below the luxury tax.

Robert Covington to Portland for the No. 16 pick in the draft and a 2021 first-round pick. The rights to Isaiah Stewart (pick 16) and a 2027 second-round pick were then sent to Detroit in exchange for Christian Wood (sign-and-trade), a protected first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick (via LAL). The Rockets acquired the rights to KJ Martin from Sacramento for $1 million and the 2021 second-round pick (via LAL) that they received from Detroit.

 

Sure you would do it, who wouldn't? Oh wait Cleveland wouldn't thats who.

 

Nice to see you with good takes in the GARM, Trader_ J. I can agree (or disagree!) and without the usual Basement BS. ;-)

I like Suggs a lot. Not at 2, but if we traded down a spot or two for a good "get."

 

It’s been a while since we’ve had a 1st, and an eternity since we’ve had a top pick

Having #2 feels very weird

 

we better not screw this up

 

Simmons shot 62% in the playoffs with 9 APG with just 2.4 turnovers. You think Wall or an untested in the NBA rookie would do that? There is something to be said for a known quantity vs. a random one. For some rolling the dice thrill is the whole reason they are NBA fans so it's easy to see why a fair number are not fans of known value.

For that to work though we'd have to find somebody to take Wall off our hands. NYK perhaps.