Not bad luck at all. Just a bad investment in Harden. Don't get me wrong, he carried us from mediocrity to be among the top teams. But the three events you listed was clearly on Harden.
I agree with pretty much all of this. Also, another way to think about next year is Orlando currently has the 5th worst record right now, but many people think they're on an up trajectory or an improving team (we'll see). If the Rockets can improve to a sorry 5th worst record (could be asking a lot - who knows), they'll still have a 42% chance of getting a top-4 pick. If they improve to 8th worst, they'd have a 26% chance. But next year, there has to be some kind of improvement. I'm not expecting some 40-win team, though, unless we make some major changes. I don't think I'm even expecting 35 wins.
Can’t compete so quickly after you draft a bust like Jabari. Him suckin all kinda rump sets our rebuild back unless a sucker team wants to trade their disgruntled star for him in a package. the 76ers were basically trash for 5 years, and really only hit on 1 top 3 pick. I don’t think we’ve hit the apex yet of the rebuild, barring Wemby lands here. still a very long road ahead.
It's not just the below average record but yeah the Orlando Magic looked good in flashes and those flashes prolonged longer and was interrupted by the All Star Break. Everyone wouldn't be as disappointed if the Rockets only lost by 5 every game. And for the stretch of 10 games they did and we saw hope once. It is not just the record that mirrored the chaotic coaching this season.
I personally don't care about the OKC picks. If they Rockets are trash they might only be sending a 2nd rounder. What I do care about is developement and a winning culture. Silas has not set a tone. He never will. He is a softy, probably a great guy but he is not a great head coach. Stone needs to find a leader. Someone that demands a certain level of execution day in day out. I'm not saying he has to be full on pain in the ass. Look for a coach that will treat them with respect but won't put up with lack of dedication to the craft. I don't know who that is but it damn sure isn't Silas. Get the right coach a next year with a top pick added and signing a vet this team could be play-in ready or 6th seed.
This is crazy. No Holmgren this season and they are competing for 8th seed along with multiple 1st round picks for a long time.... If they hit on those or trade them off for quality FAs, they will be a championship contender very quickly. I don't see us in the same path as them. Just don't know how long will be in the shitter.
They didn't draft SGA, they acquired him when everyone knew he's a budding star and then they immediately paired the core with CP3 for experience. They started their rebuild a season before us and they started with a core piece who had 2-3 years under him. Basically SGA is their KPJ, and that's the only difference in the teams. Getting to 8th seed is not that hard, it just takes a year or two of the organization deciding to do it. Teams like the Kings who go ages without making the playoffs are the exception rather than the norm. There's only 1 or 2 of those in the NBA each season. Once you break it down, more teams make the playoffs than don't. Give us a vet PG and vet C who can play good defense and we'd be competing for play ins too. Those are fundamental difference makers and the rosters' hands were tied this season.
I agree that SGA vs KPJ is the difference. But, to be fair, there is some nuance here. OKC had ultimate leverage in their trade because the Clippers needed PG to secure Kawhi. So, they were able to strip away SGA in addition to picks. The Nets weren't really desperate for Harden, and they didn't have anyone like SGA to give away. They were choosing between Oladipo returning to form, Ben Simmons, Jarrett Allen, and potentially Tyler Herro. And, the better the player, the more concessions on picks. In hindsight, the answer may have been to wait until the last second to trade Harden and another team probably would gotten desperate enough to trade a good young player. KPJ was just a scrap heap player that we grabbed. I put him more in the category with Tate (outside the nba free agent) and KJ Martin (a bought end of 2nd rd pick). You don't expect them to work out, just a flyer.
Yup Harden requesting a trade killed our leverage. The timing was also off because at the time no contender has a SGA level player to part with for Harden plus picks.
Totally agree. SGA is the difference maker in the equation and he has experienced multiple coaches, multiple elite mentors, entire seasons attempting to make the playoffs. If you give that same opportunity to Green or Sengun, we would also be seeing stunning averages. Hell, if KPJ's career went more like SGA (two stable franchises, good coaches, CP3 as mentor) who knows what would be possible there. I don't know why people are so quick to believe what the media says. The OKC Thunder rebuild is mediocre in my eyes given the picks they accumulated. I would NOT swap entire roster with them. Their rebuild has an extra year and a franchise cornerstone already included. We'll have that too, just give us an extra year or two. Good for them winning near half their games, but that is a largely meaningless milestone unless they make the playoffs. What I AM jealous of is that their front office didn't really need to tank this season so the org, coaches and players all know winning matters most and gained that experience this season. We need that more than they do, our guys are at an extreme dearth of winning experience/teammates in the NBA. The difference with our roster is that all our guys are going to flourish pretty simultaneously whereas the Thunder have SGA peaking while the rest of the team (other than Dort) is still developing. Especially if we pick top two in the draft and they don't, we are going to safely be well ahead of them.
I will truly never get over the Westbrook for Paul trade. It will forever and always be one of the most obviously stupid decisions in NBA history.
I was so angry when that trade was executed and I still get mad thinking about it. Tillman just rolls into town and is like, "Hey, let's go ahead and cave to our superstar and make the worst trade in franchise history."
I prefer to look at it like the Rockets do have their pick next year it is just the Nets pick. You need to improve some and have the Nets continue to likely be quite mediocre to pretty bad and it will likely be quite close.
I was eating dinner with the fam at the Rainforest Cafe in San Antonio when I heard about the trade. I hated Tillman for approving it yet I gave him about $100 of my money
