Mike Scotto: Rockets might use 4th pick as trade bait?

We really need to keep this pick. Don’t tell me we can’t get a star out of this draft. We need one last swing.

 

I can't do it with the Dick jokes for the next however many seasons, I just can't

Let some other fanbase suffer that

 

Given that we missed out on the supposed 2 clear favorites to be Allstar nba players, I think we definitely should entertain ways to keep our best young players, trade for a good player, and sign a good player. Honestly, it’s a potential path to instant playoff contention or better.

On the flip side, if there aren’t any legitimately good offers on the table, I am plenty happy with rolling the dice on whomever at 4.

What I’m not keen on is trading assets (including players) for 2 or 3rd pick.
I don’t watch enough college bball to know who we should roll dice on or who could become at least a 2nd best player on a team. So I don’t have any opinions whatsoever on who that person should be.

I am happy with our core. They have flaws. But they’re super young. I think we have 5 guys who could realistically blossom into above average players. 2 or 3 could become legitimate stars.

I am excited about the rockets opportunities. They have a lot of options going forward. I just hope they don’t rush into competing with a JH long term contract coupled with a trade of assets for someone like Middleton. The only asset I really am okay with giving away is this years pick or a future pick. One. Not multiple, and not anyone named Sengun, Green, or Jabari. And I would be almost as hesitant to trade KPJ or KMJ, but to a slightly lesser extent.

 

Thank you. Harden better hit that treadmill and pick up some Semaglutide before he resigns with us or any team. Carrying that extra “baggage” around his midsection is killing his game.

 

I would put money on him gaining another 20 within a year of him signing. He's gotta be himself right...

 

Obviously not only the 4th pick. If you are Morey, and you have Dantoni with Harden, you are only going to be able use certain kinds of players on that team. A big man like Embiid is useless; we saw LA, NY and even Phoenix (who can forget the Shaw experiment). Now, what if you combine the 4th pick with say, Sengun, KMJ and KPJ, plus a pick from next season. That may do it.

 

Amen Thompson is an exceptional passer and a good defender at this point.

Also part of the struggles of Green and Smith are related to the clown show coaching and culture of the Silas and Stone. At least Stone appears to have possibly learned from his mistakes.

 

It’s really simple - if Smith and Green don’t become good volume three point shooters, it won’t matter who they draft at #4.

A big part of the reason the Rockets drafted Smith and Green was because of their potential as long range shooters.

If Amen Thompson becomes an even passable shooter, he is a perfect fit next to Jalen Green. He is long and tall and can guard shooting guards so Green can cover point guards. Thompson is a good defender and can switch onto 1-3. Thompson is excellent in transition, which fits with Green.

 

So you'd rather waste money on a washed up Harden because he's supposedly the best FA available? You said it's pretty simple. That line of thinking is why you're not a gm.

 

The question was why the rockets want him, not if i want him. I don’t think i would get a GM job regardless though, have you been a GM? I’m fine with harden coming back if the price isn’t too high. Having a real playmaker would also help show us what the young guys can do

 

Ime Udoka explicitly said that getting players "better shots" will help them. That will help improve the percentages. And taking Amen Thompson helps augment Jalen and Jabari to get better shots.

 

Exactly.

Also, I know that Rockets fans do not want to hear this, but the Rockets do not have enough high-end young talent to compete at the top of the league in a few years. San Antonio, Portland, New Orleans, Orlando and OKC all arguably have more young talent that the Rockets currently do. Most of those teams also have viable franchise type players as well. The Rockets need someone with high end talent that also fits well with players like Jabari and Green and Sengun - and that is Amen Thompson. It is true, that he needs to improve as a shooter, but if he could shoot well, he would go #2 in this draft and not even be an option. Even Victor Wembanyama needs to improve as a perimeter shooter, it isn't brought up often, but he only shot like 25-27% from 3 the last couple of years.

 

I hope whoever Tilman is listening to is giving him good advice.

 

I wonder if Brooklyn would bite on a cam Johnson and Claxton Package

 

Every year……the past three year the GM is yelling to the hills we would love to trade his high pick for a player and he never does. A smart GM knows to get talented cheap players by drafting him….we are not going to trade our picks…we are going to add to our young core. We are not drafting next year because of OKC

 

That's why they're bringing in James. The gig is to hold up whoever wants Amen badly enough, while moving back a spot or two for Walker.

 

We have talent on this team, that is no doubt. JaMorant, LaMelo Ball and Scottie Barnes are pure athletes like Amen Thompson…Amen Thompson has elite vision, passing and 1st step he has everything you want in a point guard his shooting is subpar. Rockets are getting a guru shooting coach,
Ben Sullivan who is presently with Boston but is coming to Houston. Ben has helped many players with their shooting such as Giannis when he won the Championship that year…he and the organization gave Giannis’s shooting credit to Ben Sullivan. Ben Sullivan was with San Antonio with Ime, they are good friend and both of them are from Portland. After Boston lose to the Heat in this series he is going to Houston to help Ime. We will see improvement with Jabari, Amen and Jalen shooting….watch

 

This is worth a read on Amen Thompson.

 

He's going to come in light, tight, and strong.

 

The concern I have is that there have been whispers of the Rockets adding someone prominent to the front office over the last year or so - and that probably means the front office is concerned to some degree about their job security, and that doesn't lead to smart decisions.

Also, some of the rumors about the Rockets make no sense. The Rockets looking at James Harden and a 4 year maximum contract is foolish - so are other rumors (even if crap) like trading Jalen Green or adding an expensive veteran. The Rockets don't need to spend all their cap space in one off season, and they aren't winning anything next year regardless - built for a few years down the line, and play the younger players.

I remember Jeff Van Gundy saying that the fan and media fascination with adding old veterans to a young team is way overblown. He went on to say that the key is to add mid career and young career guys that practice and play hard and that are positive and not bitter people.... he said almost all old players are bitter and that is death to a young team.