Rockets acquire Suns picks, return Nets picks to Brooklyn

LOL @ Sengun for Booker or KD, that's a hell no for me.

 

Because you can tank to have some amount of control of where your picks end up. Now if your team is stacked or in a phase of competing the Nets picks are better. But the idea is that by 2027 (3 seasons from now), Durant and Beal are gone and Booker may have forced his way out. Also that owner just did the rookie owner mistake of throwing all his resources on that trio, so either he would need a way to save face or would be selling the team and the new ownership would welcome having more control on the basketball product.

 

I’m just laughing at what the Knicks gave up for a 3 and D guy. When I see Bridges play all I see is a slightly better version of Trevor Ariza.

 

Tilman would do it though...

 

dafuq

 

I would be so done with my beloved franchise if this happens

 

I actually do like Clingan, but this sounds dreadful.

I dont really want to watch the last few seasons of KD flaming out in the playoffs.

Id rather watch the young guys to see what they become.

KD and presumably some other old star coming up short for a few years isnt worth the trade off.

Stone is going to get himself fired.

 

I am just throwing random lineups out of my head. In saying that though it's not just "a team with those 2" you have Cam and Eason which both look amazing, Amen 4th pick, Jabari 3rd pick, and Sarr 1st pick. The backcourt has amazing scoring and subpar defense. If you wanted a potential front court to mitigate that it would be a Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Sarr one to do it.

 

I am hoping that Windbag is just a windbag as usual. His stuff tends to only be accurate if it is one degree of Lebron.

 

Not sure if it's posted, but this makes sense too. We might not have room for more young guys after this draft and allow our core to grow. This also gets us cheaper role players in future years when we're contending, which would be smart long term.

 

If Sengun was included in the deal for Booker it'd significantly lower the picks offered IMO. Would need to look like maybe Sengun and maybe the 2027 PHX pick plus maybe one of our picks from 2029 or something. Need the rest of our capital to trade for another guy to go along with Booker IMO if that would be the case. Honestly, I still don't think it'd be enough for PHX to do the deal though. We see Sengun through rose colored glasses, not sure other teams value him the same way we do.

 

Really?

I flat out said that the Rockets had leverage, that they were in a situation to get MORE back from the Nets in this deal and they did not do it.

It is really simple - either the Nets bluffed and would have done the Bridges deal anyway, and in that situation, the value of the Nets picks in 25,26,27 would go way up BECAUSE the Nets would be a worse team and rebuilding. In that case the Rockets would have benefitted keeping the Nets picks.

The second scenario is that the Nets ownership would not let Marks trade Bridges and rebuild without having control of their draft back from the Rockets. In that case, the Nets would pay a huge ransom for their picks back. Why? Because they were offered what will amount to 6 first rounders for Bridges, the ability to then trade Johnson and Claxton as well AND the benefit of having their own picks back. So - what did the Rockets get back? POSSIBLY marginally more than what the value of the Nets picks were a week ago.

Do you really think that the Nets were just not going to rebuild until after the 2027 draft?

This situation is a lot like when the Clippers needed Paul George to get Leonard and the Thunder absolutely held a gun to the Clippers head and maximized their leverage.

Instead - the Rockets front office settled for a lot less than what they should have gotten considering the circumstances.

So - you can say "a lot of words saying everything we know", but apparently you DON'T know it, because if you did - if you actually had a grasp of the situation, you would at least acknowledge that the Rockets should have done better.

As for the Rockets being in a "great situation". I don't know about "great", as they still need a top franchise player to emerge. They do have a lot of talent though and they are going to continue to get better. Then again - when you have the #2 pick, the #3 pick, the #3 pick, the #4 pick, the #16 pick, the #17 pick, the #20 pick .... all added to your organization over a 3+ year span, you should have a lot of talent and things should be pointed up.

This isn't about whether the Rockets are better or have a brighter future than 3-4 years ago - this isn't about whether the Rockets have talent - this is about whether the Rockets organization has done a good job of maximizing the opportunities they have had and have been shrewd in using their assets ---- and that is a mixed bag.

 

The Nets just assured you they will suck for a few seasons at least.

 

I have a feeling Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, JaeSean Tate and some of those picks are going to LA for Paul George.

 

If the Suns get their own picks back they can control the tank rather than relying on the Nets sucking. They could easily dump Booker and KD for value and bottom out to start their rebuild. If Brooklyn's picks are in Phoenix's hands they have no incentive to tank whatsoever.

 

The front office did a great job long-term based on that article Fiegen wrote and the breakdowns and grades being given. Seems like agendas to be honest for the negativity

 

The Knicks have been a terrible franchise for most of the last 20 years. I'm willing to bet at least 2 of those are going to be lotto picks. You can't get a better offer than that. Thibs is a great coach, but will run his players into the ground.

I disagree. They weren't getting another offer of 4 unprotected picks and not have to take back any significant salary.

Claxton, Bridges, & Thomas was a 50 loss team. Who were they going to acquire that makes them even close to a title contender? Nobody. Also, how would they possibly have Bridges and be able to cut Bogdanovic for Cap space when he wouldn't have been on their roster? Nic Claxton is an unrestricted FA.

We've seen Luka without Kyrie. They made the Western Conference finals without Kyrie. He's only had 2 losing seasons, his rookie year, and last year when they specifically tanked after struggling following the Kyrie trade, which wouldn't happen if they didn't have their pick. I have a hard time seeing Doncic walk, and Cuban will always find a way to reload.

 

Hear me out but 2027 & 2029 are the years.

untouchables for now:
Green
Amen
Cam
Eason
Sengun

if we are able to move down at #3 for #6 and Mann or Mark or #7 and 14 we must do it for long term and here is why:

I love Sheppard but more assets is better. Mark will be that big we need, mann will be that backup point were getting in Sheppard just lower ceiling but another pick or we can get both at #7 and #14.

Assuming amen takes over at SF. Brooks becomes redundant, FVV team option should be accepted to facilitate a trade after this season. Those two $$$ can net you any star along with the potentially low graded 4 picks in 2027 and 2029. If Jalen doesn’t blossom, I can see Green, Brooks 2025 FRP & Suns picks back for Booker & FVV, 2027, 2028 & 2029 picks for Fox.

This is the potential 2025-2026 lineup without accounting free agency

If we take reed this year:

Fox/Reed
Booker
Amen/Cam
Bari/Tari
Sengun

If we get #6 and Mark:

Fox/
Booker/Knecht or Castle or Carter
Amen/Cam
Bari/Tari
Sengun/Mark

If we get #7 and 14:

Fox/
Booker/Carter, Knecht
Amen/Cam
Tari/Bari
Sengun/Ware

 

I think you hit the nail on the head perfectly. The Rockets (and this includes Stone) have done a good job of player evaluation in the draft. I have even complimented Stone before, I think that his gut is good when it comes to player evaluation. Daryl Morey said that is a strength of Stone as well. So when it comes to mapping out a plan, the Rockets are good at that and Stone as the GM ultimately deserves credit for that.

Where the failing has been, is in actually executing the plan to the extent of maximizing the return. We have seen the Rockets hold onto assets too long, get less than inspiring returns, and then waste assets as well. There is a cumulative impact to this type of execution and it isn't good and it will comeback to hurt the Rockets.

Yes - this is supposed to be the payoff for being shrewd and for making a thousand smaller moves. This was a situation where Stone should have drawn a very strong line and got a very strong return.

Yeah- exactly.

There are several different ways to handle it - and the Rockets didn't handle it any of those ways.

Stone lacks the attention to detail that some other people in his position have and that is the reason that I think it will end up hurting the Rockets.

Is Stone terrible? No, he isn't terrible - he has drafted well and he works hard - he just doesn't appear to be elite.

 

Virtually every analyst is saying the Rockets did great on this deal. Four assets for two. But hey, you say they could have done better without, you know, explaining what more they could have received. Just a bunch of whining over nothing.