Thanks for bumping. basically shooting and guard help needed. Our backcourt is holding the team back. Best defensive rockets team I’ve ever seen. Got to remember how young we are. In Ime we trust!
If Stone can recoup some value for the expiring contracts of Tate, Jeff Green, and one of our centers, that would break the streak of disappointing trade deadlines The bar is not high; get er done.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...deadline-big-questions-needs-targets-30-teams Houston Rockets The big question: Where do the Rockets most need an upgrade? After winning 17, 20, 22 and 41 games each of the past four years, Houston is a top-4 team this season. The Rockets have four tradable first-rounders and $36 million in expiring contracts (Steven Adams, Jae'Sean Tate, Jeff Green and Jock Landale). Is there a trade that can upgrade their perimeter shooting? The Rockets rank 28th in the 3-point percentage. If the goal is to allow the core youth to develop as the season continues, and as the postseason approaches, who becomes the odd man out in the rotation? The only position outside of their top eight who wouldn't take reps from the youth is at backup center. Is there one on the market, for a reasonable price, who would be better in a 14- to 15-minute role than Adams? Off the board: Jalen Green (poison pill restriction) and Alperen Sengun (poison pill restriction). Note: Green and Sengun are trade-eligible but next to impossible to include in a deal. Green's incoming salary counts as $29.5 million and outgoing $12.5 million. Sengun's incoming salary counts as $31.7 million and outgoing $5.4 million. Players with trade value: Tate ($7.6M, UFA 2025), Je. Green ($8M, UFA), Landale ($8M, UFA 2027) Free agents in July: Fred VanVleet ($42.8M, Team), Adams ($12.6M, UFA), Tate, Je. Green, Aaron Holiday ($4.7M, Team) Controllable contracts: Reed Sheppard ($10.1M, RFA 2028), Jabari Smith Jr. ($9.8M, RFA 2026), Amen Thompson ($9.2M, RFA 2027), Tari Eason ($3.7M, RFA 2026), Cam Whitmore ($3.4M, RFA 2027) Long-term salary: Dillon Brooks ($22.3M, UFA 2027) Draft capital: Houston has nine first-rounders over the next seven years, four that could be traded. The Rockets eliminated swap rights with Brooklyn in June and returned the 2026 first that the Nets owed from the James Harden trade. They still have the right to swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2027. In return, Houston acquired valuable future draft assets: the right to swap first-rounders with Phoenix in 2025, the Suns' unprotected first in 2027 and the more favorable first-rounder between the Mavericks and Suns in 2029. (Houston is also allowed to swap the less favorable first-rounder between the Mavericks and Suns.) From the Russell Westbrook trade, Oklahoma City has the right to swap first-rounders in 2025 if it falls outside the top-10 and has the Rockets' top-4 protected first-rounder in 2026. The Rockets are allowed to trade their own first starting in 2028. They have five second-round picks available to trade. Finances and restrictions: The Rockets are $10.5 million below the luxury tax. They have a $12.8 million exception available to acquire a player in a trade.
Where does Stone see the next step being.........because the Reed Sheppard ready to nail 3s tactic has to be postponed......it would have lifted the Rockets to at least 2nd round or 3rd round status.
https://sportstalk790.iheart.com/fe...ari-eason-is-trending-in-the-right-direction/ •(Jalen’s last couple games) Sometimes it’s just made or missed shots. He’s had good looks in other games he’s making now. His recognition continues to improve, understanding how teams are guarding him. •(Amen) He’s a special athlete. If he was 6’1, 200 he’d probably get the same rebounds with that athleticism. Knack for the ball. Impacts the game in several different ways. We know who he is. People are starting to see it now that he’s in the starting lineup but he was doing it off the bench all season. Gives us a ton of versatility. Him & Dillon can tag team different guys. He’s doing what we’ve seen him do since he got here. •(Sengun) Take it as a honor. One of the best scoring big men in the league. Teams are going after him in that respect, putting smaller guys on him, doubling with the big. Sometimes it’s make the right play, whatever that is. If they don’t double, go score. If they double, make the right read. He’s been doing that. He’s a hub for us. Creates shots for everyone else. We’ll welcome that. We love the open shots he creates for us. … We understand our spacing and where we want specific players on the court. It’s for Alperen to read it and our guys react off that. •(Tari) Being cautious and smart. Had surgery last year. We want to be smart. Pain is lessening day by day. Trending in the right direction. When he’s ready to play, he’ll be ready to play. Not gonna make a hasty decision and rush anything in December/January. Welcome sight when he comes back. (Certain threshold?) He’s going harder on non-game days and seeing how he feels on game days. Being cautious like I said. When we have 2-3 good days of pain lessening, he’ll be back out there. That’s the plan right now. He’s been good attacking the rehab. I anticipate him coming back soon. •(Cam) Cam’s been good, playing hard. Heard people mention body language or whatever. Seems people are looking for something now. Efficient in Washington. Scoring is natural but always harping on the little things. Recognizing who is where on the court and how we have to guard specific guys. That’ll always be the thing with him and the young guys. Defensive coverages, schemes and knowing your personnel. Shot selection has improved vastly. Scoring like he always does. People making too much out of nothing. •(Reed) Good to see. Wanted to see some things from him, to be aggressive, run the team, hunt his shots, guard defensively and he did all of the above. And it was all natural. Wasn’t like he was forcing. Loved his aggressiveness. Good sign for one of our most talented young guys going forward and big plans for him. Looking forward to getting him back. (How long does he need to be there?) We looked at the 3 game road trip we were on went perfectly with their schedule. That was the plan as of now. He’ll be back when we play Memphis at home and go from there. •(Jabari) Looking at both options. One takes longer than the other. Both are available. Rehab process is different with no surgery vs with a pin in there. He’s figuring that out and will make a decision soon.
I need Jalen to take Curry’s dribbling masterclass. Once Jalen improves his ball handling and learns to protect the ball at all costs, he’ll be absolutely unguardable. Curry’s Masterclass: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/stephen-curry-teaches-shooting-ball-handling-and-scoring Jalen, if you’re reading this. Please take this course!
Even with that ~$80m coming off the cap, they can only create ~$19.2m in cap space in the offseason - if they renounce all of their free agents. That's why I think it's almost critical that they do something with that $40m-$80m (depending upon FVV's team option) now, before it expires.
