Every team the Rockets might face in the first round has gotten better

well kings got worse, warriors are the same or worse, lakers have no team

 

Despite the great record, it's clear the Rockets front office is treating this more as a developmental year than a year to contend. Which is fine in my mind. The issue to me, assuming they don't make a major move to push to contention, is why Ime isn't playing the kids then? Why not give Reed and Cam 20 minutes a night. Sure, it may lose them some games. But it's not like there's much of a difference between a 52-win team and a 48-win team. And the playoffs they're still likely to be 50/50 in the first round depending on matchup and injuries.

But Ime is playing this like every win matters. It's why Amen has been getting like 40mpg since Jabari's absence and clearly getting tired. It's why FVV kept getting 35+mpg even in blowouts against bad teams which probably didn't help him stay healthy. The Rockets on the court are playing like this year matters. But the front office, again assuming nothing big happens, is saying the opposite.

 

Stone will continue hiding behind the "young core", Suns picks and flexibility. He gets praised for doing nothing so I don't blame him for prioritizing his job security. As soon as he makes a deal that isn't safe like the Adams and Springer deal, the clock starts. I don't even mind if he doesn't break up the team, I understand why he wouldn't but my god, there are clear holes on this team that are obvious and easy fixes.

 

Rox rebuilt from gound up in just 3 yrs thats def doing nothing

What do you even mean that the Adams and Springer deals werent safe? Adams cost 3 second rounders and we got a 2nd rounder to take on Springer. These arent exactly high risk moves..

 

I mean, this isn't a true "developmental" year, but it's also not a "make or break" year, either. Why do fans think in such extremes? I'll never understand. You can be a really good, young team trying to get a solid playoff seed without the expectations that you will win it all.

 

"lakers have no team"

lmao. have you even been paying attention? they're whooping teams even without AD. They've been a real team since they got DFS and Vando back. Now they get Luka who's a top 2-3 offensive player in the league.

 

SEW SOMETHING STONE

 

Absolutely freaking nothing….oh I am sorry, we got Jaden Springer.

 

Daryl DO SOMETHING

 

Doing nothing is a choice + eventually these choices add up. Especially if Rockets fail to make playoffs next season due to injuries or organically improved West, the potential squandering of opportunities this season will loom larger. Fred was never intended to be core championship piece but Ime + FO are now prioritizing him as such. Focusing on his extension during the last week of trade deadline just screams this.

 

They're irrelevant as a title contender (same as the rockets), so they don't matter

 

Folks overreacting bc of this loss streak. We aren't even fully healthy and we are still making the playoffs. The worst thing we could do right now is panic make a trade that fks up our schedule of being a serious contender for the ring

Kd ain't it. Man is old as fk and has many nasty injuries over the years.
If we gonna go all in it should b a younger proven player that we can build around.

 

it matters because that's one more team that's going to be better than us now and the future. if only title contenders matter, why even bother watching?

 

It's because ownership is thinking about the 2nd apron in the near future when it's time to pay to keep our young core intact.

 

Same criticism EVERY trade deadline. Other teams make moves and we don’t make major moves and people complain about it,

We are in a great spot right now. Young guys are playing well and winning some games. Better than anyone expected, but yet y’all still mad… Let’s see if anything worthy materializes for us. If not, I’m cool standing pat til off-season.

We all know we need some more talent in certain areas to become “real” contenders. I sure Stone knows that and will get us there when it’s time to do that. For now let’s let the young guys play and continue to develop a little more.

 

The goal is to build to a title contender. There is no move that will do that for us. Is someone gonna give us jokic? or shai? like someone gave them luka?

 

Spurs look like they’re building a dynasty, they have so many weapons. What are we waiting for? Booker will never be available, the suns aren’t giving him up no matter what happens. We should’ve tried for Fox, we turned down Harden to pay Fred more money. We didn’t have to help the Nets by giving them their picks back but I understand it. We also can’t keep all these young players because we can’t pay them all. So many questionable moves over the past few seasons.

It’s time to make a move to improve this roster. We can’t throw a rock in an ocean on offense.

 

title contenders don't just happen by doing nothing either. you take incremental steps to get there. title contenders don't have a "core 7" of young players and deem them untouchable either. At this rate those Suns picks and Nets picks are going to be picks that are drafted players for us which would be a complete waste of a treasure chest.

 

Stone might just wait and see which of those 4 teams actually makes the playoffs.

As it currently stands, very strong chance 3 of them won't....