In three years, Amen will be on his next contract, earning $ 30 million more. JSJ and Tari combined probably make 25 million more. Guys will be better, but the additional cost will mean there will be less to spend on the supporting cast. I expect the Rockets have 2 potentially really good years, need a slight reset to remove some of the larger veteran salaries to accommodate Amen and reshape roster, and then another strong run once draft picks from 2027 and on start playing effectively. Sure, Rockets can draft a guy this season. He'll likely ride the pine for a year or 2. Rockets would really have to want this player to draft him (I'm skeptical about both Fears and Maluach going before 10 driving a good bet down). Having cost-controlled players on the bench is likely more important after Amen is extended.
Yes to this. The FO needs to be thinking ahead about all the cap implications we have coming up and walk a tight rope to upgrade the balance on the roster this year. I am afraid Stone is risk averse and is going to push this down the road another year which will decrease his flexibility. The #10 pick is better as a trade chip to better our current roster than for managing the cap. The #2 seed was fool’s gold in a lot of ways and I think it took away some of the urgency of making a move this year when we have the most flexibility to do so. If we run it back this upcoming season, we will be disappointed in the outcome which will be a regression in seed and a similar result in the playoffs. We will have lost a bit of flexibility that the #10 pick afforded us. We may realistically need to extend Jabari and Tari this off-season. Letting them go to RFA is going to take away a huge amount of flexibility after next season. If there is a consolidation trade to be made, this is the off-season to do it. Each year you kick it down the road the less bargaining chips you have.
If the Rockets decide they want to go all in one the next 3-5 years then this could be a swing for the fences type trade. Rockets trade: Sengun/Green/Smith Jr./Whitmore/Sheppard and however many picks it takes combo of players and picks split between Bucks and Suns Rockets recieve: Antetokounmpo/Booker For trade to work, VanVleet would have to opt out and resign while cutting 13 million. This would give the Rockets a starting 5 of: VanVleet Booker Brooks Thompson Antetokounmpo with a bench featuring Adams/Holiday/Landale and whatever draft picks, FA signings they can make.
There’s an SI article that says Garland is likely available this summer. If so, we should be all over it. He’s a killer. Great mentality and Incredible shooter and great facilitator. I believe he’s on a reasonable contract. Defensively he’s not great, and I didn’t like seeing the injury bug bite him at the end of the season, but boy is he a gifted offensive player. Extremely underrated in my eyes.
Tried to insert the graphic from fanspo but computer wouldnt cooperate. Jalen + Landale to Chicago & #10 to Brooklyn Huerter to Houston from Chicago & Zach Collins plus #12 to Brooklyn Cam Johnson to Houston along with picks 19 (Coward), 26 (Flemming) and 27 (Clayton Jr) I think the Rockets would be lucky for Flemming and Coward to be available there but that is their neighborhood I think.
A consolidation trade with one of our favorite partners Brooklyn gets #10 in this draft class, plus Jalen Green and Tari Eason. We get Claxton, Johnson, and #19--we should pick Nique Clifford and have him and Reed compete for minutes off the bench with Amen starting in the backcourt. We also get two 2027 FRPs to keep our stash rolling for future deals. I think this makes some sense from their perspective in that they get to move up in this draft and take another upside swing. It might be one too many picks coming back our way. Claxton + Johnson are probably pretty close in combined value to JG + Tari. Depends on how much moving up from #19 to #10 is worth to them--they have a lot of late FRPs both this draft and coming up.
I just want to say in the playoffs Naz Reid averaged 10.4ppg, 4.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks. He has more turnovers than assists (1.7 to 1.9) His defense was: - In the restricred area, worse than everyone in the rotation except Randle, Conley and Divincenzo. - In mid range he got torched to the tune of players making 49.2% of their shots - From 3 also got hunted and torched, teams shot roughly 38% on high volume against him. The trick OKC used to limit him was to put a small guy on him because he shoots from the chest so it doesn't take much to contest his shot and he can't put the ball on the floor. Can probably pick him up pretty cheap this summer as a backup C.
Still think he would be a nice fit here, but yeah, probably not a massive difference-maker. Depends on the price
He would be a fantastic backup C, but some team with no real aspirations will be happy to ignore his defense and give him $20m per season as a starter. Doubt we want to pay that to a backup. Also, I would take Jabari as a backup C and start PF over him any day of the week. Bari was shooting so well this season other than the 2-3 weeks after the injury. In the playoffs he shot 50% from the field and 45.5% from 3. Much better rebounder than Reid, similar shot blocker. Harder worker. Younger. If we're ok with a defensively passable backup 5, Vucevic would come very cheap so that's a more economical option. However, I personally think the 5 we get has to be a rim protector who can shoot. Can't be a shooter who can't defend (Reid) because we're already lacking rim protection. Hurts Sengun. Helps Amen and Green. Can't be a defender who can't jump or shoot (Adams) because they kill spacing. Hurts Amen and Green. Helps Sengun. Can't be a rim runner because Amen and Sengun can't PnR with him. Hurts Amen and Sengun. Helps Green. There's only one other archetype, that's a rim protector who can shoot. We need one who's just decent at shooting, not necessarily a big shooter. That helps everyone (Amen, Sengun, Jalen) and hurts no one. Easier said than done. Most acquirable ones are not better than Jabari.
Hey don't do that man, I was upset with that post too but @Hemingway has been reasonable about Green for the most part. He's far from a Green hater, I think he's just disappointed right now.
Yep. I was really high on him in the regular season. His stock has definitely gone down. I still think he would be a great addition off the bench, but not for the 25m or so I thought he would cost.
I throw a lot of crazy trade scenarios out. Most are not just one trade, but several trades that are dependent on each other. Here is a synopsis of realistic options the Rockets have this offseason: 1. Run it back. BPA at #10, extend FVV at a cheaper contract. Maybe a MLE add. - Most Likely to occur 2. Blockbuster trade(s) - Trade for Giannis using Sengun and some draft capital which would then have a cascading effect of several secondary trades for a center and shooters. I don’t think Stone has the make-up for this, but if he is going to trade one of his top players, I think Sengun is the most likely. - Least likely to occur 3. Trade for Durant and maybe a MLE signing. Two factors Durant and Phoenix. Will #10 and FVV (optimal for Rockets) be enough for Phoenix? Will Durant agree to only a 1 year extension? - Somewhat Likely 4. Use some of the draft capital in a series of smaller trades to balance the roster. Cam Johnson, Coby White, John Collins, etc. - Somewhat likely. I personally like options 3 and 4 the best, unless Giannis is way cheaper than anticipated. Other observations: I think the FO is much higher on Jalen Green than the fans are. Stone is very conservative and will bow to Ime’s wishes. Ime is highest on Amen, Jalen, and Sengun in that order. Ime will fight for FVV to the detriment of the team. Fertita is not an owner that will ever pay a lot of luxury taxes.
Why the Pelicans do it? Unload Zion for expiring contract, get #10 this year and great 27 pick. Why Milwaukee does it: Get expiring Zion and Landale, their own picks and a great Nets swap pick. Had to do the 2026 and 2028 picks to Rockets to leave one tradeable Phoenix pick for another trade to balance roster.
Roster after 2 previous trade, well balanced with mulitple stars and still have draft capital. Amen, Herro, Giannis, Jabari, Adebayo. Bench: Reed, Tari, Dillon, Cam, Adams (re-signed) or other. Still have 1 27 Phoenix pick 26 Indy pick and 28 NOP pick MLE available. Defense is even better and 2 legit outside shooters and a center that can also shoot from 3.
Naz Reid shot .5 from the field in the playoffs and .4 from 3 for a .645 TS%. Not sure how the Timberwolves losing was his fault.
