A worst case scenario of running it back with the 2nd overall seed in the West doesn't seem like a terrible option. In theory our young guys should be a year better, and we have some methods for incremental improvement as well.
I completely agree, but we need a player that is a proven playoff score. Even if we acquire them in February, I want to go into postseason having at least one of them.
If we miss out and resign Fred, I just hope Patrick and Stone have the balls to tell Ime Fred needs to take a backseat, Amen needs to be pushed as hard as possible as point guard, and Reed better start being developed if Amen can’t handle it. Same with Cam if we trade Jalen down the line After watching Hali & Shai I want Amen pushed hard as possible. I need me a 6’6 + point who can glide / force his way into the paint. Not to be a siziest but Spurs about to draft 6’6 Harper. Its just the direction the league is going
We just got 2nd seed you acting like the team is trash tier. Get a grip and stop asking for improvements after the team just went from 0.500 to 2nd seed just by adding half a season of Adams. You know how the team improves? Jalen and Tari are 23, Sengun is 22, Jabari, Amen, Reed are 21 and Whitmore is 20. What you think happens as they age and get better?
So the thunder players aren't getting better who are of the same age? How do the Rockets get over that hump of the youngest team in nba that won 68 games?
I just really, really think we need more shooting. I don't think we need to make massive changes, but even just one noticeable upgrade to the rotation in terms of swapping in "guy who can actually shoot (and hopefully plays at least some defense)" for somebody could be really huge for this offense. We had the worst FT%, the 10th-worst 3P% and 3P makes, and 7th-worst true shooting percentage. All three highly correlated to an overall lack of jump shooting talent. It's hard to even know for sure what we have with guys like Amen and Sengun because the shooting around them has been so poor. We do have a couple of guys who project to (maybe, hopefully) be 40% three point shooters, to be fair--Smith and Sheppard. And of course Dillon already basically shot 40%, though I think his true talent level is probably closer to 37%. I would try to hold onto those three, in any case, and add another guy into the mix.
I hope Durant does go to San Antonio. He's injury prone AF and will be 37 when the season starts. The likelihood of him and Wemby finishing out the season is slim.
As I understood Thunder already took that honor, the 2nd youngest team winning 68 is only the 2nd team.
People referencing OKC and asking how we get over that hump... at this point, if you want to be clearly ahead of OKC, then you have to basically be the greatest team ever assembled in NBA history. That's not gonna happen. Adding KD, or Giannis, or some other star isn't putting you at some all-time level team. Better off praying for good fortune (injury luck, postseason matchups, Silver rigging it against OKC) than hoping that the Rockets can be a better team than OKC in the next 3 seasons. I'd rather maintain our current flexibility, keep our assets, and play the good fortune card than go all in and try to beat out OKC. In a few years, OKC is gonna have to deal with the cap and that will likely trigger some changes... that's when our core players start hitting their prime. I'd make major moves then... not now.
On paper the Pacers are looking like a 4th or 5th seed in the East but they proved you don't have to be a historic team in the Regular Season to be a Giant Slayer.
We got 7 guys in our rotation 20 through 23. Or, to put it another way, we had 7 guys on rookie scale contracts in 2024/5 The "young" Pacers and Thunder battling out the finals have a grand total of 7 between them. Both teams also have multi-year vets with big time playoff experience, and have intentionally manoeuvred to get them. The Rockets are super inexperienced, and a couple of years behind due to (intentional) tanking to secure assets. Our first playoff trip was a disappointment. But also extraordinarily close to success despite our 2 best regular season players being ineffectual in the playoffs. The torch passes to Amen this season, and sure, I'd love to upgrade Green or Sengun to a player who might have a lower cap, but not with their flaws. If not possible, let's enjoy the ride!! We have more potential improvement in us than the 2 finals teams currently do
Having Adams, Uncle, FVV and DB drags the age down..... Useful guys but none of them is a star player, maybe Fred and Dillon can win 1 PO game by themselves.
I kinda disagree, I think the Finals team Thunder still have endless 1st round Picks they can develop. Topic is also fully untapped atm.
Some things are out of the Rockets control. The Paul George trade gave Presti an mvp player as well as half a decade of lotto picks. Which player you think that the Rockets can get in FA or trade is gonna make the team better than the youngest team in NBA history that won 68 games? Its a false argument you are making, you are acting like trading the young guys for an old player like Booker or KD is gonna put them over the top when they are literally worse than SGA straight up. An old guy will just make the Rox win more games in the short term but ultimately shorten any window of contention the Rox may have. The more years you are competitive the more chances of winning. If we get an old dude that dude will be washed when SGA and co are still young AF. KD literally has 2 yrs left and then what? Rox still lose to OKC in 2 yrs and then they are done cuz Amen and Sengun alone aint enough.
their frps are low picks starting next year. We don't have a lot of picks left but those PHX and Dallas swap looks valuable. Topic is fully untapped but Reed Sheppard is just as untapped. I think Rox have more untapped potential tbh, apart from SGA the Rox core just looks better straight up.
He only said potential......Giannis was a low pick, Joker was a low pick, not saying those will become something but they got enough pick swaps. Even your guy Sengün was a 16th pick. He didn't say Superstar potential. Theoretically every untapped one has a chance.....strength in numbers.
Theres only 18 spots on a team unless they cut their existing players they cant use all those picks. Sure there is a Sengun in every draft but unless you have roster space you cant get them even if you have the pick. Giannis was a top 10 pick btw. He aint a low pick lol
