Looking back at most everybody doubting this signing, getting a better-than-usual third string center does make a lot of sense now given they were planning on Adams to still miss a significant chunk of time. That said, I kind of do wish they had just brought back Jock instead of signing Clint. Jock is having himself a very nice season with Memphis, including shooting nearly 40% from three on three attempts a game. Clint, even in his current physical state, is a better rebounder and shotblocker, but the spacing at the 5 would have been a very nice luxury.
Jock got too comfortable as a Rocket and stopped getting in shape when they got Adams. He is doing well now cuz he went from 8M or w/e his salary was to vet min.
You know though that between Rebounding/Blocking center & and Stretch Ctr role player - udoka wants the former 11x out of 10. If we're looking for platonic ideal 3d string Cs - wait now what's that What's that noise (shrieking) What's happening Jim Why'd the lights go out Bah gawd King That's... that's.. that's Jay Huff's Music! Jay Huff! Jay Huff! Jay Huff!
I think players like Clint and DFS were signed to be possible trade pieces. Yes, they can help this team, but they are also very tradeable contacts. Stone knows what he’s doing.
It’s a good point. I think it is both insurance for players with injury histories and as cap place holders for possible trades. Stone doesn’t get near enough credit for his handling of this roster and cap. I think the FVV extension was also along the same lines. 25m in expiring cap space is easier to trade than 2 or 3 players of less contracts since you have minimum roster constraints.
Stone has no plan. Only good moves made have beeb because of Udoka, who was hand picked by the Fertitta family after Stone’s awful pick of Silas. When Stone was given free reign he gave away Jarrett Allen and signed Oladipo and cut half his first round picks within two years. Real gem we have with Stone!!!
It does seem like an amazing "coincidence" that Capela and Okogie can be traded just as Adams and DFS will be able to up their minutes. If they turn Okogie and/or Capela into a good backup PG despite our cap situation then Stone should get GM of the year.
I keep hearing this. And for sure Okogie on a minimum is a tradeable asset. But I don’t see Clint at 3yrs guaranteed at $7mil, plus a trade kicker as a positive trade asset. I hope I’m wrong because I don’t think he’s good enough to play minutes on this team.
The Rockets have limited tradeable salary. The Rockets have plenty of positive tradeable assets which are useless in trades without matching salary. Capela has already played valuable backup minutes. However, ultimately it comes down with whether one would rather Tilman to be richer or the Rockets to have tradeable salary obtained in a limited window while maxing out the Durant trade salarywise with the only opportunity cost being to Tilman's wallet (i.e., money could not be used on just any free agent..only on Capela or other player a team was willing to give away for essentially nothing).
If Stone signed them with the thought of possibly trading them, then he is terrible at planning. Because he followed up those moves by signing FVV to a contract that gave him a NTC, pushed the Rockets to right at the hard cap to the point where they cant even sign a veteran minimum, and due to the Rockets only having 14 players, they cant even make 2 for 1 deals because the cap rules won't allow them. Everything the Rockets did this offseason suggest they were going to finish the season with this exact roster, for better or worse. To look at it any other way would actually mean Stone was somehow an idiot who dont understand the CBA.
Signing guys just to trade them for someone else seems really dumb to me. Why not sign the guy you wanted in the first place? BTW Okogie is signed to a vet minimum deal. All the vet mins could be traded like Holiday, Jeff Green and Tate we didnt even need Okogie if we just want someone to trade.
Capela signing showed Stone understood his roster as we really needed a good 3rd center considering Adams' health. I would have preferred a young center like Precious Aichuwa but for a team going for the ring I can see why they would a veteran center instead.
Without a doubt his best game of the season. I need him to play like he gives a f#ck every night. Someone put hot coals on his pants. And if he can lay off the bbq, there’s a chance for him not to suck going forward. But I think he’s washed.
Yeah, he did play well though. I'll take 7 stocks and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes from him any day, thank you very much, basically regardless of how he plays on offense. We held the Mavs to 110 points, that's fine defensively in 2026. There were some defensive lapses to be cleaned up but mostly not on Clint, moreso on the perimeter by Reed, Holiday, etc. We mostly lost because we bricked everything from 3P land. 10 for 41 ain't getting it done against any semi-competent team.
