Go root for the Sixers then. Every team would buy players if they could. It's all a matter of having cap space which we do.
So you're saying it's okay to trade for key championship players as long as they're not superstars? Spoiler Kenny Smith September 27, 1990: Traded by the Atlanta Hawks with Roy Marble to the Houston Rockets for John Lucas, Tim McCormick and a 1994 1st round draft pick Otis Thorpe October 11, 1988: Traded by the Sacramento Kings to the Houston Rockets for Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen. Vernon Maxwell February 21, 1990: Sold by the San Antonio Spurs to the Houston Rockets. Carl Herrera (Real one, not the troll on Clutchfans) June 27, 1990: Traded by the Miami Heat with Dave Jamerson to the Houston Rockets for Alec Kessler. Mario Elie August 2, 1993: Traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the Houston Rockets for a 1995 2nd round draft pick Are you an elitest? Hakeem has to be drafted, but Kenny Smith can just just some random traded guy?
This dude is clearly trolling. There's no other explanation for this level of stupid. Add OP to your ignore list guys
The team wasn't allowed to tank. Blowing up the team piecemeal WITHOUT high lotto pics is a lot harder to do. Drafting Dream (and Sampson back to back) is very rare. Drafting Yao should've been the start of another Dream era. Were you around for that cluster****? Does that team make you proud or are you as sick as me from that lost decade? I can understand the sentiment to some extent, but I'd rather the Rockets be relevant than enter another era of deluded ideas of contention while getting bounced in the first round or not even making the playoffs. Say all you want about this year's playoffs, but it's a lot better now than pre-Harden. Light years better.
Let me ask you, what is so different with us using cap space, moving pieces, being flexible, than when the Rockets traded for Clyde? Because we used our own players to trade for a star player? Even Dallas with Dirk, their roster consisted of players like Tyson Chandler, J. Kidd (yes, I know he was originally drafted by Dallas), Peja, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Haywood, Butler (I understand he didn't play in the playoffs), Brewer. Their roster was like 100 Million dollars. Literally, the only teams that I can think of that has "built" a championship through players they drafted are the Spurs organization and the Rockets first championship and maybe the Bulls -- which, there is a reason the Bulls are one of a kind -- his name is Jordan! I only say maybe, because I can't remember all of the details of their roster like I can of the rosters in the last two decades. You say you have been a Rocket's fan for over 15 years, but since 1991 the only teams that had their best players drafted by them and built around them through the draft are Bulls (first three years -- add three extra if you want to add the three years after the Rodman, Ron, etc. era), San Antonio, and one year of Houston. That's 5 championships since 1991! Also, if you have been a Rockets' fan for 15 years, why does this embarrass you? Shouldn't you have been GONE when we got Barkely and Pippen and lost? If that isn't trying to "buy" a championship, I don't know what is! I say "buy" still knowing Barkely was highly underpaid. You want "home grown talent." You want "superstars" to be treated the same as everyone else. Well, CEO's of large companies aren't treated the same. You know why? They aren't the same. There are less of them, than there are of everyone else. So, draft a superstar and built around them! That doesn't get you too far in the NBA. There is only one SA. If you want to go back before the 90's, there wasn't even such a thing as an Unrestricted Free Agent (well, '88) so, it is literally impossible to compare the two situations. Our team is a product of a very rare assortment of moves that have been HARDER to do than building through the draft. Houston Rocket fans get so emotionally unstable this time of year.
OP's big two dream: Spoiler OP's big three dream: Spoiler OP's big four dream: Spoiler They'll never win a championship but damn it they play hard!
Yeah screw this Rockets Team! Who needs 'no defense' Harden, 'can't make a free throw' Howard and company when we could of have Lowry, Scola, Martin, Dalembert and Patterson?! 54 wins is too much! I rather us win 42 every year! I want the 9th seed in the West and that lucrative 14th pick! We get great value off those; Morris, Patterson are all superior players that we can build around for years! Who needs to be in the hunt for top free agents? At least with Lowry, Scola, and Martin we didn't have to worry about we already knew we weren't getting any top guys in free agency. Who needs to be on national tv 26 times? Those 1 or 2 games a year make watching TNT basketball more worthwhile! I rather have team Rocket than our team! Jessie, James and Meowth!
Today is a different NBA and Morey is making the best moves to win the Finals the way it has been done this era...collecting superstars. BTW I love how this team was built. We were able to collect superstars and a super role player without EVER having a losing record in the DMorey era. We never had to tank a season (late 90s Spurs, half the NBA teams today), and we have a GM that refuses to pay a premium for anything, but a superstar (I.E not giving a role player PF that doesn't rebound 6 million a year) I consider all of us lucky to be Rockets fans in this time, because unlike most the NBA, we are desperate for a championship. And we will get there, no matter the way...
How are we supposed to have any sympathy for Lin when he consistently cannot hit an open jump shot and whose greatest defensive move is his 'i got poked in the eye' flop? I hope Lin does well in the future. It just will not be here. Itshappening.gif
Why do people act as if not tanking is such a big accomplishment? If you tank for a season because there is no end in sight, who gives a ****? The rockets didn't go into loss those years is what they accomplished. Being 9th place with the 14th pick is the worst place you can be, even Morey will tell you that. We were actually prepared to finally tank before we got Harden because it became evident after 3 straight years.
Somewhere in the backdrop I hear Les Alexander's laugh..... Hewhihihiihi 'We will get a major free agent to join us for sure'
Embarrassed over the way this team has been and is being built?? We haven't had a losing season since 2006 and able to easily create the cap for a near-max deal while retaining all our starters from a 54 win season last year. Basically you are embarrassed over amazing team management????
This team is young, growing, built around two superstars and an incredibly fun to watch brand of basketball.
