That part. Look at the Hornets roster - if Washington & Bridges get re-signed (likely with how much cap room Hornets have). They really need help at SG more than anything. I think Hornets are playing the role of wanting Miller, but someone like Amen Thompson is the real goal. Ball - Rozier Hayward - Bouknight Bridges - Martin Washington - Thor - Jones Williams - Richards I get NFL draft vibes and the Hornets would love to trade down (like AZ or CHI), but are trying to keep the price high on Scoot II. I think TF saw what the Texans did on draft day and he thinks a combo of the return of Harden with the promise of a future PG in Scoot makes for good marketing / positive vibes. Just my $,03 (inflation).
A "Win Now and Later" scenario...not necessarily advocating for, but a route we could take. This is a cap management scenario, so won't be laid out like traditional trades. - Waive Nix. (for cap space) - Trade Tate into another teams cap space for whatever future draft capital you can muster. (for cap space) - We now have 71m in cap space. - Sign James Harden 4 years 150m (40m, 38m, 36m, 34m) - Trade for Jaylen Brown into your remaining cap space. - All of our cap in now used. - Trade for Pascal Siakim (with contracts going out below for trade rules to work) - Use the Room Exception on Biyombo #4, Sengun, #20, KPJ, Garuba all have to go out as salary matching Siakim incoming money. They can be split anyway between Boston and Toronto for fair value in landing Siakim / Brown. You could add a Brooklyn pick if absolutely necessary, but I personally think you shouldn't have too. Harden / TyTy Green / Jgup Brown / KMJ Jabari / Eason Siakim / Biyombo You are fighting for home court immediately and banking on championship upside with how Green / Eason / Jabari develop. If, down the line, Morant or Doncic demand trades, you have some assets to move to replace Harden as the main engine.
I hope u are right. I’m not worried that he’s not working out for us. We’ve been scouting him for 3 years apparently so there’s not much to be gained from workouts. But I hope they are on the phone with the Hornets getting them closer to yes on a #2 for #4 swap. I suspect it will take at least one of our core in addition to other assets. If we won’t part with one of our “big 3” I don’t think a deal gets done. I’m hoping that the Scoot silence is evidence that the Rockets really really want him, and are just playing it cool as to not come off desperate and hurt leverage.
You give up Jalen, or Jabari plus # 4 for Henderson? I don't know about that. If I am the Rockets, I would put a Nets pick and swap on the table along with the # 4 and offer to take Gordan Hayward off their hands for the opportunity to draft Scoot.
That assumes that one of Green, Sengun or Jabari become that 3rd star? In that case, the clock is ticking with Green & Sengun having this coming season and next on their current deals and Jabari one year beyond that. This year and next - I'm not sure I see a path to title contention in that window, even with Harden returning. All three of the Rockets young guys have a long way to go to be quality contributors on a championship contender. They all have such huge holes in their games ..... That kinda leads me to the idea that with players coming into the league so young and raw, that rookie contract isn't what it once was in terms of value, except in rare cases where guys earn their rookie extensions at the earliest possible date - I believe only 5 players have done that in the past few years - Ja, Darius Garland, Luka, Zion & Trey Young - Anthony Edwards should make it 6 players out of drafts from 2018-2020.
@Corrosion haven’t you heard ? Green is the next coming of booker and Kobe and sengun is on track to be the GOAT /s for real tho . you’ll get the typical “we have a real coach now” but if those 3 guys the only one who actually earned his minutes was sengun . And he might be the toughest piece to build around . smith I have good feelings about , but his shooting was a disaster and that was supposedly a strong point … left wondering how real it is and with green . Let’s just say @fchowd0311 and I have a healthy disagreement
Im not giving up Green, Sengun or Smith with #4 to get Henderson. #4+#20 and Martin or a lightly protected Brooklyn pick (top 8).
Of course I’d prefer to trade picks only, but I just think they’ll insist on getting a young up and coming player in the deal. I have a very hard time giving up a core player because I want to see what they look like with Ime coaching them. If we can get them to bite on KJ and KPJ instead of one of our core 4 players I’d do that. I suspect Stone wouldn’t trade Sengun, Jabari or Jalen. I think Ime is gonna turn Tari into Kwahi so I don’t want to trade him. I just think it will cost us more than picks. I’m convinced Scoot is a franchise guy though, and those kind of players are worth overpaying for.
Maybe the reason we’re not hearing about the Rockets trading up for Scoot is less about the Rockets not seeing Scoot as a tier above everyone below… maybe it’s because the *league* doesn’t see Scoot as a tier above everyone else. Because that’s what the intel has been telling us. I haven’t seen one intel-based report (I.e., not internet scouting reports) that says a team has Scoot as the clear #2. If that’s the case, why should the Rockets be so desperate to trade tons of assets to move up 2 weeks before the draft, even if they’d like to end up with Scoot? Wouldn’t the better path be to play down our interest, keep the Scoot buzz low, tell the world we like the Thompsons and Whitmore, wait and see what develops, and make a move late in the process or even wait it out if our intel says Scoot will end up falling to 4? If Charlotte or Portland really want him, we can’t trade for him. If they’re ambivalent, and we’re not, it’s all about maximizing leverage for when the deal gets done. Not saying that’s what’s happening, but if the Rockets wanted Scoot that’s what it would look like IMO. We won’t know until draft night.
That's exactly where I stand. I think it's the best deal. They get the #4, a Future 1st and $31M in cap relief for the #2. That's a hell of a deal! Then I would offer up the #20, Martin and a future first to move up enough to get Jarace Walker. Pass on Harden. Cut Nix. P.G. - Henderson / Washington S.G. - Green / Porter Jr. (6th Man) / Christopher S.F. - Eason / Walker P.F. - Smith Jr. / Garuba ..C. - Sengun / Free Agent 2023-2024 - 33 Wins (miss play-in by several games) 2024-2025 - 42 wins (playoffs) 2025-2026 - 50 wins (playoffs competing for a championship)
It's a tricky situation because even if you're incredibly high on Scoot, the minute you start letting it on, the team you're trying to trade with might take a second look and wonder if there's something they're missing. Of course, they might already be just as high on him, in which case they're probably not too interested in trading anyway. But if Charlotte's or Portland's draft boards are a little muddier, you probably want to play your cards close to your chest until as close to draft day as possible, then hit them with your best offer.
I have no idea if any of them are stars. I know they have potential. You at least hope for role players out of them. I'm highest on Sengun because he is so skilled that if he can improve his defense in space the sky is the limit. Jabari and Jalen have been very streaky. I think Jabari offers more potential as a shooter and rebounder. Green more potential as a shot creator. My top concern is improving one of the worst defenses so Jabari is important to that end. Sengun is the opposite. He's a perfect 5 in a Popovich offense with cutting and ball movement... if Udoka intends to run similar to pop on offense he can contribute to that end. I think they are all gettable but Jalen is easiest to replace until he learns something other than just creating shots.
And I agree with them. I don’t think it’s a very large gap between the two of them. Trading a core player and the #4 pick is essentially trading two lottery picks just to move up two spots in the draft which is a terrible idea.
Also, everything about all the “Houston wants to win next year, they’re even considering trading the #4 pick for a win now player, they don’t need more rookies” noise makes sense if you realize it is the necessary messaging to get any good free agent to sign here. Whatever our direction, Stone’s PR priorities are to put out there that we are happy staying at 4, and that we’re moving into a new competitive phase.
