“chucker” and “inefficient” Fox with 35 points on 13-16 shooting including his usual big 4th quarter with 14 points unfortunately the Kings ended up winning tonight
Some of us just can't put on weight. Jalen is just an ectomorph and nothing is gonna change that. When I was Jalen's age I was 6'3" and boxing in the 155lb weight class ..... and didn't cut weight, in fact I found it near impossible to cut, that was just my walk around weight being ~6% body fat naturally. I couldn't put on weight either, no matter how much I ate or worked out .... That was almost 40 years ago, today I'm ~205 after decades of weight training, still sub 12% body fat. My youngest son is 20, he's 5'10, 145ish with abs most of us would kill for ..... and doesn't exercise at all. Your body type is what it is ....
I don't think SA is concerned with tanking for Flagg ..... they are over .500, definitely a play in team and only 2 games out of an actual playoff spot. If they started tanking today, they may drop from the current 14th to 8 or 10 ..... They might increase their odds from 1% to 3%.
This is a legitimate concern that I was thinking about as well. I don’t want to see the Spurs get the guy we should have here and be a nuisance to us for the next several years.
You may be right. I just think without a trade they won't be making a run at the playoffs. They are much improved, but it may be more advantageous to tank another year and get a lottery pick in a deep draft than make the play-offs. I have similar feelings about the Rockets, not to the extent of tanking, but think we should be emphasizing our youth over making the playoffs (although I'm not even sure it would diminish our chances replacing FVV with Amen or moving Jalen to a bench role). I'm one of the few on this board, that believe the Rockets will be competing for a play-in spot rather than being a top 6 seed without a trade or a huge rotation change in the very near future.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6032859/2025/01/02/deaaron-fox-kings-mike-brown-firing/ While league sources say Fox has not asked for a trade, that hasn’t stopped interested teams from planning for a possible run at the 27-year-old former All-Star. Among interested teams, there is a strong belief that Fox is more likely to be available this summer rather than before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers top the list of teams that are most often discussed as possible Fox landing spots, with others sure to make a run at him if (when?) he’s truly on the market. The Orlando Magic, for example, are known to be contemplating a pursuit. The Houston Rockets, who want to analyze their current core through this season but could be in the market for another All-Star-caliber player this summer, are also known to be intrigued by the idea of partnering with Fox, who is a Houston native. Make no mistake, though: the Spurs noise is the loudest.
averaging 27, 5, and 6 on 49/33/80 splits and 59% TS this is who stat geeks say is inefficient and a horrible shooter…this is who stat geeks question if he’ll be much of an upgrade over FVV because “defense” and *insert random 3 letter advanced stat that’s the new flavor of the month…spreadsheet mentality is ruining basketball
I'm not so sure a deal in the offseason really helps the Rockets. It's much more difficult to match salary with the team unlikely to pick up the option on FVV while Tate, Adams & Jeff Green also expire. All they have left is Jalen Green .... and they'll need to replace him somehow along with adding Fox at the point. The best option for the Rockets is that a trade happens before the deadline so they can use FVV's contract as the outgoing salary and still have Green's contract available to move in another deal. Sure, they could pick up the option on FVV ..... but I believe that contract has less value as a full year deal than just a half season expiring.
Anyone complaining about those overall numbers isn't a stat geek .... they just have an agenda. You replace FVV's production with Fox's averages and this team has probably won 5-6 more games fighting with OKC for the top seed in the West.
Dejounte Murray was traded for 2 1st rd picks. It will take 3 1sts (or 1st level assets) to start the conversation and the sweetener will go to the team willing to include more of their young core or other additional assets (pick swaps, etc). If the Rockets get Fox, he is our homerun play and then we are who we are with him.
Before the deadline, the Rockets would rather trade Adams or Landale, Jeff Green, Tate. I don't see Sacramento putting much value on FVV (actually, they probably view his contract as a negative) while the Rockets would still like him for the playoffs. I think someone like Reed would need to be in the deal to match salary, but also to provide value to Sacramento. If the Rockets trade for Fox at the deadline, Rockets much more likely to keep FVV this season and opt out in the offseason than to include him in the trade. I just don't see the purpose in trading a player who is likely a positive value on the court, but a negative value in trades unless the Rockets are trying to tank. Tanking teams (i.e., what happens if Sacramento deals Fox at deadline) would see FVV as a huge negative value.
If it's in the off-season, it would be a no-brainer for the deal to center on Jalen going over there (giving them a guy who at least maybe possibly could turn out to be similar to Fox). You don't pick up FVV's option. This leaves you approximately $20M of cap space to play with in free agency. Plenty of UFAs out there you can go get around that price range--Brogdon, Bruce Brown, Hardaway Jr, Caris LeVert, Luke Kennard... list goes on. Whether the guy you pick up starts or Amen takes Jalen's starting spot would be up to Ime.
I agree we need to make this move by the deadline…for the reason you just mentioned as well as on the court reasons.
5-6 more wins in only 33 games is a wild number. You would have to view fvv as a rookie kpj type player (not a top 300 player) or view fox a jokic type player (top 1 in the league).
I hate this last sentence. If the Rockets acquired Fox, they could still trade him in the future. Also, I think the Rockets would send two young guys to Sacramento so it would be 2 or at most 3 FRPs depending on the young guys sent to Sacramento and the picks offered. In addition, unless someone special is available with the Phoenix pick this season, I expect that pick gets traded at the draft for a pick or 2 down the road. By 2027, the Rockets would be back to a full complement of picks (or possible be up a pick or 2) and be ready for a home run swing without needing Sengun, Fox, or Amen in the deal unless it is for someone great enough that the Rockets need to shed salary.
