We can be 4-5 seed. Will be much harder now without Wood and Dipo playing like trash. But teams that got a hot start have cooled down (except the top 3). Even Denver is suspect right now. Then it comes down to matchups. I think we have the flexibility to shift gears depending on the trade market and teams performance as constructed. If everything started clicking and Rockets made it to 4 of 5 seed to play most likely Clippers or Denver (will Jazz stay this good? I’m not convinced but I’ll go with current standings), then you can judge the market for Tucker and Dipo. If we make it to a good seeding with Dipo playing like this and somehow Miami or someone still offers something for him I think you take it. Are second rounders worth losing Tucker if we are going into playoffs as a 4-5 seed? Not for anything less than a first if you ask me in that position. point is Rockets have a lot of flexibility in which direction to go based on how we continue playing toward the deadline. We could attempt a retool or a rebuild just depending on the next month and a half. I think either way we are in a good position to rebuild fast or retool and compete fast. will Lebron be as good next season? Lakers don’t fear me long term. Will Kawhi stay if Clippers lose? After his SA Toronto stints it wouldn’t shock me. As good as he is, he’s a low key diva apparently and pulled a Lebron-esque move with PG13 and LA. Denver is a very good team but haven’t looked as good this year (outside of demolishing us early on). Utah’s roster just doesn’t scare me. Gobert schmobear, Mitchell is a mental midget, I’m blanking on the odd looking white guys name that always disappears against us in the playoffs. They always seem to be a regular season team. TLDR; options, flexibility, and don’t fear the top seeds’ future in west
What is Faried doing these days? he was great for rockets until he clashed with harden or dantoni or whoever
I've been pushing for Naz Reid, see random trade thread. I want Stone to put together a package to grab him now and as a PJ/Cousins replacement going forward. He fits nicely especially with Wood. Both Naz and Wood have enough skill and shooting to play together ala Gasol and Davis.
It doesn't matter what our record is, what's more important is a long as our pick is lower than OKC, they won't swap with us. OKC is a mediocre team this year and so are we with all these injuries. Pretty sure Stone wants to make sure our pick is low as possible while it still being valuable so we can't be too good.
True, but he has some very disappointing games as well. This is starting to look like a pattern to me. When his shot goes down, he becomes effective. Oladipo has to play well on a consistent basis in order to improve his trade value.
picks valued more than players who are drafted and stone knows that. trade it while pick is still overvalued and get an NBA player.
He has absolutely nothing to offer us apart from a few jump shots. We need defense and rebounding in the worst possible way. There isn't anyone available at the 5 spot.
Mon Ami please use your fertile mind and come up with some potentially useful scenarios by the March deadline apart from A.G. I'm backing away from going after him since he's hurt. This may make him available ironically.
we need a big body who knows the system and he's avail. another other big body gonna need a lot of moving parts to execute a trade and take time to learn the system. unless you grab a mavs big which i doubt they would do. also bruno doesn't mess up your current asset availability for a bigger deal later. a quick trade does.
Christian Wood makes our 5 Out successful. The solution is Aaron Gordon trade. If Stone can pick up both AG + Bamba then Rockets will be cooking with gas. I love 5 Out because it MAXIMIZES spacing. But as you pointed out it requires the right personnel. Wood is perfect for 5 Out. If Morey was successful in trading for Wood last season, he would have really weaponized our small ball line up. He would have been Clint with a 3 ball. The playoffs would have looked very different.
Old GM Pistons GM valued Wood too much. He was going to be one of their rebuild pieces. New Pistons FO viewed him as less valuable. But option B for Morey was to go after Wood hard in FA this offseason, since plan was already in place Stone just went ahead and executed it.
