I mean people should feel excited about something. The thing is they will try to sell it as success one or the other way. Wemby would be tremendous, not that high on Scoot. There is quite a lot to fk up to be honest. Anything new and shiny would be exciting at first until it isn't. Just as they say Udoka alone isn't the solution. I think real change would come if Tilly sold the team to a 'decent' 'spending' owner.
Don't mind me, I am just ranting philosophical snippets. All will be good. This season was an entertaining soap opera.
Hopeless organisation, cheating coaches, clueless players. not revolting fanbase. There will be no hope for the next decade.
I remember people being excited two years ago about the next season. Then I remember people being excited last year about the next season. This organisation really has done a number on people's critical thinking.
Great thread. Super excited about next season too. I'm a firm believer that as a minimum, if we do nothing but these 4 things we will end up with 30+ wins: 1) Sign a vet PG and defensive C who are suitable mentors off the court and competitive on the court. Very mediocre players, I'm talking Dwight Powell and Ricky Rubio kind of calibre. Powell for example I like how he's an average defensive anchor despite having no wingspan/height, so he can actually teach Sengun and Garuba how to play defense without an athletic advantage. Ricky Rubio was good with youngsters in Cleveland and in previous stops as well, great at setting up the offense, good defender. 2) Draft a non-bust at #5, even if he is not yet ready for NBA minutes. Keep it safe. 3) Stone holds Silas accountable for losing > Silas holds the player accountable for mistakes > the players most conducive to winning get minutes regardless of their development > the players who give up on plays are benched. 4) The core of Green, Sengun, Jabari, Tari, Garuba, Tyty, KPJ and KJ improve at an average rate for players their age over the summer. How many teams are going to have 9 players under 23 who are viable NBA players? Even if you don't believe there's a star in there, those are elite trade assets since they are almost all under team controlled contracts. That's it if you ask me. Are we really not going to win 8 more games with those improvements (assuming we win 2 more games this season with teams resting)? I don't believe that at all. That's enough to make it to 30 wins. That's why I'm saying, don't piss away the cap space. If you do nothing but small competent decisions, they are already just going to improve every year. Even if 2-3 of the youngsters don't pan out, it's ok. So many people are in a traumatized disaster mindset and thank god we're not in charge of anything. We'd improve 5-10 wins each season with marginal improvements. Signing a max-worthy FA makes us a contender and if another max-worthy star wants to play with that guy then we're talking about a potential dynasty. If you're stuck believing that out of Green, Sengun, Jabari and a top 5 pick we're going to end up with 0 stars, you are being extremely pessimistic. Happy to bet you're wrong.
Totally agree with @Mathloom. I think just natural progression of Green, Sengun, Smith and Eason dramatically improves this team. Even without Wemby/Scoot or bringing Harden back the Rocket should see marked improvement in the W/L column next season if they are actually trying to win. Yes, even with Silas. I dont think that the team will sit on their hands though. That is exciting as they will make moves that *could* thrust the team into contention in pretty short order.
Gonna wait to see the roster. There is no magic - sign a vet - pill and start winning.....scenario. You have to sign the right ones that fit, Eric Gordon was a vet and he literally didn't do anything other than teach our players how to whine at the refs. DD
My middle of the road plan for the offseason (if no Wemby, Scoot or Harden): Coach: I like Silas but think for everyone's sake the time to move on has arrived. I like Udoka or Nurse as possibilities but for the sake of this exercise I am not choosing home runs. A solid single for head coach would be David Adelman from Denver. I could even see a scenario where Rick came out of retirement to help with the offense much like Pete Carrill did for him in Sacramento. Additionally, David has the experience of Denver's use of a post player in their offense which would be great for Sengun moving forward. Free Agency: I like the idea of bringing James back but I am unsure how realistic that option truly is and, as I said, this is a singles and doubles offseason. My focus is on bringing in guys that will foster growth out of the kids and teach them how to be pros rather than good basketball players only. Culture guys. So I am flexing our cap space muscles if needed. I'd bring in Donte DiVincenzo and DeAndre Jordan as free agents. Neither guy is going to be much of a difference maker on the court but I think both would be great in the locker room, on the road and in practice. Probably a 2 or 3 year deal for DiVincenzo and a 1+1 for Jordan. Trade: The Rockets have 10 players 22 and under. Each of them play at least 12 MPG. They NEED to consolidate on the margins and focus on what helps their core future develop. This deal does that even though it probably returns less than top dollar: Houston in: TJ McConnell, Thad Young and Toronto FRP(#14) Houston out: Martin, Garuba, Christopher, Washington and Nix Why?: 5 guys who we dont have the minutes to develop for 2 more vets and a lottery pick Indiana in: Martin and Nix Indiana out: McConnell and pick 25 Why?: Martin is better than anyone theyll get at 25 for the next few seasons and McConnell's minutes will continue to go down behind Haliburton and Nembhard Toronto in: Garuba, Christopher, Washington, and Pick 25 Toronto out: Young and pick #14 Why?: Allows Toronto to compete now around Siakim, Anunoby and Barnes while still injecting youth Draft: 1.3 - Brandon Miller: floor would hopefully be another elite floor spacer to put around Green and Sengun. Possibly elite 3&D prospect. 1.14 - Cason Wallace - PG prospect that projects, at worst, as a plus defender with modest offense 1.20 - Dereck Lively - Rim runner & shot blocker who would be a nice compliment to Sengun 2023/2024 Rotation: PG: KPJ - McConnell - Wallace (RGV) SG: Green - DiVincenzo SF: Miller - Eason - Tate PF: Smith - Eason - Young C: Sengun - Jordan - Lively (RGV)
Though I believe KPJ being the starting pg beginning of next season is a sign of a massive failure of a off-season I like your overall philosophy that it's time to end having 7 projects to develop. This in itself is harming the development of the 3 or so projects that are actual long term pieces. It's time to consolidate the projects for veterans and keep the long term ones mostly Green, Jabari, Sengun and Eason. Those 4 are the ones I would keep if we don't draft Wemby or Scoot. If we draft one of those I'd consider trading Sengun for a real good veteran who doesn't need the ball in their hands. If we draft Wemby or Scoot, that's too many guys who need the ball in their hands to be great.
THIS! I'll settle for a competent demeanor in terms of style, not another Trump acolyte looking to file the NBA equivalent of Chapter 7 bankruptcy and selling it as 'strategy'.
I'll be excited about next season as long as we get a coach who can better reach the players, hold them accountable and help end their bad habits. Also, getting them to compete night in and night out, especially on defense, would be nice. Interested to see the continued growth of Jalen, Sengun and Smith. I'm resigned that we won't get Wemby but on the off chance we do, would be interested to see how they use Sengun with him.
I believe Silas has been promised one more season after this one as the reward for absorbing 3 seasons of tanking on his resume, but at this point I would love to be wrong. There are some good candidates out there and there aren't always good candidates out there. Too bad we lost a chance at Snyder, he would have been good. I do think there is a CHANCE that Silas is a far better coach when aiming for playoffs with vets than he is when rebuilding a team, but I don't know if I want to sacrifice a year to find out when there are excellent high character proven candidates out there like Nurse and Kenny Atkinson. I would be open to Abdel Fattah as well if he beat these people out in an interview process. As talented as Udoka is I don't want a low self esteem guy. That's a red flag for me and I believe his ego will get in the way of some progress.
