I think it's really important to keep that sentiment going of the org embracing ex players when they come back to town, and keeping them close to the franchise. Players notice when you see Hakeem sitting next to Les, and even people like TMac getting ovations sitting on the front row for games. I think Harden's later years and retirement will be important to that sentiment too. The fact is around the league many people are going to associate Harden as a Rocket for good reason, and how he gives, doesn't give, receives, or doesn't receive love with Houston will be important. Right now I have no concerns about John Wall being an issue, but sure it could change. If we can get him to a winning situation it'll be great for the brand, but if we gotta give up first round picks to make that happen or take a buyout that leaves his salary on the books the remainder of his contract... that's a hard pass IMO. I'll take the risk of Wall being fussy about Houston Barkley style if it comes to that.
CP3 drastically raised his value by remarkably and somewhat unexpectedly improving from the prior year when it looked like he was about to hit a steep decline. I'm not sure the Lakers panicking and making an idiotic trade really counts as restoring value, though. I don't think I'd feel any better about Russ now than I did a year ago other than there being a year less on his deal. And even then, the asset we got we used in part to get Sengun and I wouldn't particularly want that package the Wizards got either, honestly. Maybe Wall plays okay this year and agrees to decline his option to go to a playoff team in exchange for expirings and less money on the books in 2022-2023.
Not sure why this is surprising, despite STone just giving a media answer in callng Wall a cornerstone or what ever, wall has played a grand total of 40 games in the worst season in Rockets History. I'm not sure that would lead him to bleed 'red'. He knows hes here bc we can't trade him bc we're so obviously rebuilding and going young. Now its just about him being a professional and stayin with the team or at home, saying or not saying the right things and hopefully we can get his value up. Russ is a good example, he went to work and now he actually became a positive asset for him no matter what we say abotu his game bc if we got the 22nd pick for him, and let alone maybe a young role lke Kuzma in a decent contract then we'd love it. Anyways, we got our guy to build around, another one next year. We don't need to worry abotu spending elsewhere, Wall is a non story so long as he keeps it one
Was maybe a little subtle, to be fair... I use the three periods all the time as a way of implying an ongoing thought process or some **** like that. Not that people should need to take your inventory over it, though.
Seems like the only teams that can get close to salary would be Philly and Boston. Does Wall move the needle for those GMs? Probably not. It will be a miracle of Stone get him moved. Simmons/Curry for Wall works Horford/Smart for Wall works Maybe buyout the Boston players afterwards?
I’d love to swap Wall for Horford. Horford would be a good locker room vet presence for some of the big man we drafted
I can sympathize with Wall. He was a great player and earned his contract and now he is trying to get back to that level of play. His first year back was also a good step in the process. It's not his fault that he got traded to a team that no longer needs his set of skills. He averaged nearly 21 points and 7 assists after coming back from severe injury Unfortunately we need to move on from him and he needs to move on from us.
I hope Wall takes a page out of his OG Gilbert’s book. Gilbert purposely sat out games to let Nick Young and Wall develop and get more minutes. He was and still is a great basketball mentor for them.
@ch44 @cyberx @Codman drop the bomb on us, tell us this franchise guy is a free bird soon to released from his Houstonian cage
Idiotic trade aside, Westbrook went back to averaging a triple-double this past season. Helped Washington get into the playoffs after a miserable start. Compared to what he looked like in Houston, he most definitely restored some of his lost value.
I guess. Russ played some of the best basketball in his career for the Rockets in that stretch after the Capela trade until the Covid pause. But he was horrible in the playoffs after coming back from injury. Last year he was terrible at the start but played pretty well by Russ standards (which ymmv on how beneficial that is) late in the season as they made the run to the 8th seed. Though he was terrible in the playoffs again (though maybe slightly less so) and this time it wasn't due to injury. Idk. I guess his value was higher but I'm not sure I'd agree with the valuation.
