I think this is where we disagree, the Rockets had been trying to trade Jalen Green for a year and there was absolutely no interest.... even the Suns didn't want him in the KD deal, the Rockets were just unwilling to give them the players they actually wanted.
A lot of shade on Durant in this post. If he's not a superstar and a lead dog, then who is? 6th in PPG, 12th in TS%, 7th in FG% at the rim and 10th in 3P%? Not just a sniper, he's an elite scorer, with high efficiency, ability to create his own shots, he's just a dynamic offensive player who is also 7ft tall and can handle his assignment defensively. It definitely depends on health, but that's always the case. There's no team that going to win the title without their star being healthy. Boston, GS, Indiana, we saw it over and over in the playoffs. Durant was healthy for the Suns the last couple seasons and hasn't missed any playoff games since he returned after getting hurt in the Finals in 2019.
He is all that but the competition is very, very tough, especially in the West. you got Luka, Jokic, SGA, ANT. Is 37 yo KD on that level, or maybe a bit below, on the level with other aging stars, like Steph and James? Obviously huge upgrade over Green, but I wouldn’t be popping the champagne just yet…
Big Jalen Green fan? The Rockets gave up a No. 10 pick to add KD to an already good team. Worst case, KD gets hurt for the season, and the Rockets are playing down a No. 10 pick. Trading a No. 10 pick is not a big risk. For me, I expect someone to take a leap next year among Amen, Sengun, Reed, Tari, and JSJ with 2 or 3 of the others having moderate improvement. I expect Adams will be healthier. Not sure how the Rockets will fare against the Thunder and Denver, but the Rockets should pound on everyone else.
The Lakers and T Wolves don't have the roster depth that the Rockets do. The Nuggets are scary. OKC is the reigning champs and have the MVP. I don't think we should be popping champagne bottles yet, either. But we had one of the few teams in the west that could compete with OKC in terms of young talent and lock down defense. But we were missing a #1 scorer (and scoring), which limited our ceiling for success. Now, we've got that guy. I like our chances, if healthy, to compete with anyone.
Well, VanVleet is still the floor general on this team. Durant and VanVleet have gone the distance with 3 combined Championships. Udoka only has his sites on Championships. The top young leader coming up appears to be Amen, with Sengun a close second, and their grooming process is still at work. Sheppard appears to have some very strong leadership characteristics from what I saw in game 1 from the summer league. Tari is a hype machine and definitely elevates those around him, case in point, the 30 point comeback against GS during the season last year where he nearly single-handedly made that happen, and Jabari. . . . .well Jabari appears to be a long for the ride.
The only thing the Rocket did was open the window 1 year earlier than it would have been otherwise. The end of this window, which is probably 5-8 years, remains unchanged. If it was an 8 year window before ...it remains an 8 year window now. KD is irrelevant for the long term prospects. Some folks a critical of KD. Ok. But are the Rockets better or worse next season for trading Jalen and Dillon in exchange for KD? The ideal outcome is that Amen takes over as the #1 option and Reed takes over as the starting PG. All that remains to be seen and has nothing to do with KD.
Well, he used to be, but asking a 37 year old man to run up the court every possession, and to dominate the ball/play, is not realistic, now he is just a scorer - a very efficient one, but his injury history has to be factored in, to act like this is not a BIG RISK is silly. I watched him all year on defense and he was not good, they hid him by putting him on the weakest player so he could essentially rest on defense, he would play it in spurts, same for the offense BTW - there were tons of possessions he just stood there - but his efficiency is off the charts - the key will be health.... Agreed, but those teams are not relying on a 37 year old to lead. I am NOT CRITICAL of him, just HOPING that he stays healthy - and I don't recall a single time in NBA history where a team traded for a 37 year old to lead them somewhere that actually happened. Makes me nervous......37 is a time when guys bodies break down a lot. DD
I mean I'm not making a prediction, or a claim. I'm just repeating what I heard. If you are saying you hope that it's the case that Stone cut a deal with Bill Duffy to where the Rockets will be made whole in the near future by being able to acquire a top tier player they wouldn't otherwise be able to get... well yeah... I think we all hope that would be the case. We'll see, but based on that report I heard that would be a theory of the case as to why Stone saw value in potentially taking less in a trade to get Cam to a place he could get starters minutes in order to have a better shot at getting a lucrative rookie extension next Summer.
How many 37 year olds were as good at 36 as KD? It's a really small sample size. I don't think KD is going to dominate the ball or have every play run for him - the hope is that his gravity affects the plays that aren't run for him, too. The Phoenix offense was very much the 2018-18 Rockets in terms of KD play, then Booker play, etc. The other guy didn't do much off ball in those plays. That's not going to work for this team because we don't have a Booker equivalent. Don't count on KD to carry the whole team during the season - but we've got enough around him to help ease the load. But in the playoffs I expect him to be called upon to step up and carry us down the stretch of games. I suspect he's still capable of that. It wasn't a giant risk to take because we didn't give up much to get him. The team wasn't in a position to win it all before the trade, now they've got a fighting chance if health allows. That's a giant win in my book.
I think that remains to be seen, Brooks and Jalen - sure, for KD, it makes sense, but then Cam was bounced as a result, so now it is 3 players as we go all in on a ring with Capela and DFS..... I dunno, it just seems early to me, and a bit desperate, I hope that Amen can lead, that to me is the only way this works...... DD
Yeah, I dunno about Fertitta. What I remember was the previous description of Alexander constraining Morey. I'm not finding the thing I recalled about no losing records, but here's a Ringer piece on Alexander refusing to pay luxury tax. TBH this piece is such a Morey tongue bath that I'm hesitant to believe much of it. https://www.theringer.com/2020/10/16/nba/daryl-morey-houston-rockets-luxury-tax-resign
Cam was not bounced because of KD. The KD trade turned 2-3 players in front of Cam into 1. Cam still would have forced his way out. Also, it is not all-in when the Rockets still have the vast majority of young players and first-round picks.
The version of the 2025-26 Rockets that don't make this trade looks a lot like last season. Wins a lot of games on effort and athleticism. I don't think Jalen becomes a #1 type option. I don't think anyone on this team does. Amen's a leader, but he's not a big time scorer until his shot develops. Cam gets moved regardless because Ime doesn't like the attitude. That had nothing to do with the KD trade. He's got himself to blame. I hope he grows up in Brooklyn. He was going to sulk all season on the bench here the same way he did last year, and that wouldn't have earned him more PT. Frankly the drama killed some of the good vibes.
I think Stone’s actions speak louder than words. How is coach not going to play Reed this season. Stone has taken all other choices away. Reed will get starter’s minutes this upcoming season. A) statistically we are better without Green. B) there is an obvious clarification on offense. C) National media is talking about us —> the exposure helps our young players get all-Star votes My personal thoughts, KD did nothing in Brooklyn or Phoenix. Both teams had more established talent than we do at this present time. Why should we expect anything different here?
Yes but no alpha - unless Amen becomes one....we need one or two alpha players. KD is one for now....if healthy. DD
If that is true, and it seems to be more Cam's agents opting out then I am worried about Ime in the long run, GREAT coaches can adapt to each player and motivate them individually, you didn't see Phil Jackson bailing on a young Kobe Bryant because he was a lot like Cam..... Or Rudy playing MadMax..... Anyway, I like Ime, but I have been less than impressed with his offensive philosophy, great at motivated certain players but apparently can't handle strong willed ones who just want to play, while they watch worse players like Jalen Green screw up every other game and Ime won't put him in. DD
What are you talking about? We will be keeping Amen, Sengun, Jabari, possibly Tari, and TBD on what Reed will be. That is the future. The only thing they are accelerating is their experience. Rockets are set for next 10 years.
Kobe and Max both busted their ass on D. Always did. Ime would have loved them both. Absolute dawgs. Cam's not like either of those dudes.
