Jalen has not been good. Jalen's 3-ball being as bad as it has been has likely hurt the Rockets more than any other thing this season.
The backup big doesn't arrive til next season (Adams), we need the 3 point specialist to be Jabari. He needs to be that difference maker to open up the offense. He has the length to be the difference maker on the wing, maybe we can pull an Horry on him but the difference is fake a trade to some other team and at the final hour back out to see if that shakes him up enough to get him to take his game to the next level. He was the #3 pick. For God's sake act like it!!!
I haven't done an Anfernee Simons one yet, I don't think. I haven't heard any hints of them having him on the trade market, but they should, IMO. He's older and worse than a guy like Maxey, and I think he's already basically at his ceiling. By the time their other guys have developed, he'll be an unrestricted free agent who is not eligible for (nor worthy of) the supermax, and may fly the coop for greener pastures. Get what you can while his value is at its peak.
A large majority of teams that have banked on just having cap room meaning that they'll be able to land a star have absolutely flopped on their face from that strategy. Nets are much more likely to be stuck in mediocrity for the next 2-3 years under this strategy before they finally realize they are better off building through the draft I'll say they do have a big advantage of having the NYC market, that did help them land that KD/Kyrie/Harden trio, but I can't imagine a lot of players are super inspired by a team that bungled that trio. It's wild to me that Mikal Bridges of all players would be the hold up to them committing to an actual rebuild. They are lucky to even have the potential opportunity to get their picks back at all. All this is ignoring to the Rockets side of if they should actually even be trading for Bridges, which personally I'd trade some of the assets but maybe not all
I also saw it said somewhere that they want an OG Anunoby level return for Caruso. So the price for the Rockets would be Green and a 1st (or a player like Whitmore or Tari). That's a pretty steep price, though I wouldn't mind Caruso on this team.
Oh hell no. I like Caruso, but that's way too much for him. We are not even guaranteed a play in spot even if we got Caruso
So it seems more appropriate to categorize Houston as eager to be opportunistic when it comes to improving its roster, as opposed to shifting into a higher gear altogether. And, well, hasn’t that always been the Rockets’ brand? Not just dating back to their days run by Daryl Morey, but as recently as this summer, the front office implored candidates during its head coaching search — which ultimately landed on Ime Udoka https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-priorities-shifting-as-nba-trade-deadline-nears-180638480.html
The Bulls are still squarely in the playoff picture, so I’m sure they are looking to be buyers. They are going to want a starter in return. I figure they know the price paid for OG was inflated, so they are using that as their starting point. I’d put Jalen Green on the table in a straight swap.
They should not trade Green for an aging (although really good) player who is a stop gap solution. We are not contenders for anything other than the play-in. Giving up Jalen for that type of veteran is panic selling. He wouldn't even for sure elevate us to the play-in. If Chicago is asking or will only take unprotected first round picks and/or Jalen let them deal with someone else or ride it out with Carusso this year.
Lavine is out for the season and they were already trying to trade him earlier--I think they may be shifting to sellers? They'll be lucky to remain in the play-in picture, and don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning a title with that roster. I don't want Caruso though. Too old. Coby White or Ayo Dosunmu, maybe.
Caruso plays 26 minutes a game for a team with a worse record than ours. Even with LaVine basically out all season. He's good in his role, but he's a role player who will be 30 in 3 weeks.
A straight swap of Green would be similar to the OG trade return wouldn't it? OG for Quickly, salary match and a 2nd rounder. Green is a #2 overall pick who averaged 22 last year sir Bulls!! But really, it then allows them to look for draft assets from Lavine and get whatever they can for Valanciunus. Tear it down and take a look at Green. If I'm the Bulls and I can get a prodigious talent for a role player, I probably jump all over the deal It wouldn't be a great trade on our part in a vacuum - but in reality it frees up playing time and shots for others, and improves our defensive identity. Addition by subtraction!
Caruso can continue playing 26 minutes a night. More minutes for Cam and Amen. I’m looking at trading Green as addition by subtraction. To be able to get a player like Caruso will pay immediate dividends. I know it seems like giving up on Green too early, but I think he is a tease. There will be just enough there to suggest a max contract, but I’m thinking he’s ultimately not going to get to the level we hoped.
This is one hell of a quiet deadline. I bet the news orgs are freaking out right now screaming "SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WE'RE DYING OVER HERE!!"
I’m not arguing against trading Green as a concept, I just don’t understand the strategy of targeting role players with our premium assets. To me it misunderstands where we are as a team. Acquiring a 30yo who helps us win 41 games instead of 38 the next 2 years, then ages out.. it just does nothing for us. IMO, everything we do should be oriented around acquiring a present or future star, or supporting our young guys to turn into one (i.e., acquiring offensive spacing using SRP’s to allow their offensive games to blossom).
I kind of wonder if Brooklyn is hoping the Bulls and Hawks sell to put pressure on the Rockets. It would be hilarious if a low 30-win team make play-in for those that love chaos and don't care about Brooklyn's picks.
I’m not sure Green is the premium asset we would like to think he is. He may ultimately only become a role player himself. He is currently a negative value cumulatively, although he shows some real flashes. If a team offered two firsts, I’d jump all over it. I doubt that offer is coming. The offer of one first gives you a single shot at a prize. I’d take Caruso over that. The role Caruso plays is much higher value than his contract suggests. I’d rather have the option to re-sign him later at $10-12m than get stuck with a $40m superstar in waiting that never arrives. That can hurt the team much more than selling low.
I would just like a 3 and D wing who is under 28. If we have to move Jalen I'm fine with it for the right player. We don't need a star. We're banking on Sengun, Jabari, and maybe Whitmore being the stars. We need consistent outside shooting and competent defense alongside them to help them develop.
