Now to be fair, at the exact same deadline, we also picked up former #5 overall pick Thomas Robinson in his rookie year, and dumped him 19 games later for 2 SRPs and two Euro prospects. The SRPs ended up being Richuan Holmes and Dillon Brooks, although the Rockets didn't get to pick either guy. They ended up dealing the Holmes pick for K.J. McDaniels, and the Dillon Brooks pick for DeAnthony Melton. I think you could argue that 3 out of those 4 guys were much more valuable than TRob, and we probably maximized his value by moving off of him ASAP before his second year. At the time I still hated the Morris part of the deadline trade since I thought he was starting to show potential, but I remember thinking that if Les Alexander had decreed we could not exceed the Luxury Tax, it was worth salary dumping him to have the necessary room to fit in TRob. I'm reminded also of former Rockets Terrence Williams, whom was traded very early at the peak of his value before everyone realized he couldn't be coached, and Sekou Doumbouya, who was also incredibly raw, still showed more than Garuba so far, and had to be salary dumped in the third year of his rookie deal.
Yeah, we can go on and on about these. Remember we kept Jonny Flynn instead of dirty cheap Jeremy Lin whom we had to use a poison pill to get him back?
Morey and co were terrible at evaluating youngsters and in house talent. We’re in much better hands now.
Ha, I try to forget about that one, also that we kept Thabeet on that team as well. As always, my takeaway is that it's impossible to be 100% right as a GM, you can only hope to hit a hot streak at the right time so that everything comes together. Comedy is always tragedy plus time though. The shared experience and memory of blunders of the past is what uniquely ties us all together as Rockets fans, and will be what makes eventually getting to the chip all the more sweeter. Especially when the current team is really not very good or all that worthy of discussion (I mean, this is the Fernando thread, and we're not talking about Bruno!), looking into the past makes you realize that most of these decisions simply will not make a difference; they'll just be footnotes in the Jalen Green era.
Yup. Fernando signing might be Rafael’s first mistake for a different reason though, and that is his preaching of family and creating that type of environment. Cutting Boban, if so, because of this would be his 1st that is not in line w/ that.
Believe whatever you want to believe but Draymond Green actually took several years to develop himself. Things Draymond Green can do now are not the things Draymond Green could do when he was drafted. It's called development. David Nwaba is not developing. Sterling Brown is not developing. Bruno Fernando is not developing. Garuba is developing. Boban is a sideshow. Eric Gordon is a veteran leader, someone still capable of playing ball. I don't care how much Luka Doncic thought he had a big brother or whatever. Boban Marjonovic does not belong on NBA rosters. If Tari Eason is only playing hard because TALL MAN FUNNY then we are absolutely doomed.
You know James Harden took several years to develop himself. Does that mean Garuba is the next Harden? Just cuz Draymond took several years to develop himself doesn't mean Garuba will become the next Draymond, those are 2 unrelated things. I would wait until Garuba develops more than a fringe role player and beats out Bruno Fernando before I can crown him the next Draymond Green. Boban may be a sideshow but he still provides more value than Garuba RN.
Trev Queen was very good defensively. Not only switchable but disruptive. Led G League in steals with 3 per game. And averaged over 5 AST.
Garuba has potential. That is a commodity in the NBA. Boban offers nothing but a sense of humor. There is absolutely no way that Stone will let an asset with potential leave to hang on to Boban.
