Rockets To Target Brook Lopez, Dillon Brooks, Austin Reaves, Cam Johnson In Free Agency

We're not going to "win now" unless that means winning more games than we won this year. There aren't enough moves + development + coaching acumen to get us to 55 wins and a conference finals. "Winning" to me would be accelerated development, team identity, good habits, and new pieces that fit long term.

 

We are going to cast a wide net this offseason:

 

Damn, I’d go to the Spurs and play with Wembley. So Brooks please go there and dont force me to drop my fandom of the Rockets.

 

Obviously not Giannis the village guy.

 

Better defensive players would help our team. Just by signing, VanVleet, Lopez and Johnson could improve our win totals by 10 games because it would help our defense to another level. Also, drafting Amen would help our perimeter defense as well, Player development from our young players can provide 7 wins with Sengun and Green, they are going to reach new heights. Having Coach Ime, shooting coaches and accountability and discipline will provide 5 wins.

10+7+5= 22 more wins from last year. I believe Jalen or Alperen can be considered to be ALL STARS if we are part of a winning team.

 

On the topic of Reaves - I think it very likely that the Lakers match any offer made up to and including the max.

BUT I also think you have to make that offer and force them to match it because of what it does to their future paying him almost $50m on the back end of that deal, even if he's playing up to the contract, it makes navigating the cap and adding top talent much more difficult.

And on the off chance they don't match, you probably got the best FA on the market that fits your timeline.


On the subject of Lopez - I wouldn't mind him in Rocket red but I'm not so willing to overpay.
He made $13m for last year and some people are talking about $25-$30m or more.
That's just poor use of cap space / assets .... even if he fits like a velvet glove.

 

Hmm, $30M seems too much to me, probably $25M too. I was thinking more around $20M a year on a two year deal, maybe just a bit more.

Not actually that concerned with our cap space the next offseason after this one though. I know it's a much better free agent class, but I'm not convinced any of the potentially-available stars will be interested in signing with us. Long as we don't get locked into bad 4 year contracts.

 

Sign FVV and Lopez. I know there’s posters that don’t like either or both guys for one reason or another. They’re not ‘sexy’ picks but they impact winning the right way and help improve our areas of weakness. Give Fred a 4 year deal and Brook a 2 year deal with second year being player option. Both deals within reason money wise of course.

That’ll gives us 2 solid veterans that can play both sides of the ball, helps improve perimeter/post and overall team defense. Both guys help improve our shooting. Unselfish high IQ/character guys (no egos) and won’t be a distraction and fit in easily. Consummate pros that will actually help our young guys and they have and know what it takes to win Championships.

FVV
JG
Jabari
Alperen
Lopez

Very solid starting 5 imo. Great mix of young guys and vets with size, athleticism, defense, shooting and not a ball stopper in sight. If 1 or 2 of the young guys can take their games to the next level and Ime is as good as expected we should be able to win 40-42 games.

Depth: KPJ, Tari, KJM, BPA 4th pick. Fav part of adding FVV would be moving KPJ to his natural role imo of coming off the bench as instant offense/leading 2nd unit. He should be a fav to win 6th man of the year.

 

There's no one else to use that space on though.

 

I'm all for adding veterans, particularly defensive-minded ones. But I'm much more inclined to prefer short-term deals over long-term ones the more I think about it. Extensions will kick in for many of the young guys in two years, so that gives you two years to kick the can down the road and still have cap room. Target guys who'll sign on 1-2 year deals, not dissimilar to the approach the Texans have taken the last couple of years.

I'd like a Fred VanVleet on paper, but not at a four-year max. Lopez is intriguing because he's 35 and would probably take a 1-2 year deal. I would never want a guy like Dillon Brooks and all the baggage that comes with him long-term, but for 1-2 years? He becomes more intriguing. This is also the only way I'd be interested in James. Harden on a four-year max is a hard pass. Harden for two years is easier to stomach and makes more sense as a "bridge" player that everyone hopes he would be.

The next six weeks is going to be very interesting.

 

A lot of merit to this. FVV & Lopez would be two really good veteran additions at positions of need. I don’t like the idea of Sengun at the 4 and Jabari at the 3, but Lopez has to get 28 minutes and Sengun has to get 30. I’m okay playing the two together for 10 min a game but it’s definitely a questionable fit. Lopez’s ability to stretch the floor with his shooting could help.

I want Jabari playing the 4 and Tari playing most of his minutes at the 3. He shot better than Jalen and Jabari last year. Tari will take another step this year.

Sengun/Lopez
Jabari/Sengun/Garuba
Tari/?/Tate
Green/KPJ
FVV/TyTy/KPJ
#4 pick

Trade #20, KJ Martin, and Christopher for another impact player.

that team will win more games than last year. We don’t need to be a play-in team next year; we just have to show strong progress; like what Orlando and OKC did this season.

 

We need a closer, I remember losing those heart breaking game like Miami, Kings and the Clippers. Harden can win games for us and I think he will help the young guys to get better.

 

Saw Josh Hart wants to test F/A... if he's open to being our camp counselor that's the perfect guy to bring in. Teach them the veteran ways but not threaten their playing time.

 

The ONLY way I would sign Harden is if he agrees to let the last two years of his contract be a team option which he would never agree to. Signing him for 4 years guaranteed would be a HUGE mistake.

 

Josh would be high on my list of free agents but was under the impression he’d resign with New York and stay with his Nova brothers. If he wants to legitimately test the market we need to go after him hard. He makes KJ and Tate expendable. Shot 37% from 3 last year. Can play at both guard and wing. Insane motor, and one of the best rebounders in the league. Would be a huge culture setter. Very good defender. Doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective. Hart/Eason at the wing is all you need. I believe Stone tried to get in on the Portland Pels trade at the deadline in 2022 to snag him but it didn’t work out. So apparently we really like him.

Agree he’s one of the best free agents we could add this offseason. But sounds like he’ll sign back with New York if they make him a fair offer, so I’m not getting my hopes up.

 

Not a 4 year guaranteed contract, but a 3 year contract and the third year would be a partial contract….I would pay him 42 million for two years, there is no way Philly they can pay him that much because of the new CBA….they want him to accept the current contract’s option….nope.

we can pay him not 30 but 42 million for two years with no income tax!

 

MOAR Dillon Brooks rumors He’s the one constant name in these rumors besides harden. Bruh. Please. God. No.