[SHAMS] Fred VanVleet - Torn ACL - Out for the season

Without Kevin Durant, the Rockets would be in deep trouble. With Durant, losing VanVleet is not ideal, but they can manage the loss with the added offensive firepower.

 

Well that changes things…sheesh.

 

Yes, but in the WHOLE TEAM CONTEXT -- all FVV has to do is bring the ball up and pass it to Sengun, or KD etc....he wasn't a wizard running the offense he was just a safety guy.

Anyone can do that, and we now have bigger longer athletes there, and two of them in Reed and Holiday are better shooters.

This won't hurt the Rockets a bit, it will make them different but it won't hurt their W/L record, might even help it TBH.

DD

 

But when Fred was out, the team was also missing several other players. Including Jabari who the Rockets were mediocre without(I think something like 12-11). Plus I think they were just flat out exhausted during that stretch without him right before the All-Star Break. All the injuries and B2Bs took a toll.

Post-Break, they actually started to find a groove without Fred. A big factor was when Ime put Tari in the starting lineup. They won something like 10 straight with him as a starter.

 

It’s going to be a team effort concerning play making and running the offense. Sengun likely is the primary facilitator with Durant, Thompson and Sheppard chipping in.

 

I’m sure Ime will lean on the SenHub more and I think he’ll do well but he’s not going to be able to bring what Fred brought. Sengun is great but he isn’t Joker great

 

This is a stupid take because if the Rockets didn't re-sign FVV they would have used that $25mil to get someone else. This is like saying you saying janitors deserve six-figures because without the janitor to clean the restrooms, the building would stink and all the tenants would leave. The reason why FVV is so important because they spent money on all the other positions that are not PG, and now they are totally f--ked because the rules do not allow them to replace FVV with an alternative beyond promoting Aaron Holiday.

 

That works until the playoffs when you need a guy that consistently provide that for a team. Durant can score but he can’t do that anymore.

 

No!!

This sux.

Can we get a medical exemption? The disabled player exemption would give us MLE money to spend (on whom I don't know).
Melton?!?
Can we potentially use DPE like the MLE in a trade to bring a player in?

 

Well, here's REALLY hoping Reed Sheppard is ready.

 

Newsflash: we didn't have capspace, so couldn't sign anyone for 25mill.
Could not have spent that money acquiring someone else.

Move along.

 

And we have a more mature REED, JABARI, AMEN - and the biggest....AND - is we have Kevin Durant.

This will be fine.

DD

 

Fred did a lot more than just bring the ball up and pass it. He’s an extension of Ime in the court and helps to settle our young guys when it gets rough. Durant has the talent but not the mindset to do that. Now we have no one.

 

Yeah, I think they can get a medical exemption, I recall one with Yao.

DD

 

I’m simply speculating as to what the Rockets might do. You don’t get any argument from me that this is a big loss at a position of weakness for the Rockets.

I just think they have the depth to manage and having an elite scorer like Durant will mitigate some of the impact this injury would have otherwise.

The Rockets are still very deep and talented and have plenty of assets to add a point guard.

 

Unable to use that Injury exception is just dumb…**** the league!

 

Looks like Amen will be running point.

 

They’ll definitely have to try something. We have time but not cap space and unfortunately alot of the decent guards are always signed.

 

We don't NEED an extension of Ime on the court, when KD is on the team - this team will be different....faster, more athletic, and more dynamic.....way better than last year's team assuming everyone currently stays healthy.

FVV was a great stop gap, a change the culture guy, but he was about to be, in the way guy, of a faster more athletic championship contender.

I hope he gets better.....the Rox will be fine.

DD