Yeah they do. Bad teams get picks for competitive balance. The Rockets are a bad team. If they have proved anything this season it is that.
Honestly, I'm more concerned about how missing the playoffs might impact how free agents look at us as an option (no matter how slim the chances of landing a big fish). The fact that we're actually in this position and discussing this is amazing. That locker room needs a huge culture change.
Food for thought: Detroit is sitting pretty as the East's 8th seed. Had the DMo trade gone through, we'd end up with a pretty crappy pick. Draftwise, our current scenario is pretty good (all things considered). I'm not advocating tanking, but missing the playoffs wouldn't be the worst thing for this deeply flawed team. Also, I care about Harden's legacy as well, but this season is NOT on Harden.
The sooner the season is over the better. The draft pick helps. Hell even if it's used to move Corey Brewers contract
I think missing the playoffs would do damage for one thing. Harden is an all-world talent. Guys like that don't come often. To miss the playoffs - he's not going to blame himself for that, he's going to understandable blame his teammates and/or the organization on some level. In other words, it may affect his loyalty to the team. And to me, that's the biggest reason I'd be willing to sacrifice a 14th pick in a week draft. Because you need to be in the playoffs to really feel the connection with the home town. The other reasons - makes us a bit more attractive as a FA destination, and it is always good to have younger players pick up experience, even if it is only 4 or 5 games. Getting that kind of intensity under your belt helps a player grow. Helps a team grow together. Make or miss - this season will be a failure. There will be changes. A first round exit won't be much of a consolation prize to anyone from Les to Morey to Harden to Dwight to the fans. I don't think that pick will amount to very much. Let me restate that. It's not a game changer, It's not going to net us the type of player we need to move this team from bubble to contender. We have all the middling talent a team needs. What we are missing is all-star or near all-star talent to place next to Harden. That's not likely to come from a 14th pick. But it is more likely to come if this team closes out strong, and puts up a respectable fight in the first round. And it certainly keep Harden more engaged. So YES.
As a fan, a long time and very committed fan, I want to cry. And stay home. Take the pick(s) and pick up the pieces.
Of course I do. The real question is.... Is JB good enough to coach this team to the playoffs? The answer is looking like no. The dude is absolutely clueless. He had no business being named interim coach. He is the worst coach in Rockets history. His role is best suited as an assiststant (elsewhere). Like father like son. Can't coach worth a ****.
Solely because of the Ty Lawson trade, I do not want to make the playoffs and would prefer the lottery pick. That's what's best for this team right now. With Dwight on his way out, I'd rather move forward into the next chapter of Rockets basketball sooner rather than later. I'd gladly bypass an extra 4 or 5 games of this nightmare season if all it cost us was a 2017 second round pick. Sadly, a typical Rockets offseason is usually more rewarding-entertaining than this actual season has been... wow...
I would get that lottery pick, ship Corey Brewer's ass out with it to whoever would take it. and free up cap space for the not-happening Durant chase. Cannot stand another year or two of Brewer. McHale's favorite should go with him. K.J. McDaniels should go also. Two guys shooting around 38/28 for the year has no place in today's NBA offense that requires 3 pointers and spacing. It took a 1st round pick to trade Lin for the Bosh chase. Not sure if a 1st round pick will be enough to trade Brewer. 2 more years at $8m/year. Yikes.
You think he's not already blaming everyone else? Last year he asked for a playmaking PG. Did you see Harden actually try to integrate Lawson? The fact is, Harden is probably on his way out once his contract expires, unless we get Durant before that. But do you think any superstar would want to come to the Rockets if they just scrape through for the 7/8th seed? The Rockets have been the NBA's biggest disappointment this season, and scraping through for the 7/8th seed just won't do it.
Aren't "repercussions" EXACTLY what most fans want, at this point? i.e., moving some people out of here, getting a real coach, coming up with a new rebuilding plan? I would hope there would be repercussions EITHER way. Folks have to realize what this poll is asking. It is asking what YOU want. This poll is about YOU, it is about your preferences. It is not about the Rockets per se. There are plenty of other threads about the Rockets. For once this is just a simple yea or nay to take the pulse of the population. I voted no, and that's just me. I'm tired of this season, tired of this team, and tired of watching bad basketball. I don't care about this particular team in the playoffs. But all of that is about ME. If the Rockets make the playoffs, I will still watch them, I will still root for them, and I will still watch them lose and I will still b**** about those losses here on CF. But honest to God, I'm kind of sick of it at this point. I think missing the playoffs brings about the repercussions FASTER. That can only be a good thing. And if it is true as another poster suggested that missing the playoffs entirely would make us less attractive as a FA destination, or scare Harden away two years from now . . . well, I'm not sure I care about that right this minute, that's how sick I am of this team. Again, I'm just answering the poll, which is about my preferences, not about what is ultimately best for the Rockets.
Give me the pick. This team couldn't beat a depleted Mavericks team without Chandler Parsons and Deron Williams. The coaching is horrendous and very hard to watch. Imagine if Tyler Ulis, Demetrius Jackson or one of the 7 footers slide to the rockets late in the lottery?
i do not want to deal with this charade of basketball any longer than necessary. the coaching staff and the players have been an insult to the game all season long. but they are not alone. the front office including les are equally to blame for allowing this crap to go on for so long. they have disrespected not only rockets fans, but any fan of basketball. les needs to find another business for his monthly income and finally sell out to an owner willing to stomach temporary loss of revenue. we have been on the mediocrity train for too many decades now.
I was never a fan of McHale but I'd have to say he's a better head coach than JBB who's pretty much had a fairly healthy team this season outside of DMO. I think JBB pulled Beverly out of game on last play and JVG questioned why take out Beverly cuz he's such a good offensive rebounder and although DMO hasn't been playing all that well last few games he was demoted to zero minutes last night for matchup reasons I guess LOL. If a coach has that quick of a hook in pulling minutes away from DMO, TJ, Smith ect, then it's a head scratcher in why Brewer gets any minutes at all. Brewer has been very painful to watch this season and he's the only player allowed to play through bad stretches that most NBA players go through.