Since dropping the two bigs starting lineup, the Rox are 13-17.

The Rockets outright own their pick this year right? No swaps or anything?

 

We own it this year, top 5 protected in 2023, and swaps in 2025 and 2027.

That's why we'll likely be tanking next year, because losing and being terrible is much better than forking over a top 5-8 pick.

 

LOL why you need more picks? youre ruining even the ones you drafted...its just losing for the sake of losing.. and those picks you get youll ruin because you will have to play the current ones in order to trade them and not lose them for nothing

 

Top 4 protected in 2024 and 2026. Not 2023 and no swap in 2027.

 

I don't.

If they legitimately get there then fine, don't forget we got Yao from the 6th position.

I want them to learn to play hard and win some - tanking rarely works - look at the pick this year, is Green a FRANCHISE level player? Not yet, he isn't......we HOPE he can get there.

So there are no guarantees, and the Rockets drafts have been mediocre for a long long time, when is the last time we took even an ALL STAR player? While other teams are getting franchise players like Luka and Giannas with lower picks, we are getting Morris and Patterson - solid NBA role players, but not with much upside.

I have no faith in Stone to draft well - he left Mobley to go for Green a guy who can't dribble, can't defend, lacks BBall awareness - he is a younger Westbrook - ish player right now, he could become great - he could become average, but with a number 2 pick you want Ja Morant, Kevin Durant, heck even a Steve Francis - or a unique player like Mobley......not another wing - when you have so many already on the team that also need the ball.

So, I would like them to play hard, try to win, and if they fail fine, but blatant tanking - for me is off the table.

And, if we get a top 4 pick - awesome - but hope we find a more sure thing, and actually find someone that can PLAY basketball at a high level right off the bat.

DD

 

The reason our drafts have sucked is because the last time we had a top three pick we got Yao Ming which was nearly 20 years ago. We've been that good for that long. You don't get great players drafting past number 10 very often. But hey look what you stumble upon when you draft in the top 3:

Patrick Ewing
Hakeem Olajuwon
Michael Jordan
James Worthy
Dominique Wilkins
Mark Aguirre
Isiah Thomas
Kevin McHale
Baron Davis
Mike Bibby
Tim Duncan
Chauncey Billups
Allen Iverson
Antonio McDyess
Glenn Robinson
Jason Kidd
Grant Hill
Chris Webber
Penny Hardaway
Shaquille O'Neal
Alonzo Mourning
Larry Johnson
Derrick Coleman
Garry Payton
Kenyon Martin
Pau Gasol
Tyson Chandler
Yao Ming
Lebron James
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Deron Williams
LaMarcus Aldridge
Kevin Durant
Al Horford
Derrick Rose
James Harden
Blake Griffin
John Wall
Kyrie Irving
Anthony Davis
Bradley Beal
Joel Embiid
Karl Anthony Towns
Ben Simmons
Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum
Deandre Ayton
Luka Doncic
Zion Williamson
Ja Morant
LaMelo Ball
Anthony Edwards
Evan Mobley

Yeah, tanking so rarely works out

 

I'm surprised at this take from you DD. The jury is still out on Jalen Green, but you're pretty much labeling him a bust after about half of a season. Not having trust in Stone who also drafted Sengun and JC, found Tate, KJM, Matthews, and KPJ. Seems to me he is a very savvy personnel man. I'm not convinced Green wasn't a Tillman pick, and don't forget that Mobley refused to work out for us. That being said, I wanted to trade back and try and get Barnes and Sengun. Stone managed to get Sengun anyway. We'll see if Green pans out or not. I'm betting he does. Remember this is now a guard and wing NBA, not the old days where bigs always got drafted ahead of guards. I'm for unintentionally tanking by getting rid of Wood and Gordan for FRP's so that we can get a high pick in 2022 and may even have enough assets to go trade for a vet difference maker. It is plain stupid to try and make the play-in by using vets that won't be here in the next 2 years and sacrificing the chance to get Chet, Paola, or Jabari.

 

I am not labeling him as a bust, I am saying he is FAR away from being an all star player, he has a TON of work to do.

I think the number 2 pick should be a SURE THING - but Green is not. It is a very risky pick to hope someone can develop in the NBA to a great player - I prefer players that are great coming in - not hoping they are.......sure there are players that did develop like Kobe etc, but even he was like the 10th pick......

Ultimately the jury is out on Green, I am sure he will develop and become a solid NBA pro - and hopefully much more - I don't think he is a bust, but unless he develops into a better more impactful player than Mobley, we will have made a mistake.

Also, it is relatively EASY to find guys that can play - it is finding those that make a difference.......Sengun is interesting, but he is slow footed, and looks more like Scola than Jokic....

DD

 

Hindsight is 20/20. There was plenty of GM's that were unsure if Mobley had the motor and desire to be great. He is playing really well as a rookie, but I'm sure not penciling him in as a superstar yet. I repeat, he would not work out for us. He did not want to come here and that has to factor in to the decision. I think you'll be singing a different tune once Green puts on 20 lbs and learns a few more moves. As hard as he works, I believe by mid-year next year he will break out and show everyone why he was so coveted.

 

But is it happening from player development? I’m aware that KPJ has picked it up as of late, but in reality, we have been winning these games on the heels of Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate, and Christian Wood. 3 players who won’t be part of our future contending team.

The OKC debt collection is coming soon. It would be a massive failure to drop out of the top 5.

 

Gordon and Wood should be gone at the deadline, which will drop us back into worst team in the league territory. Tate might have a good market as well, but no pressing need to move him yet.

If we're still playing good ball after we move them, then it will strictly be because our young players are really doing some work, which I'm OK with.

 

Your post is disengenious - how many of those were top 2 picks, also you went back years.....my point is that when you are drafting top 1 or 2, you should be looking for a GAME CHANGING talent - and not one that is 3 years away and is lacking in fundamentals - those players generally end up BUSTING - or they are taken much lower in the draft.

We have had picks high enough, we whiffed on Kawhi, Yao was a great pick, and we got him from the 6th position.

Top 2 pick should be an all star as the baseline or you blew it.

DD

 

I think unless he learns to dribble, and comes up with things other than going fast, it will take some time, what is missing on him is the cerebral portion - and that sometimes NEVER develops.

DD

 

Those were top 3 picks. That list goes to show your assertion that tanking for a top pick "rarely" works out. It often works!!

 

If the Rockets had the number one pick I wonder who they would pull the trigger on?

 

100% gonna happen.... an offensive genius is mentoring him

 

It is the only way it has ever worked in Houston.

 

We are the bottom 25%, so all our wins come from a bottom 25%

Take that for math shenanigans?

 

Can we stop acting like nba team is some sort of college team used for developing youngins and not trying to win every single game like best league in the world is supposed to be? If I wanted to watch losing for the sake of picks I would turn in to NCAA or highschool basketball. Then they wonder why ratings are low

 

I don't watch any college or G-League so I haven't seen any prospect. After readin a lot of scouting reports and waching some scouting videos, I was in favor of Green over Mobley? Why? Because he was labeled as a sure thing. A player that is ready to be a 20PPG scorer now with a killer mentality that has already proven it against real men. His only knock was his defense, which most people said, he would greatly improve on because of his work ethic.

Now Mobley was the unicorn - the guy that could be great but could also be a bust. The guy, that had trouble to create his own shot, the guy that doesn't "love" basketball and could have problems with his work ethic. Basically he sounded a lot more like a boom or bust player. Greens floor seemed to be way higher.

Now today it looks completely different. And I guess people will change their perspective on G-League prospects... I still think Green could develope into a better player - simply because he could be the guy you give the ball, when you need to get a basket or even when the game is on the line. Mobley may never be that player and develope more to a Chris Bosh guy. But if we could have a draft do-over, I doubt many people would take Green over Mobley.

What I am saying is: everybody gets it wrong time and time again. Now come on Green and show all the doubters, what you really can do!