There has never been a better time to tank

Signed,

Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Tim Duncan

 

Ray Allen was still on the team that ended up drafting #2, so I doubt swapping him for Jeff Green would've made such a difference that they wouldn't be picking high again. Also, remember Presti famously REACHED for Westbrook. They still would have had an opportunity to grab him even a few spots lower had they kept Allen.

Treading water was not the issue. They chose to rebuild instead of losing their franchise player for nothing. That is a completely different dynamic compared to what we are facing.

Yes, they are in a better place. 3 games better, to be precise. And this may go against convention a bit, but I believe we underachieved last year- due to some outside circumstances not the fault of anyone.

Remember, Webber was traded for trash only after his microfracture surgery and never being the same. Not because the team was treading water and wanted to tank. Even still, 6 years later, how much better off are they? I am a big proponent of Cousins, but at this point he is still merely "potential" for a franchise center. And that is all they have to show for it after 6 years, with one of the better GMs in basketball?

All I am saying is, while tanking may seem to be the easy way out, it may not be as easy as some think.

 

You hit it on the money. Why else do you think Morey brought in McHale? McHale, as good of a player as he was, is a terrible coach and a questionable decision-maker. Adelman would never purposely lose games especially at his somewhat advanced age (by coaching standards). McHale is not going to purposely lose games, but Morey knows pretty damn well that he is MORE THAN capable of losing a few games. Talk about 'tanking games without fans actually realizing we're tanking'. The Rockets are moving in the right direction. This is the only way we're going to be able to snatch top-flight players and get back to those Clutch City years.

 

Morey wanted to tank, but Les did not. I can see both sides... but yeah, at this point it is time to go very young and get a top draft pick. This draft will be very deep if the rules do not change. There are literally 5-6 players that would have gone over Kyrie.

 

Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis were both on the team that got them the #2 pick. Letting Lewis go was a no brainer considering what he was signed for. That had little to do with "tanking" and more just common sense. Trading Allen for Green on the other hand has potentially cost them a championship.

Thanks. Considering they ended up with Deron Williams after it all, this may be the first example that's been brought up of a successful tank job. Still, their team is not much better, and if Williams bolts, they are right back at square one. Actually, if Williams bolts, they are way below square one.

 

You know what? I'm sick of this s*@!! What is this all out love for the 2012-2013 drafts? Is there a player in this draft like John Wall? What about DeMarcus Cousins? Most of them are not that much better than our own Patrick Patterson. If i recall, these same three guys i mentioned, along with others, were knocking some of these 2012 top picks around not too long ago. I just don't get the hype at all. Definitely not enough to cowardly throw away an entire season. Sorry to say, but you tankers need to grow a pair. Hey, somebody had to say it.



(read the sig, man)

 

If I remember correctly they didn't win until they got the #2 draft pick which they used on Darko Milicic. And they won it all that season.

 

Absolutely. Teams "suck" all the time and eventually(sometimes after years) get rewarded for it. But I think it is rare to see one actively "tank" like everyone is advocating. And yes, the reason is the financial risk.

If we were GUARANTEED a franchise player that would make this team a contender in the next draft, I think they would bite the bullet and tank. Thing is, there is no guarantee where we would pick, and even less of a guarantee who would be available to pick and how he pans out. The risk is years of losing, both games and $$$. Where we are at now, the team can make incremental improvements, has an outside shot at signing a game changer in 2012, all while maintaining profitability. From a business perspective(the only perspective in the NBA) it makes sense to stay the course, at least until all else fails.

 

^^^^^^^

You aren't guaranteed anything. Even if you land a star injuries can derail his career (Sampson, Yao). The only thing a GM can do is position the team to acquire top notch talent, since it's evident the chances of winning a title without an elite player are slim to none. And history shows that the best way to acquire that talent is through the draft. Unless you are a major destination market like LA, which we clearly are not.

It's really not that complex. If we can't convince a elite player to come here, which it doesn't appear that we can, then what do you suggest we do? Keep treading water? I actually have more faith in Morey landing a top prospect in a loaded draft than I do in him convincing someone to come to this starless team.

 

How do you explain detroit drafting Darko 2nd overall instead of Melo, Wade, or Bosh and still end up winning a ring after? And how about denver sucking and hit the jackpot with Melo with 3rd pick and never winning anything with him? We could tank and get a star player but that doesn't mean we would have a championship caliber team. So i say NO to tanking unless the draft pool has a LeBron or a Dwight. All we need is that one big trade for a superstar.

 

I agree that from the Rockets and Les' perspective, tanking is not good business as of right now. But from a fan standpoint, the financial aspect is not exactly useful. I don't get a slice of the revenue. I just see winning and losing.

Also, I think the Rockets are raking a lot from the fallout of their new stadium and TV deals from the T-Mac/Yao era. But if they continue to be mediocre, hovering in the 40-50 win range every year, I think eventually things will go sour. So there is still a risk even if we don't try to rebuild right now. Just a different kind of risk.

If I were Les, I probably would want to keep contending. So I get the Rockets view. But instead I'm just a fan. So what I wish for the team would be different.

My mistake. I thought they traded Allen the year before the Durant draft.

 

You can have a star and not win if you don't put a good supporting cast around him. Any Rockets fan who saw Dream's career should know this. But the key is having a star player to even have a shot.

FYI, the Nuggets went to the WCFs with Melo and the Cavs got to the Finals with LeBron. We can barely get to the postseason with our starless roster.

 

I doubt it. Morey is a stats guy. He probably sees that he has a good team that just needs to play more together. Get all the players on the floor and let them play before he decides.

 

How often does a LeBron James type of a talent enter a league? Heck, 8 years with that superstar hasn't even produced a single ring yet.

 

FYI, i've been a Rockets fan since the late 80's. Name at least 3 draftees in 2012 that is worth tanking for.

 

Blake in 09. Rose in 08. Durant in 07. Roy in 06 if he didn't get hurt. D-Will and CP3 in 05. All of these guys aren't "LeBron" types, but they are all franchise players that we would kill to have. Now what's the best way for a team to acquire one?

 

It's baffling to me how few people actually realize that Morey is secretly "tanking" the season with the hiring of McHale.