I know there are people disappointed at Russ. Criticisms are fair. I'm going to say something positive (and maybe not popular, what the heck). At the start of season, we saw Russ missing his dunks. There were threads questioning if he lost his athleticism. As it turned out, his fingers getting injured. Affecting his dribbles and dunks. Once he healed up, he was back to normal. He also adjusted his game; being a 2ndary option. I don't think that's easy, as he has been the #1 guy for a long time. Not lot of people here give him credit for that. He is trying to find ways to be impactful in the game (even without ball in his hands). He hustles and tries on effort plays. Russ pulled a string of really good games start of the year. He's still one of our better finishers at the rim after Harden. Daryl is not going to trade CP3 back, sometimes keep comparing the two, brings out lot of negativity. This is from someone who liked CP3' game in his New Orlean days (and on the Rockets). Why don't we focus on the players we have and try to make it work. Personally speaking, I am OK with giving him more time. It's his first year. Let him rest his quad and recover from corona. Every player from bottom to top, will work on their game off season. I'm not expecting Russ to turn into Ray Allen (shooting wise) but he could return better. I watched Harden last post game interview several times. The thing that stuck out sounded like he wants better game preparation, some of that is with the coaching staff. The harden iso and shooters around works well, but as seen in the playoffs, it's not something we should do every time. Maybe there's more things we can do to maximize Russ' offensive game (pick n' roles) or whatever else. Lakers has Lebron as #1 guy, but they go out of their ways to call plays for AD. That's been the case the entire year, not just the series against small/skill ball.
IF its the right return maybe he needs to move on. His value is at an all time high at this moment. I sure Morey would listen.
Russell is our Center on offense so if they get rid of him I wonder how will the offense look for 48 minutes. A name that comes to mind and makes about the same as Westbrook is Jrue Holiday (he makes less actually) IDK if NOLA will be motivate to pair Zion with Rus it honestly sounds good. If the Rockets really trade Westbrook the question will be about Small ball is it gone? Should they get a Center and play pick and roll or a Center ala Jeff Green pick and pop? I would try to get another piece and try to run small ball one more time maybe a Jeremi Grant or both Morris Twins, a think there are options but we also have to see if the Owner will go over the tax and use the mid level and the biannual exception. Also will the new coach bring a new offense or does it have to do what The GM tells him? So many questions.
What about Westbrook for Kevin Love and Dante Exum? Love isn't great defensively, but he can still play, and fits our pseudo small ball lineup quite well imo. Exum can be a defensive role player off the bench. PG - Harden/Exum SG - Gordon/Rivers SF - Covington/McLemore PF - Tucker/House C - Love/J.Green Something like that could be really interesting.
Keeping both Rivers and Tucker is going to test Morey’s skill set. I like the addition of Exum more than I should. We NEED some SIZE. Hopefully the new coach doesn’t hang onto old ways and the team looks different. Like the thought and Cleveland may do this because there going nowhere anyway. Westbrook in the East make a lot of sense.
Not sure what you are basing this lineup on. Rivers has a player option for next year. He took a minimum deal to help out the team, do you think he is going to repeat that? Rivers will want more, Rockets wont want to pay him.
I think Wall for Westbrook straight up is about the only offer any team would accept. His contact is so bad it's almost toxic. Imagine paying a point guard who relies 100% on athleticism almost 50M in his age 35 season. It's complete insanity. No one wants to touch that.
Now that he signed an extension through the 2022-2023 season, they don’t. However, they aren’t a competitive team, so if a team makes them an offer they can’t refuse or Beal forces their hand, they would trade him.
Harden is 31, we don’t have a year to waste and experiment. If we keep Westbrook, and I believe we will, the window is sealed shut.
Rockets MO - buy high, sell low. We're stuck with Russ - who in their right mind would want a guy who can't shoot threes and makes bonehead decisions in 2020 with that ridiculous contract
I wonder why Russ can't develop a 3 point shot. If he could be respectable. Hell, even Rajon Rando, who was a horrible shooter the first 7 years in the league, developed a three point shot. I'm not asking him to become a 40% shooter, but would it hurt him to hover at 33%. He cannot continue relying on his athleticism. I also would love if Russ would stay locked in a gym and work on his ball handling skills. It's incredible how this guy has been a PG for so long yet his handles are subpar for a point guard. I don't get it. Two simple, fundamental things he needs to work on this summer. I don't think that's asking for much.
Simple really. Rondo is a basketball player who plays basketball. Westbrook WAS one of the most elite athletes on the planet who decided to play basketball.
Our only hope is the next coach can get Westbrook productive and his trade value higher; getting his triple double average would help. The trade deadline should be our goal Westbrook. While Harden is going to fall back to reality with out MDA pulling the strings on a system made to make him look like Superman. Maybe we are looking at the wrong MVP to trade.
When a player is as arrogant as Westbrook, and costs your team what he did,my first thought is to send him to the worst place possible. The ridiculous thing is I think that would be OKC, can't think of a legitimately worse place in the NBA currently.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...l-westbrook-isnt-a-good-complement-for-anyone I think Russ has more trading value than people think. Clear that people in the league still think he can play and that this just wasn't going to work because Russ can't play off the ball. Teams are begging for stars, I could see Orlando or another mediocre team wanting to make that 'splash' move and biting if we decide to trade him.
