Ilias - We're thinking similarly. Here's what I posted in Dude's thread... From this list I'd probably go a different route, I like FVV, but not at that money. I also like Tre Jones, but he's small and not a great 3pt shooter. If FVV comes at a decent rate for 3 years, then I think that works, but at $46M that would eat of too much of our cap. I'd rather throw a 24-26M at Austin Reaves and let him work in the backcourt with JG. He's got some playmaking skills, is a 40% 3pt shooter and won't hurt us on defense. Plus he's versatile enough to play in backcourt or as a small ball wing. If we're going to invest, I'd rather go with a younger guy (25) that has played at a high-level and has versatility/skills. We're also trying to build a culture, so adding a guy like Grant Williams gives Ime someone he's familiar with and has also played in the play-offs at a high-level. He can play both SF/PF and is only 24. At the 5, Brook Lopez fits all of our needs--defense, shooting, culture/mentor and bonus of championship experience. If he's not available, then Mason Plumlee would be a solid guy to slot behind Sengun. I love Poeltl, but see him as part of TOR future and maybe overkill for what we're looking for. The only SF I like on that list is Jae Crowder, although older he's a daawg and provides a solid 3/D vet. I also like Bruce Brown for his defense, offensive skills and championship experience and would be someone I'd love for us to get, if we don't go the other routes.
If we give him $55M/2 yrs… who is going to give him that much? OKC took themselves out of the running with the Bertans trade. SAS probably not, since they got Wemby and Pop said Zach Collins would start for them next year. Jazz have Kessler, Markkanen, Olynyk, and Hendricks and need guards. Pistons have 4 true bigs they’re developing already and need wings. Pacers have the exact same archetype in Myles Turner. Magic already have WCJ and their 2 best players are PF’s. No minutes for another big. That’s it. Houston is the only team with enough cap space and a need for a rim protecting stretch 5 option.
Yeah. I just believe you can plan for the truth: we don't know. I also believe we should develop them based on whatever scientifically is the best way: of course believe in your own investment as long as everything is a possibility. If you believe in a player that's going to make it, they're going to make it faster than if you didn't believe in them. You don't have to sacrifice anything else. You're right though, don't know why I bother.
Great call, Monte Morris is exactly the PG we need. Low usage, low turnovers, at age 27 he’s right in his prime. When Amen/TyTy become ready to take the reigns he wont have an issue taking a back seat. I’m hoping some combination of KJ, Tate and Josh gets a deal done. Washington is finally in rebuild mode maybe they’d like to take a flier on a couple of our young guys Not a huge fan of FVV. He’ll be expensive, it might even require a 4-year max to get him here. If Monte can’t be had, I’d rather absorb a guy like Lowry or Conley into cap space in an unbalanced trade.
Yeah and I do believe Brook is fine looking for a paycheck right now. He has won a championship and he will only be playing another 2-3 years. The only problem I could see is other teams offering him a longer term deal with more guaranteed money than us. But overall, if we want him I think we have a really good chance to sign him - and I think we should. He will help us win most of any players we could reasonably sign while also being a good influence of our young team. So Brook should be our no brainer target. PG is way more difficult. The only player comparable to Brook in that regard (a veteran, that helps us win now but will be gone in two years) would be CP3 but I guess GSW wants to keep him. FVV is the most high profile player, but he will demand a 4 year deal - if we sign him we should expect him to play 30+ minutes in our backcourt for the next 4 years. That makes it tough to also play Green and Amen reasonably many minutes. I mean with a three man rotation, that would be possible, but we need more depth, at least for injury insurance. I would sill be happy with signing him, but if Amen and Green work out, we will need to move one of the three during FVVs contract (and probably FVV and it might be hard to move his contract). Maybe we go with signing a backup PG, but we already may have one on the roster right now in TyTy. So spending this off season is not that easy. I would try my best to go into next season with the money to sign a max player.
I don't like FVV in a 4-year max either. In fact, giving anyone not a top tier PG in his prime a 4-year max is very risky assuming that we will try to develop Amen in that role. But I am thinking if we are going to absorb a lopsided trade in order to get a good PG in the short term, maybe we can consider doing the lopsided trade 2 years later in the other direction. If Amen pans out, will we be able to get rid of an overpaid guy like FVV by attaching some assets (e.g. the Nets picks)? And if Amen busts, we still have a competent PG, albeit overpaid. Just a thought.
KJ is not remotely worth a lottery pick. Let's take off our homer goggles. And if Dallas wanted a random role player, they would have made that trade on or before draft night.
I think I would offer kjm and Tate and a 2nd round and get ben Simmons, I really think he can turn his career around and with ime, leadership that the players like..I think he make Ben Simmons buy in, imagine if Ben Simmons gets back to what he was an 3time allstar all NBA defense, very good point guard
I draw your attention to the fact that Lively would be a greater asset for the Rockets than Martin or even Sengun. Y
That's my point, chief. Lively is going to be a significantly more valuable asset to pretty much any NBA team than Martin. And if that's the case, why does Dallas make that trade? They don't. Zero chance they deal Lively for a package centered around KJ. It would take a lot more than that.
If the Rockets want to both be a competitive team and develop their young players they are going to need to strike a balance between competing and developing. The keys to the Rockets competing for a title are guys they selected in '21-'23. Free agents signed this year will 100% not be around when the Rocket's are eyeing deep playoff runs. Therefore, these guys needs to serve only 2 purposes: 1) allow the team to be playing meaningful games late into the season so that the kids are actually seeing that environment and competing in those types of games and 2) help develop the kiddos into pros (life on the road, the value of practice, honing their craft, etc).
What I'd do: Trades Trade Martin and Garuba to Indiana for TJ McConnell and Aaron Nesmith (and a SRP or two?) Trade Tate for a heavily protected first or a SRP Free Agency Sign Jevon Carter (2 years/$25M), Grant Williams (2 years/$30M) and Brook Lopez (2 years/$40M) Etc. Release Nix Simplistic look at the Rotation Point Guard Carter/McConnell/Thompson: Carter and McConnell represent the steady hands helping to develop our youngins. They play the majority of the minutes at the 1. These guys are pros and should help steady the rest of the young roster and keep the Rockets playing more consistenely than they have. Think of them like game managing QBs whose job it is to get the ball to the playmakers. Thompson starts the year at RGV and is brought along as quickly as his play justifies. Both Carter and McConnell are gone after 2 seasons so hopefully Thompson is the guy by then. Shooting Guard Green/KPJ/Christopher: Green is the key to any Rockets playoff run. He continues to play 30-35 mpg but hopefully with better shots and a better PG play he scores more and more efficiently. Still holding out that JC can develop into a defensive stopper. KPJ soaks up a few minutes behind Green. Small Forward KPJ/Eason/Nesmith/Whitmore: KPJ slots into his natural spot and begins life as the 3&D wing he probably should have always been. His contract allows the Rockets to move away from him as soon as Whitmore is ready. Eason/Whitmore is the future that only begin to scratch the surface of next season. Power Forward Smith/Williams/Eason: The Rockets really need Smith to start 2023/2024 the way he finished 2022/2023. Really hoping he is a near 20/10 guy with range and good defense as soon as next year but I think thats probably year 3 honestly. Williams plays the PJ Tucker (Thicc defender/corner 3) role. Eason gets the remaining minutes being a rebound hound and energy guy. Center Sengun/Lopez/Smith: Could easily go Lopez/Sengun too. Both guys play about 25 mpg. If Sengun is looking like Domantas Sabonis then he gets the nod and more minutes. Hopefully Lopez pushes him to get to that level.
