Just out of curiosity. The idea that we try to "rebuild" seems to get positive responses, especially whenever we go on a losing streak. But the idea that we "tank" is looked upon negatively. Yet it seems to me that "tanking" is much more fruitful than "rebuilding". Take the following scenarios. A) Rockets trade away Scola and/or Martin, etc. get future picks and a young player, get the #1 pick and Perry Jones, and go back to being a WC 8-9 seed again if he pans out well. And we have the argument again about how we're stuck in mediocrity. And it will once again be about looking at the kids ala Francis/Mobley/Griffin/etc. years and get annoyed. B) Martin once again goes down with an "injury", Scola's minutes get greatly reduced because Patterson's "defense and playing the right way" deserves more minutes. Brooks get back up minutes and we see what TWill can do(which is likely not much this year in terms of helping us win). The Rockets still get the #1 pick and then trade some pieces for a defensive C. Then they'd have a lineup of Scola/Jones/Martin/Lowry/Center who can play defense. Isn't that a team that can contend in a couple of years, if the draft pick pans out? Seems to me it's so much smarter to tank the season. This way, if you do hit the lottery and get a difference maker, you can surround him with enough solid players immediately. That said, this isn't an adovcate of tanking or rebuilding. It's more of a theoretical question, since I don't think Morey and Les will be looking to blow it up. Nor do I believe Adelman will coach a team that's in it to tank.
Tanking has a negative connotation, and is considered a long-term project. Fans are impatient and want to win now, bottom line. Rebuilding is viewed as the quicker, more stable road to success. Stick to your guns, make minor tweaks, and hope for the best... people naturally oppose change.
So you have a plan to get the #1 pick? Do let us know all about it, I mean New Jersey won 12 games last season with the 2nd worst record in history and obviously they didn't have your great plan to get the #1 pick. I am sure they would definitely listen to you.
This. REPPED for finding obvious flaw in premise assuming that 25% odds at getting the #1 overall pick, even if team goes 0-82, will somehow turn into 100% odds.
this subject has been beaten to death...tanking IS NOT a sure thing, far from it. Maybe it'll get you one nice player, but you need a team to win. You build a team with a little bit of everything, FA, trades, and the draft.
Well, I think Houston has the pieces and front office to re-load. If Houston had NY money, the Rockets would already have their shot-blocking C or PF and all-star PG.
Tanking is no more productive than rebuilding....in fact probably less so... Or an owner with deeper pockets who did not care so much about the bottom line. DD
What flaw? Does the premise change whether the Rockets get the #1 or #5? Regardless of draft position, you get a young player with potential. The only difference is who he plays with: other young players with potential who may or may not pan out? Or established veterans capable of winning now. If you fail to land a good player in the draft, regardless of whether you tank or rebuild... You FAIL.
Because tanking does not guarantee anything. Look at decades worth of tanking from the Clippers and other similar teams and all they have to show for it is horrible teams over and over. Sure, they got Blake and a decent set of young guys but that ain't helping them win. Look at the Kings the last few years, continuously tanking and never making anything out of it. If you can reload without tanking, why would you put yourself through the misery of it? If you can win and be competitive while still improving, why not do it? It's stupid to not try. Some people want to make cake. Some people want to eat it. I want to do both.
Right now, looking at the talent on this team tanking will net us a 6th-13th pick. This team is too good to lose to the likes of the T'wolves and Kings...but find it difficult to beat the better teams. Even if you trade some guys, you are still going to get good value back especially with Morey. I think it is better though that maybe we don't get too high of a pick in the draft and may be able to move up because of that.
Lets reload! Where is our Pierce? Where are our top 5 picks? Who is our Al Jefferson? I don't necessarily support tanking, but I do want the Rockets to cut back on the playing time of the veterans and give them to our young guys and let them develop, we are far more than a couple of moves away from being legit contenders.
Okay, lets say that we continue to sink in Jan and early Feb but rebound once the schedule gets reasonable again, come April do we play the starters or develop the young guys?
Because most guys on CFs are old will die before the tanking comes to fruition. All kidding aside they think when a team tanks the front office tells the players to not play to win. I think thats only happened a few times in NBA history(the Spurs). Can we just trade Battier, Scola, Jeffries, maybe Miller and Hayes as well for draft picks and cap room. We play the young and see where that takes us. Plus a high draft pick and young players can be trade pieces for a star, but I still think no star wants to come here.
This subject has been beaten down several time before. I'd rather retool no sure thing now that rules changed in tanking. We don't need to tank, but instead upgrade our assets. Imo, We have tried to find our Al Jefferson type asset, but it's harder then you think. Our best option is to clear salary and veterans and upgrade assets. All this is done from with in. Can't really control player movement to easily or net a #1 pick. So because the rules have changed it's much more difficult to build a dynasty then it was before the rule change.
Right i forget and Jeff Green/Al Jefferson we have no assets that come remotely close to this then what Boston had. While Green was a #5 pick was traded to Thunder (then Sonics at the time) for Allen. That's all Boston did to retool. But today the game changed and more stars want larger markets and want to intergrate into a single team it's tough. I'll say it again as long as Yao is around this team will be in turmoil, because everything was designed around him. Time to move on. While i think they've been trying to upgrade assets, Brooks is the closest thing to Al Jefferson we currently have. And it's going to take more then one star to put us in contention. We need a Al Jefferson (Cousins/Love) and a top ten pick to get the superstar thingy done.
True fans love seeing their team lose. Every Rocket's loss brings a smile to my heart because I know it increases our lottery chances.
