[Woj] Rockets are expanding trade discussions on Harden

I get what your saying but it’s not stones job to address every rumor or “source”. Otherwise he would be responding all day.

his job is to make moves, I think he could care less what the media says, he knows the truth and the moves he makes will still be the same. I think every GM takes the media with a grain of salt, they are discussing trades with eachother they already know the demands and situation.

 

I like how Stone is handling this. Rockets have good vibes on the inside, and that’s all that matters. Silas has his team motivated, Stone snagged a 25 year old all star in free agency, and two former all stars. I’m happy to see him continue to move in the shadows.

 

I dont want him to address every rumor. I want him to draw the line in the sand and let everyone know the companies vision under the new management, how they feel about Harden. Acknowledge his trade request, play mind games - say how much they wish he would stay to a calm James down a bit - and then make the best trade possible at the right time. Stone has no leverage since he's allowing the public eye to set the tone for his negotiations. Fertitta even made that awkward 'we hope Harden wins a championship for the Rockets' comment not too long ago when news broke. If Fertitta is not allowing any statement to be made, well then that would be a whole different can of worms.

 

How do you know the Rockets have good vibes though? (I dont disagree - just playing devils advocate and the casual fan perspective on what they read in all these hit pieces). Im not doubting Stones business sense and ability to do his job at a high level, I too like what he's been doing. We cant just operate in a vacuum down here while the rest of the basketball world is taking a fat sht on our heads.

 

What WOJ doesn't always realize is that James is great with the passive-aggressive techniques.

Consider this, how do you piss off the owner, coach and fans?

How do you show discontent with the franchise?

Put aside that awful piece about James running the show. All Franchise players run the show.

As I said before, and from what I'm hearing, James isn't BENT on leaving. He wants to win.

If MGMT makes that possible, James will stay. James "leaked" preferred locations are ALL teams that have the roster to win it all.

He doesn't want out of Houston. He wants to win. He's the only MVP player in the last, what, decade? who has not been to the finals (outside of the Greek Queen who wins out of adoration and Harden hate).

I'm hearing James still has Htown in his blood. He just needs assurance of Wall's body, Boogie's body and if Wood is the real deal. That's not championship material yet, but mid-season, there are some combinations that could make this work.

There is no other team in the league to give the Rockets anything close to James' talent. NONE. He knows this.

So, he's either going to be patient and play his ass off, or he could find Stone and our idiotic owner shipping him to Chicago.

And to the poster who mocked my Melo MIP suggestion, consider how well he's done in Portland. He was shipped out of here without good reason other than personality issues with you know who.

Be patient....

Unless Miami gives up everything outside of Jimmy.

Peace and Love.

 

I mean obviously they’d rather get this over sooner than later but are willing to wait it out to get the best possible return. Why wouldn’t they want this over? The sooner it ends it means the rockets got the return they wanted and don’t have to worry ab hearing harden stories every game.

willing to be patient doesn’t mean they don’t want it over the sooner the better

 

Kawhi is the outlier vs the norm and the Kawhi legacy is not fully formed is he the centerpiece of a championship team or is he a very valuable piece for a team who has great coaching and is deep.

Anyway I don't see him ever being the level of Beal on offense he just can't create his own shot like that.

 

I agree with you here. Some clarity would be nice and one statement is all it takes. However, I still think Stone is likely trying to play it close to chest. If Harden says he’s focused on being here (which he has), and he hasn’t said a word himself about being traded (publicly), you wonder if not saying anything is Stone’s way of “saying” they are just focused on the season at hand and not even considering offers rn (granted I’d like to hear that from his mouth). This raises Hardens value if it looks like (to other organizations) that we want to keep him and aren’t even worried about what the media says. Plus, after how he looked with Wood, you’ve got to imagine his value is going to peak early season. That’s when those heavy hitter offers most likely roll in. So, to the average fan, yes it looks like Harden is being shopped while his value is low. But to orgs, you wonder if they view it the same. Stone not budging might be what is giving other GM’s an itch to see where he’s at w/ Harden, thus extending the options we may have.

 

Thanks Codman. Great insight, but this perspective always pisses me off. Why is getting to the Finals magical? If you lose to the best team, why does it matter what round you happened to face them? This isn't tennis where the #2 seed is automatically on the opposite bracket as #1 - the Rockets happened to be in the West with the best team in history, to whom they lost. Yes, the Warriors then lost ... but only when they lost Durant, who was in all but one game of the Rockets series.

Oh, and Westbrook did not make the finals as an MVP, and only made it the same year that Harden did as part of Durant's team. So, 2 of the last 4 MVPs didn't make the finals as the top player on their team.

 

Rox need assurances that he'll show up on time, for practices, planes, video sessions, etc... Rox need assurances, he won't try to play GM or be a coach killer, trust the new GM and coach, give them chance. Rox need assurances that he won't abuse his star leadership. It all goes both ways especially trust.

 

Wut?

Has Simmons not been paying with Embid?

Tap the brakes on the Wood love, my god.

 

CODBOMB

 

You telling me there is a chance he stays? Pls be true

 

If this is true, then why would James not be in training camp from day one to see what these guys have to offer? It makes no sense.

 

Its a game of ego chicken. James has already made public comments after the news broke and he handled them like you would have expected him to, just vague nothings that made me believe that while he may not be ecstatic, he wasnt going to be a problem either. I felt like it MIGHT be salvageable, but then Stone isnt saying anything at all. Im not asking him to grovel at the feet of James if changing bad habits is the goal of his, but ignoring and playing petty games is a bad look IMO especially after James called him out on not having any conversation - it was a perfect time for Stone to either verify or deny that claim, but with his silence it seems to me that maybe James could be right. He should present a united front for the fans and players and lay out the company mission.

I dont worry about the national perspective either only that in this instance its hurting the team and what it could expect to get back every time one of these sensationalist articles gets released. Stone should be slapping around all these journalists who have dragged the team.

 

It’s only logical. This is the 93 Rockets of the Harden era.

It actually makes sense that Harden would use a trade demand as some last ditch effort as leverage to get what he wants. As Codman says, KNOWING they can’t get even close to equal value.

It would be a complete and utter catastrophe and genuinely bad for the NBA if Harden is traded any time close to soon.

 

Hope you're feeling well big dog.

 

Embiid is legit but I don’t really see him as an athletic rim runner. Athletic but not explosive.
More like prime Boogie with better post game.

 

I'm not apologizing for James. I don't agree with all of it. But I get it. But, either way, James is playing and he's trying to be himself out there despite the noise.

Still, what have the Rockets done to improve the team? We're hoping that 2 guys off of horrendous injuries return to form? Christian Wood is an incredible talent, but does he push the needle? It just comes down to winning. James wants to win and he's tried in Houston for a long time. He went through the horrible coaching of McHale, the Dwight drama and the painful WCF loss to GS.

He wants help, and he wants an owner who isn't cheap and values his players. You know this already.

Look at the events leading up:
Dwight (toxic) And, I was a fan of his effort the first 2 seasons.
CP3 (worst injury, worst time) And, he didn't show up the next season in the playoffs
MDA (easy)
Morey (Ouch x1000000)
Russ (Didn't work out; Russ Didn't show up in the playoffs)
Tilman (Disgrace)



James hasn't had the same support as other superstars, ESPECIALLY when he's needed them. And, he's a loyalty guy. He wants his brothers to be treated well for the years put in and the effort (see; Tuck)

James could be traded today.

What I'm hearing is that it's not about getting out as much as "Please give me a damn chance to win. Put players around me that can take us back to the WCF. Thabo, Clemons (one love), etc aren't doing it.

This is just from James camp and his great mom knows why this is happening.

We can agree to disagree, and I'll dip out, but even Ne' and Trevor (who James highly respects) knows all of this.