Would you call what Stone and the Org are doing, tanking?

Are we thinking about the same bridges? You know, the one traded to Nets?

 

This is the ultimate question.

I don't know the answer but I do believe its safe to say that they won't improve sitting on the bench.

I just don't know how much they can improve when they are surrounded by kids all in the same situation and no veterans to show them the way.

I have understood Stone's situation from the get go - the compressed timeframe because of the draft obligations and I can't say I'd have done much different. I'd have tanked it up too .... You had 3 drafts to accumulate top tier talent after that having your books clean to sign (or trade for) the missing pieces was critical.

I just don't think they took into account the lack of maturity of the current one and done top picks or how big a gamble the draft really is.

 

We are tanking, but we aren't developing our young talent either. It's going to be a long process, because the last 2 years are being wasted on ****ing Gordon, Tate, Porter, Nix, Mathews, Days, etc.

 

Stone better be careful, otherwise they'll rig the games so the Rockets don't lose again.

 

I disagree with your definition. To me, foregoing wins in the hopes of acquiring talent is the definition of tanking. Development can happen as you acquire talent, sure. If you develop and your players are too good, you'll be forced out of tanking because you're not going to be able to "hide" the fact how good you are and you'll end up something like the 8th or 9th worst team in the league, unless you're just that good at tanking and want to tank in the hopes of acquiring more talent. I'm hoping the Rockets are the latter and not in the "man, we just suck" bucket or "most of these kids just are nowhere near ready" point like @Corrosion said.

As tragic as it may sound, if you put development ahead of losing, you aren't 100% going for the tank. The Teams like the Spurs, maybe the Pacers, etc. have done that and spun their wheels. This season, I think the Spurs finally said, "we need to tank" especially with that tall dude.

Jerry Colangelo once said he tried to tank but Dwayne Casey screwed it all up by motivating the players too much. lol. I remember him saying he wanted to play the young players and, hopefully by doing that, lose, but sure within that losing build a culture, yada yada yada. I always found that hilarious.

 

I think we all heard wrong. I'm sure he said "Pray for victory". Yeah... that's it ...

 

Yes, Stone is 100% blatantly tanking.. but he tells our players this is another "developmental" year which is a half-truth.

Yes we're developing our players, just in the worst way possible by not using a proper coach.

 

No one in the world thinks the Rockets aren't tanking.

 

Looking at how our guys performed this weekend, they really are not developing like they should. That indicates that we are tanking.

 

Why is this even a question? You don't see trading or releasing all our vets and being at the bottom of the standing three straight years as a giant Las Vegas sign flashing "WE'RE TANKING!"?

Newsflash: They were tanking last year, and most of the year before that, too. That was the plan from the moment they realized Harden actually wanted out. What else could they have done?

Seriously, is there ANYONE out there that doesn't see this as a blatant hardcore tank job?? Just because no one associated with the team wants to risk league sanctions by admitting it doesn't mean it's dreadfully obvious.

I said it when Harden left: Any Rox fans who thought we wouldn't be horrible for at least 4-5 years just isn't paying attention.

 

I've thought the same myself, but I saw Jalen go off on the league at one point. And it wasn't some 2-3 game streak. He was legitimately the Jalen I expected to see. Then this year, we see the old Jalen again. I'm one of the people that wanted Paolo over Jabari, but I could see why people wanted Jabari - except for the fact I never figured out why his 2-pt FG% was so tragic at Auburn. The problem with both right now is neither one of them can consistently hit shots. At his best, when Jalen isn't hitting shots, he's an average defender. When Jabari isn't hitting shots, you pray he's rebounding or defending somebody well, but that hasn't actually worked out great so far, either. Then I think they're also young, so maybe the switch will go off. I'm hoping we'll be done with the tanking next year and actually try to win some games.

When Kobe came into the league, I thought he was the biggest chucking clown I ever saw. Somewhere along the way, he calmed down and allowed the skill to be used with the confidence and things slowed down. I'm hoping with Jalen and Jabari, it'll be that way. In the next draft, I just hope we get some dudes that have high basketball IQ, can hit a shot, can defend, and can pass unselfishly. Yeah, I know that's asking for the world unless maybe a Wembanyama is involved, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he disappoints, as well.

 

we're tanking - and blatantly so...

i think some of Silas' rants are 'dog n pony show'... he's 'in' on trying to lose...

the actual frustrations arent with the w-l column - its the lack of execution in areas that they are 'focusing' on...

 

I don't think it is as much a dichotomy as you state.

To me, a lot of things that Silas does (assuming he's not directly ordered to do those things) that makes no sense even for a tanking purpose. It's as if they couldn't decide whether they want the players to do well or not.

 

So that's what this thread is about? You believed they weren't tanking because Stone/Ferttita said, "We're not tanking."

I guess you also believed Mexico would pay for the wall and Clinton did not have sex with that woman?

 

It might be true for guys like Green and KPJ. But Sengun and Jabari aren't completely void of fundamentals. They might not know very well about positioning and stuff like that. But Smith's shooting form and defensive stance look like he has been taught these things. Same with Sengun's understanding of the offense.

Jabari's shooting should not be a potential. He has displayed his shooting ability. His struggle should be the opposite of the plan in drafting him, if there's a plan.

 

Obviously some of it is tanking.

A hell of a lot of it is being absolutely woeful and inept at their jobs - Tilman, Stone, and Silas.

 

I think its a natural tank. I think the organization is just so poorly mismanaged we can't help but tank.

 

I don't know what the answer is. If he's in on the tank, then I doubt he'll be let go. If he's not in on the tank, then he must suck. I'm content waiting and finding out. Maybe we'll know in the next year .. or the next 3-5 years.

 

A fair amount of Silas play calling and substitutions cannot possibly occur with an NBA level coach. Therefore I think he is actively tanking as his mistakes are often in the fundamental category. There is no way you have breathed basketball your entire life, come from a basketball family and make mistakes like these.