To be honest Zion looks like a bust. I would rather go after Julian Newman, have you seen his handles and speed?
I also think Garland could be a stud... but that’s a move akin to rebuilding anyway. Even with a “ton” of cap space. At that point you ought as well just offer NO Harden for Zion (and contracts) and you’ve got Garland+Zion. If you were really really gung-ho about those two guys you’d effectively be 70% done with a rebuild. One more bad year, then start adding FA as you have really tons of room the following offseason. Super quick way to a rebuild. I’m down. NOP and LAL can battle GSW Andy lose for the next couple years.
Not yet, Harden is a known quantity, top 2 in MVP 4 of 5 years. Even as the #1 pick Zion is far from a guarantee to even be close to that level.
I wouldn't trade Harden and why would Daryl Fertitta? The team wants to compete now. I admit I didn't see Zion play much. Obviously he's impressive; I didn't realize he's, what?, 6'7" and pushing 300 pounds (and he's going to be in New Orleans with all that fried food and bread pudding?) In any case, I could see, maybe, Morey dangling Clint and CP3 to a cap-space team like the Lakers for that fourth pick (once Rondo and KCP's second year options are declined), maybe. The Lakers might hang up with a sigh and a shake of the head. But you don't trade a Harden unless he asks out, much like Anthony Davis.
Right... but Harden and a sack of potatoes gets you knocked out of the playoffs. The irony of someone like me ready to rebuild... it’s that I recognize how amazing Harden is. He’s carried this team farther than it should and threatens GSW more than the crappy roster should. The Rockets are talent deficient. I just recognize that there’s virtually no way to fix that. The West will be different again next year. Imo, Denver will be better. And OKC is due to figure out a first round win. And if Utah makes smart moves (i could see them chasing Mike Conley) they’ll be better (unless we think Donovan Mitchell will forever be unable to shoot in the playoffs). Meanwhile CP3 will be older and untradeable. EG, Tucker... getting older. I’m always coming from the perspective of winning a ring as soon as possible.
Harden isn’t going anywhere CP3 good luck moving that contract The only tradable player with any value is Capela. His value took a big hit this year in the playoffs. So Capela plus draft picks gets you_____?
I wouldn't call Zion a bust just yet but don't see him as the transcendent type of player that most seem to think he is. When is Newman projected to be taken? Don't really know much about him to be honest.
We still have Harden. We need to reload around him one more time. We reloaded after Dwight and McHale and made it back to the same point. Maybe we can make another run. I do think we need to cut bait when Harden is 34 though. I don’t want to see us fade out like we did with Dream and Barkley. Trade for assets at that point and start over. We still have a little time now.
I don’t think we can tank for a top 10 pick, select the right guy, have him develop, and still be in Hardens prime. I guess it’s possible though. It Certainly worked out for the Spurs with Duncan.
Right, the problem is there's lots of other teams and the Rockets are now way behind the 8 ball asset wise. DM is a magician at times, but he's limited by the rules and what he has. All of the re-tooling the last 7 years has meant we are deficient on assets, and have no cap space. They'll never have cap space as long as CP3 is still on the team, because him and Harden will take up $75+ million.... then cap holds. Trading him purely into cap space seems impossible. Capela/EG/Tucker are their only moveable assets, but you're basically at best getting back a different EG/Tucker for EG/Tucker (at best), and Capela's trade value plummeted over the last 2 weeks. Plus, don't you still kind of need Capela? Look at last offseason. Part of the reason it was so bad was because DM is at the point where he can't do much... so he said, "f it", let's see if Melo works (lol). I think this offseason he does better, even if he doesn't land a "big fish" (virtually impossible), but being better around the edges won't get it done. As I noted, there's lots of other teams in the West getting better. GSW will get better, imo, too.
So you're proving his point. We can't beat the best team in the west. Start the clock over. If you have a shot to draft the best rookie in the 2010's you go for it. No way NOLA would even trade him for Harden or Lebron even.
That is a good point. It seems that we have two stars that shrink in big moments - but perhaps it is just because like the Houston Oilers to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70s, we are just the 2nd best team. Will need to think about that. DD
They might do it. Our dream here is Harden + AD. They’d be getting that. Of course still need AD to commit. They aren’t trading Zion if AD isn’t committing.
I doubt it. Too much pride and ego for Davis to change course after all the damage has been done. Imagine the fans. They would turn on Davis at any given moment. AD is gone.
Yes, agreed, unfortunately. And its not possible to quantify how lucky NOP got last night. Not only did they get #1, the Lakers got #4. So all those packages from the Lakers last year that "weren't enough", even if you remove a player or two, but now you're adding the #4 pick. Leave LAL Ingram. Take Kuzma, Hart, Lonzo, #4. Now you have Kuzma, Hart, Lonzo, Zion, you can potentially resign Randle, you have Jrue, and the #4 pick which could be any of Hunter, Garland, Culver types. Not saying that will happen, but in a world where that does happen, LAL are very good next year, and NOP are set-up to be really good in 3-4 years. I'm not as sold on the Grizzlies rebuild, but if they can find a smart move for Conley, you never know. Speaking of which, that's a situation that hurts the Rockets a bit. For the few random teams that might be interested in an older, veteran PG. Conley now only has 2 years left (maybe 1 with the ETO), at a cheaper salary, and he's younger and better than CP3. So for that "CP3 is tradeable thread"... well it just got harder.
