The Klay Thompson injury ramifications for the Rockets

A lot of you pushed back on the above this morning. Allow me to explain. When I say they should “run it back”, I don’t mean they shouldn’t seek to make improvements. I’m essentially commenting on my prior assertion, aggressively made, that the Rockets’ top priority this summer should have been moving Clint Capela for a viable wing option who could actually stay on the floor against the Golden State Warriors. That calculus changes now with the Warriors, for all intents and purposes, out of the picture for next season due to this Klay Thompson injury.

The call to trade Capela wasn’t made on the merits in a vacuum. It was a reaction in relation to his lack of effectiveness against the Rockets’ main perceived threat. Against the rest of the league, Capela is still a positive asset. He’s the reason they dominated Denver, considered a rising threat out West. He’ll be important against Portland and their slow-footed big men. He’s played Joel Embid well, and dominated Rudy Gombert and Karl Anthony Towns in postseason play. The Rockets shouldn’t look to trade him just to trade him.

Now, of course, if they can get a significant upgrade for him in a deal, all bets are off. For instance, one of you asked me if I’d trade Capela and two first round picks for Bradley Beal. I think the Wizards would laugh at that offer, but it would be a no-brainer for the Rockets. So I’m certainly not saying he should be untouchable. They should shop him around and explore the market.

But I no longer think the Rockets have to move him the way they would have had Thompson not gotten hurt.

Posted in musings | 1 Response

Viewing the Rockets through the lens of the Texans

The Texans fired their GM, Brian Gaine, yesterday. As a franchise, the Texans are kind of a joke. They’ve managed to embarrass the city on national television numerous times and don’t have much to show for their history. They also somehow fell ass backwards into a franchise quarterback and have done next to nothing to protect him.

Read More »

Posted in essays | Leave a comment

[Retro] Warriors out of Howard sweepstakes, sign Iguodala

The Golden State Warriors have reached a verbal agreement on a four-year, $48 million contract with free agent Andre Iguodala after completing a salary cap-clearing trade with the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN and media reports.


The Warriors had begun shopping contracts in hopes of creating enough cap space to try to sign free-agent center Dwight Howard, ESPN.com reported Thursday night.


Howard later confirmed via Twitter that he will sign with the Houston Rockets.


On Friday, though, it became apparent that the Warriors were slipping in the Howard sweepstakes, so Golden State shifted to trade the expiring contracts of Richard JeffersonAndris Biedrins and Brandon Rush to complete a deal with Iguodala.


The Warriors found a match in the Jazz, who will get a first-round pick in the highly anticipated 2014 draft, as well as the Warriors’ first-rounder in 2017, to take on the salaries, according to Yahoo! Sports, which first reported the Iguodala deal.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/9452879/golden-state-warriors-get-andre-iguodala-dwight-howard-chase-source-says

Like everybody else, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about this Warriors run of late. But I think as a Rockets fan, you think about Warriors exceptionalism more than anyone else because their existence has invalidated what has been a spectacular run in its own right on the part of the Rockets.

They’re not replicable because so many things outside of the norm occurred for them to assemble this team. Curry being underpaid because of his early career injuries. Green emerging out of nowhere. Finding Thompson late in the lottery. Of course, the unprecedented cap spike that allowed them to nab Durant.

But the most ironic link in the chain of events was Golden State striking out on Dwight Howard and signing Andre Iguodala as a consolation prize. I remember at the time being absolutely livid that Utah had agreed to take on Jefferson, Biedrins, and Rush, clearing the stage for the Warriors to sign Dwight. And of course, we signed him.

Of course, the rest is history. The Warriors would never have become the Warriors had they had Dwight clogging up the paint demanding possessions and not had Iguodala’s defensive brilliance, leadership, and experience. It’s funny how things play out the way they do.

Posted in musings | 2 Responses
Follow Red94 for occasional rants, musings, and all new post updates