20 replies to this topic

[thejohnnygold]

 

If you do not recognize the above image, congratulations, you are likely young.  That means you have so much lying ahead of you; however, it also might mean you don't recall the championship years from the mid 90's.  Those years were so exhilarating because it is really, really hard to win a title.  We weren't supposed to win those titles.  Most had us written off (despite our #1 seed in '93-'94)  Hakeem didn't care.  Mad Max didn't care.  Elie, Casell, Horry, Thorpe, Clyde, Kenny, Bull, Rudy  T. and the rest.  They just came and took it.  Took it from David Robinson.  Took it from Chuck.  Stockton/Malone.  Shaq.  Ewing.  Heck, we took it from Clyde the first time around.

 

We find ourselves in a similar place.  We find ourselves with a similar team.  We find ourselves with a similar opponent.  Think back to those Suns teams---they were stacked!  Barkley, KJ, Ainge, Majerle, Person, Manning, Green, and Co.  Meanwhile, we stroll in with Hakeem (who only recently started being called by his actual name) and a bunch of "role players" and, well, the rest is history.

 

This year's team is closer to the '94-'95 version because of the CP3/Drexler comparison, but we're still not getting much love outside of H-town.  It's tough to be optimistic looking to the task at hand, but there are reasons for hope.  Reasons to believe.

 

 

 

They have to get Capela going offensively but more importantly on defense Clint will have to have an effect on Curry and Durant. I think the Durant’s contested twos will be welcomed but any threes by him will be trouble. The Rockets defense has to fly around enough to force them off the three point line and then create turnovers on their overconfident passes.  

 

Couldn't agree more, Mario.  Clint is going to be a huge factor and I can't wait to see how his match up with Durant goes.  Yes, Durant is playing center 25% of the time in the playoffs.  I think Capela can handle him out on the wing, but that leaves us exposed in the middle.  I'm assuming Bzdelik is concocting some sort of scheme to try and stop them, but is a 1-4 zone a good idea against a pass-happy team like them?

 

I think we roll the dice and allow Capela to play on the perimeter (as we've done a great deal already) while having Tucker, Mbah a Moute, Ariza, and Co. play the post as needed.

 

Potential X-Factors for the Dubs: Shaun Livingston and Kevon Looney.  Livingston is so under-rated.  Looney has been quietly putting in solid minutes.  Also, Steph Curry.  The  Dubs are posting a negative net rating when he sits.  (Sorry, can't seem to find the source for that).  Thus, finding a way to get him off the floor seems like a good idea.  (DUH!)

 

The Warriors CAN be beat.  The Rockets are going to need to find another level to do it.  The good news is that based on what I've seen so far this post-season we've got room to grow.  We've got to stay focused on the defensive end, on rebounding, and let the offense happen naturally.  If they try to get into a sprint race with the Dubs we'll get blown out of the gym.

 

Oh, and Eric Gordon.  Will someone wake Eric Gordon up and remind him he's 6MOY and 3 Pt. Champion and we're in a playoff series with an all-time juggernaut.  If Gordon can shoot 40%+ for the series (from deep) that will be huge for us.

 

It starts tonight, gents.  No matter what happens, let's enjoy the ride and appreciate what we've got.  This is a great team--one that's worth supporting and rooting for--win or lose.  It's time to come out and play.

[thejohnnygold]

Well, that was dis-heartening.  Adjustments need to be made.  They have clearly studied our passing lanes.  They bodied Capela to keep him from dominating the glass.  Their rotations on defense are happening (almost) ahead of the action.  D'Antoni has some work to do.

 

My favorite part from last night was Capela stripping the ball from Curry on the perimeter.  Awesome.

 

In light of how glum I assume most of us feel, please enjoy a little humor in this short video clip of a conversation between James Harden and Chris Paul.  VERY NSFW.  LINK

[thejohnnygold]

Something to look for heading into game 2.  This is a quote from Eric Gordon after the game:

 

 

 

“I definitely would like to get the ball more for me to be aggressive and get good looks,” said Gordon, who took 13 shots. “Offensively with everybody, we really don’t get real good looks. … We can’t isolate as much against a good defensive team. I don’t care who you are. We have some of the best isolation players out there. But against a team like that, it’s going to be too tough.”

 

We are just going to have to flat out play better in every aspect of the game--as a team.  Paul and Harden were pretty solid yesterday, but we're going to need more from the collective on both ends if we are going to win 4 of the next 6 games.

[Mario Peña]

That was a big swing by Golden State and they mostly all had good nights or tried to get going but we slowed them down (Curry)due to our defense. Kerr started off this series with maybe his best counter by altering his starting lineup. In my opinion D’Antoni, Harden and Paul as well as Bzdelik have at least one or two both offensive and defensive adjustments in their pocket. I don’t think home court matters for either of these teams and I won’t be surprised when the Rockets won one in GS.

James needs to keep his composure here and lead and I believe Paul will help with that. We’ll see tonight.

[thejohnnygold]

That was a big swing by Golden State and they mostly all had good nights or tried to get going but we slowed them down (Curry)due to our defense. Kerr started off this series with maybe his best counter by altering his starting lineup. In my opinion D’Antoni, Harden and Paul as well as Bzdelik have at least one or two both offensive and defensive adjustments in their pocket. I don’t think home court matters for either of these teams and I won’t be surprised when the Rockets won one in GS.

James needs to keep his composure here and lead and I believe Paul will help with that. We’ll see tonight.

 

I like your positivity.     I only half agree with home court not mattering.  Early in the series I agree, but once game 7 arrives it's huge.  

[Mario Peña]

You are right. In game seven it will matter. I think the Rockets will steal one in GS and then we can see how the adjustments game goes.

[thejohnnygold]

I turned off the game as the 4th Q started.  We played awful.  The Warriors did not.  That's how you lose by 41.  Mbah a Moute is un-play-able right now.  Also, why only 22 minutes of Capela?  James Harden's defense only works when Capela is there.

[thejohnnygold]

I can't believe we won that game.  The number of bad shots we took.  The general lack of any sort of offensive plan besides Iso, Iso, Iso, Iso...(Heck, even Steve Kerr called it during that time out they had the camera in his huddle.)  Our rebounding (specifically, boxing out) was atrocious.  I must have seen us lose the defensive rebound a dozen times when it was 1 on 3, 1 on 4, 2 on 4....that's inexcusable.  They were flat-footed.

 

Harden and the rest of the team are on a different page defensively.  He seems to think he can just "funnel" the player to someone else, but they don't seem to think that's the plan.  Lazy, soft passes that the Warriors are more than happy to pounce on.  Gerald Green thinks he's freakin' Kobe out there.  Lack of execution down the stretch to seal the win...

 

At least coach realized he can't play Mbah a Moute if he wants to win.  I'd gripe about the heavy minutes, but it's that time of year and we need our best guys on the floor.  Kerr is doing the same.  

 

Which brings me to the positives...we played pretty good defense most of the game.  Chris Paul has his game face on.  He's the reason we won last night.  We can play better.  If we can remember to play hard for the whole game we truly have a chance of toppling the Warriors.  Sadly, it seems we sometimes forget this isn't a friendly scrimmage.

 

I'm actually happy--I know it might seem like I'm not.  Like I said, I don't think we should have won based on how we played.  We stole one.  Now we need to hold serve at home, put a foot on their collective necks....and not let them get up.

[redfaithful]

At least coach realized he can't play Mbah a Moute if he wants to win.  I'd gripe about the heavy minutes, but it's that time of year and we need our best guys on the floor.  Kerr is doing the same.  

 

 

Is Mbah A Moute not playing because is not fully healthy or because of matchup?

[thejohnnygold]

Is Mbah A Moute not playing because is not fully healthy or because of matchup?

 

My guess is health, but whatever it is he just wasn't contributing the way we needed him to.  We needed him to do what Ariza and Tucker are doing:.  Oh, and Eric Gordon who is quietly proving his defensive chops.

 

Now, let us all collectively pray to heal CP3's hammy just long enough to get us past the Warriors.  

[thejohnnygold]

I'm mostly in a positive place moving forward.  I like our team.  I'm not 100% sure what our offensive genius coach was up to this last series (also not sure why Ryan Anderson was guarding Curry on the perimeter over and over, but that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?).  Plus, we've got Qi and Hartenstein developing...hopefully one, or both, can make it.  We need more size.

 

I try not to get on the refs much, but these past 2 games were blatant and make me feel like I'm watching the WWE  and not the NBA.  The litany of no-calls for us was laughable.  Just over a few minutes in the 3rd, the refs were directly responsible for a 12 point swing in the Warriors' favor.  While it may not have won/lost us the game, what it did do was change our collective psyche, boost theirs, and force us to play from behind--the guys started to press, to rush, and the shots weren't falling because of it.  Would it have mattered?  We'll never know, but that doesn't excuse a blatant abuse of authority and the video evidence is all there.  The NBA needs to address the issue.  Further, the NBA owes the city of Houston, and all of its fans, an apology (not bloody likely to happen).

 

Even other NBA players saw it including DeMarcus Cousins, CJ McCollum, and Jeremy Lin.      OK, i'm done.

 

Probably not going to watch the Warriors trounce the Cavs.  

 

I do recall one moment last night where I turned and said, "Get Anderson out of there!  Anyone.  Anyone besides him would be better!", and just then they cut to Joe Johnson at the scorer's table, and I mutter to myself, "Oh god...."    

[rocketrick]

Hey JG

 

Not sure who else you would have wanted MDA to substitute into the game for one. I truly thought Moute could be a difference maker in this series. For whatever reason it simply didn't happen. Maybe he was still recovering from those shoulder injuries towards the end of the season??.

 

At least Ryan Anderson was able to keep Curry in front of him while on the floor but it didn't matter, Curry was on fire at that point. I agree with MDA with that substitution as well over Nene, At least Ryan Anderson has the ability to hit a 3 unlike Nene. And as I asked above, who else he gonna go with in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals? I am far from being a Ryan Anderson fan, hopefully Morey can flip him for more bench depth going forward. Won't be easy with his guaranteed salary for 2 more years however.

 

For sure I agree the refs missed some calls Hey, I'm a Rockets fan so yes, of course they did. I don't blame them for us losing though. 0-27 streak on shooting 3 pointers from midway 2nd quarter until deep into the 2nd half was our undoing....even though quite a few of those shots were wide open looks and not forced shots. 

 

Personally, I am rooting for LeBron and the Cavs although they are truly longshots here. Still, who knows. That's why they continue to play the games.........

Edited by rocketrick, 29 May 2018 - 02:45 PM.

[DenverRocket]

I'm mostly in a positive place moving forward.  I like our team.  I'm not 100% sure what our offensive genius coach was up to this last series (also not sure why Ryan Anderson was guarding Curry on the perimeter over and over, but that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?).  Plus, we've got Qi and Hartenstein developing...hopefully one, or both, can make it.  We need more size.

 

I try not to get on the refs much, but these past 2 games were blatant and make me feel like I'm watching the WWE  and not the NBA.  The litany of no-calls for us was laughable.  Just over a few minutes in the 3rd, the refs were directly responsible for a 12 point swing in the Warriors' favor.  While it may not have won/lost us the game, what it did do was change our collective psyche, boost theirs, and force us to play from behind--the guys started to press, to rush, and the shots weren't falling because of it.  Would it have mattered?  We'll never know, but that doesn't excuse a blatant abuse of authority and the video evidence is all there.  The NBA needs to address the issue.  Further, the NBA owes the city of Houston, and all of its fans, an apology (not bloody likely to happen).

 

Even other NBA players saw it including DeMarcus Cousins, CJ McCollum, and Jeremy Lin.      OK, i'm done.

 

Probably not going to watch the Warriors trounce the Cavs.  

 

I do recall one moment last night where I turned and said, "Get Anderson out of there!  Anyone.  Anyone besides him would be better!", and just then they cut to Joe Johnson at the scorer's table, and I mutter to myself, "Oh god...."    

 

Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

 

I think Mbah Moute could have made a difference if he hadn't suffered the second shoulder (re)injury - you could see when he attempted to play that he had a mental block attacking the rim. Ryno just sunk after his late season injuries, he looked unfit and his confidence was shot - we definitely need to try and flip him for something else in the off season. As much as I love Gerald Green, when he's your 6th man for the last two games and forced into bigger minutes, you are fighting a losing battle. Our regular season strength - a strong bench - turned out to be an illusion when push came to shove. Unfortunately (and strangely given the state of the Warriors health going into the play-offs), it was injuries that turned the series in favor of the Warriors - sure they lost Igoudala, but we lost CP3 and had already pretty much lost Mbah Moute and Anderson prior to that. I think if both teams had fully healthy squads for the whole series, we could come out on top.

 

As for the missed 3's, I agree with what you say - we were rushing and forcing due to chasing the game. My feeling is that we had five or six open, spot-up three's and hit 2 or 3 of them. The rest were either contested, or off the dribble heaves. A couple more go in and it's a dog-fight at the end.

 

All in all, it's hard to swallow, but you've got to look back on a fantastic season and have some optimism for next season.

[Cooper]

First off loved the intensity on defense and rebounding. Without Paul, Harden and Gordon had to be amazing and were just pretty good even with all that if Ariza doesn't go 0-for the game goes right down to the last few positions.

Its easy to point to the bench, Anderson was an 8 min disaster and getting nothing from LRM hurt but ultimately there just isn't enough guys in the league that can play on that high a level for even the best teams to have more than one or two. 

Sour grapes to blame the refs and all but I definitely feel like Harden still doesn't get the superstar calls he deserves and the times other guys actually did drive they were getting mugged at the rim and got nothing.

Edited by Cooper, 29 May 2018 - 06:44 PM.

[thejohnnygold]

Hey JG

 

Not sure who else you would have wanted MDA to substitute into the game for one. I truly thought Moute could be a difference maker in this series. For whatever reason it simply didn't happen. Maybe he was still recovering from those shoulder injuries towards the end of the season??.

 

At least Ryan Anderson was able to keep Curry in front of him while on the floor but it didn't matter, Curry was on fire at that point. I agree with MDA with that substitution as well over Nene, At least Ryan Anderson has the ability to hit a 3 unlike Nene. And as I asked above, who else he gonna go with in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals? I am far from being a Ryan Anderson fan, hopefully Morey can flip him for more bench depth going forward. Won't be easy with his guaranteed salary for 2 more years however.

 

For sure I agree the refs missed some calls Hey, I'm a Rockets fan so yes, of course they did. I don't blame them for us losing though. 0-27 streak on shooting 3 pointers from midway 2nd quarter until deep into the 2nd half was our undoing....even though quite a few of those shots were wide open looks and not forced shots. 

 

Personally, I am rooting for LeBron and the Cavs although they are truly longshots here. Still, who knows. That's why they continue to play the games.........

 

I know.  We were definitely short-handed; although,I would not have minded seeing Nene get in there.  We needed some buckets and he can score in the post plus he would have boosted our passing which we also needed badly.

 

As for Ryan Anderson keeping Curry in front of him....well, let's just say that's not how I remember it at all.  I remember him going by him at will pretty much every time except the one where he nearly broke an ankle trying to recover when Curry pulled up for a jumper.

 

And don't get me wrong about the refs.  I'm not blaming them for everything and not saying we would have won, but we sure as heck didn't need any more obstacles to overcome than we already had.

 

 

Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

 

I think Mbah Moute could have made a difference if he hadn't suffered the second shoulder (re)injury - you could see when he attempted to play that he had a mental block attacking the rim. Ryno just sunk after his late season injuries, he looked unfit and his confidence was shot - we definitely need to try and flip him for something else in the off season. As much as I love Gerald Green, when he's your 6th man for the last two games and forced into bigger minutes, you are fighting a losing battle. Our regular season strength - a strong bench - turned out to be an illusion when push came to shove. Unfortunately (and strangely given the state of the Warriors health going into the play-offs), it was injuries that turned the series in favor of the Warriors - sure they lost Igoudala, but we lost CP3 and had already pretty much lost Mbah Moute and Anderson prior to that. I think if both teams had fully healthy squads for the whole series, we could come out on top.

 

As for the missed 3's, I agree with what you say - we were rushing and forcing due to chasing the game. My feeling is that we had five or six open, spot-up three's and hit 2 or 3 of them. The rest were either contested, or off the dribble heaves. A couple more go in and it's a dog-fight at the end.

 

All in all, it's hard to swallow, but you've got to look back on a fantastic season and have some optimism for next season.

 

Yup.  I definitely enjoyed the ride and am looking forward to next year.  I'm not sure how much we can really improve without moving Ryno.  The good news is that, when healthy, I think we can beat anyone in the league.

 

One last thought...I've said for a long time that Harden's reliance on free throws concerns me in the playoffs when refs swallow their whistles.  Harden tallied 52 total fta's against GS.  That's 7.4 fta's per game.  Not bad...until you account for the uptick in minutes played.  Harden averaged 10.1 fta's per game during the season and 10.3 per36.  

 

Harden averaged 38 mpg this series.  That number would have been over 40 had he not played 32 and 33 in the 2 early blowouts.  So, we can safely assume about a 10% decrease bringing it down to per36 which gets us below 6.5 fta's per36 against GS.  That may not seem significant, but in context we're talking about plays that often lead to opponent scoring--which is a double whammy.  Not only do we not score 2-3 points, but they do--a 4 to 6 point swing each time.  In a game we lost by 9, that is huge.

 

I dislike it for a lot of reasons, but the main thing is he puts himself (and the team) in a position where someone else is in control of the outcome.  I'd like to see him do a couple of things this offseason.  First, take another step away from referee reliance and become an even more elite scoring machine.  He's already freakin' amazing, but I believe there is room for him to be even better.  Second, to commit to not only being in good shape (which I believe he is), but great shape.  Herschel Walker shape.  Jerry Rice shape.  The kind of workouts that make even world class athletes look and say, "no way am I doing that".

 

I know it's easy for me to sit here and say that, but, to me, those are the areas he can improve the most.

 

I also think D'Antoni needs to take the "role" players aside and build a little offensive system they can run that does not rely on Harden/Paul/Gordon ISO's and play-making.  We all saw what happened.  They had no clue what to do and were just chucking bad shots left and right.  I don't care what, but it looked bad.  That's why I wanted Nene put in.  We can run the offense from the post and I think it gives us a better shot than what we are currently employing.

[Noah]

Despite the heartbreak and disappointment, I am really looking forward to the offseason. Always exciting hearing rumors and debating potential assets to add to the team. As much as I'd love for us to acquire LeBron or Paul George, the most likely outcome is re-signing CP3, matching any offer sheet for Clint, and shaking up the rotation a bit. Personally, I think the core of CP3, Harden, Gordon, Capela, and Tucker is a solid building block moving forward. The rest of the roster needs tweaking for sure. The most obvious move is simply praying someone takes on Ryan Anderson. After that, I would let Ariza, Black, Green, and Joe Johnson walk. Not a big fan of Nene either, so I would try moving him as well. Mbah A Moute is a wild card because of how crucial his presence was for us during the season, but I have concerns for his long-term health with that shoulder injury; definitely some uncertainty with Luc.

 

With respect to potential pieces to add, every decision made this summer should have GS in mind. The most glaring need has to be expanding the 7-man rotation we played against them. We can no longer afford investing into players that are liabilities on the defensive end - I don't care how well they shoot the 3. JG also made a great point about D'Antoni's system regarding the limitations of our role players and how dependent they are of our play-makers to make things happen for them. This makes our offense so predictable at times. Taking a quick glance at the upcoming free agents, there are some intriguing 3-and-D players who are also capable of putting the ball on the floor:

 

Avery Bradley

JJ Redick

Wayne Ellington

Will Barton

Marcus Smart

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Joe Harris

 

It'll be tough improving the team with Ryan on the roster and the cap limitations, but my gut tells me special things will happen this offseason. 

[thejohnnygold]

Despite the heartbreak and disappointment, I am really looking forward to the offseason. Always exciting hearing rumors and debating potential assets to add to the team. As much as I'd love for us to acquire LeBron or Paul George, the most likely outcome is re-signing CP3, matching any offer sheet for Clint, and shaking up the rotation a bit. Personally, I think the core of CP3, Harden, Gordon, Capela, and Tucker is a solid building block moving forward. The rest of the roster needs tweaking for sure. The most obvious move is simply praying someone takes on Ryan Anderson. After that, I would let Ariza, Black, Green, and Joe Johnson walk. Not a big fan of Nene either, so I would try moving him as well. Mbah A Moute is a wild card because of how crucial his presence was for us during the season, but I have concerns for his long-term health with that shoulder injury; definitely some uncertainty with Luc.

 

With respect to potential pieces to add, every decision made this summer should have GS in mind. The most glaring need has to be expanding the 7-man rotation we played against them. We can no longer afford investing into players that are liabilities on the defensive end - I don't care how well they shoot the 3. JG also made a great point about D'Antoni's system regarding the limitations of our role players and how dependent they are of our play-makers to make things happen for them. This makes our offense so predictable at times. Taking a quick glance at the upcoming free agents, there are some intriguing 3-and-D players who are also capable of putting the ball on the floor:

 

Avery Bradley

JJ Redick

Wayne Ellington

Will Barton

Marcus Smart

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Joe Harris

 

It'll be tough improving the team with Ryan on the roster and the cap limitations, but my gut tells me special things will happen this offseason. 

 

I like the way you're thinking; although, I'm not high on KCP.  I guarantee we don't go 0-27 with Redick on the court.  My top 2 would be Barton and Harris, but I'm pretty sure someone is going to overpay Barton and Harris will be looking to maximize his pay after a good season.

 

This brings me to a thought I've been having.  CP3 just got as close as he's ever been to the promised land.  He is a true competitor.  I guarantee  that guy has played that hard his whole life.  I think that's part of why he gets injured--he's always trying to go 110% and his body (most people's bodies) can't take it.  My point is, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel and he wants to get there--to win a title.  I think he takes a discount--a Tim Duncan discount.  If he does it early, I think it shrinks his cap-hold and gives us more flexibility (still unsure about the CBA, so correct me if I'm wrong.) to perhaps sign an extra piece that isn't on a vet minimum.  (Because let's face it, no one is taking Ryno unless we attach Qi + Hartenstein and/or take back an equally bad contract.)

 

Maybe I'm delusional, but Paul doesn't have to "cash in" while he can.  I think there is a good chance he goes into coaching, or TV analysis, or whatever he wants.  He's not the "retiring" type.  Look at Kobe.  He's doing all kinds of stuff.  Paul will too and he will continue to make plenty of money.  What he can't do is miss out on a chance at a title and he is so, so close.

 

So, back to players.  Tyreke Evans is intriguing.  His game mirrors Harden's and he could be looking for a meal ticket to the Finals.  You want to talk "death line-ups"?  How about Paul, Harden, Gordon, Evans, and Capela/Tucker depending on what you want to do?  That's 4 guys who can create for themselves, spot-up, dribble-drive-kick...you name it, they can do it.  Who's stopping that?  (I'm actually liking this a lot) 

 

Another thought, albeit a long-shot, is Rondo.  He fills a need in many ways--as long as he is cool coming off the bench.  We saw two things recently: first, with no Paul/Harden the offense collapses and also D'Antoni is pretty laissez faire about his offense.  This works beautifully for coach and player.  Rondo likes to run things and D'Antoni will let him.  He gives us injury insurance, can create open looks, and has made himself into a decent enough shooter that he can make defenses pay for not guarding him.  At 32 years old it's tough to gauge where he is in his career.  He sure looked good this post season.

 

(I should probably move this to another thread, but these days I don't think it matters much)

 

Getting away from wings for a moment...does anyone have interest in Nerlens Noel as a back up to Capela?  Maybe he's been humbled enough to finally get down to business?  He's a heckuva player when engaged...

 

Another big we might consider is Amir Johnson.  A solid veteran that would fit in well.  I think he's at the point in his career where he'll take a vet min. deal to contend for a title.

 

I'd like to think one (or both) of Qi and Hartenstein can contribute next year.  Hartenstein put up 9.5 ppg and 6.6 rpg in 18 mpg down in RGV this year.  That's 19 ppg and 13 rpg per36.  Plus, he's shooting 34% from deep.  He's out-performing Zhou Qi (despite getting less playing time) in every way besides blocks.  It would be a nice way to shore up our depth at C since we are already paying them.

 

Of course, there's always LeBron...That's not a bad option either.  I could see him taking less than max money for a chance to crush the Warriors.  (I think we all know that LBJ and the Cavs are about to get humiliated.  No one likes being humiliated.)  Paul, Harden, Gordon, James, Capela....yes, please. 

[Cooper]

Lebron coming is not inconceivable.

Im worried about a 5yr max for Paul hopefully they can avoid that. Ariza for for like 2yrs 15mill would be fine I don't see a real upgrade available same with Green on a minimum. Noel for the min or maybe mini mid level or whatever thats called now would be alright but theres a lot of red flags. 

Wonder if Kupchak would do Batum for Anderson, theyre in cap hell and Anderson deal is cheaper + a year shorter. A couple other guys that come to mind that might work with the right sweetener attached: Bazemore, Byiombo, Matthews, and Knight.

[thejohnnygold]

Lebron coming is not inconceivable.

Im worried about a 5yr max for Paul hopefully they can avoid that. Ariza for for like 2yrs 15mill would be fine I don't see a real upgrade available same with Green on a minimum. Noel for the min or maybe mini mid level or whatever thats called now would be alright but theres a lot of red flags. 

Wonder if Kupchak would do Batum for Anderson, theyre in cap hell and Anderson deal is cheaper + a year shorter. A couple other guys that come to mind that might work with the right sweetener attached: Bazemore, Byiombo, Matthews, and Knight.

 

A 5 yr. max for Paul would not be best in my opinion.  Even accounting for increases in the salary cap it's likely a bad deal; although, legalized gambling could create another bubble.  That's something we could gamble on.  As much as the league would probably prefer to slowly integrate the money, the NBAPA and GM's/owners will want it all now.

 

I definitely think we'll see quite a few good players on the move this offseason.  Charlotte, Portland, Washington, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Toronto, Denver, Memphis, Phoenix, and Sacramento should all be very active in the trade market.  Whether it's to shake things up, re-tool, re-boot, or swap projects all these teams should make a move.  Plus, are the Clippers really going to try and compete right now?  They had horrible injury luck last year...maybe they want to give it another run?  Shroder is on a 4 yr. deal in Atlanta, but has openly stated he wants out.

 

Yeah, the more you look at (most) NBA rosters the more you realize most teams need to move/swap some pieces around.  With so many teams in need of a shake-up, maybe Morey can pull off an Anderson deal after all.

[rocketrick]

If I'm not mistaken, only 1 player on each team can be signed to a 5-year max contract (based on years in the league). Harden already is that guy.

 

Jason Kidd is a point guard I remember clearly who was effective into his late 30's. 

 

In regards to the type of players the Rockets should focus on signing this off season, I believe Morey's strategy of 3 and D has to continue to be the priority. In my opinion, more playmakers are unnecessary with Harden, CP3 (assuming he re-signs which c'mon, is he really not going to?) and Gordon more than capable. Absolutely, if the Rockets can find the perfect player who is a playmaker and also fits into the 3 and D category (LeBron James and who else?) then all the better.

 

Remember guys, there is only 1 ball. So really how many playmakers are necessary on the court simultaneously? 3 and D is a strong strategy going forward with this particular Roster. Alternatively, convince LeBron James to join Harden and CP3 and re-sign Capela, I'm all in.

Edited by rocketrick, 01 June 2018 - 02:04 PM.