If you aren’t following me already on Twitter, why not? Everything here will have already been said on there, but in short and sweet bursts of 140-character goodness, and in real-time, as the thoughts arrive into my head. I don’t even know why I’m writing this now except that we are closing in on the biggest time window in the NBA season, and the Houston Rockets have a bag of $46 million to hand over to someone, and it doesn’t quite seem clear if anyone is willing to take it.
We learned this afternoon that they have secured a meeting tomorrow with forward Al Horford, and just moments ago that they might not yet be completely out of the picture on guard Mike Conley. Stepping back, examining the ensuing celebration, (of which I was a large part of), its saddening that victory this year represents just even getting a face to face. Oh Houston, how low we have fallen.
I tossed around the conspiracy theory of all conspiracy theories this afternoon: that Durant isn’t meeting with the Rockets because his “hangouts” with Harden were the team’s meeting. Durant told Harden if the team could secure Horford, he’d give them a shot. And thus, you see the team meeting with Horford on the first day, without Houston on Durant’s list. Seriously though, it just seems so odd that the Rockets couldn’t even get a meeting, when the likes of the Boston Celtics are getting a sit-down. I never expected Houston to pull it out, but to not even get a meeting – I must be in denial over just how far we’ve fallen.
And to that end, what a bitter pill to swallow for Morey, after what seemed like years of planning leading up to this moment. It’s one thing to strike out. We’ve been there, and done that. But to not even get a meeting.
If they could reel in just Horford alone, that puts you at 50 wins, easily. I’ve seen suggestions from fans in certain Rockets-based corners of the web insinuating that Horford’s production does not merit a max contract. I have to seriously question these people’s knowledge of basketball. With his smarts, and ability to shoot, pass, defend, and shoot free throws, Al Horford is the ideal NBA big. I smile at the thought of fitting him in next to Clint Capela and Donatas Motiejunas on the frontline. Houston would still be a far cry from contender status, but that is just a reflection of just how little else is on the roster, at current moment.
Maybe we should just bring back Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin, and find a way to trade for Omer Asik into our cap space? Maybe free up some more room to bring back Courtney Lee too? How is life in Canada, Patrick Patterson? Houston is really at a crossroads, and its depressing to envision the ramifications if they completely strike out this summer. And unfortunately, just based on the odds, there’s a strong likelihood the team strikes out. One of the tragic ironies is that in the perpetual pursuit of flexibility, Houston has eschewed on opportunities to build an infrastructure and establish longevity. The one summer they actually ran the whole thing back, last summer, was the year that irreparably damaged the franchise maybe for the foreseeable future.
One thing is clear: I don’t want Dwight Howard back. I will forever appreciate his service to our city, and the faith he showed in choosing us when everyone else just saw us as a bayou backwater of boot-wearing, horse-riding cowboys who just coincidentally happened to enjoy no state income tax and a thriving economy relatively insulated from the nation at large. But he’s just not the right fit anymore. I feel even more firm in that belief after seeing Tristan Thompson scrambling around the perimeter in the Finals. Capela is the man. At least until Zhou Qui is ready to take over the NBA.
