Well ****

So is left now that the rockets have a shot at?

No one.

Very disappointing offseason. We whiffed on everyone. Only hope now is a long shot at Iggy if he gets bought out.

https://instagr.am/p/BzOYho8BJy9

Why the angry face?

Hickory High said:

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Very disappointing offseason. We whiffed on everyone. Only hope now is a long shot at Iggy if he gets bought out.

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A bit over-dramatic. We were not going to hit on most the big names, only Butler was in play. He chose to start his own team in South Beach, not that we whiffed.

Our opening day rotation last year was something like this:

Harden
Tucker
CP3
Capela
Ennis (gone)
Gordon
Melo (gone)
MCW (gone)
Gerald Green
Hartenstein
Clark

This year we have all the same core pieces, yes CP3 is a year older, but a much better supporting cast and we haven't hit the mid-year acquisitions yet. It's a long season, relax.

Texan_Aggie said:

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Hickory High said:

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Very disappointing offseason. We whiffed on everyone. Only hope now is a long shot at Iggy if he gets bought out.

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This year we have all the same core pieces, yes CP3 is a year older, but a much better supporting cast and we haven't hit the mid-year acquisitions yet. It's a long season, relax.

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Why does it seem like so many of you don't understand just how big of a deal this is? At CP's age, the regression isn't slow. It almost compounds with each passing year. I truly think he could be very pedestrian next year.

And he's taking up like 35% of our cap space.

Define pedestrian?

It's a huge deal, but we all knew that when the deal with the devil was made... Morey took a big swing with CP3. Big $ to an aging PG was always a gamble.

Were you against the signing of Paul to that big contract at the time?

Ags #1 said:

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Were you against the signing of Paul to that big contract at the time?

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No, but that's not the point. What I'm contesting is the, "Oh well, we brought everyone back, we're gonna be fine" sentiment. We NEEDED to improve the roster in some way, like many of the other teams in the West have.

Ags #1 said:

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Define pedestrian?

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Well he averaged 15.6 points and 8.2 assists last year, so I anticipate he'll be at or worse than that this coming year and probably play even fewer games. Which is pretty pedestrian considering we're paying him.

Hickory High said:

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Ags #1 said:

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Were you against the signing of Paul to that big contract at the time?

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No, but that's not the point. What I'm contesting is the, "Oh well, we brought everyone back, we're gonna be fine" sentiment. We NEEDED to improve the roster in some way, like many of the other teams in the West have.

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I don't disagree at all. However, Morey tried to make deals. This isn't 2K where you can force a trade through.

Without a sign and trade, the Rockets never had the space to make a major FA splash. And for the record, count me in the crowd who doesn't think Jimmy Butler is worth losing Gordon, Tucker and Capela... And I'm as down on Capela as anyone.

*adding Butler and subtracting EG, Tuck, and Clint wouldn't have helped this year or next years' roster. After the CP3 knot works itself out, then the Butler deal makes more sense, as in 2-3 years from now.

Farmer1906 said:

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Everyone in the west needed to. We've been better than them (minus GS obviously) for 2 years now. They've made up ground because they had some flexibility to. We only have very rare shots to improve significantly. DM swung and missed, but the floor for this team is very high. What is something realistic that we should have done that we didn't?

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But this line of thinking assumes that we'll play at the same level as last year. CP will regress, and as a result, our team performance will regress. It's an arms race, and if you're not improving, you're getting worse.

That may not necessarily be true that the team will regress because CP3 is aging. Plenty of times I've seen teams that stay together improve or maintain a high level of play just based on continuity. The 2012-14 Spurs are the perfect example of that. An aging core (with a breaking down Tony Parker as best player, breaking down Manu and Duncan as two of your other 3 best players) that knew each other well enough to outplay teams with more top to bottom talent.

Overpowering with talent and youth aren't always hallmark features of championship teams.

Damn it what the hell with my posting here.

Anyway, I'd take the Rockets over Denver and Utah right now. Portland would be a tossup if Lilliard is playing well and they're at full strength. I'd take the Rockets over Golden State and San Antonio. Lakers with Kawhi and healthy would be favored, but I think I have a better shot at getting my first dunk at age 40 than the Lakers have at getting those 3 stars healthy enough to win the West more than 1 of the next 2 seasons.

I see what you're saying, but what's the solution.

We went all in with the CP3 signing. It hasn't worked (no ring). Now what? Do you fault DM for it?

Hickory High said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Everyone in the west needed to. We've been better than them (minus GS obviously) for 2 years now. They've made up ground because they had some flexibility to. We only have very rare shots to improve significantly. DM swung and missed, but the floor for this team is very high. What is something realistic that we should have done that we didn't?

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But this line of thinking assumes that we'll play at the same level as last year. CP will regress, and as a result, our team performance will regress. It's an arms race, and if you're not improving, you're getting worse.

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No one said we're fine keeping everyone as is. But our starting point, which was the team with the 2nd best record post-all star break is a great starting point. Morey will do what Morey does and fine guys to add to the team (Fareid, Rivers, Shump, etc.) and the team will get better.

The team will go as Harden goes. CP3 wasn't super impactful the majority of the season, I don't see his decline hurting them any more.

We had a very interesting season last year with the injuries and roster turnover. Morey ended up getting it right by adding House and Rivers. They aren't game changers but they bring the depth that you absolutely have to have throughout the season and into the playoffs. Rivers is a really nice insurance policy for CP3 and it cost the vet minimum. House isn't going to be in limbo AT ALL this season. He is under contract and that will likely do wonders for his role and overall team chemistry.

At the end of the day I am not thrilled with how Morey and the Rockets handled the potential acquisition of Jimmy Butler, but I was always fine with them bringing the core back and adding depth. They actually still have the potential to sign a few more guys that can add even more depth, play the buyout market, and even work some trades. Hell, last year is a prime example you don't always finish with what you started with.

As it stands today, with the roster as currently constructed, we are still right there competing with the top teams in the NBA which is something to be happy about.

It is just me or is it frustrating to see Morey always so open and blatant on what he wants/plans to do?

Seems like it would be best to keep things low key but things always end up being so public and everyone and their mom knows what his plan is, who he wants to ship out, and who he wants to get.

Can't imagine that's comfortable for anyone and I would think it has an affect on negotiating leverage.

Iguodala was close to joining the Rockets in 2015.......would be interesting to see where he goes if he is bought out.

LA

Warriors have the best front office in the league, and it's not even close. How the hell do they do all these signings while staying under the hard cap???

Hickory High said:

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Warriors have the best front office in the league, and it's not even close.

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Let's see how many years straight they make the playoffs and retool on the fly despite injuries and retirements

Not talking about the past. Talking about right here, right now.

Hickory High said:

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Not talking about the past. Talking about right here, right now.

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#MeToo

Lol here we go

Texan_Aggie said:

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Hickory High said:

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Not talking about the past. Talking about right here, right now.

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Why is every one of your posts so emphatic and negative? Good lord. Right here and right now, the Rockets lineup is better than the Warriors.

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I sincerely apologize if my post came across that way. It genuinely was not my intent at all. How do you recommend I should have worded it so as not to appear so?

As far as GMs and Front Offices go: adding players when you already have three top 15-20 players doesn't impress me all that much. Being able to retool and reinvent your team as players retire, major contributors get injured, etc is significantly more impressive and more difficult to do. Golden State did a good job getting Klay+Green+Curry together. Getting Durant and David West to ride their coattails or signing DLo aren't all that impressive to me. Certainly not as impressive as trading Jeremy Lamb for James Harden or DeRozan for Kawhi.

The Warriors have plenty of competition for best front office in the NBA, and looking at a single year is foolish, because a great front office makes their mark through their work over a great number of years.