Who's said that Jalen Green will start and KPJ will be coming off the bench? Has that been announced? I think it's a mistake, KPJ should start with FVV.
Silas was sacked right after the season so that is a trick question trying to be clever here. And news had it that he would not be extended long before the offseason.
I give the off-season an F so far. I don’t mind the players we’ve signed. What I know is that they were seeking less money… There are numerous, verified published reported that FVV wanted 4 years, $130 million, and would have been OK with 3 years $100 million or 2 years $80 million. Why does saving $3 million in cap space mean something? Because then the Rockets wouldn’t have had to trade a bunch of young former FRPs and cash to Atlanta and Memphis for nothing. Those assets could’ve been used in a larger trade for a major star. In fact, I would’ve traded them by now for Beal, Porzingis, or Ayton. Young assets with small contracts are exactly what teams looking to dump their stars with big contracts want. With Dillon Brooks: love the guy, but it was a known fact he was looking for four years, $70 million in free agency… and it’s a known fact that Memphis could’ve maxed him out at 4 years $61 million, and they declined to do so. Once Detroit drafted Ausar Thompson and traded for Joe Harris (both swingmen who play Brooks’ positions), then Houston became the only team willing to hand Brooks a guaranteed contract of three years. Once again, there are numerous recent pieces that Brooks’ value was $13 million a year maximum because any team interested in him could only offer the Bi-Annual Exception. The Rockets could’ve easily locked up Brooks for 4 years $60 million instead of $80 million, and saved $5 million in cap space during the process. I think Stone went crazy having all this cap space to spend and not being as meticulous as someone who’s budgeting should be. Again, I like FVV and Brooks signings, but the Rockets unnecessary overpaid for them.
I give the off-season an F so far. I don’t mind the players we’ve signed. What I know is that they were seeking less money… There are numerous, verified published reported that FVV wanted 4 years, $130 million, and would have been OK with 3 years $100 million or 2 years $80 million. Why does saving $3 million in cap space mean something? Because then the Rockets wouldn’t have had to trade a bunch of young former FRPs and cash to Atlanta and Memphis for nothing. Those assets could’ve been used in a larger trade for a major star. In fact, I would’ve traded them by now for Beal, Porzingis, or Ayton. Young assets with small contracts are exactly what teams looking to dump their stars with big contracts want. With Dillon Brooks: love the guy, but it was a known fact he was looking for four years, $70 million in free agency… and it’s a known fact that Memphis could’ve maxed him out at 4 years $61 million, and they declined to do so. Once Detroit drafted Ausar Thompson and traded for Joe Harris (both swingmen who play Brooks’ positions), then Houston became the only team willing to hand Brooks a guaranteed contract of three years. Once again, there are numerous recent pieces that Brooks’ value was $13 million a year maximum because any team interested in him could only offer the Bi-Annual Exception. The Rockets could’ve easily locked up Brooks for 4 years $60 million instead of $80 million, and saved $5 million in cap space during the process. I think Stone went crazy having all this cap space to spend and not being as meticulous as someone who’s budgeting should be. Again, I like FVV and Brooks signings, but the Rockets unnecessary overpaid for them.
I give the off-season an F so far. I don’t mind the players we’ve signed. What I know is that they were seeking less money… There are numerous, verified published reported that FVV wanted 4 years, $130 million, and would have been OK with 3 years $100 million or 2 years $80 million. Why does saving $3 million in cap space mean something? Because then the Rockets wouldn’t have had to trade a bunch of young former FRPs and cash to Atlanta and Memphis for nothing. Those assets could’ve been used in a larger trade for a major star. In fact, I would’ve traded them by now for Beal, Porzingis, or Ayton. Young assets with small contracts are exactly what teams looking to dump their stars with big contracts want. With Dillon Brooks: love the guy, but it was a known fact he was looking for four years, $70 million in free agency… and it’s a known fact that Memphis could’ve maxed him out at 4 years $61 million, and they declined to do so. Once Detroit drafted Ausar Thompson and traded for Joe Harris (both swingmen who play Brooks’ positions), then Houston became the only team willing to hand Brooks a guaranteed contract of three years. Once again, there are numerous recent pieces that Brooks’ value was $13 million a year maximum because any team interested in him could only offer the Bi-Annual Exception. The Rockets could’ve easily locked up Brooks for 4 years $60 million instead of $80 million, and saved $5 million in cap space during the process. I think Stone went crazy having all this cap space to spend and not being as meticulous as someone who’s budgeting should be. Again, I like FVV and Brooks signings, but the Rockets unnecessary overpaid for them.
I have a suspicion that Stone is still desperately trying to get a starter level "rim protector"/"lob threat" to cut into Sengun's minutes. Something tells me Stone is so on the wrong track that he will screw up the one thing where he lucked into the jackpot, by drafting Alpi. I hope I will be wrong.
No I don't hate it, I don't love it, like it's the best offseason ever, I break it down like this. Draft: Loved the Amen Thompson & Cam Whitmore picks FA/Trades: Love FVV, contract is high, but needed to do that to get him Like Brooks, not the contract though Don't know much about Landale Like Jeff Green, NBA Champion, brings leadership Hate losing TyTy, Garuba, JayGup, & KMJ, but I get why they did it, if reports are true about Brook Lopez backing out of an agreement, that pisses me off, I hate moratoriums, in any sport, NFL has 2 days where you can negotiate, just pisses me off, I thought Lopez would have been a good signing for 2 yrs. Overall, I like it, just somethings about it I'm not high on, hoping we improve some, to get out of the lottery, even 7 or 8 seed, I don't want to end up worst record, get screwed by the supposed lottery, lose our pick to OKC. Also I like Ime Udoka hiring too.
Think the goal was to become competent for our young guys to have a chance to blossom. Not sure we did a very good job at achieving that goal, but not the worst job possible. Don’t hate it. Don’t like it. Meh off-season.
Good coaching hire and good draft. Free agency has been a missed opportunity. Glad we got FVV, but the rest of it has been pretty disheartening. Everyone said Sone would be judged by what he does this offseason; especially free agency and trade. He’s fallen far short of a good GM.
He traded 3 picks to aggressively trade up because he liked his game, how is that luck? I'm not a big fan of Stones work overall, but Sengun right now is his crown jewel maneuver as a GM.
I love this offseason. Not a fan of the big 4 year commitment to Brooks, but otherwise this is an ideal offseason for me. They dumped Silas and got a guy who will lay down the law. Got the ball out of Porters hands and brought in a proper impactful NBA player in VanVleet who, while not a "true" PG, will usually make correct choices. Dumped some of the lesser talented children (not a fan at all of the return) and brought in adults. Massively upgraded the team defense at 2 positions, and added some backup size. Retained long term financial flexibility beyond the next 2 years while we're figuring out what we have in the youngsters.
For sure for me the Highlight ain't Amen or FVV, it is Udoka by a mile. But I have to say Ime is more like a Postseason coach to me. Adult only in Fred and rental Uncle Jeff, I think you would call Dillon Brooks a `Manchild`.
We still don’t know what the real commitment is to Brooks. I’m not an FVV fan, but for 2 years it’s a great signing. Don’t know sh*t about our backup Center, but I’ll trust them for now. This off-season is not officially over. We got a lot better and did it without losing any of our valuable resources.
+50 for Udoka. +0 for Amen at 4. +10 for Whitmore at 20. +10 for Jeff Green as player coach. +20 for Van Vleet on basically 2 year contract. +10 for gamble on Landale. +5 for not signing Harden to a 6 year deal or something. -20 for Brooks at $30M, -10 for missing out on Lopez and making moves for it. C.
I give it a B, only because I’m counting Udoka as an acquisition. I feel he’s more important than any player we coulda picked up. We also addressed our 2nd biggest need at PG. Bleh to the other moves though.
I don’t hate the Rockets’ offseason. Getting a competent NBA point guard and a guy that will command respect in the locker room in VanVleet was crucial for unlocking all the young talent on the roster. I don’t love the length of the Dillon Brooks contract nor his poor man’s Draymond Green act, but if Udoka can rein him in and get him to limit his shot attempts, he can be a useful player. Without Brooks, I’d give it an A. With him on that contract, about a B.
