ClutchFans Game Thread: Lakers @ Rockets 5/1/2026 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 6)

My gawd, they are delusional.

 

I’ll just say I’m not in favor of trading any more of the young players on the team at all. If it doesn’t work out and they don’t develop into what we hope then so be it. That’s a risk I’m much more willing to take than chasing aging veterans. That’s how you end up trading SGA for Paul George etc etc.

Have some patience and stop trying to short circuit the timeline. The NBA has become completely outrageous with the lack of continuity regarding roster building.

That being said, offload Durant for a bag of cool ranch Doritos for all I care. I’d even take generic store brand flavored corn chips.

 

Yeah you can call of next year already lol. My God this team is simply not serious about winning. I hope they struggle filling the arena.

 

Corey Brewer

 

**** you lebron. Looking forward to watching the carnage against the thunder.

 

I think this is the right mindset to have. Unfortunately we won’t be getting a new coach or GM. And I’m also highly concerned they’re going to double down on their catastrophic Durant mistake and go after giannis or some other old head and we’ll be rebuilding in about 2 years. Hurray.

 

The mistake wasn’t trading Jalen — it was trading him for KD. Brooks should’ve stayed

 

Gotta read between the lines my man. In the article it mentions there was internal regret about the trade deadline and not doing anything on the boyouts. Factions are being created and folks are leaking stuff. Stone is about the be the scapegoat.

 

You just knew they would use back2back 52 Wins and FVV injury as excuse and leverage.

 

And they are blind, they think beating the Lakers would be equal as winning a chip....

They do not know what bball is.

 

I'd be fine with getting a new GM and coach and trading everyone. Some of the guys have potential with improvement and/or the right pieces around them, but this team is so fundamentally flawed. I might just give up for awhile if they run it back, or even worst, go for an aging star. Short of burning it all down, I guess I'd like to see some minimally competent players without giant glaring flaws added so we at least have a non-hilarious bench, non-hilarious shooting, and a real backup PG.

My highest priority would be getting rid of Udoka at least. I'm not really impressed with our defense, so it's not even a great tradeoff for the putrid offense.

 

Solvent extracted oils that have to be deodorized is what you are consuming. The consequences are genuinely atrocious long or short term.

 

I suggest not overreacting to this. They are throwing flowers to everybody here in order to leave their options open and maximize their negotiating leverage in trades. Remember last year when they were supposedly content to keep Jalen Green? Most of us knew better.

Keeping Stone and Ime should not surprise anyone here. Saying they are not far from OKC and the Spurs with Fred and Adams is to be expected. Saying they will discuss major trades but only pull the trigger if a deal is good is meaningless blather. Saying they expect to match Tari's offer from another team is very logical.

IMO, the real truth is:

Stone and Ime have next year and they are gone. Both of them know this.

There probably will be another significant trade because Stone knows he can't "run it back" and keep his job long term. Alpi is candidate #1 to be part of a big trade.

Tari is definitely gone and the Rockets probably don't even want him back because he's just too unstable and unintelligent. I bet he can't wait to leave.

I expect them to add another year to Fred's contract so he can avoid becoming a very tradeable lame duck next February.

Amen is the one guy on the team that is 100% untradeable and I think they really want to extend him (non-max).

 

Rockets are just too terrible, from owner to coach and GM.

Rockets better named as Headless Chicken.

 

Can’t blow up the roster, makes no sense.

Improve the strategy with the tools you have, better training and motivation, and new perspective on where the league is headed.

Times when a new draft pick comes in and dominates the game are gone. We have to build up the young talent on the roster. Trading them away we will need to tank and start almost from scratch.

The worst part of the Rockets is the fact that they won’t spend. My expectations are low, I have never seen any team win a championship without being in the top 5 in spending.

If you want to build a championship team, invest. Time, money, energy. You won’t generate revenue without investing into what seems like a risky asset.

 

9% is still pretty high.....

 

Redick completely worked Udoka. Played him like a fiddle

 

I haven't done any research on this, but it seems like our last game of the playoffs is ALWAYS an uncompetitive affair. Across different regimes, timelines, etc. Just frustrating as hell...

 

Especially in 1994 and 1995. Knicks and Magic didn't have a chance.