That’s your conclusion after watching SA close out OKC? Where they — have Wemby, perhaps the best prospect in NBA history — but also an elite young core. Including a guy coming off the bench that would probably be the #1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Not to be confused with guy we passed on in the 2024 Draft, that also might be the #1 pick in a normal NBA Draft. You think spending assets to acquire a 34-year-old coming off ACL surgery really makes up THAT kind of difference?
The conclusion that I got from the the Spurs closing out the Thunder on the ROAD in a game 7 - is that they are a much better overall team. But they all complement each other very well - vets and young players. Frankly, we all need to get over the Wemby to the Spurs draft luck - they got him - but it was their front office and scouts that built a championship team around him very quickly. We are in risk of being in mediocre purgatory for another 10 years - The Rockets struck out with Jalen Green, traded him to acquire an aging professional scorer in Durant - who has his own flaws as a shot creator. Sengun is a talented 4 that frankly is out performing his draft value, but is just overrated and subpar scorer at the rim. Amen is an elite defender that cant shoot. Reed is a shooter that is forced to play PG. Jabari - who knows. The Rockets had major issues creating baskets - and clutch shot making down the stretch of games. A broken down Lebron and the Lakers - embarrassed this team. Adding a player like Kyrie would instantly help a young team. I trust the ball in the hands of Kyrie and he is an elite at the rim finisher and elite mid range shooter. You either find a way to minimize Durant's usage and shot creation rate OR you trade him and build from scratch again. But if you keep Durant without changing anything else (including the return of FVV and Adams) - the Rockets are just not going to be good enough to get past OKC or the Spurs.
I say we just bite the bullet and trade the 2027 picks for Wemby. I just think it's our best bet to beat the Spurs.
The plan should be to build for when Wemby's gone. It's not likely he plays more than 7-8 years with his length and injury history. He dealt with a fibula stress fracture prior to the NBA ... that's not a good sign for his longevity not is the deep vein thrombosis. That gives you the next 4 or so years to accumulate picks and talent. I'd trade every one of these current clowns for picks in 2029 and 2030. Alpi's never gonna be a rim protector and shooter. Amen's never going to shoot worth a crap - hell he was worse this year from 2 and 3 than last when everyone said he would improve. He's going backwards. Reed's never going to be a competent defender. I'd even take back bad contracts to make the picks unprotected .... May as well get something asset wise out of KD before he hangs it up. Let someone else gamble on the potential of all these flawed players.
Yes, Kyrie would have helped our dreadful 4th quarter offense but a move like this is too short sighted, IMO. He’s not moving the needle enough to justify surrendering draft capital to bring him here. I draw the line at future picks. I get what you’re saying, but any play for Kyrie would have to be a KD style minimum offer type trade. One where it’s a no-brainer and doesn’t hurt us down the road.
Yeah , probably need to somehow steal Jalen Brown from Celtics. Jabari, Eason, Fred, and picks galore. You need to Get Brown if hes on the table, letting portland come in and get him, your in serious trouble. Can they afford Coby White? Coby White, Brown, Amen, Durant Sengun. - That team can beat okc.
Wizards have too many young guys with potential to get minutes for. #1 pick, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bilal Couplibaly, Justin Champagnie, Will Reilly, Bub Carrington and Cam Whitmore. We should be looking towards the 2nd half of that list for a 3 for 1 to get faster and deeper.
Sengun to Milwaukee Giannis to Cleveland Mobley to Houston The rest can work itself out. SNT Eason to Chicago for salary and the 15th pick salary from Chicago and 15th pick to NOP + 2 Future Firsts form Houston. Trey Murphy to Houston DFS + Capela + 1 FRP to Memphis for Ty Jerome FVV/Reed Amen /Jerome Murphy KD / Jabari Mobley/Adams that's a very solid 9 man rotation, would need to find some depth using MLE etc but this solves a lot of the spacing issues we see with Sengun/Amen and it solves the defensive conundrum between Reed/Sengun. Eason is coveted and the Rockets would be better finding a true shooter using the 20M he is going to fetch. Murphy is as good of a shooter as you're going to find. Mobley has a shot from deep even if his numbers dipped. This team is built for now and the future. If he asks out you could also flip KD for assets and further dig into the reset. i.e. Durant to GSW for pick #11 / Podz/ Butler (out for most of season) FVV/Reed Amen/Podz Murphy/ Jerome Jabari / Butler (when healthy) Mobley/Adams
No. Why would they? JDub is a much better player and will be back next year. Hell, even, the big pus, Chet is a better player than KD. I’d rather have Hartenstein.
Some won’t work cap-wise, but not opposed at all, except for hanging on to FVV. Also think Chicago’s going to get Tari for nothing.
Who else are they playing?? They have AD and Trae who will get minutes. Then it is possible DLo takes his Popt. And they have Jaden Hardy, and Watkins. They are unlikely to want to play those guys ahead of their younger guys. Of the ones you listed, Cam is the one most likely to rot on their bench [or get waived for a roster spot], and Vukcevic you didn't list, but he is their only other backup big [again, possibly waived if they bring in vet help]. Maybe we can cash in on their vet big need and get a return on Adams? But we would probably be getting back their least developed and lowest potential young guys
Chicago has the cap room to offer well over 4/80m for Tari. I’m not sure they match the 80m much less even more.
I think that we need not worry about San Antonio or OKC. there really isn’t any more tanking. We just have to hope the organization does better with development. A lot of these guys are still young and I don’t think any of them are finished products. it will be interesting to see if Houston leans into one timeline one way or another. I still think the current roster is pretty good and as is should win close to 55 games next year. plenty of things that I would do different in hindsight, but going back in time is not an option.
