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DEAR_JOHN · 07-11-2019, 07:08 PM

Curious how this will work out.

PeterPipeHer · 07-11-2019, 07:14 PM

There is absolutely no way this is going to work but it’s going to be so much fun to watch them try..Can’t wait to see a combined 14-50 from the field every night. GOnna need two basketballs on the court now..Going to be a contest on who can shoot the ball more.

SneakyCancer · 07-11-2019, 08:13 PM

Yeah thunder tried it with WB, JH and KD. Look how that worked out

boardman · 07-12-2019, 07:01 AM

I think it has become obvious that KD was the issue in OKC not JH and RW. Remember JH was a 6th man in OKC.

I like Chris Paul. I think his leadership made him the heart of the team. He understood that Harden is the superstar and tried to make him even better. Great team guy IMHO.

Westbrook and Harden have obviously played together and they have a lot of respect for each other and they get along. Westbrook needs to understand that this is Harden's team and take Chris Paul's role of doing what he needs to do to make Harden and the team better. I don't know if it's ego or just professional drive but Westbrook willed himself that MVP he earned. If it's drive then he'll fill Paul's shoes nicely and be a team guy. An existing friendship with Harden will make that easier.
Westbrook may be the best pure athlete in the NBA. This is a backcourt of MVPs. It should be a good one. They'll get their stat lines.

The problem is this trade didn't do anything to fix the glaring problem in the front court. The Rockets desperately needed a legit 4 who could score from anywhere or even a big 3. Utah showed GS how to stop the Rockets by taking away the inside game. Westbrook may be a little better at driving than Paul but without another dominant big guy inside teams will be able to collapse on the drives.

I like Capela but he got pushed around too much in the playoffs. Unless he can gain some muscle and develop Olajuwan type game he's not the total answer. He could be part of it but he needs help.

The Clippers and the Lakers both just became playoff contenders. GS showed they can still dominate without KD. Utah got marginally better with Bogdonavich who would have been a good fit for Houston. Now they have to face him. With a starting 5 of Westbrook, Harden, Gordon, Tucker and Capela I don't see the Rockets finishing any higher than 6th next year. I hope Moray has something more up his sleeve.

VitaMan · 07-12-2019, 08:01 AM

The pundits (experts ??) say this trade is a desperation trade.
It's more like the new owner is showing a lack of patience. He wants to win a championship......now.

Chris Paul ? ..............won't be missed. He has hot and cold streaks, but hard to believe he could ever bring a championship.

jstone420 · 07-12-2019, 08:26 AM

Just get a new coach now

Ehccpxl6514 · 07-12-2019, 10:26 AM

As a long time Thunder season ticket holder, I am upset to see my favorite player sent to Houston. But as long as the Rockets take down The Clippings and the Lakers, I will be extremely happy!!! I really like Harden when he was with us and KD. IMO, Houston will have a great regular season, and struggle in the Playoffs. Good luck H-Town!!! Trust in RUSS!!!

Super Head 713 · 07-12-2019, 12:56 PM

Yasssssss .... I can’t wait

PeterPipeHer · 07-12-2019, 02:19 PM

Lakers in 4

ZantannaParella · 07-13-2019, 05:03 AM

Well I'm happy with this trade. Yes they are both ball hogs. They were both on OKC for 4 years as rookies together. Look at 2012. Their combined numbers were great especially considering KD was there. They have Mutual respect and Hardin already said it's gonna be fun.
If Russ can accept being number 2 and they work well together this will be a crazy season. Yes James usually scored a shit ton of points but he isn't opposed to passing the ball to others.
Also I think Westbrook will do better under D'Antoni who favors a fast paced offence oriented system. Plus he won't be so much a one man team. Tucker, Clint, and Gordan as well as several others in our bench really stepped up last season. It's nice actually having a bench again.

I am optimistic about the upcoming season.

But what do I know. Lol. I'm just a little girl! :-)

Slitlikr · 07-13-2019, 08:06 PM

Can't argue with sports girl^^^^

oneminuteman · 07-13-2019, 08:44 PM

Fertitta, like all Billionaire owners in the NBA is going through his new owner syndrome. You see it when he says things like losses are unacceptable, that he expect to pay the luxury tax and that if he's paying the tax, he expect to be a title contender, and that he's willing to do whatever it takes.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...t-13853558.php

This trade is definitely a short term gamble that reflects what Fertitta is saying. I honestly don't have any problems with that type of gamble. However, the gamble is less to do with Westbrook and Harden sharing the ball and more to do with Westbrook's age/injury history and bloated contract. With the league so wide open, it's worth taking a shot and trying to win a title with the league in flux. If the Rockets stay healthy, I don't see why they aren't a contender.

We'll know how bad the new owner syndrome is if things go badly and Fertitta fires Morey. Other teams will be falling over themselves trying to sign Morey, so this is a win-win for him. Either the Rockets win a title and he stays or he gets fired and paid somewhere else.

boardman · 07-13-2019, 10:08 PM

Andre Iguodala is the new priority and that trade would move them back into the top 4 in my opinion. While he is a natural 3 he has 4 length, physicality, experience and consistency that opens up the outside in game and gives the veteran MVP backcourt an option that they desperately lacked in the playoffs.

VitaMan · 07-14-2019, 07:53 AM

Minuteman hit the bullseye. Mark Cuban seems to have quieted down a lot since his early days in the NBA.

The Houston football team is still trying to get to their first superbowl.....how many years has it been ?

oneminuteman · 07-14-2019, 09:13 AM

These are pretty good breakdowns of how Harden and Westbrook will have to adjust their games to each other.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/7...en-houston-fit

This one more focused on Westbrook

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/7...a-city-thunder

The Rockets def have better shooting and floor spacing than OKC, so Westbrook should be able to drive and finish at the rim or kick out to open 3 point shooters. Like they did with Harden and Paul, the rotation will be such that both Harden and Westbrook will never both be out of the game at the same time. The bigger questions will come on defense, especially in the playoffs against the LA teams and their bigger stars. Can the Rockets beat LA playing small ball like they've preferred in recent seasons?