Westbrook traded to Houston
- Thread starter Telemachus
- Start date
AleksandarN
Starter
Crazy. Btw did the NBA change the rules? Are teams allow to play with two balls? LMAO this should be fun! I wonder what the teammates going to think? Probably: when am am I going to get the ball with those two on the court together?
Telemachus
Starter
Well, hoarding draft picks worked out great for Danny Ainge; I'm sure it'll turn out better for Sam Presti, though. You know, with how easy it is to get top free agents to want to go to Oklahoma City.
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Morey traded CP3 and most of his team's future picks for a CP3 that can't shoot.
CelticsFan
Bench
Unpopular opinion on this one but I like Russ and Harden together. Both are going to have a chip on their shoulders trying to prove the doubters wrong. I think we can all agree this was run by Harden before the trigger got pulled, Harden must have signed off on it. If both can sacrifice they’re up there with the best in the West.
Russ and Harden have won two of the last three MVP’s. I think they figure out a way to play together
Russ and Harden have won two of the last three MVP’s. I think they figure out a way to play together
tastyburger
G-League
We all know chris paul could never forgive harden for the microwave incident and that's why he wanted out... (Someone will get this I hope.)
SLAB
Hall of Famer
Russ ain’t changing. Harden probably won’t. But I know for certain Russ won’t.
Telemachus
Starter
The problem Westbrook will face is that this is Harden's team.
SLAB
Hall of Famer
He won’t care. Dude’s too headstrong to change.
—
Dude on NBA TV breaking down why this isn’t going to work. He’s absolutely right
Kingz19
Hall of Famer
While I dislike Houston a little less now that they no longer have the vile flopper Chris Paul. I don’t know how the two biggest stat padders of this era will co-exist. Capela now has to box out his man and Westbrick. I think he was there when Westbrook blocked his own teammate so he can have a crack at achieving..something
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Didn't really work for the Celtics. There is a reason you go for the star, youth, and picks package. Spread the risk around a little and don't put all your eggs in one basket. Presti just gave up 2 MVP candidates for ??? when the draft just became a total crap shoot due to rules changes. It might work out but it's possible he won't be around to see it.
Hoovtrain
All-Star
Like it got Houston, just curious how he and harden can coexist. Arguably the 2 most ball dominant guys in the league . Really like this for OKC. Presti is killing in terms of laying the groundwork for the rebuild. Kudos to him for seeing this current team was going nowhere and to blow it up sooner than later.
Maybe Presti is counting on five or six of those draft picks to merge to form a superstar, like Captain Planet?
Hoovtrain
All-Star
Not even including their own lottery picks that will be coming in these next few years. Nuts
Hoovtrain
All-Star
Could be lethal, could be a mess. Either way will be entertaining
Hoovtrain
All-Star
They weren’t going to get a star, youth and picks for Westbrook, but got some good, potentially great picks. They got youth, a pretty good player and a boatload of picks for George. Personally I think they made out better than expected,
kingsboi
Hall of Famer
I think you meant to say for a Steve Francis on steroids
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Who is to say, but if that's the case, then he needs to start wheeling and dealing some of those pick ASAP. It could work but he should ask Danny Ainge about hoarding down the line future 1st's. Ainge sat on those picks because he couldn't get the value he wanted either or teams held him to a higher standard because of how many he had and he may very well have missed his window because of it. I'd probably rather sit on an MVP candidate than a bunch of picks so far down the line that it's true value can't be gauged. The deals are better than shooting for mediocrity like the Kings made examples of in the past but these trades aren't wins at the moment and if they become wins it's entirely determined by chance and other teams.
Hoovtrain
All-Star
The market said so
Ainge sat on those picks and failed because 1. He thought he was going to be able to replicate what he did with KG/Allen and 2. Because, like you mentioned, he overvalued his picks just like he does with all his assets . I personally think Presti is playing the long game. Build through the draft then once you get to a point where you need an experienced piece, make a trade. These picks, especially the MIA and LAC unprotected/swaps could be crazy (and run up to ‘26) , especially in light of Leonard’s short deal. Could also blow up in his face, but the fact of the matter is that that team was not going anywhere and they didn’t really have the means to improve it enough to do so. This was their only, and best, option imo
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