Thoughts in General, Random Rumors and Musings, Blah Blah 14.0 Eddie Najera Edicion

[babyjax13]

How many future* firsts are needed to turn Collins into Randle? I know the default answers are NY would only trade Randle to upgrade him and Utah would aim higher than Randle. Just checking in.

Far more than the Jazz would be willing to offer. Im not even sure where Randle fits for the Jazz either on the court or timeline wise

If you’re building around, or holding onto Lauri, then your window is now. Randle is only 2.5 years older than Lauri. I think you could play them together plenty of minutes. Whether they are your two bigs, or you have Kessler on the court with them. Seems to work from an outsiders point of view.

Utah could add say Murray and Randle without losing all of the 2027 firsts, any of the 2029 firsts, Kessler, Hendricks, George, or Sexton. That sets up a win now team with the flexibility of trading for a superstar if one comes available.

I think that's a recipe for a team with limited upside and I don't think Randle is a good fit with Lauri at all. Your power forward needs to be fairly switchable and while Randle can, he's not a plus defender. Otherwise, it is better to play Lauri at the 4 (because he is pretty switchable). I also don't love the offensive fit between the two if there is no stretch 5.

[K_chile22]

If the rockets wanted max space for some reason or just wanted to role with the young wings (doubtful on both but just curious) there would definitely be a market for Dillon Brooks right? Curious what he would be worth. Contract looks like a solid deal now that he's shooting the 3 ball solidly and his usage is a career low

[Colbinii]

If the rockets wanted max space for some reason or just wanted to role with the young wings (doubtful on both but just curious) there would definitely be a market for Dillon Brooks right? Curious what he would be worth. Contract looks like a solid deal now that he's shooting the 3 ball solidly and his usage is a career low

I don't see why they would move him. He is pretty important to their identity and as we have seen with many teams, finding the right identity goes a long way in development and winning [See the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets].

I think Houston is simply better off trading one of the young(er) guys for a future pick. Keep kicking the can down the road.

[K_chile22]

If the rockets wanted max space for some reason or just wanted to role with the young wings (doubtful on both but just curious) there would definitely be a market for Dillon Brooks right? Curious what he would be worth. Contract looks like a solid deal now that he's shooting the 3 ball solidly and his usage is a career low

I don't see why they would move him. He is pretty important to their identity and as we have seen with many teams, finding the right identity goes a long way in development and winning [See the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets].

I think Houston is simply better off trading one of the young(er) guys for a future pick. Keep kicking the can down the road.

I think they really like all the young guys (Jalen was on the edge there but they're probably bought back in) and would be more in the trade picks state of mind than get picks for those guys.

Mostly just a hypothetical though I wouldn't be surprised if Tari is just better than Dillon next year on the floor at least (but obv can't bet on a guy coming off surgery like that)

[Colbinii]

If the rockets wanted max space for some reason or just wanted to role with the young wings (doubtful on both but just curious) there would definitely be a market for Dillon Brooks right? Curious what he would be worth. Contract looks like a solid deal now that he's shooting the 3 ball solidly and his usage is a career low

I don't see why they would move him. He is pretty important to their identity and as we have seen with many teams, finding the right identity goes a long way in development and winning [See the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets].

I think Houston is simply better off trading one of the young(er) guys for a future pick. Keep kicking the can down the road.

I think they really like all the young guys (Jalen was on the edge there but they're probably bought back in) and would be more in the trade picks state of mind than get picks for those guys.

Mostly just a hypothetical though I wouldn't be surprised if Tari is just better than Dillon next year on the floor at least (but obv can't bet on a guy coming off surgery like that)

It's weird seeing a Rocket's fan finally have veterans in the room to lead the team and then within 6-months of turning from a dumpster fire to fighting for a Play-In, they want to trade one of their two key off-season acquisitions.

I think it is fairly obvious management and coaching brought in Brooks to fill a role on and off the court and he is doing that role perfectly.

[K_chile22]

I don't see why they would move him. He is pretty important to their identity and as we have seen with many teams, finding the right identity goes a long way in development and winning [See the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets].

I think Houston is simply better off trading one of the young(er) guys for a future pick. Keep kicking the can down the road.

I think they really like all the young guys (Jalen was on the edge there but they're probably bought back in) and would be more in the trade picks state of mind than get picks for those guys.

Mostly just a hypothetical though I wouldn't be surprised if Tari is just better than Dillon next year on the floor at least (but obv can't bet on a guy coming off surgery like that)

It's weird seeing a Rocket's fan finally have veterans in the room to lead the team and then within 6-months of turning from a dumpster fire to fighting for a Play-In, they want to trade one of their two key off-season acquisitions.

I think it is fairly obvious management and coaching brought in Brooks to fill a role on and off the court and he is doing that role perfectly.

I don't necesarilly want to lol again, hypothetical. Say Paul George doesn't get a max from LAC and says he'll come if we max him out (think they can get there by cutting all the non-gts and dumping brooks but haven't done the math), extrememly unlikely scenario but in that scenario can they get something for dumping Brooks? Just curious on that after the deal was originally laughed at by many including myself

[Colbinii]

I think they really like all the young guys (Jalen was on the edge there but they're probably bought back in) and would be more in the trade picks state of mind than get picks for those guys.

Mostly just a hypothetical though I wouldn't be surprised if Tari is just better than Dillon next year on the floor at least (but obv can't bet on a guy coming off surgery like that)

It's weird seeing a Rocket's fan finally have veterans in the room to lead the team and then within 6-months of turning from a dumpster fire to fighting for a Play-In, they want to trade one of their two key off-season acquisitions.

I think it is fairly obvious management and coaching brought in Brooks to fill a role on and off the court and he is doing that role perfectly.

I don't necesarilly want to lol again, hypothetical. Say Paul George doesn't get a max from LAC and says he'll come if we max him out (think they can get there by cutting all the non-gts and dumping brooks but haven't done the math), extrememly unlikely scenario but in that scenario can they get something for dumping Brooks? Just curious on that after the deal was originally laughed at by many including myself

Sure but this hypothetical is a different tune than your original song.

...or just wanted to role with the young wings

I disagree with this part.

Sure, if you can get a player substantially better than Brooks, then you move Brooks, but that's just common sense. Moving Brooks "to get worse" doesn't really make sense.

[K_chile22]

It's weird seeing a Rocket's fan finally have veterans in the room to lead the team and then within 6-months of turning from a dumpster fire to fighting for a Play-In, they want to trade one of their two key off-season acquisitions.

I think it is fairly obvious management and coaching brought in Brooks to fill a role on and off the court and he is doing that role perfectly.

I don't necesarilly want to lol again, hypothetical. Say Paul George doesn't get a max from LAC and says he'll come if we max him out (think they can get there by cutting all the non-gts and dumping brooks but haven't done the math), extrememly unlikely scenario but in that scenario can they get something for dumping Brooks? Just curious on that after the deal was originally laughed at by many including myself

Sure but this hypothetical is a different tune than your original song.

...or just wanted to role with the young wings

I disagree with this part.

Sure, if you can get a player substantially better than Brooks, then you move Brooks, but that's just common sense. Moving Brooks "to get worse" doesn't really make sense.

I was simply presenting hypothetical things they may want to do not what I would want to do necessarily. I also used the wrong 'roll', pre coffee posting lol

[Colbinii]

I don't necesarilly want to lol again, hypothetical. Say Paul George doesn't get a max from LAC and says he'll come if we max him out (think they can get there by cutting all the non-gts and dumping brooks but haven't done the math), extrememly unlikely scenario but in that scenario can they get something for dumping Brooks? Just curious on that after the deal was originally laughed at by many including myself

Sure but this hypothetical is a different tune than your original song.

...or just wanted to role with the young wings

I disagree with this part.

Sure, if you can get a player substantially better than Brooks, then you move Brooks, but that's just common sense. Moving Brooks "to get worse" doesn't really make sense.

I was simply presenting hypothetical things they may want to do not what I would want to do necessarily. I also used the wrong 'roll', pre coffee posting lol

I think Houston is in a position where they need to consolidate in some capacity, and it is a good position to be in.

[mademan]

Turning down Green+some of their 1sts for Bridges is gonna end up getting Marks fired.

[Texas Chuck]

Turning down Green+some of their 1sts for Bridges is gonna end up getting Marks fired.

I know Green is the flavor of the month right now, but I'm not yet sold he's all that.

That said it never made sense not to sell high on Bridges knowing you couldn't put a contender around him and you were just wasting these cheap years. Utah made the same mistake with Lauri. Ainge is ruthless enough I thought he might, but the governor may be overruling him.

If a guy can't ever realistically be the best player on a contender, you aren't very good, and teams want to badly overpay, you should generally let them.

[K_chile22]

Turning down Green+some of their 1sts for Bridges is gonna end up getting Marks fired.

maybe (if that offer was really made) but I'm willing to bet this is on Tsai

[mademan]

Turning down Green+some of their 1sts for Bridges is gonna end up getting Marks fired.

I know Green is the flavor of the month right now, but I'm not yet sold he's all that.

That said it never made sense not to sell high on Bridges knowing you couldn't put a contender around him and you were just wasting these cheap years. Utah made the same mistake with Lauri. Ainge is ruthless enough I thought he might, but the governor may be overruling him.

If a guy can't ever realistically be the best player on a contender, you aren't very good, and teams want to badly overpay, you should generally let them.

Ya wild to me. The value in Bridges was the length and cheapness of his contract. He becomes worth considerably less the longer BRK waits and the closer he gets to his next contract which will likely be an overpay (max). For a team with a dearth of assets and no real direction atm, not selling high makes zero sense.

[jayjaysee]

Have we played with Ainge adding Bridges? His cheap contract helps keep the cap space for Lauri.. And if you don’t land a superstar before the end of the 2025 season, you can likely renegotiate Bridges as well after the 2025 draft.. while you wait for a true number one to be available.

Utah can offer the late 2024 lottery pick and two 2025 firsts with “…” additional value..

[K_chile22]

Uhhh

Read on Twitter

?t=H86OBcqHY_m_ppHecDAyZw&s=19

[K_chile22]

So if I'm following this correctly, Lore and A-Rod already bought shares of the team, got the rest locked in at an sweet outdated evaluation that they could pay later (but before March 27th), acquired funding, then just... Let the clock run out????? Wtf

[Scoot McGroot]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=jYPPXwUlm02fAaE9rSSACw

[Texas Chuck]

Uhhh

Read on Twitter

?t=H86OBcqHY_m_ppHecDAyZw&s=19

Whalers has been on this for a long, long time. It looked like the ARod group was struggling with the money all along.

[Scoot McGroot]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=jYPPXwUlm02fAaE9rSSACw

Oh, the lawyers are gonna make SO MUCH MONEY here.

[Texas Chuck]

So if I'm following this correctly, Lore and A-Rod already bought shares of the team, got the rest locked in at an sweet outdated evaluation that they could pay later (but before March 27th), acquired funding, then just... Let the clock run out????? Wtf

They don't have the money and couldn't get it right? Didn't we just see something last week about a lender dropping out? Whalers will have more details because he's been suggesting this result almost from the beginning.