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A lot of talk out there has discussed the Houston Rockets organization's inability to close the deal on major free agent signings (ignoring Dwight, as they often do). Houston is always swinging for the fences and those who do not like the team or the organization point at their inability to convince those top big-name free agents (again, ignoring Dwight) as a sign that something is wrong with the front office.

But looking at some of the past free agent targets have the Rockets been saved from themselves with the way that things have turned out?

Chris Bosh was very nearly a Rocket before the Heat surprised everyone and gave him that huge deal. Now there is actual discussion of medical retirement and the team and NBAPA butted heads over him not playing in the playoffs. He has many years left on his contract at a high dollar amount.

Carmelo Anthony was a target of the Rockets, but looking at the Knicks would he have really helped the Rockets all that much? Now, as in then I don't see him as a player who could have effectively meshed with Harden. I like Melo as a player and I think that he's criminally underrated by many at RealGM; but I still don't think that he could have been a good fit.

Goran Dragic, despite being one of my personal favorite players, is not looking like a guy you want on a huge contract for many more years. Yeah, he could have a bounce-back season; but how would he have looked this past season with the Rockets rudderless ship? He would be hated here after this past season!

LaMarcus Aldridge...yeah, he's good and a good fit for the Spurs. He would have been a major improvement for the Rockets, but I can't fault the guy for where he chose to go. But now with San Antonio's future possibly a bit murkier would they want to move him? I'm thinking that LMA & Leonard are still a good fit. Would have liked him here, though.

The point that I'm getting at is that with all of these supposed strikeouts, have the Rockets actually been saved from themselves? Their one big hit, Dwight Howard, was a good move for the team, despite how things turned out this past season. I would not be upset if he opted in, but I don't think that he will. LMA was a swing and a miss I wish had connected, but those other three swing & misses don't look so bad to me in retrospect.

We all know who the next big free agent swing will be for the Rockets, but I'm seriously doubting now that he'd leave his current situation unless he just really wanted out of there. Yeah, he's one of Harden's boys and he reportedly has some intense fascination with Houston (calling it his house & city at games and such); but look at that stellar supporting cast! And look at our Coach...oh, wait...

Sometimes a miss isn't the worst thing in the world. Maybe the Rockets (Morey) just needs to choose his pitches better.

One has to wonder how much Parsons played into the Dwight situation and if morey could have landed him without Chandler bromancing Dwight.

Okc beating spurs probably means Durant stays there unless they get swept by warriors.

Too much butterfly effect for me to think about it that way, we also have no idea how those guys would look here


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In hindsight Bosh's freak medical incident obviously would have screwed us over, but at the time I would have loved for him to join and was gutted that he opted to stay in MIA. It would have finally fulfilled Morey's pipedream of having a Big Three and a twin tower frontcourt. It also would have meshed really well with Harden/Howard, I'd argue even better than LaMarcus Aldridge, whom we went after for similar reasons.

No part of me has ever wanted Melo to pair up with James Harden and I don't think Morey truly considered it either because the whole thing just screams disaster. We're talking about two of the most dynamic scorers in the league, but their defensive issues would have been blatant and despite being entertaining to see their box scores playing together, it wouldn't have lead this team to many wins.

Dragic in Miami has played really similar to Harden, loves to drive the lane and Euro his way to the hoop or dish out. I don't think he would have liked his role in our offense with James as the alpha dog and him being demoted to play as a spot-up guy. However, his playmaking ability could have taken a huge load off Harden's back and had it ended up working, it would have improved us talent-wise and ultimately put us in a better situation.


Looking at KD, we're obviously going to pursue him, as will every other team in the league, but chances of actually getting him seem pretty slim. I think he stays with OKC for at least one more year and waits for Westbrook to become an UFA, which on the bright side gives us that window to improve and become more alluring. On the other hand, I don't see either one of them being too high on the idea of teaming up with ol' buddy James and bringing a championship to 'his' team.

This leads me back to your statement and I disagree with the premise that Morey needs to pick his pitches better. He got Howard and was really close to geting Bosh. He swung for the fences on LMA, but signing him would have improved us greatly and was the only sane thing to do in that situation. The only thing you can really fault Morey for in this whole process is not being able to work out a deal for Dragic and instead grabbing Ty 'Trainwreck' Lawson, which left us in the playoffs with Jason Terry and Patrick Beverley.

What Morey has to do now is deal with this roster's weaknesses and shortcomings. There is still a severe lack of playmakers and simply a lack of overall talent on the roster to compete with the likes of GSW. Unless we hit jackpot with Durant or another high profile star player there isn't a great foundation set up to contend any time soon. Trades need to be made and Morey needs to work his magic or else we'll be stuck in limbo during our superstar's prime.

Stephback 3 wrote:.

No part of me has ever wanted Melo to pair up with James Harden and I don't think Morey truly considered it either because the whole thing just screams disaster. .

Morey obviously wanted Melo here. Remember the whole Jeremy Lin jersey number debacle?

texasholdem wrote:

Stephback 3 wrote:.

No part of me has ever wanted Melo to pair up with James Harden and I don't think Morey truly considered it either because the whole thing just screams disaster. .

Morey obviously wanted Melo here. Remember the whole Jeremy Lin jersey number debacle?

You're right, I forgot and completely dismissed Melo as being a legitimate target, so I'll give in and say that was a bad swing. You can account that to Morey being blindsighted in his chase for big names which admittedly has been the case over the years. I think for most others though it wasn't a poor choice of strategy.

you forgot Gasol trade got vetoed
if the deal go through Harden is most likely won't be in Rockets uniform

MaxRider wrote:you forgot Gasol trade got vetoed
if the deal go through Harden is most likely won't be in Rockets uniform

If we had kept #12 pick in 2013 instead of sending it to OKC for Harden we could have used it to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo, who I would rather have as a Rocket.

texasholdem wrote:

MaxRider wrote:you forgot Gasol trade got vetoed
if the deal go through Harden is most likely won't be in Rockets uniform

If we had kept #12 pick in 2013 instead of sending it to OKC for Harden we could have used it to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo, who I would rather have as a Rocket.

over Lowry?

MaxRider wrote:

texasholdem wrote:

MaxRider wrote:you forgot Gasol trade got vetoed
if the deal go through Harden is most likely won't be in Rockets uniform

If we had kept #12 pick in 2013 instead of sending it to OKC for Harden we could have used it to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo, who I would rather have as a Rocket.

over Lowry?

Yeah, considering age and GA has more superstar potential. But yeah keeping Lowry wouldn't have been too bad either.