Woj - Westbrook traded to Houston for Chris Paul, 2024 & 2026 1st round picks, 2021/2025 pick swaps

[JN61]

I guess it makes a little bit sense to make your franchise player happy. But Houston was a contender for last two years, they were REALLY close to win it all, and now they trade for player that universally known as player that will never win a championship. If I were Houston fan I would be sad as hell as my dreams of winning it all just died with this trade.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse...
Yeah you are so smart , Morey is the idiot who gave up 2-4 first round picks just to swap for a worse player . Rockets should really hire you replacing Morey.

Houston gave up 2 first round picks not 2-4.

CP3 turns 35 next season and has had many serious injuries. He is very close to being completely played out.

The Harden/CP3 Rockets really had 1 shot and that was in 2017/2018 when CP3 was still only 33 and CP3’s hammy gave out at the crucial moment (because of course)

Nobody in Houston had any illusions moving forward that the very old and injured CP3 was going to deliver the city a championship. Morey decided to be bold and make a move. I’m not in love with it there are many other stars that I think would make a better fit but hey at least we go for it.

RW is 30 and at this point is not worse than CP3

Points you bring up and people shrugging them aside is one of things I don't get. Paul has been on free falling few years now and last year he was at times not even shadow of himself. Even with all faults of Westbrook he offers significantly more stable level of play on nightly basis and he's not breaking down and missing tens of games per season. I also believe with significantly stronger offensive supporting cast he's more than happy to make plays for other players, like he was for first half of last year.

[BallerTalk]

So, anyone still ranking the Rockets above the Jazz now?

Just about everyone.

Not me, I’d say this trade drops Houston below Denver and Utah for odds to come out of the West. The only things Westbrook are better at are transition and running an offense.

Nah. I have the Jazz top 3 and the Rockets top 6. This hasn't changed.

Wasn't referencing random posters but rather experts and odds-makers.

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[BallinBug]

I feel Cp3>WB, dont know wth Rockets thinking.

Yeah, we need a banana boat reunion in LA.

Your 'feelings' don't really jive with the reality I'm seeing. Westbrook is, for the past 3+ years at least, leagues better than CP3.

Last year both of them took a hard dive, but WB is much more likely to bounce back since his decline was more related to offseason injury vs CP3's age in my estimation.

This is a major upgrade either way. And if you can stagger WB & Harden, you will have WB surrounded by a ton of pure shooter plus one P&R god. The lane will be wide open and he's still deadly at the rim, even on that clogged mess of a lane OKC afforded him.

[Durant Durant]

Oh the humanity! Western Conf is stacked.


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[JoeBarryCaroll]

all usless picks

How are they useless?

Houston’s picks are likely to remain in the late 20s barring both Westbrook and Harden dropping off by 2024.

.

Those picks from Houston are in 5 years and 7 years. Very good chance both Westbrook and Harden are gone by then. Both will be 35-37 years old and either retired or in the sunset of their careers. One or more of those picks could very well be lottery picks.

[JoeBarryCaroll]

What is OKC doing? Why get Chris Paul with that horrible contract and his age.

They knew that they weren't going to win anything with the team they had so they are gutting the team for picks and for the future. They don't want Chris Paul, they wanted the picks. They had to take Paul back to match the salaries and to get the picks.

OKc has the chance to be a terrific team in 5-10 years if they use their war chest of picks well.

[TaylorTRoom]

My take? I have been critical of Westbrook, but only as a point guard, the guy driving and directing the offense. He has some great skills- athletic as hell, non stop motor, great finisher, great leader, great handle. His shot has been better than recently. His main weakness is his incredible confidence- it drives him to take over in crucial moments, keeping his team from ever reaching its potential as a unit.

I’m assuming that in Houston, he won’t be driving and initiating the offense, unless Harden is resting.

I don’t believe Westbrook would ever win a championship as a point guard. I believe he absolutely could win one as a combi guard.

[queridiculo]

Wow. That is horrible for Houston.

Westbrook is probably the single worst fit imaginable with Harden.

This won't end well.

Yeah, I can't imagine that two guys that have been friends going back to their days of playing basketball in a boys and girls club are going to find a way to play together.

Zero chance of that happening, they'll snipe back and forth over who is getting the ball and end up hating each others guts.

[enaidealukal]

Westbrook is, for the past 3+ years at least, leagues better than CP3.

Just in terms of last season-

RPM-
Westbrook: +2.51
Paul: +4.76

WS/48-
Westbrook: 0.124
Paul: 0.172

PIPM-
Westbrook: +3.3 (+4.1 multiyear)
Paul: +3.2 (+4.5 multiyear)

BPM-
Westbrook: +6.5
Paul: +3.0

So BPM is the only measure where Westbrook was significantly better than Paul, and its long been known that Westbrook basically "breaks" the BPM metric- the creator of BPM actually wrote an article about this, IIRC. Most other metrics show them to be roughly equal, or show Paul to be significantly better. And its hard to imagine a worse fit in D'Antoni's system or alongside Harden than Westbrook, given that he can't shoot to save his life.

[rotty]

Kawhi broke the damn league.

[CallMeKahn]

Kawhi broke the damn league.

Luke Kawhiwalker?

[Sixerscan]

I’m not sure how many more games the rockets will win, but the main benefit here is Westbrook can carry an offense by himself at times, for better or worse, meaning Harden might actually have something left in the tank by the time the playoffs roll around for once.

[Pantsman]

Kawhi broke the damn league.

Good.

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

Westbrook’s a worse player on a worse contract. If he’s worth more than 2 1st rounders and 2 pick swaps, Paul must be worth a king’s ransom. Presti RAPED the Rockets with this trade.

On what planet is CP3 better than Westbrook. Paul couldn’t take a fan in the crowd off the dribble, let alone anyone in the NBA. They’re on similar **** deals, the Rockets won by a mile. They got him for a discount because Westbrook probably wanted to be on a contender

Similar players on offense. Chris Paul’s miles better defensively. Chris Paul was #1 among all point guards in DRPM last season. 2 playoffs ago he was holding down KD despite a foot disadvantage in height. Westbrook ranked 32nd among PGs in DRPM last season.

Stopped reading after the first sentence. Let’s not even continue discussing this.

[enaidealukal]

I’m not sure how many more games the rockets will win, but the main benefit here is Westbrook can carry an offense by himself at times, for better or worse, meaning Harden might actually have something left in the tank by the time the playoffs roll around for once.

Yeah really the only way the Rockets can spin this as an upgrade is in terms of injury/durability: Paul is clearly the better fit, and may well be the better player, but he's far more injury prone and often injured at the worst possible time (the playoffs). Westbrook at least will be available to play. Is that worth the draft picks they gave up? Ehhh, that's sort of hard to argue. But there's definitely something to the saying that "the best ability is availability".

[atlantabbq99]

This is one of the worst NBA backcourts in the league. Two ball dominate guards with a PG who can't hit a 3 to save his life.

[marcush]

Still can’t believe Morey traded those picks for Westbrook. That dude is so reliant on his athleticism and showed last years definite signs of decline. Such an unnecessary risk for such a small improvement.

[enaidealukal]

Kawhi broke the damn league.

By far the craziest NBA offseason that I've ever seen, and its not even close. Has to be some sort of NBA record in terms of how many former MVPs/Finals MVPs/multiple All-NBA level players changed teams. Just bananas. Cannot wait for the season to start.

[enaidealukal]

Still can’t believe Morey traded those picks for Westbrook. That dude is so reliant on his athleticism and showed last years definite signs of decline. Such an unnecessary risk for such a small improvement.

I think it proves that the reports of Harden and Paul being unable to get along or co-exist any more were accurate. It really doesn't make any sense otherwise.

[slick_watts]

it's been fascinating to witnesses this moment of catharsis for thunder fans who have hated james harden and rockets fans who have hated russell westbrook. this offseason has been the gift that keeps on giving.