Durant to the rockets

[Monster]

Houston will be better.

- I think it was clear by the end of the playoffs that Jalen Green would be shopped. The guy (primarily known as a dynamic scorer) scored only 48 points over the final 5 games of a hotly contested playoff series. That's a HUGE red flag for a promising young team looking to make the next step. Eventually, Houston gets some cap relief not paying Green $105M over the next three years.

- The #10 pick is a crapshoot. Obviously.

- Dillon Brooks... is either a love him or hate him guy. I think he's more expendable because (1) Amen Thompson is the new on-court tone-setter. (2) Ime Odoku is a culture coach anyway (3) gonna be replaced by Kevin Durant... which will give the Rockets exactly what they needed this season... a bucket-getter.

I agree, Abe. As I mentioned in my post, I think this was a very good deal for Houston. They keep all but one of their six talented young guys — Sengun, Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed, and Cam Whitmore — all of whom they valued more highly than Green and on far more team-friendly contracts. They kept nearly all of their full cupboard of 1st-round draft capital including two future Phoenix first round picks along with all of their own. They also retained two of their three main vets — VanVleet and Adams — both of whom are far more important to the team than Brooks. Finally, as you noted they got the veteran bucket-getter they needed.

Yeah. Good mention about the draft picks... I forgot to mention that. Houston is well stocked for its future.

Plus, they get off the $44M annual VanVleet contract next summer. They could probably bring him back if they want for a fraction of that...

I'll say that if GS played anywhere near the defense the Wolves saw I can see why Green struggled at times in that series in his first playoff action. I'm not saying the Rockets gave up a star and the Suns finessed the Rockets for a good player but Green has a chance to improve. Idk if the Suns are the right place though.

[Lipoli390]

I agree, Abe. As I mentioned in my post, I think this was a very good deal for Houston. They keep all but one of their six talented young guys — Sengun, Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed, and Cam Whitmore — all of whom they valued more highly than Green and on far more team-friendly contracts. They kept nearly all of their full cupboard of 1st-round draft capital including two future Phoenix first round picks along with all of their own. They also retained two of their three main vets — VanVleet and Adams — both of whom are far more important to the team than Brooks. Finally, as you noted they got the veteran bucket-getter they needed.

Yeah. Good mention about the draft picks... I forgot to mention that. Houston is well stocked for its future.

Plus, they get off the $44M annual VanVleet contract next summer. They could probably bring him back if they want for a fraction of that...

I'll say that if GS played anywhere near the defense the Wolves saw I can see why Green struggled at times in that series in his first playoff action. I'm not saying the Rockets gave up a star and the Suns finessed the Rockets for a good player but Green has a chance to improve. Idk if the Suns are the right place though.

Fair point. Monster.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I agree, Abe. As I mentioned in my post, I think this was a very good deal for Houston. They keep all but one of their six talented young guys — Sengun, Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed, and Cam Whitmore — all of whom they valued more highly than Green and on far more team-friendly contracts. They kept nearly all of their full cupboard of 1st-round draft capital including two future Phoenix first round picks along with all of their own. They also retained two of their three main vets — VanVleet and Adams — both of whom are far more important to the team than Brooks. Finally, as you noted they got the veteran bucket-getter they needed.

Yeah. Good mention about the draft picks... I forgot to mention that. Houston is well stocked for its future.

Plus, they get off the $44M annual VanVleet contract next summer. They could probably bring him back if they want for a fraction of that...

I'll say that if GS played anywhere near the defense the Wolves saw I can see why Green struggled at times in that series in his first playoff action. I'm not saying the Rockets gave up a star and the Suns finessed the Rockets for a good player but Green has a chance to improve. Idk if the Suns are the right place though.

He struggled mightily in 6 of the 7 games... especially for a guy primarily known as a bucket getter.

He averaged 9.2 ppg over 6 of the games on 27% shooting.
He had 38 points on 52% shooting in the other game.

I always wondered why Green was ripped so often despite pretty good stats... until I watched him over a larger sample size. He's immensely talented, but it seems quite hollow. (It brought back early-career Wiggins vibes.) He's consistent in his inconsistency. A closer look at his Per 36 stats is revealing...

He's virtually the same player now as he was three years ago. Statistically. He hasn't been on the trajectory we've seen from so many other stars (see A. Edwards) where he improves overall and/or in one aspect every single season. It's more like... (see Wiggins again).

[BloopOracle]

What makes Green even worse is that he puts in a ton of work during the off-season, there's no "lock yourself in the gym" lever to pull. He can definitely add more weight but I don't think that will be enough.

[Monster]

Yeah. Good mention about the draft picks... I forgot to mention that. Houston is well stocked for its future.

Plus, they get off the $44M annual VanVleet contract next summer. They could probably bring him back if they want for a fraction of that...

I'll say that if GS played anywhere near the defense the Wolves saw I can see why Green struggled at times in that series in his first playoff action. I'm not saying the Rockets gave up a star and the Suns finessed the Rockets for a good player but Green has a chance to improve. Idk if the Suns are the right place though.

He struggled mightily in 6 of the 7 games... especially for a guy primarily known as a bucket getter.

He averaged 9.2 ppg over 6 of the games on 27% shooting.
He had 38 points on 52% shooting in the other game.

I always wondered why Green was ripped so often despite pretty good stats... until I watched him over a larger sample size. He's immensely talented, but it seems quite hollow. (It brought back early-career Wiggins vibes.) He's consistent in his inconsistency. A closer look at his Per 36 stats is revealing...

He's virtually the same player now as he was three years ago. Statistically. He hasn't been on the trajectory we've seen from so many other stars (see A. Edwards) where he improves overall and/or in one aspect every single season. It's more like... (see Wiggins again).

I agree with everything you said Abe. There was at least one game I watched this year I forgot he was even playing. Houston is a talented team and plays defense.

I think he has 2 issues aside from any mental things and both of them still have shades of Wiggins. He is a little lose with his handle. That's a problem against big-time defenses like I assume GS presented. He isn't that strong and it seems he plays physically more like a guy with combo guard size than a wing and he isn't that dynamic as a ball handler and playmaker to be that type of guy. Wiggins eventually got stronger and Green still could do that which helped Wiggins as a 2-way player and able to guard bigger players. Wiggins never really got that much better as a ball handler. Both guys FT rate dropped off after looking promising in that regard. You never know sometimes guy figure it out. Rip Hamilton comes to mind as one guy that clicked at some point. Not everyone gets there though...in fact most don't.

[Lipoli390]

Durant repeatedly complained both publicly and privately about Kerr’s offensive principles during his final season with the Warriors, and he continued to do so even after he left for Brooklyn. The two have since reconciled, but league sources identify Kerr as among the reasons Durant opted not to return to Golden State at the trade deadline. In Gotham, Durant had similar critiques of Nash’s concepts, and the coach was later fired during Durant’s last season. And this past season, cameras routinely caught him in verbal spars with Suns coach Mike Budenholzer, urging him to simplify the offense, yelling at him during possession changes, or pouting in the corner in protest as the offense flowed without him. – via The Ringer

[Wolvesfan21]

I will say, if Durant wasn't all in on being here and doing what it takes then good riddance. The dude is still a bucket, BUT his salary, along with his pouting and coach firings, just isn't worth it, not to mention not playing more then 60 games and the real threat of a drop off in the next few years. I do think ultimately he is to blame for not winning since leaving GS. He's had his opportunities, he doesn't make his teammates better.

[Monster]

Durant repeatedly complained both publicly and privately about Kerr’s offensive principles during his final season with the Warriors, and he continued to do so even after he left for Brooklyn. The two have since reconciled, but league sources identify Kerr as among the reasons Durant opted not to return to Golden State at the trade deadline. In Gotham, Durant had similar critiques of Nash’s concepts, and the coach was later fired during Durant’s last season. And this past season, cameras routinely caught him in verbal spars with Suns coach Mike Budenholzer, urging him to simplify the offense, yelling at him during possession changes, or pouting in the corner in protest as the offense flowed without him. – via The Ringer

To be fair Durant maybe should have yelled at Bud because that team was not very good despite having a better roster than when Vogel was the coach. I was thinking he didn't really jive with Kerr while he was there. I don't think every coach is good to coach a group of star players which is what Durant has been a part of since leaving GS but it does seem like Durant has had some legit problems in the area of coaching.