The Houston Rockets’ trade of Russell Westbrook for Washington Wizards point guard John Wall felt like a move sideways — and maybe down — for a franchise that’s gotten close to contending for a title but has fallen short over the years with James Harden as the nucleus of some very talented teams.
Which has brought up a question about what’s next for the Rockets: is Harden the next to be dealt, perhaps to the Brooklyn Nets? To the 76ers, where his old pal Daryl Morey is? To the … Warriors (welp!!)?
The answer should be: yes.
There’s a new general manager in town — Rafael Stone — and a new coach — Stephen Silas. Gone are Morey and Mike D’Antoni, and regime changes usually mean teams go in a different direction.
More importantly, though, with the season on the horizon, the question is: are the Rockets good enough to be considered contenders with the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors?
I’d say they’re probably in a second tier that isn’t too far removed from the first with the Blazers and Warriors. Harden and Wall, once he settles in, along with Eric Gordon and Christian Wood (one of my favorite additions this offseason) can be a 45-win team in a shortened season.
But are they good enough to break through the Lakers and Clips (assuming the latter cleans up the reported discontent in the locker room)? Nope. And the return on Harden — one of the game’s greatest scorers of all time and, at 31, still winning scoring titles — could stock the Rockets’ franchise immediately.
What if the Nets are willing to give away anyone not named Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris? They could end up with another terrific guard in Spencer Dinwiddie, a shot-blocking center in Jarrett Allen and a talented wing in Caris LeVert. No longer would they be stymied by playing small ball for Harden and they’d have quite a young core that could get the attention of star free agents in the not-so-distant future.
To me, there are signs a Harden deal like this could happen sooner than the trade deadline, although maybe the Rockets wait to see how he and Wall fit and then sell Harden to the highest bidder. There was the fact that the Rockets got back a very protected first-round pick in the Wall trade, a sign that a rebuild might be on the horizon. And then there’s this:
Rockets source: Stance on James Harden has not changed. Houston hopes to be competitive with him this season and does not envision a scenario where Harden would be traded before the opener.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 3, 2020
“Hope” to be competitive, and they don’t see him being traded “before the opener.” But after the opener? And if this team is like fifth or sixth in the West?
I’m certainly not on the “James Harden’s play style doesn’t win him championships” bandwagon, not by any stretch. But the Rockets have tried and tried to find the pieces to fit around him — they got so close with Chris Paul, Westbrook wasn’t right, Wall probably won’t work either.
At a certain point, before Harden’s value plummets further, you have to admit you’ve tried and move on.
[jwplayer RJOWmIqO-q2aasYxh]