We're talking mid-late picks for the most part. That's the NBA draft. Patterson was also a serviceable player who brought picks (via t-rob) and Garcia to Houston.

13-14

PG- Lin (25), Beverley (25)
SG- Harden (24), Garcia, Canaan (rookie)
SF- Parsons (25), Casspi (bleh)
PF- Jones (22), Motiejunas (23), Greg Smith (23)
C- Howard (28), Asik (27)

That's a damn good team that's still young and ascending. They have room to bring in one more player (wing defender or shooter) at just over 2 million. If they need a 4 next year because someone doesn't step up.... Goodbye Asik.

This team won 45 games last year with all of these young guys playing big minutes. Can't say the same about Cleveland's young ones

But hey... Maybe it was all Carlos Delfino

If they can trade Asik or Lin for Anderson from NO, I think that could be a HUGE get for them.

I'm not going to get into comparisons with Cleveland. It's silly to even compare the two teams given that one team has plunged into superstars, and the other has relied exclusively on the draft. I don't know what the Cavs' fate will be, but that's a conversation for 2 years from now.

The Rockets are winning games because they made a big free agent splash last year. Morley has proven he has the stones to land some really big fish. Credit him for that. But so has Brooklyn. Much as you talk about the bright future prospects of these young guys, let's be real here. Their organic talent is very, very average at best.

The only reason Houston is winning is because they are spending a lot of money. The reason they managed to avoid some cap issues is that they exploited a short-term loophole in the CBA to poison pill Lin and Asik's contract. That doesn't mean the team was built on a good strategy. It's basically a strategy of stockpiling expensive talent and hoping your average drafts are going to be good enough to support your expensive players.

Zilla keeps proving that he is a ****ing idiot.

Give me a break. The Rockets walked into last year's preseason an absolute nightmare. You take Harden off that team (pre-Howard) and the team is unbelievably mediocre.

The Rockets didn't have a strategy. Once their preseason mix looked like a disaster, they gave up the moon, sun, and stars to get Harden. They're doing the same with Howard. In a superstar-driven league, it might lead to some playoff wins. But sorry, I'll save the kudos for teams like OKC and Indiana that are doing it organically. Hell, even the Heat success can be largely attributed to an incredible strategy in getting perfect role players on the cheap that fit a specific purpose.

Throwing money and picks around shows aggressiveness and it's ballsy. But I'll save Houston kudos until we see what they can do on the cheap with the support players. Right now, way too much credit is being given for a very, very mediocre at best group.

Jesus, you're a dumbshit. The only way teams can build through the draft is by tanking for 2-3 years in a row. Name me a team built on picks outside the lottery or even late lottery. The rockets have been above-average from where they have been picking. Once again, much like when you proposed a trade down from no. 1, you are showing that you don't understand the NBA draft.

Yes, the team would have been below-average to mediocre without Harden, but because they are the supporting ****ing cast. I'd take their 3-13 guys over many other team's 3-13

I'm not too familiar with him, but I'm not in love with the idea. Rather wait and see what might be available later.

this is exactly why I am mad about the Sixers lol

It's a tough process. I'm going through it with the Astros... Though at least I have minor league players to follow

1. The 1.1 trade-down was a viable option and the Cavs didn't take it. Grant took shit for that.

2. The team got Harden in October. So far, their team is built like the Knicks, not the Spurs or Pacers. Their success is built on superstars who can hold the ball and thrive regardless of supporting cast. Until the supporting cast steps up, that's the perception. Parsons is the only in that group that has over many games. The rest are pure upside guys.

3. For the record... when you talk about 3 - 13, I am assuming you are talking about a neutered Asik and Lin because they don't mesh well with Howard and Harden in the lineup. It is a much more so-so cast than you are crediting them for. And teams like Chicago, San Antonio, and Indiana have done way better with much worse draft picks to work with

Credit Morley for having the stones and presence of mind to adjust and admit mistakes frequently. I'm sure that now that he has his Big 2, he may re-consider the scheme and the kind of role players he wants to fill in (again, credit him for building the cap flexibility to do that). But as of right now, the team has been built on a scattershot approach with overpaid free agents and middling role players. And even the two superstars the team is built around have some question marks of their own.

Bullshit. The Knicks are/were old with has-been/nobody FA signings. Rockets were the second youngest team in the league last year. That wont change much next year. Lin just had his first full season coming off injury and had a decent regular season--especially the second half. Lin is capable of scoring in bunches when Parsons is having an off night. He's working hard, and understands his role. This team was young, had tons of points AND turnovers, but are getting more and more experience.

Asik can be traded at any time if he doesn't mesh with Howard.

And I don't want them to be built like the Pacers. Harden-Howard > George-Hibbert

And the Rockets role players destroy theirs

no they dont

Stephenson, Copeland, Hill, Granger, etc > Parsons, Lin, Asik

That's fine. I'm not a fan of any of them. Especially Stephenson and Copeland. Maybe my Rockets homerism is showing, but I guess I can't help but be excited.