It’s rumor season.
The dog days of summer. Always liked that expression. Life is probably pretty good as a dog.
The word takes a different meaning when it comes to the Houston Rockets. You’re not in the rotation if you don’t “have that dog in you”. Dogs are anthropomorphized as both lazy and hardworking. English is funny? Dogs are funny?
Basketball. It’s rumor season. Yet, Houston Rockets rumors are few and far between. At this juncture, it seems clear that we’re “running it back”. Marcus Smart is the blockbuster acquisition. Bogdan Bogdanovic is a reasonable flyer.
Earlier in the summer (before the dog days?), there were rumors. Both Fred VanVleet and Kevin Durant were the main subjects.
Would Rafael Stone really have the audacity to move either?
Rockets must keep an open mind
Frankly, I think there are several worlds in which trading Durant is beneficial.
The only suitor who seems marginally serious is the Pistons. The deal would presumably be Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert, Ron Holland, and a first-rounder.
There’s an awkwardness here. Holland is a recent lottery pick, and he has the prerequisite Ime Udoka Canis lupus familiaris (dog) qualities. He’s the centerpiece of this deal in theory, but he’s probably the least useful piece from the Rockets’ perspective. He’s a defense-first wing who can’t shoot:
So Udoka will probably start him at the two and call it a day.
Jokes aside (and let me be clear that, contrary to the entire comments section, I like our identity and Udoka while recognizing his flaws), Robinson would be a great addition to this roster. The first-round pick is necessary for the Rockets to get fair value. Yet, I’m advocating for this deal for a broader reason:
The Rockets can’t be afraid to reset.
The Rockets can afford a step back
There was a comment during Rafael Stone’s end-of-season presser where he alluded to “a strategic step back”.
Stone, of course, is beholden to the stakeholders. Owners do not like temporary regression. Ime Udoka signed up for a gradual but steady progression to championship viability.
Yet, linear upward progression cannot be this organization’s impetus. If the right superstar trade presents itself, yes, you take the deal. Anthony Edwards. Jayson Tatum (however unlikely).
Not Jaylen Brown (thankfully) or an aging Kawhi “Aspiration” Leonard. Being hasty to stimulate the rate of improvement would be a potential disaster.
Losing five extra games in service of the future would be perfectly fine.
That could mean trading Durant. It could even mean trading one of the “young core” for assets if fit issues result in another first-round exit next year. Whatever it means, winning 45 games in 2027-28 shouldn’t be viewed as an unacceptable outcome if the team has more future picks, and more potential via their 2027 draft selections.
Got to close this one by return. Something about dogs, or summer, or rumors. Or maybe not. We don’t have to progress linearly to our objective:
As long as we get where we’re going.