By: Ben Sawyers
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – In the wake of Wednesday’s trade of All-Star guard, James Harden, to the talented roster of the Brooklyn Nets, the Houston Rockets have had a massive turnover that leaves them in a choice between competing now, or building for the future.
James Harden, despite years of Houston’s appeasement, forced the trade and joins a “big 3” super team with notable champions Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. In the trade, Houston received another All-Star shooting guard in Victor Oladipo on top of four unprotected first-round picks, Dante Exum and Rodions Kurucs.
Now with a hypothetical starting roster with John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Demarcus Cousins and Christian Wood, this team could compete in the Western Conference playoffs.
Perhaps the organization can use those picks as assets in trades to get another star addition, most likely DeMar DeRozan to fill out the starting lineup. However, Daryl Morey is no longer this organization’s GM, and despite a star-studded lineup, those stars themselves could be trade assets for stockpiling picks, much like the situation Oklahoma City has found themselves in, harboring 15 first rounder and 13 second rounders.
The Rockets organization is at a major crossroads, and either way could lead to success.
Ultimately, it is the decision of ownership and current GM, Rafael Stone. Competing now could lead to sustainable playoff success, but no real chance at a title given the stacked rosters of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. Sinking all of your assets into draft picks is a high-risk high-reward situation, but it also takes 5 or more years to develop the young talent.
The right move is winning now. With the draft assets acquired and other franchises scrambling in the wake of this trade, it is the ideal time to grab another star for this Houston team.
Christian Wood is developing into one of the best power forwards in the league, and if Oladipo, Wall, and Cousins can return to full form from their injuries, this roster can win games in the regular and post-season. A young bench with guard Mason Jones out of Arkansas, Ben McLemore and Danuel House Jr. is not a bad place to start either.
This team can pull it together to compete with other great Western Conference teams like the Mavericks or Lakers. They can produce good, entertaining basketball, and NBA fans yearn for this fun, smashed-together rosters that, against all odds, work. The new-look Houston Rockets are a team to keep an eye on, both on the trade market and on the court.