NBA Gametime | Rockets are title contenders in the West after signing Kevin Durant and Finney-Smith

NBA Gametime | Rockets are title contenders in the West after signing Kevin Durant and Finney-Smith

All right, welcome back. So, Houston has had an incredible off seasonason so far. Obviously, the Kevin Durant news, Dorian Finny Smith, Clint Capella agreeing to deals, uh, and then locking up some of their current talent, too. Fred Van Vleet coming in on a much more teamfriendly deal, Jabari Smith. I mean, it has been a really impressive summer so far to the Houston Rockets.
You have to give the Houston Rockets credit for how they filled out their roster. Acquiring Kevin Durant was the first step, but since then bringing in Dorian Finny Smith, somebody one who’s going to do the dirty work on the perimeter. Uh be that 3D guy that they need. Clint Capella gives you a lob threat, gives you a protection around the paint. And then the young guys they have like this is the type of team that, you know, I think we saw in Indiana where you just have multiple guys with so much versatility to guard multiple positions and then you have your go-to guys. Indiana didn’t even have really go-to guys. It was kind of by, you know, assembly. Houston, they got their go-to guy now.
Yeah. Listen, the reality is is this. I think on paper, they look like a team that can win it all. On on paper, the real challenge is going to be integrating all these pieces cuz that is part of the process. You know, that the beauty of the game of basketball, it’s not about having the five best players. It’s having the five that play best together. Is how’s the chemistry going to be? How is this group going to flow? And and also you also don’t want to necessarily stunt the growth of a guy like Shingu, right? You know, he was a guy that I felt like could ultimately become a first option in this league. He he was trending and still trending in that direction, but when you bring in a personality and a talent like a Kevin Durant, your offense does shift. It it just has to. And so, is he going to be a strong enough personality to still continue to grow uh and be who he could potentially become? And that’s that’s going to be a challenge for for Yudoka. It’s going to be a challenge for Kevin Durant as well because he’s going to be I I think uh asked as a leader to make sure that that process continues to to to grow in terms of his development. You don’t want that guy to end up taking a backseat because we’ve seen that happen in the past. Yeah, I think the Rockets the big offseason winner for me so far, especially in the Western Conference. I love how they started this process by holding firm on Kevin Durant. They included a couple guys on long-term deals, Jaylen Green and Dylan Brooks. And that flexibility in the bill let them not only resign Fred Van Bleet and Steven Adams, but also extend Jabari Smith, bring in Dorian Finny Smith, and then add to their center depth. So, I love the way their depth chart looks, especially in the front court. Uh, I think they may look to add one more guard. I’ll be interested to see if they move some of those wings, maybe even Atari E, a Cam Whitmore who are getting buried now a little bit on the depth chart, especially with KD coming in to get some more backcourt help. Uh, if they’re able to do that, I love their roster. It’s as talented and good as any in the league, I think, maybe outside of OKC.
Want to get back to you about the Kevin Durant situation, too. How important is that relationship between the two? Obviously, having that connection in Brooklyn.
Oh, it’s going to be very important. Uh, but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue like it it I I think Kevin Durant’s going there and with the hopes of having a chance to win a championship and he’s going to buy in and do what’s necessary. And I think that Eay is a strong enough personality that, you know, he’s one of those guys, he’s going to hold his group accountable. They’re going to have to play the way he envisions them playing in order to have a chance to win a championship. And so that part to me, I don’t think it it’s an issue. It still has to work and it still can take time. And then that’s the other issue because remember what also has happened now. The expectations have risen. Going into last season, the Rockets didn’t have the expectations. They kind of flew under the radar and surprised a lot of people. Now going into this this season, they’re going to have the bullseye on their back. When the expectations rise, that brings another level of pressure and not everybody handles that well. And so what happens if they get off to a really slow start? How does that impact everybody? So that’s why again I I love the moves but until you see this group functioning at a high level we don’t know cuz that’s what the you know it’s always great when it’s going well and right now they haven’t lost a game so it’s it’s wonderful right now it’s when we get in the season go back to when the when the Heat established their dynasty
and they started 11 and 10.
Yeah.
You know like thankfully the guys they had there and the coaches they had there were allowed them to kind of get through that. We don’t know how that’s going to all materialize once this Rockets group starts playing meaningful games.
Uh it is going to be intriguing. There’s no doubt about that. And like you were talking about the East, which is kind of wide open next year. Trey Young and the Atlanta Hawks, they got a different look for the upcoming season. Plus, Ice Tray eligible for a contract extension. Will the Hawks pay up? Yeah. And Ice getting some more help uh for this upcoming season. Ryan, what do you think what you’ve seen uh from what the Hawks have done? I really like Atlanta’s off seasonason. To me, the Rockets are the Western Conference winner so far. The Hawks are the Eastern Conference winner so far, but they still have some important business. Nibil Trey Young on July 6 is eligible for a contract extension. Uh he has two years left on his contract, makes him the $46 million range, but next season is a player option, so he can opt out and be a free agent. Um so keep an eye on that deal. Uh it will be a significant deal. Trey’s going to be eligible for a 4-year 229 million extension. That is if he gets the full max. Obviously, there’s room for negotiation there if the Hawks don’t want to give him the full max. U but Atlanta, I think, needs to keep going. They’ve been really aggressive bringing in Chris Porzingis and also adding Nquille Alexander Walker from Minnesota. I’d expect that they keep going and talk to Trey Young and see if there’s a path there. uh maybe he makes less than the full max but something that gets him close to the max and keeps him happy and in Atlanta for a number of years.
What’s your sense around Trey Young and this extension?
This is what I can say. Trey has been very active in recruiting Luke Canard and Alexander Walker. He has been very instrumental in trying to sell them and some others I I was told on the culture of the Atlanta Hawks and what they’re trying to build. So he’s all in. So if you got your franchise player all in, I think that bodess well when you want to start talking about extension talks.
Jaylen Johnson comes back and and he’s healthy. He had a great year last year till getting injured. I mean Chris Sporzen again kind of the wild card there with his health, but again J I mean in the East you’re talking about being wide open. This could be a team right here. The no question about it. You know the improvement Dyson Daniels shown showed last season. This group has a chance to improve defensively. you think about Porzingis, uh, Nikquil Alexander Walker. Two guys that bring a presence defensively and three-point shooting. Um, and so I I really like the moves that they made. I can’t imagine a scenario where they’re not going to try to get Trey Young extended. It just makes sense because what you’re telling your fan base also is look, we’re trying to win now. And to your point, the Eastern Conference is is getable, right? Like this is a team that they’ve basically been right on the verge. They’ve been a postseason participant here the last few years with a flawed roster. Now they got one that looks much more complete. And so I I would assume that this is a group that’s saying why not us right now.
I completely agree with Greg as far as the top of the East just about every team. You look up and down the top of the Eastern Conference with the injury issues in Boston, in Indiana with the Knicks looking for a new head coach, Darius Garland’s injury in Cleveland. I could go on. Another factor for the Hawks, people say, well, um, you know, why wouldn’t they maybe take a step back and rebuild? They still owe unprotected firsts or swaps to the San Antonio Spurs over the next two years. Um, so I think for every reason they’re going to continue to be aggressive, Nibil, and I think the goal in Atlanta is to get out of the playin. They’ve been stuck right in the middle of the Eastern Conference and I think they see a wideopen opportunity to be a top six team in the East and with the moves they’ve made, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if that happens. I really like their offseason so far. Uh, exciting times for the Atlanta Hawks and their fans. And speaking of the Spurs, by the way, kind of quiet so far. They were kind of linked to Giannis earlier in the off season. Again, remain fairly quiet. We’ll take a closer look at their outlook with Wem leading the way. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

NBA Gametime | Rockets are title contenders in the West after signing Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith