Houston Rockets EXPOSED By Elite Teams In CRUNCH Time | Trade NEEDED To CONTEND This Season?
Houston Rockets EXPOSED By Elite Teams In CRUNCH Time | Trade NEEDED To CONTEND This Season?
Houston Rockets face a pivotal moment as NBA trade season begins. Can Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun lift the team into true title contention, or do glaring clutch-time struggles underscore the urgent need for a veteran guard? Host Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) examines the team’s 0-5 record against elite competition, injury impacts, and the limitations of relying on young ball handlers during crunch time.
Key topics include the Rockets’ trade assets, salary cap challenges, and potential targets like Jose Alvarado or TJ McConnell to stabilize the backcourt. Should Houston consider moving Clint Capela or Tari Eason, or wait for a buyout candidate like Chris Paul to hit the market? Explore whether a strategic move is necessary to revitalize Houston’s playoff hopes and maximize the championship window now.
#Rockets #NBA #KevinDurant #AlperenSengun
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#HoustonRockets #Rockets #NBA #KevinDurant #AlperenSengun #AmenThompson #JabariSmithJr #TariEason #ReedSheppard #FredVanVleet #DorianFinneySmith #StevenAdams #AaronHoliday #JaeSeanTate #JeffGreen #ClintCapela #JoshOkogie
47 Comments
Good take on the Rockets wins / losses. Question; how good are the Rockets actually are with their record against teams we're likely to see in the playoffs? What about KD'S lack of production in "crunch" time?
SIGN YUKI KAWAMURA. HE'S CHEAP AND. A PG. AND A SHORT KING LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN JACKSON. thank you
LET AARON HOLIDAY START WHAT ARE WE DOING!? VET PG. Floor spacer, and ball handlier by the playoffs we will be good. This doesn't make sense to trade our assets.
As bad as I hate to say it, if we were to trade a guy like Capella, we might would have to trade him to a team like OKC who have all these draft picks that they can't possibly use. I don't know what the rules are as far as trading a player for a draft pick or picks. Then we could sell the pick(s) to another team. Possibly be able to use that injured player exception money paired with Capella's salary to get someone. We might would possibly be making OKC even stronger (if they even wanted him) but I could live with that if we got an impactful ball handler with the money.
Those losses against the top teams you mentioned doesn't mean much, they competed in all. This rocket team is like a new team, learning to to play with kd. They need the two injured players to come in, Tari and dorian to see how the team mess but a Drew holiday will surely bring stability in offense
If we sure tari GONA sign a contract only trade I could see is Clint n tari for Coby white with salary filler and they’d have to give u a late first round pick but other than that unless drew or harden get bought out we standing pat till Fred comes back
If we’re going to throw around stupid ideas just for giggles. We could trade away Reed or Jabari so we can use that injury money. You know. Improve the team. Could move them both so we can open up even more money….
Imagine trading away Clint or Tari to sign Jose Alvarado. Knowing Ime, he’d out him Alvarado, Holiday, and Reed in the game.
Idk how many times we got to tell you stop talking trades. It’s not because we’re in love with the players. We actually want to win a title. This team has 1 extra first round pick in the next 10 years. And some favorable swaps. That is not an impressive war chest. It’s so tiring.
I don’t think that’s necessarily needed. If refs didn’t rob 6 points in last minutes. It’s clutch team in deed.
Houston don’t spam KD enough , the rockets can play through Sengun for most of the game but those last 7 minutes they need to go through KD…cause he gets everyone easy shots and plus KD has to want to be more aggressive in those moments as well so they need to come up with a good middle ground on how they are going to approach these crunch time moments …
I think it's a problem. We lose consistently to top teams that have their own injuries. I'm not sure we need to win this season, though. I'd rather grow our young guys than trade them. The future will just look bleaker.
JUST ADD CP3 AND THEY WILL GROW!!!
Trade for some refs, maybe that helps Udoka in clutch😂
Rockets need a trade, still think we are the 5th/6th best team in the league.. okc, denver, detroit, spurs, maybe LA… The rockets problems are turnovers and defense. Both of those issues coming from KD and Sengun… our two best players is not better than other high end teams two best players and thats just the bottom line
Told yall last years was better but Gatling ready to trade again we want have nothing left that what Durant do to teams you make trade after trade until you in lottery
Go get DB back lol
We got two 6 ft 8 3 and d guys sitting on the bench hurt..when these guys get back you will see how much better this team looks..no need to panic..fully healthy without fred they goin to the wcf
All our picks and fillers for Giannis
I like PG Kolek from Knicks. he's young, cheap and good ball handler.
D FS has hurt more than Fred no panic . Get a healthy team.
Yes Amen should be traded while his value is up
Why not Amen plus Tari for Derrick white and Jaylen brown?
We’re fine. When we get DFS and Tari back that gives us a substantial boost. The big problem is we cant guard anyone in the clutch. Both of the guys I just mentioned helps a ton. Sengun also has highs and lows in the clutch with decision making. We also got screwed against the nuggets by the refs.
Yes, they need to make a move. Can they? No. Unless you want to trade DFS or Capella. Personally, I would trade Capella.
Chris Paul
The implied no trade clause only comes into play if the other team wants to extend that player. They can still be included as salary filler js
There's no need for any player trades. Let's swap Ime Udoka for Doc Rivers and we'll win a championship.
We should trade eason for dalton knecht. Eason doesn't want to resign with us. Might as well trade him. And he is an injury prone player.
if capela and Dfs won’t be traded, why give them that amount of salary. amen and jabari didn’t develop a lot. especially amen took a step back. offensively and defensively. jabari should be taking more shots and more aggressive on defense, dude is loong. Reed is not what houston requires beside sengun and kd as well. this team doesn’t have murray for its jokic. a lot of gordons tho. gotta make a package
I have to agree, we are a really good team right now but we are not at the elite level yet until we make a move for a PG
1- Tyus Jones
2- Malcolm Brogdon
3- Monte Morris
Hey guys… What's your opinons ?
Exposed? The L2M reports the refs made 3 incorrect cal less in last 2 mins of games one of which sent Murray to free throw line to tie it also missed the push on Sengun. Just like ime said some of those refs had no business being out there
What is up with Dorian Finney-Smith?
Thompson needs to focus on defense they need a legit point guard #houstonrockets
We just need to get healthy. Our offense isn’t a problem. We can score. It was defense that cost us that game against Denver. We just need Tari and DFS and we’ll be good.
SO, Jackson Gatlin…
*What happened about the premise, teams didn't need a true PG in this era of basketball…?
*Now, everyone recognizes teams can't play without a true PG (the same for the low-post player).
*Note: If a team finds a BIG (Hakeem like) will that team play inside/out or outside/in…?
#Players may be better, but the game ISN'T?!
#The-BALL-doesn't-LIE!
🚀🏀💥💯
hlf uwon2
I need a point guard
DONT TRADE REED
Time to blame someone else…😂😂😂
The ROCKETS HAVE A GREAT TEAM !! YOU GUYS ONLY LOST 7 TIMES. They just need to give or envolve kd more in offense. i saw vs okc, spurs, jazz 2e game and now nuggets. the team sometimes do not score for almost 3min cuz they ignore giving the ball to kd and the man still score 25+ppg
This is why I stopped watching Locked On
no need to panic we act like all these games against top teams werent winnable. the okc game we led by double digits the whole game , the nuggets game 2 nights ago were literally a bad call & 2.3 seconds from a dub . they need to start aaron holiday . he is very solid at the PG spot atleast until we can get a jrue holiday buy out !$
its simple man. Amen thompson is a decent defender when u dont ask him to do extra stuff but he is a big liability offensive crunch times when opponents do not allow him to do his tricks. The only reason he shine time to time is, opponet players just not defending him at the end of the games. So he finds positions to dunk with his atletisizm. I understand the hype for Amen but I believe it is exagurated. He will be a decent player and maybe a star but never become a superstar with his shooting and unfortunately shooting is the hardest part of a player to get improved over years.
So in conclusion when u have undersized guards (reed and holiday) as a defensive liability and when you have a player cant shoot (amen). You are cripled both ends of the flooreven even if u have 2 superstar in the team…
Trade Kd and reed Shepard for Brandon Ingram and I. Quickly then next year trade Fred V. To the jazz For K. Jones
Need to do one thing and one thing only: cut down on turnovers. 16.5 turnovers per game is not championship material. Get that to 12 or less and they beat the best teams rather than losing in OT. Amen and KD can do that.
Tari Eason and Capela for Coby White is the deal to make, we have enough wings when DFS plays and he’s under contract already…
Get Tyler Kolek and a 1st rounder from NY for Reed if you're not gonna play JD….. Rockets need a low volume ball-handler who can run a team + make open shots off the catch. Reed is skilled but I just don't like his ablity to facilitate and he doesn't effuse confidence as a handler..Almost like he's always needing to be encouraged
When will Tari and DFS be back?
We need to rent Daryl Morey for a day to make the moves needed for this team to contend. It’s time to turn clint, dfs and Tari into Trae young