Saturday, July 2, 10:34 AM: It has been a wild start to free agency, headlined by a trade of a superstar(?) center and a trade request from one of the ten greatest players in NBA history. Whew. I'm still trying to make sense of it all.
To start, I still can't wrap my mind around the Minnesota Timberwolves completely emptying the piggy bank for Rudy Gobert, one of the greatest defensive forces in league history who also happens to not be able to stay on the floor in the postseason. I get the arguments in support of Rudy: the advanced stats don't lie and he was out on an island with poor supporting defenders in Utah - we heard all year how he'd look better with better defenders next to him. But he won't be getting that in Minnesota, unless Anthony Edwards makes a miraculous leap.
To be sure, the Timberwolves will definitely crack the West's upper echelon next season, at least in terms of the regular season standings, and maybe that's enough for a franchise that hasn't really found its footing since Kevin Garnett packed up and headed East. I don't know. For Rudy Gobert to basically go (basically) for the same asking price as James Harden strikes me as a bit off. But who really knows anymore in this economy.
Saturday, July 2, 6:21 PM: I don't like most of these Kevin Durant proposals that I'm seeing out there. I get that "he's Kevin Durant", but I wouldn't blow up the young core I had built for what is essentially a 1 or 2 year long shot at winning the title. For instance, if I'm New Orleans, I would not be parting with Brandon Ingram.
Along those lines, that raises an interesting question from the perspective of the Rockets. Given that what is most dear to the Nets at this juncture is their own draft picks over which the Rockets maintain complete and total control, would you part with all or most of the draft capital acquired in the James Harden trade for Durant, as a Rockets fan? I absolutely would not. I love what Rafael Stone is building so far through this slow and deliberate process and would much rather just see it play out to fruition rather than to speed up the timeline. Now if the Rockets can route some of those picks elsewhere and bring back a young piece, I would absolutely be on board.
Saturday, July 2, 6:34 PM: It's funny that the San Antonio Spurs are finally committing to a full-blown rebuild. The last time they did that, there was also a generational big man in the upcoming NBA Draft. The only thing different this time around is there's no knife in Bob Hill's back. (I didn't make that quip on Twitter realizing you have to be over 35 to get the humor...it's long, long forgotten now, but Gregg Popovich famously, at the time, fired then head coach Bob Hill, riding in on the white horse to save the franchise with Tim Duncan waiting around the corner. Hill had guided the Spurs to some very successful seasons with David Robinson and probably didn't deserve to lose his job.)
Saturday, July 2, 8:08 PM: Chris Haynes is now reporting that the Nets and Lakers are "actively engaged" on a trade centered around Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook. It warms my heart to potentially see Kyrie and Lebron reunited again. It's like all is right in the world and we've come full circle. I think if anyone in the league can get through to Kyrie, it's Lebron. In any other potential landing spot, I personally probably wouldn't even blink, assuming that Kyrie would eventually flame out. Not the Lakers though.
This also goes back to why I thought it was wise of the Lakers to pass on the rumored John Wall for Russell Westbrook trade dating back to last year's trade deadline. The marginal upgrade from whoever the Lakers could have gotten on the open market to Wall just never was worth the first round pick Houston was asking for, given the uncertainty over Wall's current state. But Kyrie is a bonafide superstar when actually on the court.
Saturday, July 2, 10:36 PM: I'll close with this tonight. There's something calming watching everything, all of this mayhem, unfold over the past 24-48 hours as a Rockets fan. It seems like almost every major contender is in on the action. Golden State actually got worse, losing Gary Payton's son. In the Harden years, I might have been filled with anxiety over the team's lack of activity. But now? We can sit back, pressure-free, watching all of this take place, content with our current reality. The Rockets are building something very slowly for the long haul. They can take their time unbothered by their surroundings. Eventually, they'll be on the clock again. But for now, there's no rush at all.