(12-28-2020, 01:51 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: All yall are sleeping on Portland. I called it a week ago. CJ+Collins+Simons and whatever picks for Harden+Tucker.
I think Harden is shipped East, for obvious reasons. Plus the Portland owner and Dame both love McCollum. I don't think they'll blow up that backcourt unless they know their offseason moves have failed to make the team better. I also don't think Houston will throw Tucker into a Harden deal. They want (and will get) real independent value for Tucker.
Back to my Indiana idea ... they're already a sneaky good playoff team. Under the radar a bit. A Harden deal could be their Toronto Raptors moment. I don't think it puts them over the top, but Harden is such a massive game changer they'd be extremely dangerous and fun to watch. Harden has never played with a guy like Sabonis. I'd love to see him off ball, playing through a center. Lots of creative potential for Bjorkgren (who coincidentally helped the Raps win a Championship with Kawhi).
For Houston, they'll get an All Star caliber SG in Dipo (discounted for injury risk & contract) in a deal that feels similar to Kawhi for DeRozan + Poetl + pick. Turner is the wild card. I think he clearly has more value than Poetl but Dipo has less value than DeRozan did when he was moved, simply because of his durability & contract situation.
Houston could certainly flip Turner for value but I don't see the Rockets going into full rebuild. I like the idea of Turner next to Wood. That's a potentially salty 24-25 year old frontcourt -- with shooting, athleticism and rim protection.
Houston's new backcourt carries obvious injury risk but it looks like both Oladipo and Wall can still play.
Wall
Oladipo
Gordon
Wood
Turner
That lineup will surprise some people; and if things go well it's a playoff team.