The Rockets and Grizzlies quietly reached a 4-for-1 deal.
The Rockets sent Audi + two 2024 second-round picks + a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for New Zealand big center Aquaman from the Grizzlies.
For Aquaman, he returned to the real "parent team"
Do you still remember the multi-person deal that the Rockets and Thunder reached about the third brother?
The Rockets sent crooked picks Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and future draft picks to the Thunder in exchange for a third brother, Cole Aldridge, DeQueene Cook and Raza Hayward;
Then in the following 2013 draft, the Thunder used the first-round pick sent by the Rockets to select the 12th pick Aquaman, who became New Zealand's first first-round rookie.
Time does not wait for people, 10 years have passed in a flash, and now Aquaman has returned to Houston to indirectly complete the closed loop.
Adams has not played this season, showing his face only twice in preseason before being forced to be reimbursed for the season after undergoing cruciate ligament surgery;
Although Aquaman did not win any hard honors in his career, he has become one of the few traditional insiders who have mixed quite well in the NBA with his rim-protecting performance and workplace attitude;
In 2016, he reached a four-year, $100 million contract with the Thunder, another two-year, $35 million contract with the Pelicans, and finally reached a two-year, $25.2 million early contract extension with the Grizzlies in 2022.
He currently has two years left on his contract and a salary of $12.6 million this season and next.
Don't look at Haiwang's unshaven beard and unkempt, he is a serious post-90s generation, and now he has just turned 30 years old.
Although I can't help Houston now, I can definitely show my skills in the future.
For example, helping Shen Jing to protect the frame and filling the pit, teaching Jabari Jr. to grab the board and improve the quality of the cover, these are all his unique skills as a traditional interior line based on the alliance;
The key is that Aquaman, this guy has a good temper, high emotional intelligence, and good character, and it is easy to get along with his teammates.
Being able to bring the strength of the team together will also make the rebuilt rocket more smoothly on the right track.
In contrast, Audi, which is in the same class as Aquaman, has a confused future.
I think that Audi also came to the NBA stage with the name of a team of people in the United States and a team of defense, and after two periods of polishing by the Magic and the Thunder, it finally played the style of a star in the Pacers;
In the 17~18 season, the fierce battle with the knight legion led by Ah King to the battle of the seventh battle is still a classic scene discussed after dinner.
What a scenery Audi was that year, wearing an all-star vest, winning the steal king, being selected for the best defensive team and the best team for three teams, showing its edge at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends;
But everyone knows the story well, the injury began to show its teeth and claws, Audi was either recuperating from the injury or on the way back, and in the middle of the year, Xiao Sa formed a hard training brother;
The latter has already cultivated the Tao in Saramento and joined hands with the little fox to revive the king, but the Audi Middle Road collapsed and still returned to the factory to repair Alto, and the "Bitter Mamba" is worthy of its name.
Audi also did not play a game this season,
The reason is that he suffered a patellar tendon tear in his left knee in the first round of the playoffs in April last year, which led to the reimbursement of the season, and he has not yet returned.
is only 31 years old, obviously at the peak of his prime, but the medical records accumulated by Audi all the way are as thick as the bandages on his legs.
Flipping through them, almost every time it is still a major injury that endangers the career.
Fate was so unfair that the All-Star guard became a guest in the league.
Maybe Audi can return, but unfortunately it is no longer the Black Panther who can calmly gallop between swords and swords.