The official announcement is that the magical 1-for-4 deal has been officially reached, the Houston Rockets took the risk of winning the hot potato, and the hidden inside story behind it was exposed, and Harden really made the right bet!
Text: Lao Kan Kanqiu
Editor|Lao Kan Kanqiu
The NBA regular season has passed the halfway point, and the situation of the entire league has gradually become clear, and the competition for the Eastern and Western divisions has become more and more fierce, and there have been four groups on the Western side. In the first group, the Timberwolves and the Thunder, two dark horse teams, have risen super this season, with excellent defense all the way, becoming the most powerful contenders in the playoffs, the defending champion Nuggets still maintain a strong strength, coach Malone selectively rested Jokic, can still keep the team close to 7% of the winning rate, it is expected that they will choose a better position in the next game to prepare for the playoffs. The Clippers, on the other hand, have soared since Harden joined the Clippers, with a 23-5 record since December, the highest in the league over the same period.
In the second group, the Kings, Suns, Pelicans and Mavericks are also fiercely contested for the rankings, and the Lakers, Jazz, Rockets and Warriors in the third group have already pulled out their positions. The fourth group is teams such as the Grizzlies, Trail Blazers and Spurs, who have not had a good season and are at the bottom of the table. However, at the beginning of the season, the Rockets, as a big dark horse, once ranked in the top five in the West with their excellent defensive record, but as the season deepened, the stamina of the young players of the Rockets was obviously a little weak, and many of the games lost were regrettable defeats, so many media exposed the Rockets' desire to bring in reinforcements again.
In fact, last offseason, the Rockets went to great lengths to sign former Celtics coach Udoka, and spent a lot of money to get a series of excellent veterans such as VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, etc., and once wanted to regain the team's original superstar Harden, but failed to do so for various reasons. However, the purpose of the Rockets management is also very clear, after several seasons of talent accumulation, it is to show their talents this season and impact the playoffs. However, although the Rockets have made some progress this season compared to previous seasons, it still feels like they are still so bad, so the Rockets want to complete the reinforcement deal again before the trade deadline.
Not long ago, the American media "Houston Times" conducted an in-depth analysis of the Rockets' recruitment targets before the trade deadline. It has been revealed that the Rockets are most eager to get a center, and Capela is seen as the most desirable candidate on the market. In addition to Capela, the Rockets are also likely to focus on three young interior players in their recruitment targets, including Richards, Gafford and Stewart, all of whom have a lot of potential and are expected to play a big role in future games. And from the perspective of the least costly, Drummond in exchange for the Bulls could also be a good choice. The official announcement is that the magical 1-for-4 deal has been officially reached, the Rockets have won the hot potato, and Harden really made the right bet!
However, to everyone's surprise, just today, the Rockets officially announced that the team and the Grizzlies have reached a 4-for-1 deal: the Rockets sent Oladipo and 3 second-round picks to get Grizzlies center Adams. This deal is indeed magical, because Adams has announced the reimbursement of the season due to a knee injury, and he still has two years of contract of up to $25.2 million, which is completely a hot potato, what does the Rockets get him at this time?
According to Woj, the Grizzlies have run out of hope this season, and management has begun preparing for the 2024 offseason with the aim of creating more salary flexibility and draft assets. The purpose of this strategic layout is to acquire high lottery picks in future drafts, so as to bring in more excellent players for the core of the team, Morant, Jackson and Bane, and further strengthen the overall strength of the team.
Grizzlies management understands that to stand out in the competitive NBA, they need not only to have a good core player, but also to build a complete roster system. As an important asset of the team, draft picks can bring young players with unlimited potential to the team and lay a solid foundation for future development. As for the Rockets, Adams' rebounding and defensive ability are recognized by the league, and his arrival is undoubtedly the best addition to the Rockets' interior line, and the Rockets get him, apparently also preparing for the start of next season.
Fortunately, Harden did not make a deal with the Rockets, if he chose to join the Rockets, wouldn't it be another wasted championship season? Now, Harden is in good shape with the Clippers, and the data shows that in the latest edition of the league strength rankings, the Clippers have jumped to the first place in the league and become the biggest championship favorite this season.