HOU - SAC

[bpcox05]

---------------------------------------

HOU Gets: Chris Duarte, #13, & 2025 POR 2nd
HOU Gives: Tari Eason
Why for HOU? The Rockets have a lot of rookie contracts that will need to get paid soon (Sengun, Green, Smith, & Eason). With Smith at PF (and the emergence of Whitmore), they move Eason for a lottery pick and likely early 2nd to maintain value/trade assets while also being mindful of their cap and the tax aprons.

PG - VanVleet / Thompson
SG - Green / Duarte
SF - Brooks / Whitmore / Tate
PF - Smith / Green
C - Sengun / Adams / Landale
Picks - #9 / #13 / #44

---------------------------------------

SAC Gets: Tari Eason
SAC Gives: Chris Duarte, #13, & 2025 POR 2nd
Why for Kings? Eason’s defense, rim protection, versatility, shooting, size/length, and age would be a great fit next to Sabonis at PF. Not only is he a great complement to Sabonis but he’d help elevate their defense while still being young enough to continue growing his game as this Kings core matures.

PG - Fox / Mitchell
SG - Ellis / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Huerter
PF - Eason / Barnes / Vezenkov
C - Sabonis / Lyles
Picks - #45

---------------------------------------

[LarsV8]

Eason isnt going anywhere.

[K_chile22]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

[supertruck97]

Why for Kings? Eason’s defense, rim protection, versatility, shooting, size/length, and age would be a great fit next to Sabonis at PF. Not only is he a great complement to Sabonis but he’d help elevate their defense while still being young enough to continue growing his game as this Kings core matures.

See all of these things you said about Eason next to Sabonis?

Replace "Sabonis" with "Sengun" and you'll see exactly the reason the Rockets have no reason or motivation to do a deal like this.

[Godaddycurse]

Rockets are trying to win now so it doesn't make sense for them to trade Eason for a pick. You need to target a team thats rebuilding

[bpcox05]

Why for Kings? Eason’s defense, rim protection, versatility, shooting, size/length, and age would be a great fit next to Sabonis at PF. Not only is he a great complement to Sabonis but he’d help elevate their defense while still being young enough to continue growing his game as this Kings core matures.

See all of these things you said about Eason next to Sabonis?

Replace "Sabonis" with "Sengun" and you'll see exactly the reason the Rockets have no reason or motivation to do a deal like this.

Well you essentially have two of those players at PF (Smith and Eason) so let’s not act like HOU still wouldn’t have that great fit next to Sengun.

[Colbinii]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

[bpcox05]

Rockets are trying to win now so it doesn't make sense for them to trade Eason for a pick. You need to target a team thats rebuilding

Not necessarily. I think the new CBA and tax aprons are going to adjust the way teams look at some of these trades.

[K_chile22]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

13th pick in an awful draft when they already have 9 doesn't do much for them, their best (or second behind amen) defensive player does. He was 96th percentile in DEPM when he got to play this year, hes a star on that end of the floor. Still think he has a good shot at being a better player than jabari. it's also just selling low after he missed a year because he happened to get a bone bruise right onto a malignant growth that then had to be removed, not like thats something to affect him going forward. I'd bet he has more value after playing another year even if they were interested in trading him

[Colbinii]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

13th pick in an awful draft when they already have 9 doesn't do much for them, their best (or second behind amen) defensive player does. He was 96th percentile in DEPM when he got to play this year, hes a star on that end of the floor. Still think he has a good shot at being a better player than jabari

I do not see him ever being better than Jabari, but if you are that stuck on some weird 99% outcome while being that low on Jabari, then hold onto Eason for 2 more years until you know for a fact he will never hold a jock strap of Jabari, and then let him walk in RFA as a team offers him far too much money and Houston can't afford him.

[bpcox05]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

13th pick in an awful draft when they already have 9 doesn't do much for them, their best (or second behind amen) defensive player does. He was 96th percentile in DEPM when he got to play this year, hes a star on that end of the floor. Still think he has a good shot at being a better player than jabari

Awful draft at the top*

[K_chile22]

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

13th pick in an awful draft when they already have 9 doesn't do much for them, their best (or second behind amen) defensive player does. He was 96th percentile in DEPM when he got to play this year, hes a star on that end of the floor. Still think he has a good shot at being a better player than jabari

I do not see him ever being better than Jabari, but if you are that stuck on some weird 99% outcome while being that low on Jabari, then hold onto Eason for 2 more years until you know for a fact he will never hold a jock strap of Jabari, and then let him walk in RFA as a team offers him far too much money and Houston can't afford him.

All the impact stats have him clearly better right now and just from watching he's surely more impactful even if not the idealized 3&D role guy Jabari is. and I think they'll be fine to afford him. Jalen has a good chance of just not being good next year again and not getting any decent money, Fred Expires, they can move dillon, don't think he or Jabari have maxes coming their way, they'll be fine.

[Godaddycurse]

Rockets are trying to win now so it doesn't make sense for them to trade Eason for a pick. You need to target a team thats rebuilding

Not necessarily. I think the new CBA and tax aprons are going to adjust the way teams look at some of these trades.

They are nowhere near the tax right now and FVVs contract will come off the books. The rockets is not a team that will dump a rookie scale player for a pick at this time.

[Texas Chuck]

I can't say if Houston would consider this or not, but agree with Colbini that I don't think they auto hang up with prejudice. I would hope teams watch the master class of asset manipulation Presti is running.

Now if they love him, they love him. But I think this is a very fair offer.

[Godaddycurse]

I can't say if Houston would consider this or not, but agree with Colbini that I don't think they auto hang up with prejudice. I would hope teams watch the master class of asset manipulation Presti is running.

Now if they love him, they love him. But I think this is a very fair offer.

I dont recall Presti trading away productive rookie scale players for picks when his team is trying to win. Unless you count Harden which was a terrible move on hindsight

[supertruck97]

Rockets hang up as fast as possible

Huh?

This value is great. They get a re-roll on Eason as they extend the rookie contract for a role player [Eason, a nice prospect, but projects as a role player who may start but in all liklihood will be a 5th starter type].

I get the Rocket's likely wouldn't do this, especially their fans since fans are attached to young players with potential who have missed games to injury, but the idea that they immediately hang up the phone is wrong.

Why would they need to re-roll? They hit on an excellent 6th/7th man, Defensive SF/PF with the 17th pick in a pretty good draft. Why would they take that win and gamble on a re-roll with a pick only 4 spots higher in a much weaker draft?

The best possible scenario there is that they might find a player that would be as good as Eason, and might have a couple more cheap years. That's a bad risk/reward opportunity.

Eason is the perfect backup 4 behind Jabari, that can play sparingly at 3 and 5 in short spurts. Young defender is exactly what the Rockets need and already have in Eason.

The reason the Rockets immediately hang up the phone is not because the value is far off, but because there is no good purpose or reason to do this. None.

[Texas Chuck]

I can't say if Houston would consider this or not, but agree with Colbini that I don't think they auto hang up with prejudice. I would hope teams watch the master class of asset manipulation Presti is running.

Now if they love him, they love him. But I think this is a very fair offer.

I dont recall Presti trading away productive rookie scale players for picks when his team is trying to win. Unless you count Harden which was a terrible move on hindsight

He hasn't been in that position yet, but I expect him to do just that in years moving forward. He knows he can't pay all of those guys so I think he's going to make choices and deal the others in packages for upgrades or for futures to maintain the asset.

Again, I will trust kchile on how much the Rockets like Eason specifically, but I think in general the idea here is logical for a team like the Rockets with more talented prospects than they can eventually pay. And just saying well a couple veterans money comes off the books so its fine. No. You would need to replace those players, especially FVV.

[Colbinii]

13th pick in an awful draft when they already have 9 doesn't do much for them, their best (or second behind amen) defensive player does. He was 96th percentile in DEPM when he got to play this year, hes a star on that end of the floor. Still think he has a good shot at being a better player than jabari

I do not see him ever being better than Jabari, but if you are that stuck on some weird 99% outcome while being that low on Jabari, then hold onto Eason for 2 more years until you know for a fact he will never hold a jock strap of Jabari, and then let him walk in RFA as a team offers him far too much money and Houston can't afford him.

All the impact stats have him clearly better right now and just from watching he's surely more impactful even if not the idealized 3&D role guy Jabari is. and I think they'll be fine to afford him. Jalen has a good chance of just not being good next year again and not getting any decent money, Fred Expires, they can move dillon, don't think he or Jabari have maxes coming their way, they'll be fine.

Sample size. You are trying to make an argument about a player who played in 480 minutes and using a noisy box-score + +/- derived statistic [EPM] which typically overrates guards/wings defensively and under-values big men [Smart ranked 3rd this year, Dennis SMith Jr, Cody Martin and Dean Wade Top 15 while no Mobley/Allen in the Top 15?] while Herb Jones, Rudy Gobert, Even Mobley and Jaden McDaniels are all in the 90-94 percentile.

Second, Eason will already be 23+ in his 3rd season. He has extremely limited offensive upside but sure, if you think he can be the next Herb Jones or OG Anunoby and hit his 99% outcome [like I said] then maybe he is worth keeping over the #13 pick.

Third, cap space, not as easy as you project. Sengun is a Max, Jabari should be close to the Max while I have no idea what Green will command. The value of a #13 pick is you can get a player with a higher ceiling than Eason and cost controlled for 2 additional years.

Regarding Jabari, he made incredible improvements this year in the box-score and in efficiency, while being just 20 years old and still developing an NBA body [Eason already has an NBA body].

-3.7 BPM > -0.4 BPM [+3.3 BPM]
1.9 WS > 5.6 WS [+3.7 WS]
-132.3 TS+ > -16.7 TS+ [+115.6 TS+]

I would be absolutely shocked if Eason at 23 is better than Jabari at 23.

[supertruck97]

The value of a #13 pick is you can get a player with a higher ceiling than Eason and cost controlled for 2 additional years.

Who? This is not a theoretical draft some years in the future. It's now. We know the players.

Which player, who is projected to be available at #13, do you see as a greater than 50% likelihood to be a better player than Eason?

[K_chile22]

Yeah I am legit struggling to talk myself into anyone at 9 now that the Kentucky guards have probably played their way into the top 7 or so. I don't want to have to talk myself into two of these guys