Aye, it’s the most obvious title AND the easiest. When the stars align! Unless you’re a Rockets fan, then you won’t respect the space metaphor, moreso, you’ll be anguishing on what this all means. Granted, this is not breaking news I am reporting on, no, the day I have to instantly write about a Fred VanVleet injury is the day I realize this gig is not for me. (But for those who missed the news…) My want is to always let that simmer a bit (simmering means napping, right?), then talk about it, ergo, here we are. Bonus points for using ergo. I am the point-distributor, if you were wondering if you should in fact be the arbiter of such things. So let’s start talking about the Rockets, VanVleet, and fantasy basketball. MMMM, all those SEO focus words for the SEO Gods…
Okay, so I think we can kinda separate the unfortunate ACL-tear fallout like this; either the Rockets stand pat and rely on Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to fill that role, or they do that and then switch up gears at the trade deadline when the market is a bit more settled and teams know where they are going, or want to go, or there’s the final option and that’s address the large gaping hole at PG right now. (I know “Point Sengun” has gained some steam, but I think that’s a little cart ahead of the horse thinking if you’re into equestrian comps.)
Pontificating on this part of the process is probably not as fantasy relevant as one would want, but you’re still going to get my take that you should probably take option two with the above list. Granted, that may not be all the possible outcomes, but I feel the three scenarios are the most likely. The support for one and three is not outlandish mind you. Now we’re talking fantasy, but if you have Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard respond well to the volume and roles, both would be a boon to their respective owners. Both or one or none could fumble that opportunity if that’s the way the Rockets go, but we can all agree that more minutes are better than less. Captain Obvious signing off. Even the third scenario is a positive one for the two players, offering time for them to expand their game and grow a bit more while still retaining talent that can help push them over the edge.
So yes, Fred VanVleet going down takes Houston out of the top-4ish West teams and puts them solidly in the second tier (along with the Wolves, Lakers, Clippers, etc.) if the Rockets stand pat. And if they do, I’m quite eager to see what that looks like and how they approach it with the aforementioned Thompson and Sheppard. The supposed next Kawhi (I’m always happy to facilitate cap circumvention, call me) and the third overall pick… if I’m the Rockets front office, I’m kinda curious to see what I have with this new dynamic. Especially with the continued growth of Alperen Şengün. Then again, Kevin Durant is 37 and the window is now, so I’m not sure what to expect. Either way, it’ll be something we track the next few weeks as drafts get going and the Rockets start gauging where they’re at…
Jay is a longtime Razzball everything who consumes an egregious amount of Makers Mark as a vehicle to gain wisdom and augment his natural glow. Living in the D.C. area, he also likes spending time visiting the local parks and feeding lettuce to any turtles he encounters, including Mitch McConnell.
