WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
If you think the Deshaun Watson verdict is bad, consider this
Aug 1, 2022, 4:36 pm
Deshaun Watson will be suspended for six games. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Bench - Watson best case
Now that former federal judge Sue L. Robinson has handed down her long-awaited verdict - Deshaun Watson will be suspended for the first six games of the upcoming NFL season but will not be fined - the question facing Watson, the NFL and 24 women who filed lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct or sexual assault by Watson is ... where do we go from here?
The NFL has three days to accept Robinson's decision or push for a longer suspension and possible fine. The National Football League Players Association announced earlier that it would accept Robinson's decision whichever way it went and challenged the league to do the same, which it didn't. The league had long let it be known, or leaked, that it was hoping for Watson to be suspended indefinitely with an opportunity to apply for re-admission in one year. If the league appeals Robinson's ruling the ultimate decision will lie with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates to re-try the Watson case while acting as judge and jury.
If Goodell decides to let Judge Robinson's decision stand, Watson will be allowed to continue practicing with the Cleveland Browns and play in pre-season games. However, once the regular season starts, he will be prohibited from practicing with the team for three weeks, half of his suspension. He can start practicing in Week 4 in preparation for starting at quarterback for the Browns seventh game. While he will not be paid during his suspension, the ruling does not otherwise affect his fully guaranteed 5-year contract worth $230 million. The Browns, who expected Watson to be suspended without pay for some of this season, structured Watson's contract so he is paid only $1 million this year and $46 million each of the next four years.
I'm guessing that Goodell will not challenge Judge Robinson's decision. While Goodell is protective of The Shield's image, he also wants this whole Watson mess to go away. The quickest way for that to happen is to hold the league's nose, let Watson serve his suspension and get back on the field. It is in the NFL's interest to have one of its brightest young stars playing, not sitting. Goodell also must know that many will question the NFL's judgment for suspending Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley for a full season without pay for placing legal bets on football games during a period when he was away from the team addressing mental health issues, while allowing Watson to escape relatively scot-free.
While the NFL strictly forbids players from betting on games, most fans probably have put a few bucks on a sporting event. Most fans however can't relate to hiring "at least" 66 masseuses, according to the New York Times, with 24 filing lawsuits alleging sexual misbehavior.
Watson has settled out of court with 23 of the 24 masseuses who have sued him. The Houston Texans reached a settlement with 30 different women involved in the Watson case. Robinson, in explaining her decision to suspend Watson for six games, said his pattern of behavior with the masseuses was "egregious" but "non-violent." Let's see what psychologists and women's support groups think about that.
The Browns, who many believe did little, if any, investigation into Watson's situation before trading for Watson, now have a public relations headache. While fans will cheer Watson at home games, they're already greeting Watson warmly at practice sessions, the Browns quarterback can expect to be jeered at road games. Steelers fans are sharpening their vocal cords for Jan. 8 when the Browns visit Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
It will be interesting how Houston fans react when the Browns visit the Texans on Dec. 4. Before charges of sexual misconduct were filed in March of last year, Watson perhaps was Houston's most beloved athlete. Although the Texans did not play Watson in any games last year, he received his full salary.
Watson insists he did nothing wrong during the dozens of massage sessions he solicited. In fact, his camp reportedly believes that Robinson's six-game suspension was too severe. Because there was no proof of misconduct, Watson supporters think any punishment was undeserved.
By saying he has no regrets or apology for his behavior, and allowing his camp to complain about the suspension, Watson runs the risk of playing the victim in the whole sordid affair. Not a good look for him, the Browns, the Texans or the league.
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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