Culture change coming soon
Here's why the Rockets should trade James Harden sooner than later
Dec 11, 2020, 11:14 am
How much time does Harden have left in Houston? Photo by Getty Images.
How commitment on defense is paying off for James Harden and the Rockets
This offseason has been a debacle for James Harden and the Houston Rockets. Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has already gone through trials and tribulations with both Russell Westbrook and Harden. Silas took the job because of the excitement Westbrook and Harden bring, and he thought he had their approval of becoming their head coach. But it didn't take long before Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards for John Wall, and Harden made it known that he wants out.
All the players seemed eager to get started and reported to individual workouts and training camp at Toyota Center, except for James. Harden was in Las Vegas having a good time with rapper Lil Baby and friends. On Sunday and Monday, during press conferences, Silas seemed frustrated after Harden told management he would report to camp on Sunday evening.
Apparently James Harden was still in Las Vegas as of three hours ago. https://t.co/ca56DQD1uM— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1607339387.0
"There is no timetable, as far as I know, it is a setback. You want your best player to be here," as Silas said Sunday evening after practice. "He's not here, and he has a reason, but that's on him to tell whoever what the reason is."
As of Tuesday, Harden finally left the party atmosphere to report to training camp. Since Harden was seen without a mask inside of Drai's Nightclub, his COVID results must comeback negative six times. Although the testing procedures can be a slight inconvenience, Silas seemed optimistic and energetic about his appearance at training camp.
"Him [Harden] being here shows a level of commitment to what we have going on," as Silas said about Harden coming to camp.
Even though Harden returned to camp, the situation became stressful because of the trade request he asked for. Reports were saying that Harden wanted out when Silas was hired as the Rockets' head coach. The organization dealt with the same chaotic situation in November when Harden requested a trade the first time. Honestly, the Rockets should honor Harden's request, so no feuds occur with Silas or his teammates.
Although Harden requested a trade, his teammates will still feel comfortable when he makes an appearance in a Rockets uniform. Gerald Green, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins are hoping Harden can accept the energy of the Rockets' culture and make the right decision for himself.
"All we can control is what we control. The guys that are here, we're coming out working every single day", as Cousins told the media. "Hopefully, whenever it is he comes in and joins in, he matches the energy of the group."
Green wants the Rockets and Harden to co-exist, so they're able to win a championship this upcoming season. If not, he wants Harden and the Rockets to make the right decision so the team can succeed long-term.
So far Harden has added the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat to his preferred trade destinations, to go along with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
There is no point in trading with the 76ers if they will not give the Rockets Ben Simmons in exchange for Harden. The Rockets already said Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving must be included if they want Harden in a Nets uniform. The Bucks would possibly have to give up Khris Middleton, Donte DiVencenzo, and first-round draft picks which could be between 25-30 overall in the draft. Meaning, a third team would likely have to be involved for the Rockets to make a deal happen with the Bucks. If the Rockets make a deal with the Heat, however, hopefully that trade package includes the talented Tyler Herro.
Herro erupted for 37 points against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, which was in Orlando at the bubble. He would be exactly what the Rockets need because of his elite shooting, and he's only 20 years old. Herro made the All-Rookie team in the 2019-2020 season by shooting 39 percent from the perimeter. Even though Herro averaged 13.5 points per game as a rookie, he averaged 16 points per game and shot 37.5 percent from the perimeter in the playoffs.
Tyler Herro 37 Pts Full Game 4 Highlights | Celtics vs Heat | September 23, 2020 NBA Playoffsyoutu.be
For now, it's a wait-and-see situation for Rockets fans. The season starts in two weeks, but the Rockets first preseason game is against the Chicago Bulls this Friday night. Hopefully, Harden and the Rockets come to an understanding or a trade happens before the regular season starts.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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