GREENER PASTURES
Trade winds blowing: Rockets hinting at win-now mindset in deals
Feb 2, 2024, 4:19 pm
Jalen Green is a hot topic when it comes to trades. Composite Getty Image.
The Rockets have been waiting patiently. Their fans have been frothing at the mouth. Finally, they made a move.
The trade to bring in Steven Adams may not have been the type of move many were looking forward to, but it's a move that'll help. Remember, they had Brooke Lopez all but signed on the dotted line until he decided to go back to Milwaukee this past offseason. Knowing Alperen Sengun is limited defensively, bringing in a big who can help was a priority. Lopez was more ideal because he can also hit the three. When that fell through, Jock Landale was the contingency plan.
Fast-forward to the now, and this team is threatening a play-in spot. As of this writing, they're a half game behind the 10th spot. At one point, they were as high as a 6th seed. Head coach Ime Udoka wants to win now. He sees the talent this team has and knows what it's capable of. There were some phases of the plan the organization talked about when he was hired. It seems like the plan is ahead of schedule and the team is ready to accelerate things.
Now, of course Adams wasn't the “star” they're hunting for. The Rockets are most likely looking for a piece to bring that will fit with their young core, as well as the vets they signed this past offseason. Outside shooting is something I feel they need. Yes, they're shooting 35% as a team, but guys aren't as consistent as I'd like. Possibly another shot creator could be in the cards. Not necessarily another guard, so it could be a wing. I can't quite place a finger on what's required most as far as a “star” this team would need to add right now.
When your players are sought after by teams looking to compete for titles, that's a good thing. Especially when said guy (Jae'Sean Tate) plays 18 minutes a game that can be easily given to other guys who the team sees as more of a long term investment. Looking at Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson specifically. Tate, while a solid vet, is already 28 years old. The guys I listed are 19, 22, and 21 respectively. They all can provide the same qualities Tate can in different forms. Given some time to develop, and they'll all be better pros.
Jalen Green is a hot topic when it comes to trades. Some want him to stay and feel he's untouchable. Others want the team to be built around Sengun and feel Green is getting in the way. My philosophy has always been sell high if you're going to sell at all. He has a ceiling of an All NBA/All Star/league scoring leader, and a floor of a 20 PPG scorer who's more Robin or Alfred than Batman. I don't think the organization is ready to hit the eject button on him yet. He was the number two overall pick a couple of years ago. There's still time to see what he can do in the current construct of this team before blowing it up like that.
These are the numbers of every NBA all-star this year when they were 21yo.
I have no idea what Jalen Green is going to turn into, but maybe it's too soon to give up on him? pic.twitter.com/ylJ63og38D
— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) February 2, 2024
With the deadline being February 8 at 3pm EST, we'll all have to wait and see what takes place. There will undoubtedly be some more movement made by the Rockets. Who, how much, where, and why will all be worked out in the coming days. The rumor that Udoka wants to win now and usher in Phase Two immediately has caused some to think major moves could take place. I'm under the impression that may mean bringing in pieces around the guys they have as building blocks like Green, Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. Fred van Vleet and Dillon Brooks, the aforementioned vets they signed, aren't going anywhere. They've proven themselves as valuable pieces so far. If either were ever moved, it would be Brooks since there are guys on the roster that could potentially take his role in the coming years. Trade deadline watch will be fun again for this franchise! So, what are we wearing to the watch party?
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Astros close series with a performance worth the wait
Jun 5, 2025, 11:59 pm
All-Star balloting opened up this week for what used to be known as the Midsummer Classic in Major League Baseball. I guess some still refer to it as such but the All-Star Game has been largely a bore for many years, though the honor of being selected on merit remains a big one. As always, fans can vote at all positions except pitcher. The fan balloting has resulted in mostly good selections for years now, though pretty much all teams still do silly marketing stuff trying to drum up support for their players. The Astros’ part in that silliness is their campaign to make it the “All-’Stros” game on the American League squad in Atlanta next month. It’s one thing to be supportive of your team, it’s another to be flat out ridiculous if voting right now for Yainer Diaz, Christian Walker, Yordan Alvarez, Mauricio Dubon, or Cam Smith. The Astros tried to game the system in submitting Jose Altuve as a second baseman where the competition is weaker than it is in the outfield, but given Altuve has played only about 25 percent of the games at second base this season he should not be an All-Star second baseman selectee for what would be the tenth time in his career.
Isaac Paredes’s recent freefall notwithstanding, he has a legitimate case as a backup third baseman, especially with Alex Bregman likely missing more than a month of games due to his quad injury. Jake Meyers is having a fine season but is obviously not an All-Star-worthy outfielder unless he is sensational for the rest of June. That leaves Jeremy Peña, who is simply the best shortstop in the big leagues so far this season. To be clear, no team in baseball (including the Astros) would rather have Peña going forward than the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., but we’re talking about the here and now. There are another 100 games to be played, but Peña not only is about a lock to deserve his first All-Star nod, but he is in contention to put in the books the greatest season ever by an Astro shortstop.
Over his first three seasons, Peña was a consistently mediocre offensive player. His highest batting average was .266, best on-base percentage .324, top slugging percentage .426. He is blowing away all those numbers thus far in 2025. While unlikely to come close to reaching his preseason goal of 50 stolen bases, Peña is swiping bags at the best success rate of his career. Add in Peña’s stellar defense and that he has played in every Astros’ game so far this season, and Peña has been irrefutably one of the 10 best and most valuable players in the American League. You could certainly argue as high as top three.
If Peña's productivity holds up for the rest of the season there are only three other seasons posted by Astro shortstops that are in the same league as what would be Peña’s 2025. Carlos Correa has two of them. Lack of durability may be the biggest reason Correa is not tracking to be a Hall of Famer. In only two seasons as an Astro did Correa play in more than 136 games. He was fabulous in each of them. 2021 was his peak campaign, playing in 148 games while compiling an .850 OPS, winning a Gold Glove, and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting. Correa’s Baseball-Reference wins above replacement number for 2021 was 7.3. Peña is at 3.6 with nearly 20 games still left before the midway point of the schedule.
For the other great Astro shortstop season you have to go back to 1983. Dickie Thon turned 25 years old in June of ‘83. He put up a .798 OPS, which gains in stature given Thon played his home games in the Astrodome when the Dome was at its most pitching-friendly. Thon won the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive shortstop in the National League, and played superior defense. His Baseball-Reference WAR number was 7.4. He finished seventh for NL MVP playing for an 85-77 Astros’ squad that finished third in the NL West. Dickie Thon looked like an emerging superstar. Then, in the fifth game of the 1984 season, a fastball from Mets’ pitcher Mike Torrez hit Thon in the left eye, fracturing his orbital bone. Thon missed the rest of the ‘84 season. While Thon played in nine more big league seasons, his vision never fully recovered and he was never the same player. It’s one of the biggest “What if...” questions in Astros’ history.
Arms race
Players and the Commissioner’s Office pick the All-Star pitching staffs. Unless he suddenly starts getting lit up regularly, Hunter Brown can pack a bag for Georgia. Framber Valdez wouldn’t make it now but has surged into contention. Josh Hader’s first half is going vastly better than last year’s, so he is in line for a reliever spot.
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!
_____________________________________________
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!