POINT BLANK
Joel Blank: Why Lebron? Why not J.J. or Avery and re-sign your own?
Jun 18, 2018, 8:10 am
All this Lebron James talk. Why not other options? Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
All the talk over the last two weeks about Lebron coming to Houston to me is crazy. Why why would you blow up a 65 win team? Who cares if the guy likes Houston as a city or not? Why cater to a guy who would force you to trade or get rid of almost half your team, if not more? Why not add a less sexy name or two that could add depth and versatility to an already deep and talented roster? In my opinion the Rockets have a good enough team to win a title next season if they can just bring everyone back and re-sign their core free agents. If you can find a home for Ryan Anderson you get an added bonus and have more freedom to spend on free agents and make trades for higher contracts. With that in mind, here are a few names the Rockets should consider as potential additions to their roster for next year.
By now everyone knows the Rockets are an offense predicated on shooting threes and getting layups, as they play fast and try and get a high volume of shots up on a nightly basis. Players that fit the mold are good shooters, in great shape, can run the floor and make free throws. JJ Reddick is a player that fits all that criteria and adds the experience of being a 12-year NBA veteran and someone who has played with Chris Paul and flourished. Reddick shot 42% from behind the arc last year and averaged 17 points a game, as he knocked down 46% of his field goal attempts and 90% of his free throws. For a team that wants to shoot as many triples as they can, why not add one of the best long range snipers in the league over the last twelve seasons and someone that has shot 42% for his career from behind the arc and 45% from the floor? He is getting older now and is still chasing an opportunity for a title. After getting paid 23 million dollars to play last season in Philadelphia, he got his big pay day so why not go for the ring in Houston? Sure the Sixers have a good, young squad, but are they as ready to win right now as the Rockets? I personally don't think they are. If Reddick is willing to work with Daryl Morey on the numbers and be somewhat flexible, he would be a perfect fit for H-town.
Another guy that could be a huge help next season for Mike D'Antoni's team is Avery Bradley. After finishing last season with the Clippers, you know he wants to get back to winning on a consistent basis like he did in Boston. He only played 46 games last year between the Pistons and Clippers after undergoing season ending abdominal surgery in March. That injury could lower his price tag and open up the possibility of him fitting right into the Rockets wish list and price guidelines.
Bradley is a career 37% three point shooter, who has shot 44% from the floor over his eight-year NBA resume. He has averaged over 12 points a game and shot 77% from the line, while averaging just over 3 boards, 2 assists and 1 steals per contest. Throw in his above average abilities on the defensive end, where he is one of the league's best on-ball defenders as well as his experience handling the ball as a playmaker and you have another perfect fit for red nation.
If the Rockets could add one, if not both of these guys and retain CP3, Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza, they would be well on their way to a return engagement with the Warriors in the Western Conference finals. Either guy would strengthen the bench, improve their shooting and in case of Bradley, upgrade their ball handling and defense. For a team that was easily the second best squad in the association this season, a move or two like this could be enough to be NBA royalty at the end of next season with no need for the king.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have 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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
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!