bye-byeLittle Potter! Rockets and Pacers discuss a 4-for-1 deal, and Turner squeezes out the starting position of Shenjing?
The Rockets made a 4-for-1 deal for Turner, sending Potter and two first-round signings away.
The NBA summer is always full of variables and surprises, and many teams will seek reinforcement in the free market or change their lineup through transactions. This summer, the teams in the west are constantly moving. The Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Lone Rangers and other teams are constantly strengthening their own strength, trying to compete for the hegemony of the west next season. In contrast, the teams in the east seem a little unremarkable, except for some small moves made by several strong teams, there is no big change. The most regrettable thing is that the Nets, which once owned the epic three giants, are now in trouble. The three giants have disintegrated and the team has lost hope of winning the championship. So, under such circumstances, which other teams will make some big moves in the summer?
According to the US media "Fadeaway World", the Rockets and Pacers plan to discuss a 4-for-1 deal offer this summer. If the negotiations go smoothly, two-time league blocked shot Wang Turner is expected to parachute into Houston. What is the specific plan of this transaction? Why did the Rockets and Pacers make such a decision? How does this transaction affect both parties? Let’s analyze it together.
The Rockets sent Potter Jr. and two first-round signings away.
The Rockets experienced a catastrophic collapse last season. They not only lost their core players such as Harden, Wei Shao and Gordon, but also suffered from injuries and epidemics, and finally ended the season with the worst record in the league. The Rockets won No.4 rookie Amen Thompson and No.16 rookie jabari Smith in this year’s draft. They also signed champion point guard Van fleet and veteran Hayes in the free market, trying to rebuild the team. However, in this process, the Rockets are also facing some problems and difficulties. One of the biggest problems is their point guard Potter Jr.
Porter Jr. was a surprise choice that the Rockets got from the Cavaliers in the middle of last season. He showed great talent and potential in the Rockets, averaging 16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.1 steals, shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.8% from three points. He not only has excellent scoring ability and organizational ability, but also has good defensive consciousness and physical fitness. He once scored an astonishing 50 points and 11 assists against Bucks, becoming the second youngest 50+10 player in NBA history. He is also considered as one of the cores of the Rockets’ future reconstruction.
However, in this summer, there was little news about Porter Jr., and his brilliance was completely concealed by players such as Amen Thompson and Whitmore. Uduka, the new coach of the Rockets, has an ambiguous attitude towards Porter Jr. Unlike Jay Green, jabari Smith Jr. and Tarry Ethan, Porter Jr. has never been praised by Uduka. He is about to lose his starting position in the new season, which is definitely not a taste psychologically. Coupled with his "thorny" attribute, Uduka’s lack of confidence in him is understandable. According to "Houston Chronicle" reporter Fagan, it’s not that the Rockets management doesn’t want to send Potter away, especially after getting Van fleet and Amen Thompson, but his rookie bonus period has ended, and other teams who want him have to bear an annual salary of $15.86 million, which is not attractive.
Therefore, the Rockets decided to use Potter as a bargaining chip in exchange for a player who can improve the team’s strength. Their goal is the Pacers center Turner. In order to get Turner, the Rockets paid the price of Potter Jr. and two first-round signings.
These two first-round signings are the first-round signings of the Nets in 2024 and 2026 respectively. Although the Nets are currently one of the strongest teams in the league, their strength may drop sharply after four or six years, and these two first-round signings may also become very valuable. The Rockets made a big bet to get Turner.
