Adam Matas

You're going to be tough.

And Steven Adams was almost like their cheat code.

If we're not going to be dynamic on offense and we're going to do all this stuff, we're just going to beat you by being big and physical.

Well, now you can't even be that to the same degree.

And so this is huge news.

But to me, the bigger story is.

This changes the trajectory.

All year, when I take off my Nuggets analyst hat and I put on my All-NBA one and try to analyze the league not from a Nuggets perspective, I looked at this and said, guys, I have seen this arc before.

Houston, you're good.

You're very good.

But you're not a shoo-in, and Kevin Durant's old, and you should never waste.

So even when they just lost Fred Van Fleet, I thought they had all these young players and all these picks.

You're in love with your own guys, but don't do this.

Push your chips in because the window's so tight.

Now that you lose Steven Adams to me, if I were Houston, I would not punt on this season.

What are the odds Kevin Durant's healthy all year next year?

Not that great.

What are the chances that all these young players grow and do all this?

It's just not as much of a lock as you think it is.

So to me, it's time, and I think they will now.