Ben DuBose

I mean, maybe things go off the rails to where that becomes realistic, but if it does...

that will be pretty obvious that the Rockets need major changes in the offseason.

It won't need much analysis as to what needs to happen.

So in these non-title scenarios where I think, you know, you fall into the playing range or you win the title, like it's pretty obvious what will or won't happen in the offseason.

But these middle ground scenarios where you sort of stay where you've been the last few weeks, somewhere between three and five in the West, but ultimately you fall short.

You're not quite on the level of the Thunder.

In what scenarios are you okay, you know, running it back and saying, hey, like Fred Van Fleet, Steven Adams, these are really good players that you'll be adding at full strength.

DFS should be closer to full strength as well by the fall.

And maybe you add one more role player this summer.

You won't have the first apron hard cap.

and largely staying the course, or scenarios where more aggressive needs this summer are needed to feel good about next season's team and beyond, and actually having a chance to win a title.

And so what I settled on with Jackson and the guys, and I won't go into his greater depth tonight.

If you want to hear my perspective, you can just check out LOR.

I think...

You need to win at least one round in the playoffs because I don't think you're going to be slotted against one of the truly elite teams unless something crazy happens like you fall to the play end.

And if that's the case, well, then you've already got your answer.

And I just think the Rockets already a year ago, before trading for Kevin Durant, proved capable of...

getting to game seven of a first round series against a good but not great team.

So if you're stagnant or you regress, if this team with Kevin Durant, and this is all assuming relative health, like there's a catastrophic injury, obviously that changes things, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I think you've got to get further than you did a year ago.