A “Dear John” to our favorite villain
Dear Dillon,
When the Houston Rockets acquired your services via free agency in the summer of 2023, it did not appear that the rest of the NBA had been beating your door down asking you to sign with them. In fact, we saw reports that you would be going to play in China, back to Canada, the Euro League, etc.
They said that LeBron had ended your career the way Eminem ended the rap career of MGK. The narrative had been set on you. So naturally, when we discovered that the Rockets had inked you to a four-year contract worth $86 million, you have to forgive us for being skeptical. Very few of us had watched you play every game of each season, so the narrative impacted our feelings about the signing.
When my editor tasked me with bidding you farewell on behalf of all TDS faithful, I decided to speak to some Rockets fans and ask what they felt I should say. The overwhelming and prevailing theme was “culture change”.
Yes, you did shoot the ball better than you have at any other point in your career, (TS% of 55.5 in two seasons) and yes, you played with the same defensive tenacity on the court that you always have, but the biggest impact you had on this team was to change the fabric of what it was made of. Relentless effort, never being out-hustled, never backing down from any challenge. That began to permeate the locker-room, and we saw the impact it had on players such as Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and even Jalen Green.
You were the embodiment of the type of player that Ime Udoka wanted, and you did exactly what he brought you here to do. You earned every penny of the salary you were paid, and that is what makes it difficult to say goodbye. Generally, the best NBA trades sting on both sides of the deal. The book is far from written on who won or lost this trade, but losing a player as yourself will be felt. Even with the generational greatness of Kevin Durant, the intangibles you brought to the game are not easily replaced. For Rockets fans sake, we hope that your impact will be felt through the play of the young players you influenced in your time here.
We wish you well with the Phoenix Suns, unless you’re playing us obviously. Should you continue to be teammates with Jalen Green, hold the young man up and tell him to keep his head up. He has a bright future, and you can count this writer among the people who believe the Rockets gave up on him too soon. But for now, that’s spilled milk. We look forward as I’m sure you do, and again we thank you and wish you well.
Sincerely,
H-Town