Woj was just on radio:
"In the end, (I think) he gets his buyout and money. When Royce was
interviewing with teams pre-draft and was trying to get himself drafted,
he didn't make all these demands. He got drafted, got his guaranteed
money and those demands started to come when he wasn't going to walk in
and get meaningful playing time. I think for him, the question is how
badly does he want to be a professional basketball player? He did not
spend time working out, is not in condition. I really don't think Royce
plays one minute in the NBA."
Dude hasn't even worked out to be in shape. Dude didn't make all these demands pre-draft. Dude got busted stealing a laptop, shoplifting and assaulting the security guard. Dude has a history of using his condition for sympathy and an excuse to get out of everything he doesn't want to do (including an anxiety of doing wind sprints, no joke).
Having said that, The Rockets AND Royce White share a 50/50 stake in this mess in my opinion.
Why? Because:
1) Royce White had this disability, a known issue, before he was drafted. It's not like he "sprung this issue on them" after he got signed. They knew it was going to be a challenge, and yet they drafted him ahead of a TON of other players. That was the risk they took.
2) Royce also had a BUNCH of behavioral problems NOT related to his disability, and he has had issues with both his honesty and his reaction to authority before. So again, this isn't knew.
As the old saying goes, the best indication of future behavior, is past performance.
We ALL know the Rockets had this exact discussion prior to drafting him. That this could go horrribly wrong. My guess is, that with multiple first round picks that season they decided that the risk was mitigated because the other first round selections gave them a little bit of an insurance policy should he go completely sideways.
Well, now he has gone completely sideways. This was always a pretty strong possibility. They knew it, White probably knew it, White's agent knew it ......... and any basketball fan that sat there on draft night and didn't think it when his name came up when the Rockets took him as early as they did ..... just wasn't paying attention.
The experts all thought that if Royce White went in the first round at all ..... it would be late and to a team that wouldn't really be counting on him to make it. A flyer, typically one of those picks that goes to a Euro that we might not see in the league for years. Then they would get White in some sort of counseling, and HOPE that someday he could get his business together and they would have something. Instead, the Rockets tried to get him on the court this season. THAT was their mistake.
But let's be clear. Just playing basketball, the dude is a baller. It's off the floor. Traveling to games and probably dealing with his team, ownership, authority, etc ........ those are issues he can't do right now because he is mentally not stable or strong enough to function in the NBA Players world. Period.
We should pity him really, because of his issues he is blowing a chance that any man 20-40 years old would give almost anything they own to have. But he isn't capable of handling.
