Stephen A Smith: Rockets not willing to GUT team for LeBron James

EG is playing hurt, but I was very surprised with Chris Paul's anemic performance. It's a real matter of concern, like you said.

 

I admit I did underrate Bosh's impact since he is a Beta. Fellow all stars propel A class performances. KG was a Alpha on D, and an Alpha on O when they needed him on the Celtics. He couldn't win without Pierce and Ray.

I do think Lebron was better than KG in Boston's 2008 NBA Championship run, in his second Miami Heat win. He became a true Alpha. Wade was very good, but he wasn't the ace in the pack and neither was Bosh.

Sure Kyrie made the big shot which knocked GSW out, but Lebron played great, and was the leader of the pack. GS missed Draymond, but the Cavs missed Kyrie throughout the playoffs, the year before that.

KD is a champion too, but Curry is the leader of the team along with Draymond on D.

I do agree with you that Lebron will be ashamed to play as a second fiddle at times alongside Harden.

 

Then we'd be as stupid as the Mavericks! Yes we could pick up role players to replace the ones we had to let go, but the chemistry probably wouldn't be the same.

 

I’m not sure what the dispute is about saleem.

LeBron doesn’t need all stars with him? I think we agree it takes stars to win a championship nowadays.

What I’m saying is that he A) wants max money B) wants multiple stars with him to close games and win
C) wants to stay in the East.



A) it would force the Rockets to move and or cut players to squeeze LeBron into the Rockets roster.
B) Cleveland doesn’t have another star outside of Love. Hood, Hill, Clarkson, Nance are not all stars. He is prob leaving.
C) Rockets are not in the East.

Can the Rockets compete with losing or replacing EGordon/Ariza/Luc/Gerald Green with LeBron?
Can those players be replaced with vets on vet minimum. Cavs tried it with D Rose, Derrick Williams,
Richard Jefferson, Bogut (got hurt), Korver. Older is not always better.

 

The thing is .. . . . because of SIGN AND TRADE
there is no need to 'GUT' anything

Even if we did . .. I have so much confidence in Morey to find Diamonds in the Rough . . . . . .
Morey is like:
So I am like


Rocket River

 

Misuse of the word except

 

Its game based on talent LeBron is top2 players ever. Yall crazy. Give them anyone except Harden or CP if it means LBJ coming

 

it is 10 times more complicate than you think.

1. budget (180 million if spending is only increases 50%)
2. where is Ryan's contract going?
3. Trade Requirements from Cavs: Lotto pick + valuable rookie contract + cap flexibility

I work for a company which has budget control at 3% raise each year.

 

There would need to be concessions by both Lebron and Rockets. In perfect sign and trade sitch, who would you rather lose:

EGo or Tuck?

 

No dispute about anything. I have tremendous respect for you. I don't think he is mentally not tough enough. I'm sorry I mistakenly quoted him as being mentally weak. And I totally agree that gutting the Rockets to obtaining Lebron would be a disaster. I wish you a wonderful day.

 

Underrated post right here

 

With LeBron

I make it clearly, straight forward

If Tilman Fertitta is not willing to lose more than 40 million in cash next season, Capela, Ariza, Luc Moute, Gordon and Green are all gone.

3 stars = 100 million in salary

Ryan + Tucker + 6 dead contracts = 31

Plus

MLE player

9 players with minimum salary

At least 40 million cash loss

 

1. you don't know how that is going to work, Ariza and Paul can sign for less money, and we don't know how much Capela is going to cost but i guess you're assuming he's getting a max contract.

2. At the Cavs of course, salary matching would be required, the Cavs would tank if Lebron is gone and Anderson will be expiring in one year. His contract won't necessarily be a big deal in that scenario.

3. Cavs sign & traded Lebron in his prime to the Heat for two of their shitty future 1st rounders, a swap and three 2nd rounders, nothing the Rockets can't match, and again, that was for Lebron in his prime. Lebron also have other options this summer like Sixers and Lakers, he can sign there for free so, he has leverage, not sure he had the same leverage at the time he got traded to Miami since everyone knew he wanted to go there.

 

25 million cap space = threat
Rockets zero cap space = no threat
Heat have no contract at that time, so Heat has huge cap space

In my mind, I always think about less than 30 million pay cut per contract,

Let's say Chris Paul market is $175 million (B Griffin contract, miss 105 games last 4 seasons)

My projection for Paul is $145 Million contract.

 

Likewise saleem. I have tremendous respect for you as well. I used the wrong wording. I meant what are we
talking about instead of dispute.

LeBron mentally strong. The knock on LeBron was his FT shooting and outside shooting when he came into the league.
Some would say LeBron went to Miami so that D-Wade could close games out.....hit free throws down the stretch.

To LeBrons credit, Bron has improved on his 3-pt shooting and FT shooting; but it helps when he has other stars
that can make their free throws at the end. Kyrie never shrunk in those situations. In 15/16 Kyrie closed out the
Warriors with big shot after big shot.


LeBron has averaged 71% from the free throw line the last 4 years (includes this year). That’s not going to cut it
and doesn’t constitute him as a good closer. He needs more help than Harden.

At one time I lobbied for LeBron, despite him fairing badly with coaches (Woodson,Spoelstra, Blatt, Lue),
organizations (Cleveland, Miami and now possibly Cleveland again), teammates (he wants guys and then
he doesn’t want them), slacks on defense. Nike (Broussard says insiders told him LeBron will never sign with
Houston because of Harden/Adidas), LeBron has always appeared to have issues with Harden, Houston
and/or the team. I don’t know why....he just always gives the appearance that he looks down on Houston.

I’m done having interest in LeBron joining the Rockets at the expense of losing Luc, Gerald Green and
possibly others. Ideally, I would love CP3 and LeBron taking 1/yr $20 mil deals.....but I don’t think that’s
going to happen.

I don’t mind others holding out hope for LeBron to join the Rockets this summer. More power to them. I’m
just saying the report that the Rockets won’t gut the team for LeBron doesn’t surprise me.

Take care saleem my friend. Always nice to converse with you.

 

Rockets have zero cap space but they can always move those contracts required with the picks they would trade to Cavs, and i'm talking about Anderson cause Gordon would actually net the Rockets a 1st rounder easily.

As for the Heat i think you might be right here, i probably forgot they had cap space...even though i don't get why they trade all those picks if they had cap space to sign Lebron then...?

 

Warriors stand at $132 mil before Durant renegotiates his contract. No more discount.
That’s a lot of money tied into 8 players. What will the Warriors do?

What are they going to do with West, Zaza, Looney, Nick Young and MeGee being free agents?

 

The biggest concern for Rockets fans would be

When Tilman Fertitta has two options: make 40 million cash or lose 40 million cash?

Tilman Fertitta picks making 40 million cash. (like 99% of businessman)

 

Deduct Durant 26 million

Warriors total = 102 million, not 132 million

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/GSW.html

Let's dump Iggy and Livingston 25 million contracts first

Total = 77 million, Warriors salary cap space 24 million

 

Next season 4 best teams
Warriors, Celtics and 76ers contracts are scary good, Rockets salary cap will be scary bad if they want to be as good as those 3. Maybe one of the reasons Les sold Rockets.

Next 5 years, Warriors have kept all 5 first round picks