Covington, Henriquez, Young question

yes and yes, all it does is give rights amongst d-league teams, nba contracts supercede those

 

the rule is that the vipers have d-league rights to him, but those rights don't extend to nba teams

 

I don't know if it is posted anywhere but Morey has been doing it for awhile.

 

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/201...-kyle-fogg-set-to-join-nba-d-league-affiliate

 

I would not assume that all three dudes get cut. Daryl Morey has identified all three players as undervalued prospects and potential rotation guys down the road. He would not have quickly scooped all three dudes very shortly after the draft otherwise.

All Rockets fans should realize that Morey's commitment to advanced statistical analysis and scouting is a huge part of the team's success. James Harden and Dwight Howard are the two big money superstar players. The supporting cast will undergo constant turnover as guys like Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik, and, in my opinion, even the beloved Chandler Parsons get traded away for draft picks (which will be used to draft their younger, cheaper replacements, who will be under team/cost control for several years). This strategy ensures that the team always has what is referred to as cap flexibility. Everybody is, at their price, an asset. Chandler Parsons at $9-$10 mil/year = not an asset.

I believe Morey will soon auction off Greg Smith and Donatas Motiejunas for draft picks, which creates room on the roster for B.J. Young and Robert Covington, the two most valued of the three dudes. In the unlikely (but conceivable) event that Jeremy Lin is traded before the season for a first round pick (presumably to Milwaukee) then a spot is also available for Jordan Henriquez.

 

As reflected in the 2012 article, there is no "new rule" coming into effect in 2013. It's the same rule that's been in effect. A team can have D-League rights to up to 3 players cut from its roster during the training camp/preseason. Was true last year, too.

And this applies only to the D-League. If it actually applies to the NBA, then you might as well give teams 18 roster spots.

As far as cuts go...

Including these 3 guys, the Rockets currently have 16 players under contract. Adding Marcus Camby would make it 17. So even with Camby there only need to be 2 cuts before the season starts.

Among players on the roster:

(1) Reggie Williams only has 50% of the first year of his contract guaranteed.
(2) Aaron Brooks is on a 1 year minimum wage (all guaranteed) deal.
(3) Covington only has $490K guaranteed.
(4) BJ Young has only $40K guaranteed money.
(5) Henriquez has no guaranteed money.
(6) Omri Casspi has only 1 year guaranteed.


All these guys can be cut without any meaningful impact to Houston's salary flexibility. While the guys with more guaranteed money may have a leg up right now, if, say, BJ Young really severely outperforms Reggie Williams and Aaron Brooks, they can certainly keep him over one of these guys.

I highly doubt that any currently projected rotation players gets traded to make room for one of them. It's highly doubtful that all of these minimum wage/non-guaranteed guys will be outperforming the projected rotation guys, so you can probably find 2 of them to cut without worries. Also, there just isn't a history of NBA teams or the Rockets trading rotation guys in order to make room for a training camp invite. If the Rockets didn't try hard enough to find a way to dump the clearly sucky Jonny Flynn to keep Jeremy Lin, they probably won't be doing it for BJ Young and Jordan Henriquez.

 

Yes, it's 17 right now.

Pretty confident the two that would be cut at this point are Henriquez and Young.

IF Camby is signed, it gets a bit tougher. I'd guess Williams slightly over Covington. (just my opinion)

 

lol... I was just about to type "Unless they both play well and Morey has an opportunity to trade Smith for a second round pick (Philly maybe?)".

Then again, I'm not sure Morey (and McHale) doesn't value Smith a little more than some may think. Camby would be for one year only (and likely be injured much of the time). Asik may very well be moved by the deadline.

That's where Smith would be valuable to still have.

 

Dude, Henriquez was deadweight in Orlando SL!
He got no contract and cannot be mentioned in one line with Young and Covington.

 

Covington will still be a rocket come October. Young will have an opportunity to make the team in camp, but is likely to be cut. Henriquez is camp fodder and definitely won't be a rocket come October.

 

Covington will make the team, I think. Add Camby.

Lin/Beverley/Brooks
Harden/Garcia/Williams
Parsons/Casspi/Covington
Smith/Jones/Motiejunas
Howard/Asik/Camby

There's the 15 man. Williams, Covington, and Camby are inactive. Covington in D-League, the other 2 wear the suit.

 

You are missing Isaiah Canaan.