Recent Additions: Getting an early start on 2018 Free Agency

That would be awesome.

 

Fantastic! You must have lost your thread starting privileges .... (thank you mods)!

 

I was watching one of these debate shows Wednesday morning. It was Valentines Day so the regular
hosts were off. Either First Take (ESPN) or Undisputed (FS1). Squirrelly guy said he knew for a fact,
with inside information that LeBron definitely would not sign with Houston.

He claimed the main reason was because of the shoe brands. LeBron and Nike vs Harden and Adidas.
That LeBron would not join the Rockets and make them better, and allow Harden/Adidas to profit
from the union. I’m out of touch with the times.....didn’t know the shoe wars was such a big deal.

I would think LeBron and Nike would like to tap into the China market with the Houston Rockets being
one of top sellers in China. But what do I know. Anyway I think LeBron will stay in Cleveland now
since they reset the roster with younger players. I felt like LeBron would stay with Cavs before
hearing that LA market guy pushing the shoe theory. Hope Houston can get the next man up on
thefree agency PF upgrade chart. For what it’s worth, Aaron Gordon signed a deal with Nike
in 2014. Geez!! I’m guessing he wouldn’t mind tapping into the China market.

 

Every team will budget for $180 million or less next season

1. Cavs dump George Hill or JR Smith contracts (dump one contract only) for nothing.

George Hill 19 million remaining
Smith 18 million remaining.

After LeBron get supermax and sign Hood starting salary at 14 million, Cavs total salaries/tax is $170 million (repeater tax), add reserves $180 million

2. Rockets let Capela go for nothing and give Paul, Ariza,, LMM and Wright fair contracts

Rockets salary: $180 million.

3. Thunder dump Melo for nothing.

 

I am interested in this question: Who would you pick if you have only one option?

A: Capela 24 million starting salary (23 yrs old)
B: Luc Mbah a Mout, Gerald Green, Brandan Wright, Ariza.

Ariza 8M
Luc 8M
Wright 5M
Green 3M

Total 24M

same money different option

 

Too many moves have to be made to extrapolate potential signings. It may sound crazy but I don't want LeBron .I'd rather sign PG and retain everyone else.

 

Going to be tough to bring everyone back.

I think it depends on the fact if we can add a third star or not.

Because if we can, then we will have plenty of ring chasers to sign for the min.

If not, then it might be a litter harder.

My MLE target is JJ Redick. Lets see if that comes true.

 

Underpaying Lou Williams could kill Rockets future.

Clippers could give Capela starting salary at 22 million offer sheet after dumping 1 or 2 small expiring contracts.

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

Will Morey match the offer sheet???

Match it! Salary + tax = 250 million

Budget 180 million.

 

Rockets will not let Capela walk for free.

You don't do that to a 23 year-old with tremendous upside. Morey will find a way to trade him if he decides the price is too high. I'm sure Morey is in his office right now working precisely on such scenarios in between his binge eating marathons.

 

Good point!
Trying to steal a good restricted FA, you have no choices but overpay him the first year salary.

Battling with Mark Cuban and Steve Balmer who don't need to pay luxury taxes.

It would be crazy if Capela gets 4 yrs 94 million contract like Harrison Barnes. (starting salary at 27 million)

If I were Morey, I would keep Capela and let Ariza, LMM, Green and Wright go for nothing.

Why?

If not, Rockets are too old between 2020 and 2023.

 

Get off the gas and go read the salary cap forecast.
This is the best year for the Rockets for Capela to become a FA.

$16 mil MAX.

He wont get anything more.

 

Forecast is wrong.

Andre Igoudala

Forecast $8 million a year,

Gets contract 16 million a year

 

Duly noted. Lets see who is right.

 

If Chris Paul wins the award of all-nba third team, he gets supermax contract at $35.8 million first year.

then add Vet Min reserves 5M for 3 players

Rockets are in the luxury tax land.

It is all taxable for

Capela: 16M

Ariza: 8M

LMM 8M

Total: 153 million plus luxury tax 97 million = 250 million next season

Iso Joe, Green and Wright go for nothing.

 

ESPN link:

308 .1 million next season: are you scary??

2018-19 Cavaliers payroll + tax projection
PLAYER SALARY
LeBron James $35,607,968
Kevin Love $24,119,025
George Hill $19,000,000
Tristan Thompson $17,469,565
JR Smith $14,720,000
Jordan Clarkson $12,500,000
Rodney Hood $12,000,000*
Kyle Korver $7,560,000
Cedi Osman $2,775,000
Larry Nance Jr. $2,272,391
Ante Zizic $1,952,760
First-round pick - BKN $4,403,280
Free agent: minimum $1,499,698
Free agent: minimum $1,499,698
Free agent: minimum $1,499,698
Salaries $158.9 million
Luxury tax $149.2 million
Total $308.1 million

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22420673/cavaliers-face-300-million-dollar-future-espn

 

People should just not reply to him. I think any plan is going to have to include LMM at the taxpayer MLE. He is just too important a piece of the rotation. After that I think you have to hope that Green is willing to roll with the minimum and maybe Wright and Johnson feel a sense of attachment. Outside of attempting to trade for LBJ I don't see us making many outside moves. We kind of completed our roster before getting the last star so that helps a lot with a deep bench. If we get LBJ and lose EGo or Tucker with Anderson that opens up a lot of playing time for Green/Johnson. It also helps that we have bird rights over all but a couple of players.

 

Keep in mind the Rockets will have Non-Bird rights on each of those guys, which would allow them to offer up to 120% of their respective vet minimum salaries.

Splitting the Taxpayer MLE would pay each of them little more than the vet minimum.

 

I'm offering the full taxpayer MLE to Luc, he's the only free agent that actually matters. The others guys are nice, but very replaceable.

We have Ariza's bird rights, so it's pretty much pay him or lose him for nothing. He's clearly lost a step, although he's still an important player. That's gonna be a tough call to make for the FO.

If I'm not mistaken, offering anything more than the taxpayer MLE means we face the hard cap, and I can't imagine that even being a realistic possibility next season even if we don't add a LBJ.