[ClutchFans] Bargain-bin shopping: Where Rockets may fit with remaining free agents

They brought in a terrific free agent, they just didn't sign him.

 

The problem I have with Allen and Sessions is you would be hampering the development and value of Canaan and Daniels.....unless you plan on playing small ball 2/3rds of the time......which would then hamper the value of TJones.

If we were to signed Sessions and Allen, we're almost certainly trading Canaan, TJones, and other pieces for an upgrade at PF.

 

Getting Bledsoe would be an incredible feat.

I would also really like to have Allen mentor Daniels for a season. That could benefit his whole career.

The rest.... whatever.

 

We will get our veteran FA PG next year, Dragic at $14 million per year. Texans will get their franchise QB next year, too. Houston just needs to be patient.

p.s. and the Comcast deal will be done next summer.

 

Are the Rockets even considering any of these options? Would be great if they did. I hope this is not the final roster they put out on opening day.

 

Why don't Rockets just offer Ray Allen the max possible for one year?!

Seeing how this team shoots so many damn 3's, why not just pay Allen to shoot 'em?!

We ain't winning a damn thing with this roster this year. So at least try make the season exciting by adding faces the Houston fanbase would like to see.

 

Excellent read. Thanks for the write up.

I would love to see us at least go into training camp with these 20 players:

Bev/Canaan/Ish/(Sessions[not enough money?] or Billups[vet min exp])
Harden/R.Allen(BAE)/Daniels/N.Johnson
Ariza/Marion(rest of MLE)/Gee/(Beasley, Hamilton or Garcia)
TJones/DMo/Adrian/Capela
Howard/Dorsey/J.O'Neal (vet min.)/Okafor (vet min. if healthy)

That's if we don't make another major trade for someone like Dragic/Bledsoe or another PF BEFORE training camp. In addition to the assets already mentioned by finsraider above, we also still have the Lin TPE of about 8.4 million.

They could make some very nice 5 on 5 half court match ups for offensive vs defensive practices in training camp, before they start to cut down and/or run full court practices.

For example:

The starting lineup of :
Bev
Harden
Ariza
Jones
Howard

vs

Canaan
Allen
Marion
DMo
J.O'neal

and then the other two teams of say:
One of (Sessions or Billups)
Daniels
Gee
Adrian
Dorsey

vs

Ish
N.Johnson
One of (Beasley, Hamilton or Garcia)
Capela
Okafor

IF we get Dragic or Bledsoe in a trade as many hope and some others think is impossible, I think we already have a better team than last year if we use the MLE and BAE correctly for a possible team of:

Dragic or Bledsoe/Bev/Canaan/Ish
Harden/Allen/Daniels/N.Johnson
Ariza/Marion/Gee/(Beasley, Hamilton or Garcia)
TJones/DMo/Adrian/Capela
Howard/J.O'Neal/Dorsey/Okafor

Of course some of those players will probably be gone in the trade for either Dragic or Bledsoe, but for me, it's hard to say which ones. And we still have the TPE, picks and overseas players rights that finsraider mentioned to include in any trade(s).

If these were the only trades or acquisitions to happen, our starting lineup and bench would be much better on offense and defense than last year. It wouldn't mean that we are a lock or even favorite to win the championship, but it would move us up and make us better than last year; possibly winning as many as 60 games if we have good luck with health most of the year.

Depending on what it would ultimately take to get Dragic or Bledsoe, we could still end up with the ability to acquire whatever final piece that Morey thinks we need at the deadline or next off season.

I just want us to go into training camp better than we are right now and with a team that looks better on paper than what we had in the playoffs last year. We can grow from there.

 

At some point, I am hoping the front office relaizes that the third piece might not be there. Any player added has to be arguably better than Chandler Parsons or somehow the combo of Ariza plus said player is better than Parsons (if the Rockets had any intention of matching Parsons, Ariza wouldn't have been signed).

In that case, Bledsoe in a SNT or Dragic via absportion into the TPE with other assets going to Phoenix makes sense. They are the only players with upside (worth $14+ million) that will likely be available this or next offseason barring a giant collapse by Portland.

The Rockets got Harden because OKC was cheap (along with Golden State and Washington backing out) and also viewed Ibaka as a third leg to a big three. Does anyone see Reggie Jackson as a potential third piece and hope OKC sends him out because he is due for a big jump in pay next offseason?

Otherwise, I still think the best route is turning the bench into the "third star" (via acquiring at least 2 of Sessions/Allen/Okafor/Marion and using the TPE on other depth pieces) while hoping one of Jones, DMo or Beverley makes the Kawhi jump.

 

I get what you're saying, but something has to give. Our depth chart at guard would look rediculous.

Beverley / Sessions / Ish / Canaan
Harden / Allen / Daniels / Johnson

Why sign Ish when Sessions was still out on the market?

Agree that Allen is the perfect mentor for Daniels. Not sure that's worth spending your MLE on a somewhat redundant player that's 39 years old (even one as accomplished as Allen).

You're right that Marion is more of a stretch 4 in a small ball lineup. We do have Ariza for that, but if Ariza goes down, who do we have? We'd be razor thin at wing if we invested our BAE and MLE into guards.

I'd rather get Marion and sign Okafor with our BAE (assuming he's healthy). Big depth concerns me more than guard depth. I'd rather role with:

Ariza / Marion
TJones / Marion / Adrien
Howard / DMo / Okafor / Dorsey

versus having 8 guards on the roster.

 

Yep.... we suck

 

I would love to hear that we're talking to any of these guys, tbh.

 

no power forward is listed up there that can can shoot the 3 & mid range consistently. You can't go this route when you have Howard at center and harden who like the drive into the paint, people still don't get it

 

I will be here next year same the same thing if we don't get a stretch 4, but if that happens it will be about Howard potentially opting out.

 

What remaining free agent fits the bill?

 

None but it's been plenty we could've signed or traded for, a play making PG will help but Howard and harden still need that lane to operate, if u look at the rockets 3 point attempts and percentage made of 3s it just doesn't add up for Moreys system.

The low percentages come from dmo & jones at the PF spot, however I think jones is the perfect back up PF. he's never had a chance to learn from a vet though, just was thrown in the fire and still had a solid season.

 

I'm surprised that a 3 and D guy off the bench to backup Ariza at SF isn't more of a priority. Maybe the Rockets' thinking is that they can get away with going small or that an adequate backup SF should be easy to pick up for the minimum (Garcia redux?). Perhaps. But it certainly seemed to be a problem for us last year.

 

Be patient. Nothing will happen before the trade deadline. I already see improvement in athleticism with the current Rockets roster. Let the players and the coaches play out the first half of the 2014-1015 season and wait for opportunities in trade later on.

 

Letting go of parsons has changed things, Now that u have ariza the "best 3 & D guy in the business" starting, you don't need a backup 3 & D.

What u need now is someone who can come off the bench and create a lil while scoring, offense 1st, if he can play D good then that's just a bonus but not a priority.