With the signing of Aaron Brooks and the possible signing of Camby I've been wondering about the fates of the three non drafter guys we've signed: Covington, Henriquez, and Young. The assumption would be that they are cut after camp... With the D-League Allocation rule this gives the Vipers priority to sign them. I've read on another forum that there is a new rule being implemented this year that gives the Rockets the rights to these players, even after being cut and sent to the D-League. The problem is I haven't been able to find this rule fully explained in writing. This brings a couple of questions to mind... 1. After they are cut could they take an offer from another NBA team instead of our Vipers? It's unlikely that these guys get offers for one of the 15 roster spots on another team, but it's possible. 2. Once they sign with the Vipers, can they still be called up by other NBA teams? The problem I've been running into when trying to figure this issue out is the word "rights." One person says that the new rule gives the Rockets these player's rights when another person says it just gives the Vipers priority to sign them. Anyways, if anyone could clear this up and provide some evidence one way or another, that'd be great. I always thought that after a guy was cut from the 15 man roster any other NBA team could go after him... but for some reason I keep seeing mention of this "new rule."
So there's no new rule that comes into effect this year? Are people confusing this with the rule change from 2010 that gave the D-League affiliate sign priority, as opposed to players just going to the draft?
Do you know where this is posted? I've tried googling for it and all I can find are articles from 2010...
Yeah I know how it has worked in the past, I totally understand that. I was just trying to find out about this "new rule" that is supposedly going into effect this year.
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.
I think you'd have to factor in Garcia too, right? So that's 18 players when/if Garcia and Camby sign. That means 3 cuts... The most likely being the undrafted rookies even though I like Covington a lot...
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)
I'd like to see how camp goes... I really like Covington and if we sign Camby I don't really see a use for Smith anymore.
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.
Yeah there are a lot of variables that could change how we value things and only Morey knows what he's thinking about doing next... We're just all here guessing lol.
Dude, Henriquez was deadweight in Orlando SL! He got no contract and cannot be mentioned in one line with Young and Covington.
I don't think anyone is making too much of a case for Henriquez... If Camby signs then I think Covington has the best chance of usurping a vet for a roster spot if there's a chance at all.
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.