Who do you think the Rockets will protect and why? Also, for all the capologists out there, if a player is drafted off our team, can we use the caproom available this offseason? My protected list: Francis Yao Mobley J. Jackson Cato Boki As you can see, I have only 6 listed instead of 8. My hope is that the Rockets leave Mo unprotected and the Bobcats take him, followed by us making a run at Rasheed Wallace with the available caproom. I know that there is a limit on the amount of salary the Bobcats can take on, so this may not happen but it's nice to dream. IMO, Mo would be a nice piece to start with on an expansion team in the east, Pike might also be of interest to them. Once again, calling all capologists to discuss the possibility of this happening.
why would rasheed wallace want to come here, when he's on a better team, that's going to be a perenial contender for the title in a weaker eastern conference?
ugh, stupid no editting system, anyway, in addition to above I did want to say, I agree with you. I think mo should be left open to be pulled, and I think he'd be definately taken if available. it leaves us with alot of caproom including the trade exception to go for either a) a bigger more defensive minded point guard, and b) we could pick up marcus camby or something for starting pf, addresses alot of weaknesses. move steve to the 2, and cuttino comes off the bench. steve plays the 1 when cuttino is in (rarely) so cuttino still gets large minutes for a 6th man. cato comes off the bench as backup pf / center, and we have a nice 3 man rotation at pf / c, as well as similar for pg / sg. with that said, boki would get major minutes behind jj, and our larger pg, could guard the 2 guards that steve would normally have to deal with. it plays to steve's strengths (similar to ai), and any franchise center's, still inside out, but steve can penetrate and kick like he does best (see: playoffs). lastly, it makes certain that though camby would be majorly defensive minded he can still hit a 14 footer. so he'd make teams that double yao pay and not be a defensive liability.
I believe they'll have around 9M, which is not a ton. However, they hold Rasheed's bid rights, which would allow them to re-sign him for whatever they want regardless of the cap.
Not exactly. They have $33.5 committed for 2004-05 but Wallace counts 150% of $17m until he is re-signed or renounced. So they are over the cap until this happens. If he signs for $8m, they then have $41.5m committed and because they fell under the cap (currently ~$43.5m), they lose the MLE. There are other assumptions (Elden Campbell, Okur, Darvin Ham, Mike James), but that's basically the story. The more they pay Wallace, the less cap space they have. And the Rockets' offer of a draft pick and or a cheap contract for Wallace SnT'd for our TE is better than than letting Wallace walk since he is an unrestricted FA. Not saying we can get him, just saying if they fizzle in RD 2...things could change.
Better to trade Wallace to Houston than let him walk to Detroit's competition in the East in New York. I think that is a key factor! If Detroit can't keep Wallace (and therefore keeps Okur) then it would behoove Detroit to trade Wallace to the West and out of the East.
No need to waste a protection on Cato. He's a very good back up center and would be a servicible starter for Charlotte, but I'm sure they wouldn't want his salary. If they do, that's great for us.
For whatever reason, Wallace has not contributed as much as expected (see Barkley's rant). Coupled with his past behavioral record, I would be very wary about this proposed acquisition.
It is all about expectations. I think we all agree that Wallace under performs for his overall talent level. But he does perform well, just not to "star" status. Detroit is expecting him to be a "go to" guy late in the games. Expecting him to carry the team on nights when perhaps Hamilton isn't getting it done. With those expectations in mind, Wallace is failing. It is my belief that Wallace would rather be a 2nd or 3rd option. He would be that on the Rockets with Francis and Yao or Yao and someone else. That's why I feel he would be a good fit here.
if Cato and Mo-T were left unprotected the Bobcats would NOT draft either one. They want to draft young and cheap, the only way they take them is if the Rockets work out a deal with them, were we leave someone they want unprotected like maybe Boki? I don't see the Bobcats and the Rockets working out this kind of deal as it seems that Boki's upside is too valuable to trade.
The only player Charlotte could possibly want from Rockets is Pak, he is a ultimate profressional and could be great metor for those young players.
if Cato and Mo-T were left unprotected the Bobcats would NOT draft either one. They want to draft young and cheap, the only way they take them is if the Rockets work out a deal with them, were we leave someone they want unprotected like maybe Boki? The NBA expansion draft doesn't work like the NFL expansion draft. Team's can only lose one player, so that scenario is impossible. But, you are correct that Charlotte probably wouldn't claim either guy.
Why take the chance? We can protect eight, so let's protect eight. Spoon should be left unprotected because they would never take him. My fear is that Charlotte would take Cato or MoT and immediately trade him to one of our competitors for a young player and/or draft choices.
Is it possible to send the Bobcats a future second rounder to take Mo Taylor? If I remember right, they can release a player with no cap hit.
If they somehow get their hands on Wilcox or Swift, we should immediately try to make a deal with them. Send them Mobley, I don't care. But any of those 2 guys would be great for Houston.
One other note, is it true that Charlotte can draft a player and instantly trade them? If this is true CD should be buying dinner for the Charlotte GM each and every night this summer. DD
