There are several teams who will be in a tough situation financially in the offseason, under a lot of pressure to unload salary due to luxury tax penalties. This could be an opportunity for Morey to swing in and do some damage, especially since most of these teams are playoff or even championship contenders who wouldn't dare blow things up in the middle of a run, but will be much more willing in the limbo between seasons. Teams we haven't discussed a lot Chicago With the recent Derrick Rose contract and Omer Asik heading toward an extension Chicago is heading into an incredibly dire cap situation--well north of $70M. They're a huge market, but there are limits to how much even they can pay. Carlos Boozer, $15M-$15M-$16M. I hate Boozer as much as anyone, and you'd have to pay me a lot to take back his contract. But at the same time, I have to admit he's still a good player. He's an upgrade on both ends over Scola. Maybe if Chicago was willing to include solid draft picks or get us an additional quality piece in a three-way trade, Morey would consider sending Scola over there for Boozer. Luol Deng, $13M-$14M. I've long felt Deng was underrated, because he's such a versatile two-way player. He's had a down year, but he's still just 26. I don't see much place for him on the Rockets, though, except maybe if he comes packaged with Taj Gibson or some other quality asset brought in via a three-way. Omer Asik, RFA. Asik is heading into restricted free agency, so Chicago may choose to just deal him and let someone else foot the bill. A lot of people like him, but I can't get away from how raw he is as a guy who is about to be age 26. Could be worth gambling on, though, so keep an eye on him. New York The Knicks will already be in the luxury tax before signing Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak to extensions. Those two players will likely put them pretty deep into the tax, but keep in mind that it's New York we're talking about here. It's hard to see a scenario where the Rockets, or anyone else, agree to take back the awful Stoudemire contract, and it's hard to see a scenario where they agree to move Melo (they'll more likely try to adapt their coaching around him), but keep an eye on those two anyway. Perhaps more likely to be moved for a serviceable player is... Tyson Chandler, $13M-$13M-$14M. He's ridiculously, unbelievably efficient on offense this season, with a .726 TS%, although a lot of that is because he's a monster of an offensive rebounder and cleanup man who gets a lot of easy looks and makes the most of them. He's never going to be an important offensive player on a contender, but he's an athletic 7-footer who plays well on both ends and a big man like that is hard to find. If the Knicks would dump him for something like Sam Dalembert, you'd have to consider it. Is their tax situation dire enough for them to do that, though? Chandler is not part of the problem on the court in New York, and they have a giant market. Atlanta The Hawks are a touch over the salary cap next season with only six players under contract. They seem like a prime candidate to trade one of their big contracts for a few smaller ones, more due to their cap situation than due to the luxury tax, but still for salary reasons. In trade eligibility, the foremost among these big contracts is Josh Smith: He's in a contract year and already vocally wants out of Atlanta. Joe Johnson's contract is too big and too ugly to be moved, and Al Horford is too good of a player on too good of a contract for them to send out. But if they can move an expiring Smith in the offseason for a solid starting PF and cheap pieces to round out their bench, they'd have to at least consider it. Josh Smith, $12M. Smith is still one of the best athletes among NBA power forwards, still blocks a lot of shots, still rebounds, and still uses his athleticism to score points--albeit with less efficiency than you'd like. He doesn't solve the Rockets' problems, but he would be an upgrade, especially if you can acquire him by sending out the cheaper Luis Scola in the deal, perhaps packaged with Chase Budinger and maybe a draft pick, saving Atlanta millions and fleshing out their skeleton roster. Been there, done that Los Angeles We've already talked a lot about Pau Gasol, and he still remains a strong trade candidate if LA can get back an elite player. Or maybe if they get a verbal agreement with Deron Williams to sign in LA, they would send out Gasol to a team with the cap space to swallow his contract (wink, wink) in exchange for young assets and draft picks. Regardless, I don't need to discuss Gasol's strengths, weaknesses, or contract--we've been over it plenty of times already. Orlando Herp derp, Dwight Howard. We've already beat this dead horse thousands upon thousands of times at this year's deadline, so I'm not going to waste anymore breath on it. Suffice it to say, the Magic are well over the salary cap and could revisit trading Howard in the offseason or more likely at next year's deadline if he doesn't agree to an extension. Draft Picks Are Nice Washington I figure the main attraction here will be Washington's top draft pick, not any specific player on their roster (though Nene is a remote possibility). As such, I won't discuss specific players here either. Suffice it to say, taking back Andre Blatche's poison pill contract and fortifying the Wizards for playoff contention--say, with Luis Scola and maybe Kevin Martin or others--could be enough to pry away that top three lottery pick of theirs. New Orleans New Orleans doesn't really fall into the category of having cap problems, but I thought they were worth a mention anyway because their problem is salary considerations and there are rumors that they want to move Emeka Okafor. Stern has been very hard to deal with and he's clearly running the show as a puppetmaster, but may come off his demands a bit on draft day; it'll be a bit easier for him to move Okafor then anyway. Emeka Okafor, $12M-$13M-$14M. Unlike Blatche, Okafor is a legitimate player. He's a good defensive big man who blocks shots and grabs rebounds, not too dissimilar from Samuel Dalembert and his contract situation in Philadelphia before we picked him up. He'd be a useful but overpaid part of the team if we picked him up. The real prize, of course, would be the top 3 pick we'd demand in return for taking him back. I'm sure the Rockets would have to sweeten the pot, but perhaps it could be done. No Chance (Probably) Miami How long can the Heat withstand this insanity? They're already at $79M for this season and staring at a $77M payroll next year with players going off the roster. That's about $20 million over the cap, in case you weren't aware. Still, their big three is generating so much national attention and making them so much money that it's hard to see them breaking it up anytime soon. That's why I won't sit here and discuss the mildly declining Chris Bosh with you. Keep half an eye on him, though--if Miami does decide they are tired of paying so much luxury tax, he'll obviously be the one to go.
Warriors Lee & Bogut Trail Blazers might want to blow it up completely and rebuild...LeMarcus 'Texas' Aldridge could become available for a young stud or two and a few picks?
I'd seriously consider the following off that list - Luol Deng Tyson Chandler Josh Smith Dwight Howard Wizards draft pick. I agree Deng isnt a real need here but is probably an upgrade. Depending upon what else is in the deal , you'd have to consider it. I bet Chicago would love to have Parsons contract instead of Deng's. I would think the deal would have to be rather sweet for the Rockets to make that type of exchange. Washington's draft pick for taking on Blatche's contract. Interesting to say the least. 3 more years & $23m .... and a headache for a top 3 pick. /thinking. Smith for Scola & Budinger .... win for both teams. Chandler & Howard would be no-brainers should they become available. You can almost bet the house that Morey & the Rockets willbe talking to Orlando often between now and either the draft or next years deadline.
You can never say no way...even if it is a 1% chance, there is still a chance. At the start of the season people were saying that there was no way that Andrew Bogut would be traded... Things happen that can change a players outlook. Another 20 games like the Knicks blowout and who knows...just saying.
I think its the only way we can acquire a star. I dont think we can ever attract a big time superstar player from the FA. Our best bet would be to trade for a disgruntled star. We got the cap room and picks to make it happen.
Good thread, thanks for drafting it. The idea of a trade to NO for Okafor and a high lottery pick for, say, Dalembert and Morris, right before the draft, sounds intriguing.
If we could pull that off the be great. Okafor is still kind of young, so we'd have a medium term, decent solution to play center. Then we could use the draft pick to bring in the BPA.
Not for only salary relief, they'd have to be able to sell it to the fans. Salary relief would help get the deal done but other players and/or picks would have to be included.
EDITED-Thanks for the catch Rocketsblaze Good thread Oremlk. It looks to me that another reason why Morey is pushing so hard to get into the playoffs is so next trade deadline the Rockets will have Two First round picks of their own to offer Orlando plus whatever players the Rockets want to give + all the cap space they have cleared this year to take on a bad contract. Dwight is still the main target for the Rockets, and unfortunately for everyone involved, we have to deal with this Dwama crap a whole other year. Going into next year the Rockets should definitely have the best offer on the market for Dwight IF they make the playoffs and are able to get rid of their NJ pick obligation from the Terrence Williams deal. IF the Rockets make the playoffs attractive assets they will have- -2014 lottery protected/or top 5-10 protected first round pick -2016 lottery protected/or top 5-10 protected first round pick -Expiring contract of Kevin Martin, plus 3 month SG rental -Kyle Lowry?(if he's made available) -Young talented rookie in Donatas Montiejunas -Expiring contract of Samuel Dalembert(with buyout option) -Cap space to absorb one or two bad contracts Maybe its Dwight, maybe its Russell Westbrook, Carmelo, Gasol etc. that is suddenly on the trading block come next Winter. There arent too many teams with a package that comes close to that attractive on the market.
Thing is though we've been saying this for like 2 years now. The assets haven't been able to make big splash so far.
I get bashed on here for even remotely sticking up for Morey, but Ill just say that its not for lack of trying. Everyone in the media who has legit sources says that Morey is by and large the most aggressive GM out there trying to get the big fish. I dont think that the Rockets fans should expect anything, and I dont believe anything was ever promised to the fans. All I know is that they are trying. Having this bag of assets shouldn't hurt their cause next year. IMO, this is the most solid bag of assets the Rockets have had since Morey has been GM, and the better this team becomes(and the values increase with their young talented players) the better it will become. If worse comes to worst, I still think they are a fun team to watch and root for.
Ugh... but we'd have to deal with the fact that he himself would also be a rental, and not worth the assets to trade for him. Given that he'd most likely leave. I think if we want a good chance at Dwight Howard re-signing, we must try to get Deron Williams this off-season. Which I think we have a good chance at, if we make a good playoff run and generate some media buzz. Making us a more attractive destination. Other wise its pointless to trade a ton of assets for a guy who would most likely leave you in free agency, and have nothing to show for it. BTW -I "think" the rule is that a team cannot trade 1st round draft picks in back-to-back years. Hence, I don't think we can trade our 2013 1st round draft pick, given that we would have traded our 2012 1st rd draft pick with us making the playoffs this year.
Ahhh... your right. Why do I still think its 2011? I think Im loosing it. Anyways yeah so just move picks around to 2014 first rounder, and whatever else. Not sure if a team would view a 2016 first round pick as useful, but without great lottery protection sure could still be an asset. I have the suspision that Donatas will end up being a very intriguing young player potentially on the market next year. There is nothing GM's go crazy over more than skilled 7 footers. Especially ones on their rookie contracts. Obviously with Dwight being an expiring next year the Rockets would be more cautious with their offer just like this year, but maybe another player comes on the market as well. Who knows, but the Rockets will should be a much more attractive team to deal with next year, and hopefully teams will be less scared to make moves next year.
We could also miss the playoffs and win the lottery. Or maybe Wade will blow out his knee, and the Heat will decide to trade him in the offseason. Then we could get aldridge, wade, and anthony davis. I can hardly wait.
That rule is only with respect to consecutive FUTURE drafts. The second the 2012 NBA Draft is over (heck, the second the Nets/Rockets make their selection during the draft), the Rockets are free to trade their 2013 pick without regard to the Stepien Rule.
