We can't afford Webber next year, so sign and trade for Mo!

From Sportwriter's Direct-

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Rockets hold the league's largest trade exception, $4.5 million. But they might not be in a rush to use it.

"We will start looking at things now," Rockets vice president Carroll Dawson said. "There aren't a whole lot of things that can be done yet, but this (signing Cuttino Mobley) was the No. 1 thing we had to get done this offseason because he has become such a vital part, not only of our team, but of our future. So with this behind us now, we can start looking at some other things, but to this point, we've focused just on Cuttino. That is because of how important he is to us."

This is not to say, however, that the trade exception is not useful to the Rockets.

Any money spent in a multi-year contract this summer would cut into next summer's available cap room. The Rockets are not about to use the trade exception for a player that does not figure in the long-range rebuilding plans, explaining their hesitance to use it so far.

But the Rockets do not figure to have Orlando-Chicago cap room available next summer. As the roster currently stands, even Hakeem Olajuwon's retirement will not clear enough room to offer a veteran -- Chris Webber?-- a maxed out contract. Shandon Anderson also will be ready to cash in for his willingness to sign so far below market last summer.

But using the trade exception this summer (it expires Oct. 1) could help next if the Rockets include a player with several years left on a contract for a player in the last season of a deal. Normally other teams would be very hesitant to make that kind of deal. But that's where the trade exception would come in, making that sort of deal feasible.

FREE AGENT UPDATE: The Rockets have both salary cap exceptions available, but might not use them. Many of the players still available would likely have to fight for minutes. Even if a free agent could help fill a need at power forward, the talent available would seem unlikely to change the rebuilding overall.

Any money the Rockets offer this summer would cut into their ability to spend on the free agent market next summer. They will have some spending room with the retirement of Hakeem Olajuwon, but that room is not enough, without other moves, to offer a veteran free agent the maximum. Anyone signed to a multi-year contract

"We're not going to give out our exception just to fill out our roster," Dawson said. "There's a lot of people that would like to be with us. It would have to be more of a player like Shandon (Anderson)."



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“During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.” (Al Gore, CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” 3/9/99)

www.algore-2000.org

 

That was one of the more intelligent articles I've seen on the Rockets. What's the link?

It seems like the Rockets are on a course for a salary-cap no man's land: next offseason, we'll have space but not enough space to get someone really great. The Rockets need to move up or down. Either clear cap space in hopes of luring Webber or use all the exceptions to maximize whatever talent (including tradeable talent) we can pick up now. They cannot, in good conscience, stand pat. I'm not crazy about Maurice Taylor, but if he's there for an exception, I guess we'd be remiss not to take him.

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Rockets Draft Obligations Summary

http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/

 

JV,
http://totalsports.aol.com/bko/nba/hou.html

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