[Spanish Radio] Sergio Llull close to deciding to join the Rockets?

Good post bballholic. I'm not comfortable with paying llull that much. It's a huge risk for a guy that's going to be playing second fiddle at best. You may not agree that Lawson or knight etc would be a perfect fit but it sure as hell would make a lot more sense in terms of keeping the overall core together and keeping the window open for the big fish next offseason. I think we are making a mistake.

 

I'm pretty sure he starts losing a certain percentage once he reaches a certain threshold. I could be wrong however

 

Bye Bye Bev.

 

I like the positivity but that's a major assumption. We really have no idea what llulls game is like outside of a few videos on YouTube. Can he make the extra pass? Can he run the pick and roll? Is he a good passer into the post? Can he break down opponents off the dribble? If he's not an average NBA playmaker then that unit above is only going to have reliable offense from dmo in the post. It's a weak lineup

 

I don't see a major impediment to trading Dorsey, Prigioni, and TJones for zero in return without including other assets. TJones and his low salary/RFA rights are worth something, and Dorsey/Prig are guaranteed a combined $1.4 million in salary. You've got $800k left this season to pay for someone to take Pablo and/or Dorsey, and a fresh $3 million in just a couple of weeks.

I agree that Ariza needs to be the 4th or 5th best player for us to have a real shot, but I think he's made himself almost irreplaceable. He and Harden seem to have great chemistry together, and Ariza might be the most trusted player on the team.

I don't think Ariza is going anywhere unless either of these 2 things happen:

1) We trade/sign LMA or Love AND bring in another quality wing defender.

2) We trade/sign Durant.

I don't see Ariza as an asset in an "in between" trade. Too much risk.

 

If the Rockets really are offering 3 years $24 million, then the answer to all of the above better be yes.

 

I wonder if this $24M "offer from the Rockets" is a product of Llull's agent to try to get his client more money? It sure doesn't look like a Morey's move, does it?

 

Seems like a legit offer. The MLE. It might be a bit inflated by maybe 1.5 mil just to sign rookies.

 

http://www.marca.com/2015/06/22/baloncesto/nba/noticias/1434951995.html

It's 21 million.

 

Wonderful conspiracy theory. I am going to say, yes, that is part of why. Also, he was also an experienced winner internationally (read: playoff experience) and a lifetime ~39-40% 3PT shooter with deceptively quick hands, so certainly a pick up that made sense in the absence of the additional nugget, but I am sure that his ties to Llull didn't hurt his case.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Tarde de relax! <a href="http://t.co/FBCmWHdDJ5">pic.twitter.com/FBCmWHdDJ5</a></p>&mdash; Sergio Llull (@23Llull) <a href="https://twitter.com/23Llull/status/613012095945285632">June 22, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Who's happy about this? I mean it's quite possible I am just being salty and overreacting, but I'd like to get the general take from people on here

 

I think you're thinking of the amnesty clause, which does not apply here. Pretty sure Detroit owes him what they owe.

 

I know this is mostly the reporter's speculation, but this is a bit misleading.

The cap rising might be a reason for Llull to wait if he were a free agent and he could create a true bidding war on the open market among teams flush with cash. But since his rights are controlled by the Rockets, it shouldn't be much of a factor. IF the Rockets have major cap room next summer, Llull would be a secondary priority... they would be be going after the Kevin Durant-tier first. And that's no shot at Llull -- it's just the reality when you aren't a proven NBA player, and I'm sure he and his agent know that. And in that "Durant" scenario, the Rockets wouldn't even have the MLE available, since they'd be a below-cap team. I suppose IF the Rockets acquire an Aldridge/Love this summer and stay operating above the cap, they'd retain the MLE for next summer, which would be proportionally higher... but that's a lot of variables. And it's not as if the payout would be THAT much higher, anyway.

Bottom line: the $6 million/year offer is pretty good for a player with no NBA experience, and it's unlikely to get any better by waiting, IMO.

 

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=262991

 

Doggy style.

 

ITS not so much the money, even though I think he will be overpaid. It's the cost it will take to get him over here. Losing our role players who reignited clutch city for a player who is unproven doesn't sit right with me, it's going to weaken our team imo.

 

What does it mean that they "reignited clutch city?"

We lost in the conference finals. We didn't win a title.

We had a good run, but we should try to get better.

 

It was just a turn on words, don't read into it too seriously. That's my exact point: I don't think this move will make us better, if anything it will weaken the roster. Not sure how much simpler I can make it, you are welcome to disagree as are others.

 

Ah, okay... Thx. In that case, I guess it wouldn't be totally shocking if he walked. Easy to say I'd take the min as a fan, but I dunno.