[ClutchFans] Houston Rockets Salary Cap Update (Updated: 3/2/2011)

Awesome info.. I appreciated this, thanks BimaThug!

 

Thank u very much, Bima. Seems sure that we'll use the Ariza TE.

 

This.

Conventional wisdom is that tanking would be better to improve our draft position, but we need to try and peak at the end of the season and sneak into the playoffs.

It will improve the value of our players in time for draft day.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic that the Shane Battier trade will be a blessing in disguise. In other words, I'm a fan of Terrence Williams. It was frustrating knowing that one of our potential big trade chips was killing his trade value through DNP and twitter retweets. I understood why he wasn't playing -- he didn't give us the best chance to win. But I think he's someone who could be key to our ability to land a top pick/player in the future. Hopefully he'll flourish in his limited playing time he receives now.

The Luis Scola market is tough. It should be a contender or someone a piece away from contending. New Jersey is what first comes to mind because of their previous interest, but their trade chips are extremely limited. Of course, they could always soften their untouchable stance on Brook Lopez -- I'd wager Avery Johnson is not his biggest fan.

I also have the Spurs in the back of my mind, mainly thinking about the possibility of the Rockets being interested in a Blair/Splitter type deal.

 

so our goal is one of my least favorite players in the nba (and i'm not talking about dwill)? wow, i'm even more depressed about the future of the rockets.

 

Clutch,
Why can't we dream about Dwight Howard? We have his best friend, a great organization, a great city, and we have some great complimentary players. In fact, if Morey can upgrade the 3 or 4 position in the offseason, add to that Kmartin and our backcourt depth, we're tailor made for a guy like Howard. The Martin/ Howard combo would be deadly.

 

Let's put the pieces together.

1. NJ has previously shown interest in Scola.

2. Deron Williams shows no interest in resigning with NJ.

3. Dwight Howard's best friend is in Houston.

4. Dwight Howard's master Splinter is in Houston.

5. Dwight Howard won't be coming here to play with Martin. We need another star.

6. Rumors are Dwight and Deron want to form their own super team.

Scola and Lowry for Deron Williams.

Martin and Thabeet for Howard.

Dwill
Lee
Bud
Patterson
Howard

Then I just woke up.

 

I've talked about this before in another thread. I actually think the rockets chances to get Williams and Howard are going to really good if they continue to build the team.

I know deckard wont like what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say it. The rockets should trade scola this summer for a cheap player,tpe,or draft pick. I know it sounds like they're getting abused in the deal,but his value is at its highest this offseason. In an ideal situation, they could get a guy like Jason Thompson whom I think is ahead of both Patterson and hill as a player. He's still young, 6'11 and when playing 30 mins, he's like 14ppg 8 rebs and a blk. Thats perfect next to howard. Patterson could be the backup and the rockets could have a 3 man rotation of Thompson,howard,and patterson.

Sign chandler or thaddeaus young this summer. 7m per would be the offering. Both are restricted,but at least the teams would have to make a decision on both. 7m for young is paying for his limited production and very good upside. What the team would be doing is getting bigger across the frontline plus a player that is still growing as a player. he has an expensive player in front of him and it would force the 76ers to make a decision on him.

Trading miller is also a top priority. His contract isnt terrible,but when the team is trying to sign 2 fa's outright. They can sign a cheaper backup, plus guys will sign for cheaper because of howard and williams.

They shouldnt pickup the options on hill,williams,or thabeet no matter how they play. They should leave themselves flexibility money wise. In the event they dont get howard and williams and in the event these guys play well, they can still try to sign these guys after their options are not picked up. So lets look at the salaries now.

Lowry-5.7m
Martin-12m
T.Young-7m
Thompson-2m
Chase-1m
courtney-2m
patterson-2m
Dragic-2m

Thats right at about 30m in salary of a 58m cap if we have the old rules. They can then talk business and try to get Howard and Williams to do what lebron and bosh did ad take 14m apiece for a real chance at a ring for the next 5 yrs. After they get Williams, they can trade lowry and let Dragic be the backup pg. After that, the rocket can fill the roster with young vets and cheaper player.

Williams-Dragic
Martin-Lee
Young-Chase
Thompson-Patterson
Howard-Thompson

Thats a strong,young team capable of making numerous runs. They ould have good size,great athleticism and a closer in williams, a 2 guys who draw fouls like howard and martin and upside.

 

This is our plan? Acquire lottery busts and hope they turn it around?

Not good enough. Unacceptable.

 

When you lack top draft picks you have to resort to these type of measures.

If T-Will and Thabeet develop into quality players are you really going to have a gripe with how we acquired them?

 

Yeah, catching a break and getting a top 3 pick in this upcoming draft (at least as an asset for trade) would be a huge help. And we HAVE to get the young players some minutes to up their stock. Budinger, Hill, Williams, Patterson. But looks like only Budinger is getting the minutes.

The Rockets trade at the trade deadline, even though it brought us back some useful pieces....you just know that was like plan D for Morey. A/B/C fell through with our depreciating assets. :-(

 

What's your plan?

 

It's not "The Plan" any more than buying 2nd round picks was "The Plan." It's just participating in a likely undervalued segment of the market. A way to spend very little resource to buy a chance, even if a small chance, at a decent return.

Think back to all the 2nd rounders purchased by Morey: some turned out to be Landry and Budinger, others turned out to be Taylor and Dorsey. You definitely don't have close to 100% sucess rate even with diligent scouting. However, it is still a market worth exploiting when the potential benefits outweighs the cost (which is often just cash).

It's the same with these 2009 "Lotto busts"-- Hill, Williams and Thabeet. The chances of them becoming regular contributors, let alone significant contributors, are not huge. However, it's worth taking a chance on them since the cost of acquiring them was relatively small. In case of Hill, it's absorbing JJ's salary (and getting a 1st round pick + the possible exchange). For Williams, it's a lotto-protected 1st rounder. For Thabeet, it's 20-games worth of Shane Battier on his expiring contract (also getting a future pick).

 

I expect the salary cap to increase, but for it to be a hard cap (or at least harder cap).

 

Which is what I have been harping on for months, the Rockets are pouring aspirin down their throat hoping to prolong the inevitable dentist trip (tanking for the lottery) that they must go through before they can be anything more than a boring mediocre franchise.

Two seasons ago, I suggested the Rockets tank, this season I recommended they tank, next season I will openly cheer for the Rockets to lose every single game. I am tired of waiting for a disgruntled star to fall into our laps, a different approach is needed, a traditional approach, the same approach that most teams take if they want to acquire an elite talent - TANKING.

 

Nobody in the NBA tanks. Tanking is losing on purpose.. no GM, owner or coach is going to tell their players to purposely lose. The Clippers didn't tank for Blake Griffin. The Wizards didn't tank for John Wall. The Clippers and Wizards were just terrible basketball teams that deserved high lottery picks.

There's only two ways for the Rockets to acquire a top draft pick:

1) Become a terrible basketball team.

Trading Kevin Martin and Luis Scola for draft picks (not talent) and letting Rick Adelman walk. If you want to be a terrible team, you have to get rid of the main guys who are bringing you up to mediocrity. Enter Martin and Scola. Without those two players, we'd easily be one of the worst teams in the league.

2) Trade up into the top five of the draft.

Collecting/acquiring assets and trading up for a high pick during the draft. This is the strategy the Rockets employ. You won't see a team trade away the #1 overall pick usually, but there have been quite a few examples of teams trading into the top three to five picks. I think you'll see the Rockets be aggressive in looking to move up in the draft. I've stated in past that I'd even be open to moving Kevin Martin for a high draft pick if it's someone I feel will be a star (read: DeMarcus Cousins).

 

Sounds like the Bobcats are

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=201547

 

Dude, you don't tell your players to lose games, you just trade away your veterans, and play the youngsters. The Rockets traded away Shane and should do the same with Kevin and Luis.

Can we just get past this "tell your players to lose games" BS, that's not how teams tank and that's not what I'm advocating.