Must Zoran. Because Goran got his first starting gig here. He also KEPT that starting gig when Lowry came back from injury. We disgruntled Lowry for Goran. We picked up his bro on the summer league team. Then, we offered his FA contract that PHX matched. The only difference was the player option. PHX took our contract and gave Dragic what he wanted as long as it was monetary. So no player option = undervaluing him? At least he said only part of him. Maybe it's only 10% of him.
That couldn't have been tho only difference, Goran himself said him and Rockets were far apart. But it also couldn't have been all about the money, or he'd take the 9+ mil per year that was reportedly offered by Charlotte.
Ummm... Ok. This coming from the guy whose CURRENT and most likely FUTURE team for the next 5 to 8 years traded him to the Rockets for Aaron Brooks, AND gave a 1st rounder as well. Talk about some fire.
I don't get how he's "sticking it" to anyone. He's not a free agent till next year, and he's not the Suns GM vetoing any potential Rockets trade requests (like the Suns would trade him anyways). What the hell is he talking about? Cyberx is in Amsterdam apparently right now so that might be the best explanation we get for that statement right there.
... said from a "cafe" in Amsterdam. Didn't we give him his first starting gig? He's holding a grudge over a player option? If, as you mentioned, there are no discussions about trading for Dragic, how would he "stick it to the Rox"?
On the court... during games... straightforward. Lulz, Morey has our fans convinced basketball is about winning transactions and not actual games. This isn't NBA Live 2000 Sim Mode. It's real life. Well... quasi-real life.
I get that part of it... but "wouldn't mind" somewhat implies that he hasn't had the opportunity to, yet.
What can the Rockets do realistically right now? You said patience earlier, and nothing has changed over the few days.
C's are not a fit, as you say. And Ainge values his assets sky high. A deal only works with a 3rd team, and who could ID one?
Dragic and all the other Euros never take negotiations personally. They know, from their soccer experience, that it's all a business. In the end they will behave like mercenaries because they understand that team loyalty is a fallacy, concocted by rich white people to get poorer athletes to take less money all for the sake of "team chemistry" or "the (insert random team name) way", as if that were some kind of code of law. No, the Euros learn from football. Money talks. Over there there's no such thing as a salary cap. All there is is however much money your owner has the willingness/capacity to spend. Just like Scola didn't take it personally, Dragic won't take it personally either. He will stay in Phoenix, or he will come to Houston, or he will leave altogether. In the end it will be about the money.
Eh, that's not true. If it would be, he'd take the Charlotte's offer the last time he was FA. It's a lot about how do you fell about GM, the coach, teammates around you, general team chemistry, your role on the team ... Not to mention he considers Phoenix his "home away from home", he has a lot of family there, and seems to generally enjoy the city.
Parker and Duncan are really the only ones who are (Gino was paid a lot until his newest deal, but his body was screwed as well), and Parker's extension isn't "that" discount for a 32 yo.
I read that as Goran saying that if he goes to Houston in a deal (or in free agency) he intends to get paid. And frankly, if that's the case, I would be more than happy to show him the money. He's worth a max contract. Whether he's "getable" between now and the deadline is another thing entirely, but certainly not to be dismissed out of hand, in my opinion. The Suns keep signing point guards. Someone, I would think, needs to go. Bledsoe or Dragic. The Suns owner doesn't have Alexander's williness to open his wallet, unless everything I've heard about the guy is off-base. Doesn't mean one of them will come to the Rockets, but the Rockets are the only team besides the Suns that are able to offer Goran a 5 year deal. That's huge, in my opinion. And ironic if we signed him to a 5 year max contract after letting him go over refusing a player option on a shorter deal. That would be "sticking it" to the Rockets. All stuff posted here before several times in one form or another (what hasn't been posted in this thread in one form or another??), but worth repeating.
I recall nothing about an offer from Charlotte back then. Can someone find for me where Charlotte made Dragic an offer of 9 million that he turned down, and what was the length & terms of the contract? And to clarify, the reasoning that came from Dragic afterwards had to do with the player option because he didn't want to put himself in a situation where he could be traded given the Rockets were being very open with him about their need to make future moves & the team option would have put him at risk of being moved. All this being said... why are folks spending so much energy talking about Dragic as a potential option? He's openly stated that he intends to opt out and sign long term with Phoenix next Summer. There is literately no reason on earth the Suns would look to trade him. And if the Rockets are making plans to free up money for next Summers free agency, it wont be JUST for the sake of Goran Dragic's impending free agency. Does Morey seem like someone to you that would bank on just one single free agent? How many free agents did he talk to just this past July?
