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[Feigen] Rockets consider amnestying Scola, as talks with the Magic grow "serious"

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by HMMMHMM, Jul 11, 2012.

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HMMMHMM Contributing Member

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With the Brooklyn Nets going another direction, the Rockets could be in the driver’s seat to land disgruntled Magic star center Dwight Howard. The problem, as it has been for months, is getting the continuing talks to go far enough.

Talks on Wednesday grew “serious,” and at one point seemed close to an agreement, according to a person familiar with the process, but the Magic backed off to consider their options.

Rockets are open to the three-team deal in which they would receive Lakers center Andrew Bynum with Howard going to the Los Angeles Lakers, but are primarily working directly with the Magic to acquire Howard, the individual with knowledge of the talks said.

Getting in position for the planned next move will be difficult. To create enough cap room for the kind of blockbuster trade that has been proposed, the Rockets are considering making veteran forward Luis Scola an amnesty cut, likely in the next 48 hours, a person with knowledge of the move said. That would create enough cap room for the Rockets to take on the additional contracts necessary to complete a trade for Howard.

Scola, 32, is due $21 million guaranteed over the next three season. The Rockets could wait until July 17 to make Scola an amnesty cut, in which he would receive his full guaranteed salary but not count against the salary cap or luxury tax figures, but received information that he would have a better chance of moving to a stronger team if the move was made quickly.

The Rockets’ chances to land Howard greatly improved on Wednesday when Brooklyn, Howard’s preferred destination, removed itself from the race. The Nets signed center Brook Lopez to a four-year deal, worth $60.8 million, duplicating the max offer he could have gotten elsewhere and taking Brooklyn out of trade talks with the Magic.

Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan called reports that the Magic had broken off trade talks in general “false.” The Rockets have been in frequent talks with the Magic throughout the day on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the process said.

For the Rockets, a key to either deal would be the ability to take on the contracts of as many as three Orlando veterans.

To trade Howard, the Magic will seek to move some of the long-term contracts they had collected when trying to surround Howard with veterans Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Duhon. Richardson, 31, has three seasons and $18.6 million remaining on his contract. Turkoglu, 33, is signed for two more years and is owed $23.8 million. Duhon has two years and $7.5 million remaining on his contract.

The Rockets could make a minor move in free agency, including potentially signing former Rockets guard Aaron Brooks, but will be careful about using too much cap space, even if they do cut Scola.

They completed the trade to get the draft pick they would need in a deal, officially sending guard Kyle Lowry to the Toronto Raptors for a first round pick. The Raptors will convey the pick if it falls between four and 14 next season. If the Raptors are either in the playoffs or picking in the top three picks, they would convey the pick the next season if it falls between the third and 14th picks the following two seasons. If they still have not moved the pick, it would be protected for two more seasons only if in the lottery but not among the top two picks of the draft.

If after five seasons, the Raptors have still kept the pick, they would convey the pick the following season no matter where it fell.

The Rockets’ sign-and-trade deal with New York, with Marcus Camby signing with the Knicks and New York sending the Rockets guard Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson and Jerome Jordan, and two second-round pick, was also approved. Harrellson will join the Rockets summer league team today.

The trade is not considered complete until the players involved all pass their physicals, forcing the Rockets to hold off on signing Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik to offer sheets. The Knicks have said they will match Lin’s offer sheet, with New York coach Mike Woodson saying on Wednesday he is the Knicks starting point guard. The Bulls are expected to match Asik’s offer sheet. That deal is not expected to impact the pursuit of Howard, no matter what the Bulls decide.

The priority remains the pursuit of Howard with the Rockets moving in that direction on Wednesday until ending the day with the deal still stuck in neutral.
Click to expand...

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...-sweepstakes-as-talks-with-magic-grow-serious

#1 HMMMHMM, Jul 11, 2012

1 person likes this.

macho GRANDE Elvis, was a hero to most but................

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Whatever. Just make something happen.

#2 macho GRANDE, Jul 11, 2012
clubberclyde Member

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Oh ****

#3 clubberclyde, Jul 11, 2012
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He would basically just be a casualty of the deal. It is a bit surprising that we can't find at least a trade for a lower salary player.

#4 thething, Jul 11, 2012
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HMMMHMM said: ↑

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...-sweepstakes-as-talks-with-magic-grow-serious
Click to expand...

#5 cbk41, Jul 11, 2012

2 people like this.
JayZ750 Contributing Member

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Perhaps the cap space need is why Lin hasn't actually been presented the offer yet?

#6 JayZ750, Jul 11, 2012
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Possibly 3 Orlando vets?!

#7 J.R., Jul 11, 2012

Know Your Role Member

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So if we cut Scola within 48 hours that means it's on?

#8 Know Your Role, Jul 11, 2012
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Magic GM Rob Hennigan said that he's in no rush to trade Dwight Howard, and may even keep him on the roster until training camp in October.
The Magic reportedly have concerns about the health of Andrew Bynum's knees, which is dissuading them from trading for him at least as much as the possibility that Bynum would leave next summer as a FA. The Orlando Sentinel even writes that "the Houston Rockets now might be the front-runners to acquire Howard ... even if Howard gives them no assurance that he will remain with the franchise beyond next season." The Magic will trade him eventually, but Hennigan is patiently waiting for an offer worthy of an MVP-caliber center. The Nets can resume trade talks involving Brook Lopez on Jan. 15.

The longer this drags out, the worse it will be for us. How we approach this entire offseason depends on what happens with his drama...

#9 RocketsFan11, Jul 11, 2012
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j-rich's contract isn't egregiously bad, and we need a SG anyway.

#10 cardpire, Jul 11, 2012
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Could we flip Dwight for Bynum? If our intentiion was to get Bynum?

#11 Krizzle, Jul 11, 2012
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cardpire said: ↑

j-rich's contract isn't egregiously bad, and we need a SG anyway.
Click to expand...

Yeah hopefully we can keep Lamb out of the 3 rookies.

#12 clubberclyde, Jul 11, 2012
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Close to agreement!???..this guy hennigen is really getting on my nerves...being 30 it seems like the pressure is getting to him...make up your fu@@*** mind dude

#13 dreammvp, Jul 11, 2012

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I have a bad feeling about this.

#14 Raven, Jul 11, 2012
redhotrox Contributing Member

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I hate to see Scola waived the way scrubby bums like Arenas and Outlaw were. I wanted him to play with Dwight.

#15 redhotrox, Jul 11, 2012
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Raven said: ↑

I have a bad feeling about this.
Click to expand...

as long as we send martin somewhere i feel ok with amnestying scola

#16 fallenphoenix, Jul 11, 2012
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J.R. said: ↑

Possibly 3 Orlando vets?!
Click to expand...

So we'll be Orlando west.

#17 Blurr#7, Jul 11, 2012
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IMO there is no way Morey will eat all 3 of those contracts. That is probably a snag in the negotiations.

#18 RocketsFan11, Jul 11, 2012

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redhotrox said: ↑

I hate to see Scola waived the way scrubby bums like Arenas and Outlaw were. I wanted him to play with Dwight.
Click to expand...

Could we cut him and then resign him?

#19 Ramathorn006, Jul 11, 2012
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oooooooooooh snap

#20 jaiaguilar, Jul 11, 2012

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