To bad Sammy is an idiot on the court. Commits dumb fouls all the time and makes boneheaded plays a lot of times. Definitely a Sammy, but with a much HIGHER IQ. Sammy can't hit a jumpshot to save his life either.
With the Cap space u get in 2010 and the core of this team, we should definately shoot for Lebron and Wade first. i doubt any other team would be able to give these options to them better than Rockets. not to mention everyone is talking about the salary cap changes and possible lockout. we got: -championship caliber team. (who else got two of the best defensive players?) -dominate Center in his peak -big market in Houston and in China (endorsements) -23 mils off the book and free to spread. Think Lebron wouldn't be happy about this? he complaints about Cavs, they are even willing to get shaq for wallace. Wade is not happy in Heat too.
Not sure what the news here is exactly. I wasn't exactly expecting Morey to come out and proclaim he had no interest in retaining Artest.
If we give Ron any type of deal it pretty much takes our chance of getting anyone for a max contract in 2010. that is why i keep saying that we would have to move Tracy's contract to make ourselves better.
No offense, but neither of those guys is coming here. LeBron either stays in Cleveland or goes to NY. I would list Phoenix as a dark horse, if they keep Amare, they'll still have freed up a lot of cap space. Dwade seems solidly attached to the Heat; and anyway, why leave Miami for Houston? Why leave Miami for ANYwhere? We need cap space to sign our own free agents. That's why I would think the order of business in the summer is to: 1. Use Tmac's salary + one of our promising young players to trade for Bosh or Stoudemire (not holding my breath) OR 2. Try to make a trade that nabs a player who'll help the team AND a player with a large expiring contract so we can still pay our own guys in 2010 (i.e., Nocioni/K. Smith), which, now that I'm writing this, makes me think we'd wind up with the sort of tradeable assets we want to take that shot at Bosh/Stoudemire OR 3. Sign someone to the MLE and simply let Tmac's contract expire The way the team is playing, I don't know if we need the home run, the BIG SPLASH. I'd say we upgrade here and there.
I really think he will move T Mac's contract this summer or before the deadline for the other superstar or for a couple of good players. Re sign Artest will happen more than likely then trade T-Mac contract to the Warriors for Maggette and either one of Jackson, Monte, or Crawford.
I think Morey is very smart, Ron wants to know he is wanted and respected. This is all psychological right now. I think our best course of action is to resign Ron for 3-4 years and trade TMAC's expiring contract either this off season or just prior to the trade deadline for the "missing pieces" to make a deep playoff run next season. I am expecting to see the 2nd round this year and a helluva effort to make it to the WCF (probably a close loss in game 7 due to being on the road in the 2nd round)...which will effectively put the nail in the coffin regarding TMAC's time in a Rox uniform.
Wade is prone to injury because of the way he plays. With the doctors we have here, he'll probably have season ending injuries as well (and he takes as long as Tmac to recover). I'd rather go after Joe Johnson first. Unlike Miami (which is a really nice place to live in), Atlanta has got nothing on Houston. I'm sure he's fed up with losing on the hawks as well though.
Artest has transformed us from a very soft team to a very physical team. We have to resign this guy. I'm not clear on how we get rid of T-Mac by next year. For someone taking 20 million in salary, i think they'll want more than one role player and a 1st round draft pick. Unless someone here has 20 million to buy him out here. Then again, next year is a contract year for T-Mac so i wouldn't be surprised if he could finally make it through healthy w/o injuries with his time off this year helping him rest. I can't imagine losing Scola and his occasional 15 rebound nights and always being in the right places, unless we picked up a Chris Bosh, Amare w/o an eye problem, or maybe most interesting trying to pry Lamarcus Aldridge from Portland in fears they can't resign him needing to pay all their other talented youngsters.
We should not sign Tmac. Thats a savings of 21 million. Use 10 million of that to sign Ron for 4years each. Then use the rest of 11 million to sign another great point guard that wants to win. PT
