Llull/LMA would be unreal - I guess that leaves unproven options at SF (Dekker/KJ) but there's no doubt that we would be upgrading
I see why clutch shutdown the cybrex thread, all LMA new tweets should come here, people get in cybrex thread and can't figure out what's the latest, because every time it's a new tweet with rockets and love/LMA it starts 3-4 pages of the usual same old talk ----------------- "Sources confirm report from @shamscharania that the Raptors are now in line to get a sitdownwith LaMarcusAldridge. As for the Rockets" — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 29, 2015
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources confirm report from <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania">@shamscharania</a> that the Raptors are now in line to get a sitdown with LaMarcus Aldridge. As for the Rockets ...</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/615618701027446784">June 29, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As for Rockets, like we reported last week, Houston WANTS to get in the game for both Aldridge and Kevin Love. Needs to shed salary, tho</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/615618919210971136">June 29, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An elite four who can stretch the floor ... Houston still needs one. Can Rockets created needed cap space? History says they'll find a way</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/615619559102361600">June 29, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RealGM Sources: LaMarcus Aldridge planning free-agent meeting with Toronto; considering Houston Rockets sitdown. <a href="http://t.co/EsYH0YCixI">http://t.co/EsYH0YCixI</a></p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/615609115818102784">June 29, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Just my opinion but Morey may have a path to clear cap but he is 99% sure he will never have to implement it. Morey is banking on the fact we have too many assets that the Blazers would be foolish not to take in lieu of getting nothing.
you guys getting your hopes up again on a big time free agent. I dont think Houston can get anyone until the cap is increased.
Portland may trade for those assets without doing a sign-and-trade. Repeat, a sign-and-trade has to be for 3 years minimum. That means LaMarcus will be making in the neighborhood of 19.646 million next year instead of being able to sign for close to $30 million if he simply played out a 1 year max salary. That's over $10 million difference, over 50% salary increase. So, the most likely scenario isn't a sign-and-trade. It's an outright signing for the max on a 1+1 year contract. To get an outright signing, we've got to move out Ariza and Terrence Jones and renounce all our free agents except McDaniels. So if you're okay with trading Beverley, Ariza, Jones, and Brewer, for LaMarcus...that's your trade. I'm not putting Smith in here because Smith could be re-signed with the Room MLE if we went under the cap to sign a guy like LaMarcus or Love. By the way, there's other teams (Philly being one) with cap space that would likely be willing to take in Ariza, Jones, and possibly even Dorsey with their cap space, especially if we sent out cash to cover Jones and Dorsey's salaries. Now, of course the above scenario leaves us thin at the 1 and 3. We're depending on Dekker (and whatever other minimum salary guys we can sign) to play the 3, and we're counting on being able to flip DMo for a good, young PG on a rookie contract (Schroder? McCollum?). And you're also locked in on your team because LaMarcus is going to take up $30 of your cap next summer. Even if Dwight stays in his deal and plays for the scheduled $23.3 million, the most cap space you're going to be able to amass is around $5 million. By contrast we could create the same scenario for a guy like Love....and have a lot more cap space left over for 2016 because Love's max is going to come in $5 million or so lower than LaMarcus' is. Not to mention this option.....which is where I really think we should go. And that is the pursuit of a free agent like Jimmy Butler who will have the lowest max contract, not only this year but next summer as well. We could conceivable trade for or sign a guy like Butler and still have enough max cap space left over to go get another max free agent next summer. And that would be Durant. PG/Harden/Butler/Dwight/Durant is a lot more appealing to me than PG/Harden/Dekker/Dwight/LaMarcus. I think we are entertaining LaMarcus to see if we can get him to agree to a sign-and-trade, which would lock in his salary next summer to an artificially low $19.646 million. I think if LaMarcus would be agreeable to that, we'd go full bore into moving guys out and forcing Portland to the table in a sign-and-trade. But...UNLESS...LaMarcus is agreeable to signing for 3 seasons, I can't see is completing trades to create cap space to sign him. Because he's going to squeeze us down next summer and prevent the possibility of us signing Durant or some other max free agent.
If the Bosh/Parsons/Asik/Lin fiasco is any indication, it is not a good idea to shed a whole lot of salary without knowing you are actually getting the player you are shedding salary though. Some how it worked out for us and we made the WCF.
Exactly my thoughts as well. With other teams that have cap space it is actually in the Blazers best interest to push LA towards teams without cap space (that is if he has indicated he is definitively leaving). I would have to imagine that Morey can offer him the possibility of being traded to the Rockets which could be enough for LA to approach the Blazers organization with and if he is already out the door why would they not try to get something in return?
or it says it's a great idea to swing for the fences because morey and mchale (and harden) can make it work either way
You can't fault Morey for giving it a shot and at least talking to him, but he already admitted in that other article that he doesn't expect anything to happen beyond resigning our own FAs and a couple minor moves . I don't think he even really thinks he can get Aldridge or Love here. but you also shouldn't fault the fans for getting excited at the idea that it *could* happen. FTR...I HIGHLY doubt any major moves happen.
QFT Kept my expectations low. I figured they wouldn't be able to land a max player which I am totally fine with. We don't have too many weaknesses just need to upgrade certain positions. Hopefully we can get a shooter and a PG. I feel good about the rest of our core.
I think our best opportunities lie in picking up assets from other teams trying to create cap space to sign Aldridge. For instance the Spurs, a package of Boris Diaw plus a re-signed Cory Joseph for the non-guaranteed contracts of Pablo/Kostas would be a very attractive deal for us and it would allow the Spurs to sign LaMarcus outright. We take the assets and go down the road waiting for the next good deal to materialize, keeping our eyes on next summer for Durant and whatever other talent we can amass between then and now.
Likewise, I just hope we can find PG help and keep Brew/Bev. Trade TJ. Aldridge/Love ain't happening. Hoping LMA/Love go/stay in the East
All in all, I think that LaMarcus could figure out a way to fit on this team. But I have some real concerns and I want to bring up a couple of things that give me slight pause when it comes to LMA. PnR defense and Offensive fit. I see people making the Bosh comparison. Bosh is an excellent PnR defender, the guy really became a valuable defensive player in Miami. LMA is a mediocre PnR defender. It's something that people have brought up every now and again when talking about his overall game. Aldridge is a strong dude who isn't going to get owned in the low-post on D like an Amare or Love, but he also isn't the best defensive player. Having Dwight back to protect the rim should help limit the damage on PnRs involving LMA, but it's something to note. LMA's offensive sweetspot and tendency to shoot long 2s also contradicts what the Rockets have emphasized as a team... 2pt FGs made from 15+ feet 2015: Aldridge leads league with 246 FGs 2014: Aldridge leads league with 287 FGs 2013: Aldridge leads league with 236 FGs 2015: Rockets make 173 such FGs There isn't another player in the league who takes and makes more long 2s than Aldridge. Aldridge made 73 more 15+ 2pt shots than the entire Rockets squad last year! Good news is that he finally started taking 3s last year and made them at a decent 35% clip. But he'd still likely have to adapt his offensive style in Houston atleast a little bit, since his favorite area on the floor is an area that the Rockets have avoided because of their 3s and layups style. For as smooth as Aldridge is on the offensive end, we're still talking about a player who had a weak AF .528 TS% (.521 TS% over the past 3 years). People always rip on Carmelo for being a high volume/low efficiency chucker, but Melo has posted a .546 TS% over his career (.555 TS% last 3 years). LMA is also not a great interior passer either which is also going to limit his fit next to Dwight. Now I still want Aldridge on the Rockets, I believe he'd shoot more 3s with us and up his efficiency with Harden and Dwight on his team. I think he's a strong enough individual that he can be atleast a net-average player on D unlike Love with the Cavs. But I don't think LMA to Houston is as "amazing!" of a fit as some of you guys seem to believe. There are some question marks.
I actually agree with you. If we can't get LMA, we might as well swoop in and improve the team in other ways. And even if it improves a rival because that rival is going to find a suitor regardless.
YES! I think this will be the theme of the FA period for the Rockets - pick up the 'castoffs' from teams looking to clear space for a FA. Kings if they go after Rondo, Spurs for LMA, Suns with Knight (not clearing space but a move would be made nonetheless).
I really hope we keep Ariza. Yes we drafted a few forwards to possibly replace him down the road, but right now he's our only real perimeter defender. We need him if we're going to win anything.
