Trier sucks on defense. And he loves the mid range shot. Think a House type player who cannot switch everything and falls in love with crazy jump shots inside the arc.
since we're expecting a reduction in cap/tax I think the rockets will not only avoid spending the MLE again but have to cut guaranteed salary to avoid the tax. not many options for the rockets in that regard. most definitely will not be harden, russ, roco, or tucker. I believe that salary reduction comes from moving gordon. given the lack of teams with substantial (or any) cap space next offseason, it won't be easy to move his contract. similarly the contending teams with larger roster costs will be facing a lowered tax line and won't want to raise. costs to help the rockets lower. it won't be easy to avoid the tax but the best chance the rockets have are with trades such as gordon for ty jones, aminu, etc... rotation players from playoff bubble teams not near a lowered tax line. assuming a reported $100M cap, a gordon for aminu/birch deal gets the rockets under the corresponding tax line. however there is only room for minimum deals after that. if the rockets wanted to free up room under the tax line to spend more on FAs they would have to find a way to dump birch ($3M) and/or house (nearly $4M). I would argue that house is probably better than anyone else in his price range so we might as well keep him. however, if we can find a way to dump both contracts and free up nearly an MLE ($7M-ish) then we might be able to find an upgrade to house. assume in this scenario we'd be looking to find a wing player in FA. someone who can score to replace gordon. we'd be looking at guys like: Joe Harris, hood, crowder, bazemore, Forbes, holiday, Dunn, harkless, and similar. I'd actually be surprised if Harris and harkless can probably find full MLE deals. I'm not really sure I like the rest of this list more than keeping house either. so unfortunately I don't see a big MLE signing or a big trade that adds salary. I'd predict gordon being sacrificed to avoid the tax and the rest of the roster spots filled with minimum signings.
I'd agree with completely if Rockets had a regular GM. Morey does not think linearly. Morey has been part of the most multi-team trades in NBA during his tenure plus is always stretching rules and exploiting loopholes. Aminu for EGo is a good trade IMO but Morey will find a better trade not as obvious opportunity. Or at least he will make every conceivable (and some not so conceivable) effort to do so. Holding out hope for AG because Aminu is on a great contract and is great rotation piece for Magic. His contract gives team maximum flexibility to move multiple high salary players (AG, Fournier, Vuc, Ross). Still believe AG is achievable. AG is odd man out in ORL. Team needs to pay their best player in Isaac (also a 4), another 1st round 4 returning from injury (Chuma Okeke) plus a very good vet on very good contract in Aminu. ORL: Oladipo or Turner IND: EGo, House, FRP HOU: AG
well since neither of us can predict the future, I think its fair that we both acknowledge each other's POVs as realistic. yours is more optimistic so lets go with that for now lol. keep in mind Fournier is a FA and the magic are keen to stay a playoff team for the $$. ego fits nicely there, so does oladipo. AG and aminu both fit very nicely here as well. I wonder if there is a way (or if we'd want) oladipo? I think turner is more of the odd man out, but its possible they want to pair brogdon with a more traditional (off-ball) shooting guard like ego.
And he's a player that Morey has liked. Seems like the trend of picking up old players to ring chase will not end soon.
Some other ideas that have ups improving while ducking the tax: Ego for Nance: at 6'7 can switch on D but has a very respectable rebound rate. a TS or .608 with a 3pt% of .357 on nearly 3 attempts per game. he's got a high assist rate and an elite steal rate for a 4/5. at $12.7M next year he would be just the right price to swap straight for ego and reduce the cost enough to duck the tax. Cleveland can use more veteran guard play to cover for sexton and garland. also clears a logjam at the 4/5 for them. Ego+pick to Indiana, Turner to the kings, S&T Bogdanovic to us: the pacers were much better with Sabonis at center leaving turner to the trade block. with 2 ball dominant guards in Oladipo and Brogdon they can use a great off ball shooter like ego as the 3rd guard in the rotation. turner has higher trade value than ego so we probably have to throw a pick their way. now we also probably aren't interested in turner because he's a "center." he isn't a great rebounder and can't switch on the perimeter defensively so he's a no-go. even though his elite rim protection and 3 point shot is tempting. maybe morey can move him to a 3rd team who needs/actually plays a center. something like a S&T for Bogdanovic? he's younger, taller, and has a much higher rebound and assist rate with similar 3pt% and ts%. I think this one is less likely since 3 team deals are complicated, so are S&Ts, and this is both. also the kings will probably keep bogdanovic and move Buddy Hield instead.
https://spacecityscoop.com/2020/11/01/10-players-houston-rockets-mid-level-exception/11/ Baynes,Harkless, and Bamba(Via Trade for House).. Resign Jeff Green To me seems like possible realistic options if your looking for additions. #1 you need big men. #2 You need a Defensive Small foward #3 Coaching So its one more try with Westbrook. Rockets may try to trade Westbrook, and Gordon next year For a Another Star to put around James. Or blow up the Team after the 2021 season?
You wonder if Austin Rivers Alone would get you bama, but i think they would also need House. House should not be on the org anymore, you dont do that to a team in the playoffs. He should be the first to be gone. This way he can go back to Orlando and pay child support.
