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Nuggets' Free Agents Bolt to China; Why Would Nene Re-Sign There?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by BimaThug, Sep 21, 2011.

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  1. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    Given that we are all very short on Rockets-related news lately, I figured that I'd create this thread based on the (apparent) increasing likelihood that Daryl Morey and the Rockets could realistically obtain a top free agent this offseason.

    Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and now Kenyon Martin have ALL signed new deals to play in China this upcoming season. Unlike other foreign leagues, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) refuses to give its players an "NBA-out" clause, whereby the player could void his contract once the NBA lockout ends. Hence, the Nuggets CANNOT have Chandler, Smith or Martin next year until after the CBA season is over in March.

    This begs the question: Why the hell would Nene want to re-sign with the Denver Leftover Nuggets?

    While I have said previously that it would be difficult for the Rockets to sign a player of Nene's caliber in free agency, the reasoning in Nene's case was that Denver could most likely outspend the Rockets for Nene (at least under the old system). However, now that Denver is likely to be a substantially weaker team next season (barring the Nuggets' acquisition of a major free agent . . . and they SHOULD have plenty of cap room), it is looking like more of a realistic possibility that Nene would be willing to take less money to play on a better team.

    Enter the Rockets.

    While Houston does not offer Nene the chance to immediately compete for a championship as a title favorite, the Rockets are uniquely positioned in that (1) they have an opening at their starting center position; (2) he could be featured in their offense; and (3) most importantly, they can still offer him a somewhat-sizeable contract.

    I'm not saying that Nene is coming to Houston. But don't be surprised if there are serious discussions--from both parties--about that happening once the lockout ends.
     
    #1 BimaThug, Sep 21, 2011
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  2. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    First, good thread. I am in dire need of something Rockets related to digest. But I am NOT a fan of adding Nene. I feel like he's the piece we need to be an 8th-7th seed for the next five years. That isn't going to help us.

    I'm essentially only in favor of adding a max or near max player if it's a top 10 player - and preferably Dwight Howard. Otherwise I'd just as soon see our record continue to worsen so we can hope for a top 3 talent in the draft. I really think that is our only hope to escape this level of mediocrity we've found ourselves trapped in.
     
    #2 Williamson, Sep 21, 2011
  3. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    Fair enough. But consider this: If the new CBA imposes a hard(ish) cap with a maximum figure that is higher than the current salary cap max, it may be possible for the Rockets to add Nene this offseason and then ALSO add a major free agent in 2012. Remember, it's mostly just the "2009 Lottery Busts" who will be expiring. The Rockets could feature a team of Kevin Martin, Nene, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, plenty of good young players AND cap room!

    Even if the Rockets finish as a 7th or 8th seed (or maybe ESPECIALLY if they do so), outside free agents would find that situation--i.e., taking a fringe playoff team to "legit contender" status--as quite an appealing proposition. That's the scenario the Orlando Magic benefited from several years ago when they got the 8th seed in the playoffs and then shortly thereafter signed both Grant Hill and T-Mac in free agency.

    I'm not saying that getting a top lottery pick isn't also a nice way to become a contender again. It's just that, given the edict from Les that the Rockets WILL NOT "bottom out" under his watch, this seems like one of the most viable avenues by which to once again contend.
     
    #3 BimaThug, Sep 21, 2011
  4. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
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    I agree that it's good to see a thread about something concerning the Rockets (besides what I've been seeing), so thanks! Having said that, what do you think could nab Nene, Bima? In your column, you mentioned a 5 year, $49.3 million contract. Are you still thinking it would take that number? More? Less? And I'm forgetting what your thoughts are regarding 5 year deals in the next CBA. My feeling is that they'll be bumped down to a maximum of 4 years (just a hunch), so would 5 years be a lure to a free agent, if the cat and his agent felt that that long a deal was soon to be history?
     
    #4 Deckard, Sep 21, 2011
  5. Stevierebel

    Stevierebel Contributing Member

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    I would guess that he is one of the players the Rockets look into. Not sure where on the priority list he would be.

    Any team shopping for a big man will probably wait to see what happens to Howard if they think they have a chance at him first before trying to sign a free agent. Then many would probably turn to Nene or Gasol if they have the cap room.

    Something about Nene though is he has recently let it be known though that he'd like to play the PF position next to a true center. I'm not sure why he doesn't see himself as a center though.
     
    #5 Stevierebel, Sep 21, 2011
  6. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    Because under the new CBA, the Nuggets will be able to offer him more money than other teams. If the difference is substantial, he will re-sign.
     
    #6 A_3PO, Sep 21, 2011
  7. ascaptjack

    ascaptjack Member

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    who are the Rockets? what is the NBA? And for God's sake, what is a Nene ?
     
    #7 ascaptjack, Sep 21, 2011
  8. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    The 5-year, $49.3M deal was under the old system. Most assuredly, those figures would not be applicable to the new system. That was purely for illustration purposes. Also, there is no time during which the Rockets could offer 5 years if the new CBA limits all contracts to a 4-year maximum. No business can resume until the new CBA is in place, so the new rules are the only rules under which any future deals can be made.

    True. But after Howard, I think Nene is the most attractive option that the Rockets can hope for. Remember, Gasol and DeAndre Jordan are RESTRICTED free agents, and given that the new CBA will not likely do any favors for restricted free agents, there is little chance that the Rockets could pry either of those two away from their current teams under ANY system.

    Yeah, I also heard about Nene's interest in playing PF. Maybe Morey can sell him on the prospect of playing alongside 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet! ;)

    You're probably right. The point of this thread, however, was to entertain the notion that the Nuggets' loss of so many important pieces may have the cumulative effect of causing Nene to be willing to leave money on the table to go elsewhere. If the difference is substantial, he will probably stay in Denver. But I'll bet the difference needed by the Nuggets to assure his return to Denver just got a lot bigger.
     
    #8 BimaThug, Sep 21, 2011
  9. Garner

    Garner Member

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    The lockout definetly introduces an interesting wrinkle.

    Its uncharted territory for these GMs, the most savvy should come out on top. Very interested to see how things shake out once everything resumes.
     
    #9 Garner, Sep 21, 2011
  10. mrjohn

    mrjohn Member

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    Nene wants to play power forward.
     
    #10 mrjohn, Sep 21, 2011
  11. ascaptjack

    ascaptjack Member

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    He would be the perfect PF next to Dwight Howard. ;)
     
    #11 ascaptjack, Sep 21, 2011
  12. jopatmc

    jopatmc Contributing Member

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    I just can't see Nene being as effective at the 4 as he is at the 5. He's not quick enough and his offensive game is limited at best and most suited for the deep low post and paint area. Don't understand why he wants PF. At C, he's arguably a top 5 player at his position. At PF, he's just another guy.
     
    #12 jopatmc, Sep 21, 2011
  13. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    A few points:
    1.) Nene is a 4, not a 5. He wants to play the four. He doesn't want to play the five.

    2.) Getting Nene costs you Chuck Hayes, almost guaranteed.

    3.) Very difficult to get Nene, without dumping someone else for cap purposes.

    If I am Morey, I play it this way: I would try and get Nene here by offering a premium salary, ie overpaying, starting low and escalating into the 14-15 range upon maturation. I would offer Scola in return to Denver to get his salary off the books and free up the logjam.

    I would move Lowry and whomever it takes (Patterson, Morris, Dmo, etc) outside of Martin/Nene, to move up in the draft and nab a stud 3 in Barnes, Jones or MacAdoo (sp?). Its not because I don't like those guys, its that we need cap space.

    I would enter 2012 free agency with room for two max contracts, with Martin/Barnes/Nene at the 2-4 ready to go. Yes, this means dumping alot team options on guys we like.

    I'd put my best presentation together and throw every trick you have to woo Chris Paul and Dwight Howard.

    CP3
    Martin
    Barnes
    Nene
    Howard

    4 of the most effecient NBA players in the game alongside of each other would be just nasty. Thats just me though.
     
    #13 larsv8, Sep 21, 2011
  14. ascaptjack

    ascaptjack Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #14 ascaptjack, Sep 21, 2011
  15. Kam

    Kam Contributing Member

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    Are those three players broke?
     
    #15 Kam, Sep 21, 2011
  16. Clips/Roxfan

    Clips/Roxfan Member

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    NBA Free Agents 2011-12: Predicting Where Top Free Agents Will Land Post Lockout
    By
    Ethan Norof
    (Featured Columnist) on September 21, 2011

    Previous Team: Denver Nuggets

    There are a number of competitive clubs that will definitely be lining up for Nene's services once free agency begins, but not all of them can be considered realistic destinations.

    While Nene has said that he's willing to take less money to play for a contender, that doesn't mean that he'll suddenly sign for a shade of his previous earnings, as he opted out of an $11.6 million option with Denver to become a free agent this offseason.

    The San Antonio Spurs would probably like to add him considering Tim Duncan is in the final year of his deal, but the team already has more than $73 million committed for 2011-12.

    The Miami Herald reported that the Heat have him high on their wish list, but I'm going to need to see some serious interest on Nene's part to join the team before this can be a realistic landing spot, as he'd be taking a major pay decrease to make this scenario come to fruition.

    Houston has just over $47 million on the books for next season (before rookie deals are signed), and although they drafted some size in Marcus Morris and Donatas Motiejunas, the club still has a major void in the middle for its starting center.

    Predicted Landing Spot: Houston Rockets

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...op-free-agents-will-land-post-lockout/page/17
     
    #16 Clips/Roxfan, Sep 21, 2011
  17. Da Wink

    Da Wink Member

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    Nene-Scola frontline is a defensive nightmare for us...Hayes should be re-signed if we're gonna sign him.
     
    #17 Da Wink, Sep 21, 2011
  18. ascaptjack

    ascaptjack Member

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    I think we would dump Scola onto them or send him to a 3rd team.

    Re-signing the Chuckwagon is should be a priority once the lockout ends.

    If this Morris kid is really whats advertised and can play the 3 at the next level, we got ourselves a pretty nice roster going forward and would set ourselves up pretty nicely for the 2012 free agency class (Howard, CP3, Deron Williams).

    Lowry/Dragic
    Martin/Lee
    Morris/Budinger
    Hayes/Patterson
    Nene/D-Mo

    Find a way to dump the 2009 draft busts (Thabeet, Williams, Flynn)
     
    #18 ascaptjack, Sep 21, 2011
  19. BimaThug

    BimaThug Resident Capologist
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    How so? Nene is a plus defender. Given Nene's shot-blocking ability, I fail to see how a Scola-Nene front line is appreciably worse on defense than a Scola-Hayes front line. (And, yes, I do acknowledge that Hayes is an outstanding defender.)

    Two things:

    (1) The new CBA may very well do away with sign-and-trade deals completely. So, depending on how "cap holds" are addressed in the new CBA, the Nuggets might have to renounce their rights to guys like Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin in order to first absorb Scola's contract in a "Scola-for-nothing"-type trade, and THEN sit back and watch the Rockets sign Nene outright. At least in the case of Chandler, I'm pretty sure the Nuggets would not renounce his rights. Obviously, we don't know what the rules will be. But unless sign-and-trades are allowed, "swapping out" Scola for Nene may be difficult to accomplish.

    (2) Are you proposing that the Rockets trade assets in order to "dump" Thabeet, Williams and Flynn, just so that the Rockets can open up more cap room for 2011? If so, then I completely disagree. Better to hold onto those expiring contracts (and the additional assets it would take to "dump" them), see what they can do for you (both on the court and in trade - their own value or as salary filler), and if nothing comes of it, just allow their contracts to expire in 2012, when there will be BETTER free agents out there to sign.

    MAYBE you dump one of those guys if it's truly the difference between getting Nene or not. But don't waste much in the way of your asset pool to do so.
     
    #19 BimaThug, Sep 22, 2011
  20. xiki

    xiki Contributing Member

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    I like Nene; I don't 'love' the guy. I do not believe he adds enough for the cost. If Nene comes and does well enough to secure a 7th seed, then where are we? Does Nene attract any other top-flite guy? I don't see it.

    But there is this: Nugs have many defections, and dollars to fill them with - - but a multi-player/Nene SnT deal could make sense.

    However, I believe the (putative) amnesty will present legit 5 options at reasonable cost. Also help at other positions. Gay? Roy? Shard?

    As for RFAs, Gasol Jr says he is Mr Memphis but Gasol Sr said he wants his brother in a better environment. What will MG (and Grizz) do when the bell rings on the signing frenzy? I do not see DAJ leaving Clippervilla at all.

    Jazz seems to present opportunity, Sixers as well.

    What will Knixies do? Heat? They should be favorites with anyone they target IMO.

    I'm ready for the frenzy. get the deal done (before the agents blow out the entire season).
     
    #20 xiki, Sep 22, 2011
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