Llull may have done nothing in the NBA yet... but would have immediately been the starting PG with HOU. I have a hunch part of the reason we didn't draft a PG was an expectation we would fill the position with Llull... and we didn't want to deter Llull. Now we seem to be waiting on LMA before making any moves. Seems we should just move on to Plan C.
He isn't getting any younger... Really disappointed in him. This is like last offseason and last February all over again.
Easy, you and anchel pretty much nailed the situation, in my opinion. The only thing I might disagree with is that Real Madrid is paying him more money than the MLE would have paid him next season. Yes, they offer a LOT of perks that the NBA forbids NBA teams to use with a player to entice him, but ultimately, taking everything into consideration (and I could certainly be wrong - don't think so), Llull is walking away from more money and what anchel accurately described as "the perfect basketball situation to enter the NBA." Perhaps he's willing to gamble that we'll still try to get him over here next year, when we can offer him a larger contract, possibly much larger. That's a big risk. An injury in Europe this coming season could end any possibility of an MLE offer, much less more $$ than that. More to the point, I can't imagine Morey not signing a starting quality point before next season. Morey could use a makeshift rotation again, starting with an overpaid Beverley and filling the backup spots much the same way as last season, at least until a deadline deal, but I think he'll act this summer to fill the starting spot, possibly a guy like Lawson, also signing Bev as the backup one and 6th man, if he's affordable. As for trading Llull's rights? Why should we? The Rocks have $2,225,000 million invested in those rights and a lot of sweat over the years trying to bring Llull to Houston. After this, any other team would offer us chump change for those rights, pennies on the dollar. Keep the rights, dial down the effort to get the dude out of Europe, solve our PG problem without considering Llull, and then see what happens with him down the road.
That's the point. How can we just hand over the starting PG position to a guy who hadn't played not ONE NBA basketball game??? That sends the wrong message to players. Llull hasn't even proven himself, yet the Rockets were throwing ridiculous numbers at him. I'm GLAD hes not coming. He would've felt privileged and assumed minutes would be handed to him. That's not the culture the Rockets want
This would be the perfect season for him to come over. The guy would be adding his talents to currently one of the best teams in the NBA. He would have a chance at winning an NBA championship this upcoming season. Yet he still says no. I think it's fair to say that he will never truly be a Rocket.
Raul Barrigon says the Morey offer was 14mill. https://www.facebook.com/rocketsencastellano/posts/868810413194476:0
I don't know the veracity of that offer, but it would be one of those, "You know, I don't really want to hear him say, 'Yes'" offers.
14M/3yrs... Llull wouldn't be losing money even with the buy out. That's 14 - 5.6 + .625 = 9.025/3 =3M/yr His deal in Spain is 1.2 x 1.11 (exchange rate) x 2 (net to gross) = 2.7M/yr
It's more like we've been tugging on his nuts. But in the end money was a factor. He signed a deal that made it difficult to leave before the summer of 2017. And he hasn't left. One thing is for certain we haven't heard the end of the Llull saga. If we don't strike it big next summer there should be ample money to bring him over. If not then when his contract expires the following summer we should be able to entice him to leave without the buyout being the way. The problem for Llull is he missed a golden opportunity to contribute on a starved pg team. That may not be the case going forward. Still the kid has some skills that are unique in any league. So like it or not this is not the last we've heard from Llull.
I would not trade, havins just signed his value is as low as it gets. A cocky euro prospect that has no idea if he even wants to come? Who can sell that? Stash the rights, endure and move on. Couple years down the road this asset will pick up value. I`m not banking on him coming here, but a desperate team might think it can lure him.
Morey is just biding his time until the right deal presents itself. He made it clear he was going to retain the team, but that takes more time as they are all fielding offers and gauging their market value. If we retain Beverley Brewer and Smith that is an extremely successful offseason
I wish posters would quit trying to put a positive spin on Morey's error in judgment. He could have drafted Jerian Grant rather than Sam Decker, whom, BTW, I won't believe is the second coming of Chandler Parsons until I see it.
Jerian Grant is the next Parsons in thinking. Grant tweeted something to the effect of it's all about the money for people signing today. 50 mil 70 mil etc. I can see him pulling a parsons after his rookie contract ended.
It wasn't a "Pick Dekker because of Llull" situation. Morey has never drafted for position. And his love for drafting 6'7-6'9 forwards is well documented.
