Why is everyone so mad? What did y'all expect? There aren't many "stars" to be had.

People are upset that we gave big contracts to injury prone players, but other than trading away Harden and starting from scratch what was the better alternative. I'd have rather had Bazemore but he turned us down.

Fact is, the upside is tremendous offensively with our new additions. Defensively we have a lot of work, but it's still Day 3 of the new season. The downside is that the injury prone players get injured and we end up in the Lottery with some trade assets.

Both EGO & Ryan are young and in the new salary cap under reasonable contracts - with a 25% increase, Ryan's contract would have been roughly $15 MM per year under the old Cap...that's good value! He fits a need and fits the system. At this stage neither really rely on their athleticism to compete, so I expect they'll age very well.

Am I thrilled with the new roster? No, our biggest issue was defense and it just got significantly worse. However, shooting was our second biggest issue and we just picked up some pretty damn good shooters.

 

Giving max/near max contracts to players, who can't stay healthy, is going backwards. You would think that the Rockets, after T-Mac and Yao, would be adamant about not going down that road again.

 

I'm quite pleased with our pickups. Injury prone, but definitely great pickups.

 

So if the rockets are going backwards they are going to be a less than .500 team next year. Is that what you're saying

 

It really sucks that the market is what it is... But Ryan Anderson at $20M per is what it is. cant fret about it... I mean Chandler Parsons is now a max $24M per season guy... THAT he is NOt. But he is... Mike Conley, highest paid player in the game currently. Nope... But yes.

 

Before free agency the 5 best free agent available (not including ppl Who we knew were staying like Lebron or Wade)IMHO were: 1 Durant 2 Horford 3 Connelly. 4 Anderson 5 Gordon. So to me we did great.

 

These moves were both very risky ones, two injury prone players - hoping that they stay healthy.

After Yao you would think we would shy away from that - Kudos to Morey for taking a high risk, high reward scenario.

I think Morey is all-in this year......to keep his job.

DD

 

I love the Gordon deal. I just hate the contract we gave Anderson.

I understand the salary cap went up so salaries went up, but in the end you're still eating 1/5th of your cap to Ryan Anderson....for the next four years???

I understand if we wanted to get him then that's what we had to pay, but I just would have rather not gotten him. It's not a tradable contract. He's not that big of a difference maker. The difference between what we pay him and what we could have offered a guy who is considered a higher tier next year would have only been about $5 million more per year max. You wait and only try your shot at players that with star talent. Until then you get players like Gordon at more reasonable contracts.

Laugh at the Mavs all you want but good for them for not throwing money away after failing at acquiring Whiteside and Conley.

 

I don't always give out 4-year deals but when I do, I give them to injury prone players!

Spoiler

[rQUOTEr]<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items" itemprop="articleBody"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>For a team that dedicated a greater percentage of its offense to three-point attempts than any other in the league, the Houston Rockets had shockingly few consistent long-range options. That changes this summer with the additions of former Pelicans Ryan Anderson (<a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2016/07/02/free-agency-ryan-anderson-rockets-agree-contract">four years, $80 million</a>) and Eric Gordon (<a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2016/07/02/rockets-eric-gordon-agree-sign-deal-free-agency">four years, $53 million</a>)—quality options at long range that should give James Harden all the room he needs to operate. Their arrival fulfills the vision of a Mike D'Antoni team: a dominant driver and playmaker, a bouncy pick-and-roll big (up-and-comer Clint Capela), and support shooting across multiple positions. This is poised to be one of the most explosive scoring teams in the league.

Both, however, manage to complicate the defensive prospects of a team that ranked 21st in the league in points allowed per possession and let its best defensive player (Dwight Howard) walk in free agency. Capela has the potential to clean up some of the mess—his pairing with Anderson, in particular, makes a ton of sense for all involved—but shouldn't be expected to fully carry lineups with several problematic defenders involved. Harden's issues on that end are well documented. Anderson's, too, are real and rooted in iffy instincts and lacking lateral mobility. Gordon is more solid in relative terms but by no means a solution. Guarding effectively on the perimeter generally requires either quickness, length, or incredible precision. None are Gordon hallmarks—and that's when he's able to stay on the floor to begin with.

In Anderson and Gordon, Houston also adds two quality players not exactly known for their physical durability. Gordon is especially snakebit; the 27-year-old shooting guard has played 65+ games just once in his eight-year career and has seen his game taxed by recurring injury. We have every reason to expect that Gordon will miss a third of the season (or more) in most cases. All Houston can really hope is that their latest investment is healthy when it matters—an endeavor they should be proactive in making a reality. Anderson's injury history is split between freak incidents and gradual wear. In total, a variety of ailments complicated the bulk of his stint in New Orleans.

Neither needs to play a full 82 for their signing to be a success—only live up to the prospect of what their games could add to a D'Antoni offense. Houston has looked to acquire or develop a forward as stretchy as Anderson for years. Gordon is at his best when playing alongside a full-time creator and running to the arc off the break. This could be a best-case landing spot for both players in terms of a marriage between style and skill, even while the imbalances of their respective games hold the Rockets from high-level contention. Consider it incremental change for a team very much in need of a refresh.

<h2>Ryan Anderson grade: C+<br />
Eric Gordon grade: C+</h2>

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/07/03/nba-free-agency-houston-rockets-ryan-anderson-eric-gordon-grades[/rQUOTEr]

 

Didn't you know? The Rockets are only supposed to sign young players with no weaknesses and no risks at below market value. We expect no less of Morey.

 

Via BimaThug

Many #Rockets fans are freaking out about the contracts handed out to Ryan Anderson & Eric Gordon. But allow me to give some perspective...

In 2017, Ryan Anderson's salary will comprise ~18% of the projected salary cap. In 2014 cap terms, that's an $11.3M salary. #Relativity

In 2017, Eric Gordon's salary will comprise < 12% of the projected salary cap. In 2014 cap terms, that's a $7.5M salary. #Relativity

 

Just to add to the example. I know he's restricted and I'm only using him as an example because he's a free agent this year, next year has way better options, but Barnes' max is only 3.5 mil more than what Anderson is getting. That should be enough reason to not hand out that contract to Anderson. Again, I know he's restricted and we probably wouldn't have gotten him, but it's just an example. And a great one. Ryan Andersen is a better 3 point shooter but that's it. Barnes actually had the better percentage (albeit less attempts), is 4 years younger, and I don't care how he performed in the Finals, Harden has had a poor finals in the past too. Steph Curry also had a poor finals.

 

Good, but this doesn't change the fact that we'll be lucky if they're going to play 200 games in the next two seasons.

 

This is true of all the big signings

 

I love the people that are b****ing about the money given out. The same ones that would b**** about how the owner is cheap if we low balled somebody and didn't sign them

 

plz spare us the trouble.

Freaking out about the money? Well some of us are well aware of the cap rise and think this deal SUCKS.
Nate Duncan in his podcast called it the worst contract given so far.

 

You can't build a champion by throwing large sums of money at 2nd tier stars (especially injury prone players who may have already seen their best days & don't play a lick of D).

This is not going to make us get anywhere close to the finals. But it might get us to a 6 game series against a GS or OKC or SAS in the WCSF (aka the 2nd round). Seems that Les & Co are happy with that.

I've seen this story before.

A team hires a run n gun coach to spruce up a stagnant offense. Brings in aging injury prone stars and everyone gets excited thinking the team will finally be really really good only to find they for some inexplicable reason they struggle to make the playoffs.

That team went by the name of the New York Knicks.

Welcome to Knicks II.

 

DD likely right - I'm guessing they were willing to slightly overpay due to FOMO. If Morey strikes out on all FAs, does he even make it to October? He needed this, and I don't think as constructed we're Top 4 in West, but we have decent balance in terms of team construction. IMO they should look into a backup big that is there for defense. Capela good but I'm not sold on him.

 

word? well since nate duncan said it on his podcast to 30 people, i'm inclined to believe him.

 

Whiners whining.

Whining about who's whining the most. LOL
YOU whine the most! No YOU do!
Do NOT!

Whined about JB and coaching - Morey (Les) Went out and landed an experienced coach.
Whined that we didn't have enough shooting.
Pulled in 2 shooters and scorers in Anderson and Gordon.
Already whining about how few games they will play and how they
are overpaid and how they WON'T work out. LOL

Whining that we didn't land Horford, or that we couldn't get Durant.
Whine, whine, whine. Would you like a little cheese with that whine?

Sheesh. Give it a rest. At least we're making some changes.
People think we can just go out and bring in Durant, Phil Jackson,
Whiteside, Al Horford and whoever we want.
It's not that easy, or EVERY team would have a loaded roster.
There is still more time for trades and such.

Let's just appreciate the fact that we're at least shaking some things up.
Can we?