Since people are always curious and have questions about how much cap space the Rockets are going to have, I did the math to hopefully answer some questions. Note: this doesn't include the MLE, BAE, or their 2017 1st round pick. The Rockets have ~ $87.4M in guaranteed contracts next season. KJ McDaniels has a $3.5M team option, and Kyle Wiltjer has $900K non-guaranteed. If they waive KJ and keep Kyle, that puts them at $88.3M in payroll. After the new CBA, the cap is projected to rise to $103M next year, which means the Rockets would have about $14.8M in cap space. If they find a way to dump Brewer (they have two 2nd round picks this year to attract a team), who's at $7.6M next year, that would improve their cap room to $22.4 million. A few other scenarios: If they keep KJ, waive Kyle, and dump Brewer, they'd have $19.8M in cap space. - without dumping Brewer: $12.2M If they keep both KJ and Kyle, and dump Brewer, they'd have $18.9M in cap space. - without dumping Brewer: $11.3M If they waive both KJ and Kyle, and dump Brewer, they'd have $23.3M in cap space. - without dumping Brewer: $15.7M
Not exactly. If the person we're signing is a PF, then Anderson goes. If it's a guard, then Beverley or Gordon are out. If it's a SF, then Ariza goes. I'm ok with that. I just can't see who we might sign. I also think we shouldn't be so obsessed with the cap space that we ignore the possibility that this team is a couple of tweaks away from putting together a 2004 Pistons type run to the title, but with insane offense rather than insane defense. It's a good situation to be in. Thanks Morey.
Good job, OP. Unfortunately, the new CBA has changed some things here. The new CBA calls for increases to the cap hits for Harrell, Onuaku, Wiltjer, the Rockets' first rounder (which I'm not sure you account for), and the incomplete roster charges. All those changes will lead to a reduction in available cap room beyond your numbers. Figure about $2-3 million in most scenarios, although the amount changes depending on the situation.
I'll wait for the official BimaThug cap update, likely after the trade deadline. However, yes i'm pretty sure the Rockets will have to give up one or more of their key rotation players to fit a max player in. But, the only real deserving max player out there this offseason is Gordon Hayward. Realistically, I think you have to go get Hayward if he wants to come to Houston but I'm not sure we're a significantly better team with him. We can score just fine now and I think Trevor Ariza (one of the guys we'd likely have to trade away to get Hayward) is a little better defender. But, obviously, Hayward is the far superior player.
Makes dumping onuaku attactive and including Harrell in a deal more tolerable. Ultimately it probably doesn't matter, new cba makes it hard for me to believe any max worthy player is going to jump
I don't know if we necessary need max space anyway. I don't know Hayward pushes the needle significantly or if he would want to come here. That said, we could probably pick up a few more small pieces (another center to play a Nene role, a defensive wing to take some of Arizas minutes as he gets older and to have 48 minutes of D).
Bima is right. Last time I checked our salary comes at around $91m, leaving us with $11m cap space. Dumping KJ, Brewer, Wijlter and Onuaku takes us to $24m, which could be enough for Hayward (I think he is a 25% max). Pipe-dream scenario / fan fiction: things blow up in Oakland, Durant decides to bolt and finds refuge at his buddy's team, we can package Ariza and offer close to $32m (chance of happening < 0.0001)
Hayward would be a 7-year veteran after this season, eligible for a max starting at $31M. He might qualify for the higher 35% max tier if he makes an All-NBA team two years in a row (this season and next). [December 19, 2016] Who Stands to Benefit from the NBA’s New CBA? A new “designated veteran player exception,” which allows teams to sign incumbent players who have one year remaining on their current contracts to a five-year extension worth up to 35 percent of the salary cap if they meet certain criteria. Said player must either make one of the three All-NBA teams or be named Defensive Player of the Year or MVP the previous season; otherwise, he needs to have made an All-NBA team or been named DPOY in two of the three previous seasons or been named MVP once in the previous three seasons, per Bontemps. He also must be on the team that drafted him or traded to another team while on his rookie deal. As Bontemps noted, “that means players like Stephen Curry, DeMarcus Cousins, Russell Westbrook, John Wall and Gordon Hayward are eligible for this exception, while Kevin Durant is not.” [...] As a result of the change, max salary projections for 2017-18 will increase from $24 million to $26 million for a 0-6 year veteran, from $29 million to $31 million for a 7-9 year veteran, and from $34 million to $36 million for a 10+ year veteran, respectively.
I would definitely be good with Hayward for Ariza brewer and picks. my guess is it would take more though....
Why is it always about next year. I remember last we got lawson we just got to the WCF we were supposed to be the IT team and the bottom fell out. Next year Harden may show up out of shape, Gordon might get hurt. We need to go all in this year.
Any team in the NBA has the same injury concerns. Doesn't all in also means double or NOTHING? Atlanta did this with Dwight signing and they are imploding. NY does it all the time and look at them. Historically, the stock market has tanked multiple times, does that mean you have to liquidate your assets now even though there is no data which supports your concern? There maybe a bubble burst but if the only thing we're going by is the "it may happen", that would be a panick move and counts as a bad one.
This doesn't seem to account for roster charges either. Isn't the new rule under cba that you have to have all spots accounted for? With the vet minimum jumping, I'm assuming the incomplete roster charge will also be a significant jump. You can't just dump all those guys and have max space because you need to tack on whatever the new roster charge is for next season.
