Who are some free agents you want the Rockets to go after this off-season?

You're right, I get it... except that nobody... nobody... does it at his level. Ok, maybe drummond has surpassed him in the "sucking at free throws" department. Jordan can change a game just setting picks and rolling to the basket in a way that nobody has proven they can do.

 

what level? the difference between him and a lot of these other guys isn't as big as people want to believe. he isn't stopping anyone himself. no one can do that, especially with the pace and space of today's league. Surprised there's still people out there impressed with him. he can't be on the court at the end of games on top of that, who also makes $21 mil a year and increasing up to $24 for the next couple as well. DJ is absolutely should not be the bar people are trying to set to find at center.

 

I get where you're coming from and don't entirely disagree with you. I guess I just believe in his production. I love CP3, but don't think he's that God-like... Stro Swift or Kelvin Cato would not be making all-NBA teams if they were a part of Lob City... that's all I'm trying to say.

Do I want The Rockets to pay DeAndre Jordan $21 million/year? Hell no... I do want us to find someone that can do what Capela does offensively but has better instincts as a shotblocker and provides better rim protection. Someone that intimidates people that try to take it to us inside and can keep opponents from running a layup line. I like DeAndre and don't think anyone in the league does what he does as well as he does it. I'm not alone in that opinion.

By no means is he a unicorn though... that we can agree on. To paraphrase Morey, I don't want to pay him the max. I want to draft him and get cheap production out of him until someone else pays him the max or he earns it here.

 

Deandre Jordan making the all NBA team is just terrible. It's a product of how bad the center position is. Swift or Cato wouldn't make it during there time bc the center position was a lot better than what it is now but they would absolutely be benefiting by playing next to a cp3. please don't tell me that's the basis for your impression of DJ. That said the difference between Capella is DJ is not game changing in reality. DJ has in fact lost them games as a result of his inability at the line and not being able to close out games. And the fact that you can have capela in at the end of games makes it that much closer. DJ is more hype and a house holdname more than anything these days. He has cp3 to thank for, for much of his career.

 

We have probably spent way too much time discussing a non-Rocket in this thread so I'll end my side of this here... I don't want to derail a thread about our team.

We happen to disagree on DeAndre's talent level and impact on the game and the degree to which CP3 is responsible. All good. For the record:

1 - I don't base my opinions on players entirely on all-nba teams. I was trying to make a point... poorly, it appears.
2 - I meant if Kelvin and Stro were magically transported out of their era, in their prime, to the 2010's and put on the Lob City teams. I understand fully that the era of low-post domination is long gone. I do not think Stro and Cato would have had the individual or team success that DeAndre's had... and they were both guys that could only run and jump really well.
3 - I agree with you that DeAndre specifically is overrated and not worth $21 million/year or the opportunity cost to acquire that contract.

Enjoyed the back and forth, @YOLO. Go Rockets!

 

@Mathloom
NBA mock has Houston going after Josh Hart and Derrick White. Why would you do that with Harden/Bev/Lou/Gordon? [ I know all these mocks are subject to change]
I believe this site feels Houston will trade either Lou or Gordon. My precseason predicted was Houston would win
58 (+/-2 games). So I missed it by 1 game on the lower ceiling. Vegas had the Rockets a title 41.5 wins before the
season.

I envisioned Ryno, Nene and Gordon as somewhat injury free this year. But I don't see that happening next year.
I could be wrong.......perhaps Lou is the often injured guy next year. After looking at the rookie SF market
& thoughts of moving into the 1st round for said SF......I'm probably going after SF free agent.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2017mock_draft

Site has San Antonio selecting Rodions Kurucs (however you spell his name) at 29 in anticipation of Simmons leaving. Spurs would like to set aside money for Chris Paul. I would like Houston to trade up
and get Kurucs.

 

Concerning free agents I'd definitely like to add one or more of these guys at the right price

Melli
Birch
Udoh
Randolph

 

I would be very happy with Josh Hart

 

^^^^
This

Bring over Lull and trade for a center in addition to bringing back NeNe.

 

We need more size on the perimeter. Bev and Lou should not be on the floor together. I would be all for adding Simmons but I can't really see spurs letting him go. We need to add size on the perimeter, the wing, and inside.

 

Willie Reed

 

I'm sure people would be happy with either/or both of Derrick White/Josh Hart. How many combo
shooting guard/point guards can Houston employ. 1)Bev2)Harden3)Gordon4)Lou W5)Josh Hart6)Derrick White?

Not only is Lou Williams on an expiring contract.......so is the one SF on the team (Ariza). I don't see Dekker as
a SF. Too slow. But I can see D'Antoni using Derrick White as a SF. D'Ant used Gordon and Harden as SF for
prime minutes. Then people ask what's wrong with Harden in the playoffs? Maybe defending a
stronger, taller player has something to do with failing performance at the end of the long journey.

 

@BigMaloe how do you feel about?

PG) Bev.......................Isaiah Taylor/Bobby Brown (Hardens buddy still under contract)
SG) Harden.................Lou Williams/Josh Hart (possibly using Gordon/2nd rd pick for a SF by way of trade)
SF) *Free Agent..........Ariza
PF) Ryno.....................Dekker
C) Capela....................Chinanu

*Free Agent: Danilo Gallinari or Otto Porter

I can see Ryno, Lou Williams, Gordon possibly being used to free up money for a big name or big fish.

Or keep Ryno and try to pry RFA Jonathan Simmons or FA Sefolosha to back up Ariza

I'm a little disappointed in the SF class coming out. But I do like Rodions Kurucs though.

 

I'd like it and that's similar to what I expect. But you can't afford Gallo with the space we have of 12m. We would have to shed Lou, bev or ariza to get around 20m for him. Otto won't be obtainable he's getting matched for the max.

I like Hart and don't care about logjam because any 2nd r pick should be considered a red-shirt freshman who won't contribute until year 2 at the earliest.

 

Danilo Gallinari is starting to look more like PF/Center nowadays. But D'Antoni would love to play
Gallo some at Center I'm sure.

 

Not sure on Porter. That would put Washington around $122 million+ payroll. Probably free up Bojan Bogdanovic.

Well the Rockets are at about $93 mil going into the summer. Houston has non guaranteed contracts of
Huertas ($1.6 mil), Wiltjer ($1.3 mil), Isaiah Taylor ($1.3 mil) equaling about $4.2 mil. So the Rockets can get under
$90 million. The salary cap might go up near $104 million. So that's about $15 million in cap space before a trade.
Harden is due an adjustment.......so I'm guessing about $12 million to play with. I keep mentioning Gordon as a
guy traded because of his $12.9 million vs Lou Williams $7 million. But moving Gordon's $12.4 mil + $12 cap space
would allow about $24 mil to go after a free agent.

Of course BimaThug would know the details. I site I looked at, may have or may not have adjusted the Harden numbers.

A trade of say Gordon could be to move up in the draft......say first round (around 22 pick or better??)
If it works

 

The problem with Lou is Gordon is Gordon is the better 2 way player and player overall. Plus he is expiring so it would be cashing in on an asset before it expires.

As for Washington, all reports are absolute match. They have no other options either TBH. Bojan is restricted (iirc) so they can match any deal, which is why they traded the 1st for him. Porter is also a rfa and they will probably wait and hope to get cheaper but have to match because they have no other way of improving the team.

 

KD just said he wants to take paycut so they can keep Warriors team together. If this actually happens, it's time to rebuild. We have no shot at competing against them in the West for the next 5 years.

 

I feel Gordon is better as well. I'm not wishing injury on any player. Chances Eric will be healthy 2 yrs in a row
are slim. I'm a proponent of,"what good does it do to have a Mercedez, if it is always in the shop?"
Gordon is an injury waiting to happen. In offering the Gordon contract.....I find it hard to believe Houston
wasn't thinking: at some point "we" have to move that fully guaranteed long term contract. Gordon
helps fill some voids along the roster. I would hate to lose his dead-eye shooting though.

I can see why some sites would push for SG/PG's like Hart and Derrick White due to Gordon history. Too much of
anything can make you sick.....even a good thing. An example is icing on a cake.
Bev/Isaiah Taylor/Harden/Lou Williams/Gordon/ Booby Brown......possibly draft White & Hart?

Again it's early and it's just one site I have seen projecting those two picks; but I'm ok with those picks
if the Rockets can move one of Gordon or Williams for freed up money to pursue a SF free agent.
Here is a trade as an example (I'm not proposing this trade since I don't want Gordon in Portland).

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine

But Festus would be a nice backup with Chinanu. I see Codman is reporting Nene would like to come back.

C) Chinanu is ready for playing time at Center
PF) Ryno??.......Gallinari is much like Dekker--stretch PF that you probably don't want guarding SF's or SG's.
SF) Ariza has one year left
SG & PG) enough play makers scorers. May be only one defender in the bunch.

Is Ryno replaceable?? Reports are Ibaka wants to resign with the Raptors.

Festus Ezekiel is non guaranteed amount. So Rockets could cut him. Or trade for Euro stash.

 

I'll add, there is no collection of available players that we could realistically add to have any chance against the Warriors. Let James go home to LA, get us two first round picks (one this year, one next) plus some decent players. Tank. Back in the playoffs with a balanced, young team in 3 or 4 years. Les can put us in good position for the future and sell the team for a profit. Daryl Morey can go back to where he comes from. Rockets new GM...Vernon Maxwell.