Keep everyone, package whatever picks you have to for an Anderson trade. Get something for his corpse
Lebron is in a pickle, & I think his opting out could be a blessing in disguise. Lebron hopes to join Lakers w/ Kawhi & PG, but for reasons already discussed ($$ for PG, Spurs demands for Kawhi), it's in limbo. What does Lebron do? Does he go to LA alone? Not ideal. Does he stay in Cleveland? No way. Enter Houston/CP3/Morey with a pitch to save the day. Here's the step-by-step proposal: Step 1. Renounce rights to CP3, Ariza, T. Black & Joe Johnson. Step 2. Trade Anderson plus multiple 1st/2nd picks to a rebuilding team for non-guaranteed salary. Step 3. Trade Nene, Onuaku, Qi for non-guaranteed salaries. Step 4. Waive Aaron Jackson & all incoming non-guaranteeds. Step 5. We are now under the $129 hard cap @ $62 (Harden $30.4 + Gordon $13.5 + PJ $8 + Clint $7 cap hold + Green $1.5 hold + Luc $1.5 hold). Step 6. Sign LBJ & CP3 to 4yr deals starting @ $30 each. We're now @ $122 cap. Step 7. Match whatever offer Clint gets (assume $20 per). Now @ $142 over hard cap, but that's ok since he's RFA. Step 8. Sign Green & Luc for vet mins. Sign other quality players for vet mins, including backup center (e.g., Brandan Wright). Step 9. Use MLE on Ariza or comparable player. Harden/CP3 Gordon/Green Lebron/Ariza Tucker/Luc Capela/Wright We get to keep both Capela & Gordon. Lebron & CP3 don't have to take that big of a salary haircut. Getting rid of Anderson (step 2) is the only really difficult step, but I believe it's doable if we include enough picks. And I think this team would win multiple championships. Thoughts?
Would make sense with the Gortat trade earlier this week. They’d have to move on from Beal or Porter.
Someone posted this earlier today (tweet evidence) but Morey always waits until June 30th (last day) to extend QOs so you'll see Clint's come across tomorrow
Dude they are going to. You dont need to wait for the announcement. Its like a 3.9 million dollars qualifying offer. If morey didnt do it, he should be fired.
New Orleans doesn't have the cap space to pay him what he wants. Lakers can though and if they get LeBron after signing him, well...
New Orleans has Cousins’ Bird Rights. They can go over the cap to keep him, and pay him more than any other team.