Feigen: Free agency might be slow for Rockets (updates on where we stand)

We just need to be patient. We may have to wait for the buyout market after the trade deadline in February. Teams with no playoff hopes with expiring contracts will be looking to shed salary. This past year teams were not able to get anything back for decent playoff contributors like Belli and Ilyasova. DeMarre Carroll, Wesley Johnson, Wesley Matthews could be available. I also expect Carmelo will be bought out in the offseason.

 

I haven’t heard anything about Kyle Korver. If he’s available I’d definitely take a look. He can still shoot and hustles on defense. I think he would thrive is this style of offense. Not a bad guy coming off the bench.

 

Go caps!

 

If Carmelo gets bought out, and it’s likely he does now that OKC signed Felton, I hope we can sign him. I think it will come down to the Lakers or Rockets. That would go a long ways towards replacing Ariza. Melo isn’t great but he’s much better offensively than Ariza.

 

But was he really? Most of the time GS was hunting mismatches - Durant over Tucker/Paul, one of their shot creators off the dribble against Harden, off ball movement on Gerald Green(who tends to ball watch). All of those players are still here. Really any 3 with some length is able to switch in that scenario because unless that SF is short or a really suspect defender, that’s not the target GS is trying to exploit.

 

yes he was really. its no coincidence that the rockets defense struggled when ariza's time was limited due to foul trouble. its a shame people dont fully understand the void he is leaving and acting as if he was some negative that the rockets can just plug anyone to replace. is he worth the 15 mil phx is paying him. no but that doesn't take away from his importance to this team

 

Kyle Korver at the 3 would make me happy. Not Ariza defensively, but a knockdown 3 point shooter. He would get a ton of open looks.

 

and another guy GS forces to be unplayable

 

Not as a starter though. As a bench guy sure. Did you know Korver will be 38! in March?

 

Like I said - I’m an Ariza fan and don’t think he is a minus but I do think we could use an upgrade there. Ariza meant more to to this team in the playoffs because Luc was still hurt, Anderson was unplayable against most GS lineups forcing PJ to get more minutes at the 4 rather than a backup 3, and Green was unplayable against some GS lineups as well. I thought when healthy last year Luc and PJ were nearly as good as Ariza and you will recall they were essentially scrap heap pickups. Fact is Houston’s ‘switchable wings’ depth with Ariza was an advantage for us last year (until Luc got hurt) more so than Ariza’s individual defensive play so to me we can come close to replicating that by finding another Luc or PJ. In that respect I think we both agree Ariza wasn’t worth the 12 mil - his caliber of player can be had for less. Where we probably will disagree is on how much fair market value replacing Ariza will cost us.

 

When does Morey sign Clint and Luc?

Why sign Carter when Capela and Mbah Moute are supposed to be the rockets priority?

 

because there is a market for CC and Luc... they have to explore the various opportunities before them and decide what they want... and then either sign an offer sheet or accept a contract...
nobody wants MCW - he was happty to grab whatever got offered to him... and while we were waiting on CC and Luc...

 

Korver is playoff tested (without looking up stats). We missed 27 straight 3s .. he’s exactly who we need

 

Don't what prevent Morey signing Luc. I doubt he demands a lot of money. Maybe his shoulder is done? Morey must know something we don't.

 

if Luc's shoulder is a chronic issue that won't actually heal, then we need to move on. But i've never heard that. So i'm assuming we are just going through the normal negotiation process, and historically, Morey takes his time.

 

i would have expected him to require surgery to tighten it up. no news on his recovery is surprising to me

 

My guess is Luc wants to secure a contract first before doing surgery. But teams would be hesitant to give him contract before knowing how bad his shoulder is.

 

Pretty clear now there is no CP3 level acquisition this summer, but are there even PJ and Luc type signings on the horizon? Maybe Morey will give us nothing but Bobby Browns and Tarik Blacks.

 

What Rockets look like at start of regular season and after trade deadline could be completely different.

Pieces around CP3 and Harden are likely to be static, perhaps even Clint could be moved if another star or two can be acquired.