I don’t see why. Moreys entire tenure as Rockets GM he’s been finding gems that outplay their deals. I guess it could be an edict, but I see it as a smart GM continuing to do the smart thing.
I agree but this is basically the vibes I'm getting from their respective interviews and how the off-season signings have played out. I hope I'm wrong and he's not a cheap b*stard because it could spell dark days ahead.
Of course the luxury tax is a consideration when you are talking about a tax bill in excess of $100,000,000 to resign everyone. The reality is that most owners would not pay $100,000,000 to bring back Trevor Ariza and Moute. OKC is doing it after getting publicly destroyed for dealing Harden over their tax bill; and even they are trying to shed Carmelo Anthony to save $100,000,000 and will likely deal him to a team in exchange for multiple draft picks. I suspect that the owner didn't tell the GM to let Ariza and Moute walk. More likely is that the owner told Morey to jettison Anderson for draft picks OR don't sign Ariza. The reality is that the Anderson deal may be more valuable, because the Rockets can likely flip him for someone like Bazemore or Batum and save draft picks. The Rockets are going to be operating above the cap for as long as they have Paul, so cap space is less important. Also, it sure sounds like Daryl Morey believes that filling the swing defender/open 3 point shooter position isn't overly hard. He said as much today, and in the past he has talked about the Rockets situation being one where a player can step in and fill a limited role with great success. Ariza and Moute both have done it. Also concerning Ariza and Moute; both are getting older. Moute is about to turn 32 years old coming off an injury. I wouldn't be shocked to see a deal like Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon and Nene Hilario for Nicholas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrest trade. The Rockets add Anthony for the veterans minimum and use the MLE on someone like Wayne Ellington. Nick Young is another possible target. Ellington/young would off set the loss of three point shooting from Gordon.
Wow, that would be quite a change. So you really feel Anthony is ok being a 6th man off the bench? Also, a team looking at keeping things tidy with the LT, is Batum's contract wise? Especially that extra year. Feels like the MLE is destined for Melo. Especially after @BimaThug explained the rationale moving forward with keeping Melo on the team next year
Well... technically Morey has been doing this since last season and sometimes even before than that Eric Gordon out performed his contract Nene out performed his 1-year contract PJ Tucker is on pace to out performing his contract Luc Mbah A Moute out performed his 1-year contract Gerald Green out performed his 1-year deal Ariza out performed his 4-year deal Patrick Beverley out performed his 3?-year deal might be forgetting others It's only really the guys that we overpay that end up back firing: Anderson, Black (used BAE on him), Brewer, ect If Morey wants to continue this method I'm fine with it.
I wouldn't. Batum is a starting small forward and defensively is an upgrade over Ariza. MKG is an elite wing defender as well, that can guard three spots. Wayne Ellington is one of the top 10 three point shooters in the league, and he doesn't mind taking them in volume. Batum and Anthony would likely have the ball in their hands when Harden/Paul are sitting or playing off ball so Gordon's ball handling skills wouldn't be as important. Nene is thrown in to make salaries work. The Rockets can replace him fairly easily. The Rockets would be a better defensive team most likely. This is all just spit balling anyway...... I haven't heard anything from anyone around the team saying this will happen. It is a real change...... the purpose was just to show that the Rockets likely do have options to fill the 3 spot, even if they are more limited than some teams. In some ways the Anderson contract has value in that we will be operating above the cap in the future.
Bima Thug obviously knows what he is talking about, I just question whether the Rockets are that concerned about keeping Anthony long term when he will be a free agent at 35 years old next season. The track record for 35 year old players getting deals isn't that strong. Also, I think the Rockets ultimately will need to attract the best remaining free agent/agents with that MLE.... especially if they have to move Gordon to get the 3 they want. As for what Anthony is "okay" with, will likely depend on what his role is, his minutes and his relationship with Paul and to a lesser extent Harden. If Anthony has the ball in his hands more coming off the bench, and gets the shots and minutes that Gordon got... then yes I think he would be okay with it. I don't think that the Rockets can afford Anthony to start at SF with his defensive lapses.
By no metric is Batum a "good" defender anymore and his offense has fallen off the map. MKG is a good defender that can't shoot. Two bad contracts the Hornets want to dump and were willing to attach Kemba to last year to get rid of. Eric Gordon is too valuable to this team to attach to moving Ryno for Batum. Batum is not the player he used to be.
The most likely situation here is that they sign Melo for the MLE and don't trade Gordon at all. They sign Ennis, maybe another young guy and hope it all works out, holding Ryno until the trade deadline. The MLE is earmarked for Melo, I'm sure of it. As for being concerned about keeping him, of course they are. Morey loves Melo. It's what gives me some hope for Melo at all. Morey loves him. If he signs him for a 1 year vet deal then next year we are in the same situation we were in this year with Mbah a Moute.
It also tells me he thinks Ariza and Luc will underperform based on their new contracts. Just because the tax isn't a deal breaker for signing someone or not, doesn't mean it's just going to be a free-for-all. Any GM would be negligent to do anything less. Now there are far more bad contracts out there than there are good ones, but there are several varibles that contribute to that such as lack of motivation after getting their payday, injuries, inflated market spending (Ryno), and the decline of forward progression aka guessed wrong on their ceiling. But, I would imagine beyond having an eye for talent, a GMs main goal would be to have every player that they sign hopefully outperform their contract, or at least live up to it.
RA plus EG/Nene for the most anemic duo in the league, a wounded Batum and another bricklayer in MKG would be even worse than having RA on the bench. Wayne is a good shooter, but he lacks the versatility on offense and defense that EG brings. Nick Young is somewhat better than Gerald Green. Yes, we want RA to be moved, but most fans aren't that desperate.
I don't read anything at all into this. "Don't overpay" is what everyone with a brain thinks everyday in every transaction.
Batum was injured last year and I saw quite a bit of him play over the last few years. There is a motivation issue in Charlotte with Batum. I am pretty confident that he would play substantially better with the Rockets. He is someone that plays well with other quality players. With Anthony and Batum, the ball handling of Gordon wouldn't matter as much and Gordon's shots would be absorbed by Ellington, Anthony and Batum. It is just an idea anyway.
The Le$$ gameplan has always been 1) No whale signings unless A-list 2) If no A-list, be flexible to stay under the cap by trade deadline. It's been a reasonable strategy that's kept Murray sharp (until that cap balloon year)
