Yes, in February of 2022, we could unload Batum's contract at the trade deadline. Until then, he's ours, for better or worse. Didn't we learn anything with Anderson's contract? Here's the #1 reason not to swap these two guys: Batum doesn't move the needle much farther than Ryno does, if at all. Obviously a better defender, but even in Anderson's year-gone-bad last year Ryno had an as good as or better offensive showing than Batum, especially considering he played fewer minutes. Why the hell would we want to spend twice as much for a guy who's marginally better at best? That makes no sense.
Well, I'm not really concerned with Fertitta's luxury tax bill. From a competitve basketball perspective, Batum's contract that third year would be the only way the Rockets could absorb in a significant contract of say a potential star player. If we just let Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson walk for nothing, we would still have a payroll of 110 million in just Tucker, Qi, CP3, Capela, and Harden going into that season. We are going to operate over cap with Capela signed long term, so we need bloated contracts like Anderson or Batum to give us a shot to make a bigger move. Otherwise our core will just keep getting stripped away (like Ariza), aside from ride or dies like Green that will play for the minimum but can still contribute.
If Fertilla gave Morey the budget to take on Batum, we’d have already retained Ariza. You may not care about Fertila’s money, but given that he’s the owner and he clearly is unwilling to spend deep into luxury tax territory. So proposing trades that make him spend absurd amount of money are therefore pointless, regardless of ones opinion on Fertilla’s spending habits. I mean I don’t like it any more than you do that he’s not going Dan Gilbert on spending, but it is what it is.
Batum’s deal ends one year after Anderson’s, at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 season. Not sure where you got 2022 from. https://www.spotrac.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/nicolas-batum-6149/ Secondly, Batum (like Ariza did) absolutely moves the needle against the Warriors a lot more than Anderson does. Batum would be a key rotation player against Golden State, whereas Anderson is a $20 million cheerleader even if he rediscovers his shooting touch because he’s a defensive liability. Who cares what Anderson provides against the other 27 teams in the NBA? The only thing that matters is can he be an asset against the Warriors, and the answer is a resounding no. The bottom line is against the Warriors, Batum is an asset, while Anderson is a liability, and that is likely to remain the same during the duration of both players’ contracts. Considering it’s adding roughly 4 million in payroll in each of the next two seasons, it’s not moving the financial needle much either. Remember, even if the Rockets dumped Ryno without taking salary in return they would still be operating above the salary cap. The only reasons for the Rockets to not do this deal are if Tilman is worried about the salary ramifications in 2020-2021 or the repeater tax.
This is not accurate. Ariza would’ve cost the Rockets $15 million this year on top of Anderson’s $20.4 million, or $35 million total. The difference between Batum and Anderson’s deals is $3.6 million this year and $4.3 million next year, or less than the full taxpayer MLE in each season.
Unfortunately for Fertilla, Batum’s contract doesn’t end in 2 years, and CBA rules punish owners who repeatedly go into the luxury tax (hint the Rockets are going to be in the luxury tax with Harden/cp3/Capela/Batum and any semblance of a roster). Again, I know no one here cares about how much money Fertilla spends, but he clearly doesn’t want to spend like a drunken sailor the way some people pretend he does.
We'd be lucky if we get anything more than a 2nd rounder. You have to understand Ryno is still a pretty terrible contract and Charlotte is going to tank. Kupchak is a smart man and there's no way he will give up a 1st for Ryno.
Unfortunately that would very unlikely, he'll become UFA in 2021 which wouldn't work due to Jim's and CP3's contract
I wonder if Morey would consider a spot on our roster for Jimmer. He has performed very well in the CBA.
