Keep in mind, having max cap space is just as much about acquiring a max contract as it is for outright signing an FA. Our eyes should be on those who will imminently be disgruntled. I see a shaky future for Giannis for example. We don’t know what options will be available till teams start exiting the playoffs. We can offer Milwaukee a full rebuild with our picks for example.
Giannis? It's going to take a severe haul for him. Like Sengun and Jalen or Jalen and Amen level package.
Can anyone pass up the opportunity to get a top ten player? That’s the caliber of player that we should be after. We have enough prospects to sustain a deep team. Definitely would cost a lot. I think by the end of the coming season we are going to know a lot more about our prospects and we might not mind consolidating some assets.
Ideally I hope by the end of this season the Rockets wouldn't feel a need to consolidate to pick up a "true star". No big trades means the coaching staff and front office are confident in the collection of talent we have. If the Rockets win 50+ with this current roster, I don't think the Rockets will find it urgent to break apart this team.
I think the Rockets would find it incredibly urgent to add to the team if they won 50+. FVV isn't getting younger. I would not see trading 2 of the 7 young players as breaking up the team provided the 2 traded are either on the low end of likely future minutes or will be replaced by incoming better player.
So let's say we win 50 games and Cam and Tari are the least relevant to those 50 wins.... Package them?
Last year, only seven teams won 50 or more. East: Celtics (64) and Knicks (50) West: Thunder (57), Nuggets (57), Wolves (56), Clippers (51) and Mavs (50). To get to 50+ wins in the West is incredibly difficult. We are without a top 25 player and still a very young team. And need to make pass the play in. Interesting to talk about, but also trying to be realistic.
41 to 50 win improvement with the Rockets arguably best player missing the last two months of the season, a wealth of internal growth due to the massive amount of young talent and a second year consistency of a new coaching regime is very reasonable. You can say your prediction says it won't happen but it's definitely within the realm of reasonable possibility.
If it gets a player back that will help the Rockets win more, yes. Though, I'd expect the other team would want a commiserate value of draft capital instead of Tari.
Does Brook have even value in a trade? I would like to take back several smaller contracts for his or expiring. I don’t think it’s going to happen. Amen, Tari, and Cam all need plenty of playing time. Brooks should be odd man out.
I can't see taking back "several smaller contracts" in exchange for Brooks, you need an open roster spot for each contract in a trade and this team already has 14 contracts on the books pending a decision on Griffin (he's #15). That leaves one or no roster spots - I'm pretty sure they'd fill that spot if he is waived / walks away. I think it's highly likely that IF they move on from Brooks, they get a similar contract in return at another position - or maybe they get a star in the deal. He and Adams combined allow them to take back a max type via trade. I think they'd like to keep that option open - it's extremely difficult to make trades for multiple small contracts to match a max or close to it and doubly so during the season when roster spots are limited to 15 (offseason is 20 roster spots making it somewhat easier).
I think he has actual value ... a playoff team might give you a #1 for him. His contract is a very tradable one - declining year to year. Fantastic value in the new CBA.
Yes. People are undervaluing his trade value. He’s not going to bring in a lottery pick, but a late first or a couple of seconds is out there. My biggest regret this off-season is they haven’t moved him already. His value may go down when it is inevitable that he moves into a bench role. Brooks was a great fit for us last year. He is a terrible fit this year as we want to become a much faster team. You can’t run transition with a sf that can’t rebound or pass.
People in the sports media keep trying to make Jimmy to Houston happen. It's not going to happen. But here's the most I would give up for him (which should be the most Stone is willing to give up for him, which is why it's not going to happen).
Not many, if any, teams can just add a 22M per year player. So we will get at lest one contract back when he is traded. Hopefully you’re right and moving him is not a problem. His value HERE is diminishing by the day. I think it would be worth a future FRP to help move him along. But to where? He will have to be a starter on his new team to justify his salary so that narrows the search, too. A lot of things would have to fall into place to make the perfect storm, from my prospective. In conclusion us eating a few smaller contracts maybe the easiest way. (How the Wall thing worked, is still a mystery). know that… Brooks is not going to play nice and set on the bench for long, if at all. We have a problem, IMO.
I think Jimmy is past his prime and injury prone, but for this I would do it. I think a 3rd and maybe 4th team would need to get involved with only 1-2 players going to the Heat and more draft capital going back to them from others.