All FRPs aren't equivalent. I'd be fine with 2nd most favorable of Hou, Pho, Dal 2029 and Hou 2031 if any ole FRP counts. I'm thinking Rockets end up trading the 2025 Pho pick if not a lottery win for a pick or 2 in the future on draft night to get the quanity of FRPs back up.
Does anybody know how good Devin Booker is at playmaking? Suppose we end up trading for him using FVV's salary, can he run the offense like FVV does? I remember last year the KD Suns were a mess they still needed a pg in Tyus Jones.
At literally every position, we have members of the core 7 that need minutes to develop: 1: Reed/Amen 2: Green/Amen/Cam 3: Amen/Tari/Cam 4: Jabari/Amen 5: Sengun/Jabari So unless we are trading for someone that makes us contenders immediately (i.e. Steph Curry level), we should give priority to allowing room for the core to realize its potential. We are most shaky at 1 unless the Rockets is willing to let Amen develop as the primary ball handler; Reed is too unproven at the moment. Our biggest needs are imo: 1.) Bench players, especially if Cam sees himself as a starter in the league. And who knows whether Dillon and FVV are willing to come off the bench as they get older. 2.) Starting PG of the future - This is why Fox would fit; if Green can become a decent defender, so can Fox. It all depends on the cost needed to get him. Other point guards to consider : (in order of preference) Jalen Suggs: Dream fit Quentin Grimes: 2025 restricted free agent Podziemski: Buy low? I like his future in the league especially when we already have a core in place and won't need him to develop into a primary creator. Scottie Pippen Jr.: Dirt cheap contract (less than 2.5 mil per season until 2028). How is his defense though? Bench guys: AJ Green: awesome shooter, improving defender Aaron Nesmith: played for Udoka in Boston Jaden Hardy Ty Jerome: 2025 free agent Thomas Bryant: 2025 free agent
Yes. Brooks. He's a better shooter, defensive rebounder, and moves the ball better than Brooks. This is more extrapolation, but Johnson might be better as the low man as his height may bother more guys at the rim. Brooks is better onball than Johnson and better at switching than Johnson.
I'm not against the idea per se. Johnson for Brooks is trading for more offense than defense. Side note: both guys are actually very close in age (2 months apart): 28 going into 29 very soon. Cam Johnson (5 yrs exp) came into the league late in his career. Rocket fans learned quite a bit about Nets' pieces when we had their picks. The replacement value isn't just Johnson for Brooks. It's Johnson for Brooks + two 1st rounders. If we used the picks, then any thoughts of a Fox/Booker/ whatever else big fish Stone had in mind could be gone.
There is no guarantee all of the 7 develop. Getting a guy that makes the team better now and will help some members of the 7 develop/fit in the next 3-5 years should also be fine. I see Cam Johnson as the offensive unlikely to meet ceiling for Jabari. Jabari is a better off ball defender and can guard bigger players better. Johnson would make Amen and Sengun's lives a lot easier as he's generally hot from 3, relocates well, and much more willing to let it fly.
That trade would have us at the 3rd highest payroll in the league next year and well over the 2nd apron. I don’t think I want to do that for Andrew Wiggins.
No. 1. Brooks doesn't disappear. He probably loses 5-10 mpg. I'd assume it would be Tari, Jabari, or Cam as a FRP equivalent player in the deal. Brooks may get traded for something if the remaining forwards are just better than him. No. 2. Rockets only get Johnson in case they can't get Fox/Booker in season. By the time the Rockets would trade for Booker et al, the Rockets will get another draft pick as time has passed and the Rockets will likely have traded the 2025 Phoenix pick for a future pick or 2 (assuming Rockets don't win the lottery). As such, the Rockets will most likely still easily have the trade assets to trade for Booker et al. Also, if the Rockets trade with Brooklyn, I'd expect the Rockets send a young players, matching salary, a Hou FRP, and the last BKN pick for Cam Johnson, and the last Pho pick the Nets still have.
Nah I think there’s a balance between quantity of minutes and quality of minutes. If we can get someone in here that doesn’t hurt our long term financial flexibility but helps us make deep playoff runs (at minimum) we should consider it. We are one of the best teams in the NBA in terms of letting the kids run the offense, we have leeway there, we’re not desperate for it or anything.
Are you assuming we pick up FVV's option? Because I only see $130M in salary commitments leaving that aside. The projected cap for 2025-2026 is $154M (so we'd be just over with Wiggins and no Fred) and the second Apron at $208M. Even if we did pick up Fred's option we should come in just under the second apron provided we let other unrestricted free agents walk or get them on a vet min or whatever. A more likely outcome would be either letting Fred walk or extending him at a lower dollar amount, coming in under the first apron. The possible problem that could come in would be when any Bari/Tari extension kicked in the following season, if Wiggins were to pick up his player option.
I do have FVV figured in there. Not picking up Fred would have us at around $170M by my calculation once you figure in filling out roster spots and our draft pick. I don’t think that’s a terrible roster, I’m just not sure it improves us a ton if you’re ultimately just swapping FVV for Wiggins. But we would still have assets to continue making moves.
Ah, yeah, wasn't thinking about the FRP and all the minimum contracts, good point. Though I wonder if there might not be an offseason deal for us to move that pick as part of the package for a star--I think that's at least more likely than trading for one at the deadline, but how likely, I don't know.
Dude is still working his way back from knee surgery. Wonder if it's going to affect his game permanently. He was really good a couple years ago for Denver, one of the better 6th men in the league. If they buy him out I would consider picking him up on a vet min for backcourt depth, if fully healthy he's basically Tate with better passing and ballhandling. But I don't know if I'd trade anything for him, too big of a question mark right now.
Yeah - a big part of his game is his bounce. A 6'4 power forward needs to be able to get off the floor!!
