[Chron] Rockets looking at multiple options as draft approaches

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...ke_dantoni_opt_for_defensiveminded_dwane.html

 

If the 4 draft picks rumor, between this year and next, is true, we have to be targeting Bosh or Howard.

We'd give up:
*#14 this year (we'd have to pick for them to avoid trading consecutive 1sts)
*#23 this year
*#1-14 next year (or next time we're in the lotto)
*#5-30 next year (Knicks pick)

On top of that, we'd have to match a max contract which would be impossible without either Scola, Martin or Lowry.

 

I like where this is going.

 

I don't think we're much more flexible than any of the big market teams. They have much more in assets and determination than you're giving them credit for.

I'm sure Chicago wouldn't mind including Noah in a package if Dwight Howard's coming in. They have three first round picks in the next two years. They're capped out presently, but not by much. They could unload Korver, Brewer, and Noah for cap space if they desperately wanted to. They also have the reigning MVP, which I'm sure is a draw for free agents.

The Lakers have a major young trade piece in Bynum. Odom, though 30, is coming off one of his best seasons and is on a very reasonable contract. Plus, they have the allure of LA and playing next to Kobe Bryant and a great supporting cast. Dwight already has interest in playing there.

New York's options do seem pretty limited.

 

There is no player in this entire draft worth 4 first round picks besides maybe Irving.

 

He may discover he doesn't have a choice. If the league replaces the $58M soft cap with a $65M hard cap (a concession from their initial $45M hard cap), Miami will find themselves forced to dump someone to simply to fill out the roster with minimum wage contracts.

The Lakers, Magic, and Bos are going to be in even worse trouble.

The best case scenario for them under a hard cap is if the league also passes a sweeping, immmediate, 30% reduction in all salaries (Miami drops to $46M payroll) as opposed to Allan Houston Amnesty cuts.

Riley is one of several GMs that is going to really sweat out the new CBA reality.

 

If there is one thing the owners are looking for, it is a reduction in salary. A 33% cut across the board has already been discussed. You can count on salaries being ruduced somewhere around 20-25% in the new CBA for everybody. And to help teams get to the hard cap, they'll allow another amnesty contract like they did several years before. And the hard cap will most likely be implemented over several seasons.

 

Hey if you have to give up next years pick and this years pick to get a chance at the number two guy? Derrick Williams one of only 3 possible stars in this draft? You go get him. There is no gurantee you trade for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul and they want to go elsewhere. There is no gurantee you draft one at a lower round. You will get a decent player at least if you trade for the second pick. Most likely a starter and perhaps a Superstar. Dont complain about not having one if you are not willing to take chances to get one. Ever again. Go get him Morey or shut your big talk up.

 

If you are gonna talk big Morey? At some point you are gonna have to cash that check your mouth is making for you. At least once.

 

Actually, the more I think about it, I'm not so sure that the Rockets CAN trade the "protected portion" of their 2012 first rounder. I think it would violate the Stepien rule, even if the Rockets didn't trade any other first rounder currently in their possession.

Under the Stepien rule, a team cannot be without a first round pick in consecutive future drafts. This means that the team must actually have a pick. If the Rockets were to trade that "protected portion" of their 2012 pick, they would not be guaranteed to have a pick in either 2012 or 2013.

Both the 2012 pick from the Knicks (top-5 protected) and the 2013 pick from the Grizzlies (top-14 protected) are only conditional picks. There is a chance that the Rockets will not receive those picks in those years. For instance, if the Knicks finish with a terrible record or otherwise win the lottery in both 2012 and 2013 (highly unlikely but still possible), and if the Grizzlies do not make the playoffs in 2013 (a distinct possibility), then the Rockets will receive neither of those picks until 2014 at the earliest.

Given that those two other picks are not guaranteed to be conveyed anytime soon (or at all), the Rockets cannot trade that "protected portion" of their 2012 pick. If they do, they would lose their own 2012 pick (whether or not they make the playoffs) and could lose their 2013 pick to fulfill their obligation to the team (New Jersey or Team X) that does not get their 2012 pick.

Even if the Rockets added some protection to that pick (i.e., top-5 protection, meaning Team X only gets it if it's 6-14), it is still possible that they would have to convey the pick.

So, unless the Rockets can acquire another team's UNPROTECTED first round pick in either 2012 or 2013 (good luck getting another team to give one of those picks up), I just don't see a scenario in which that "protected portion" of the Rockets' 2012 pick can be traded without violating the Stepien rule.

Bottom line: Terrence Williams better have a decent year next season, because he cost this team a lot of trade flexibility with their future first round picks.

 

I've thought about this as well, though technically we're already not guaranteed a pick in 2012 or 2013.

Morey is quoted though, saying that's something they're looking into, so there must be some kind of loophole.

Maybe they already have with the Nets in place, that would re-acquire our 2012 first (for say this year's #23).

 

Actually, we currently are guaranteed at least 1 pick in 2012 or 2013.

Currently, if the Rockets make the playoffs, they give the Nets the 2012 pick, but they are guaranteed to have their own 2013 pick since the Nets obligation is fulfilled.

If the Rockets don't make the playoffs, they will have a 2012 pick. They have a risk of losing the 2013 pick but the Stepien Rule is satisfied.

It seems there is only one team to whom the Rockets can trade the "unprotected" portion of the 2012 pick without getting an unprotected 2012 or 2013 pick from another team: The New Jersey Nets.

So, are the Rockets going after Deron Williams?

 

The four picks+Brad Miller+Jordan Hill for Josh Smith.

 

Ban him.

 

You're right.

I alwalys seem screw up anytime it gets this complicated.

I don't think we're after Deron Williams.
Well, we probably are, but I can't see NJ giving him up already.

Maybe Brook Lopez? He and Avery Johnson don't seem to like each other a whole lot.

 

*seem to

...

By the way Jonathan Givony mentioned today that "Danny Granger in fact might be a guy that Indiana, in the right deal, would consider moving."

We've previously had interest in Granger if I'm not mistaken, so maybe he's one of the guys the Rockets are looking at.

 

Lowry/Martin/Granger would be pretty strong but you would have to have Ppat and then a defensive stud of a center to be a decent defensive team.


Scola+14+23 sounds fine to me.

 

Honestly, I think that Jimmer is gonna be a bust... hes a very small shooting guard and we dont need another small body on our team we already have too many of those people

 

You know, that deal looks worse and worse as time goes by. I was excited, if a bit confused (did we really need him? no... obviously he was obtained for his potential), when we first got him. His athleticism is clearly off the charts. So color me shocked when I saw him take the floor. Williams was so bad that there was a clear negative reaction to his play by the other Rockets on the court, more than once. I really, really hope that Williams turns it around, because up until this point, I would have to consider this the worst deal Morey has made, for more than one reason, as you point out. At least Andersen wasn't stupid. He simply wasn't very good in the role he was expected to play. Miller was good for his role, but was injured to one degree or another most of the season. Morey looks to have really screwed up with Williams.

 

I actually liked the trade at the time and even pointed out at that time that one of the consequences would be a loss of trade flexibility with the Rockets' own future first round picks. The fact is, the Rockets had T-Will rated as a top-10 prospect in 2009 and figured that a lottery-protected pick was worth the gamble. I can't say that I blame him.

Give T-Will at least one full season (training camp included) to show what he could do. He was never going to play for Adelman last season, even if he didn't act like a knucklehead in his limited minutes. Rick was going to go with the guys he knew and who went through HIS training camp and multitude of practices. With McHale, T-Will gets a clean slate.

Yeah, he may fall flat on his face next year. But he may also prove to be a valuable contributor to the rotation.

If this is Morey's worst move ever, I can live with that. He's "mitigated the damage" by going out and acquiring multiple future picks from other teams. Sure, the lack of flexibility sucks, but I think it was worth the gamble on a talent as good as T-Will could be.