The fact is, far too many variables can change between now and next offseason. There is an entire trade deadline to consider. I tend to like to wait until right before (to analyze potential deadline deals) or right after the trade deadline (coming in March 2012) before giving any informed speculation on offseason cap room. Even then, there is the 2012 NBA Draft to consider, in which the Rockets could have multiple first round picks (or could trade up or down with those picks) affecting the team's cap room. Right now, though, if no outside moves are made whatsoever, no 2009 lotto pick options are picked up (but Patterson's is), Budinger's cheap option is picked up, no qualifying offers are made to Lee or Dragic, the Rockets trade out of the first round in the 2012 draft, and all non-guaranteed contracts for 2012-13 (Adrien's?) are waived, I think that number on Dalembert would be roughly around the full MLE amount Dalembert's starting salary this season, which would still allow a "30%" max contract offer next summer. Still, it is silly to use current figures to project something like that. Also, given how poorly the Rockets' 2011 offseason plans turned out (despite Morey's best efforts), and given their production in training camp, I would now not be surprised to see maybe 1 or 2 of the 2009 lotto picks get their team options picked up for 2012-13. Morey would be gambling that those players would outperform their contracts this year and would either be valuable members of the rotation or otherwise tradable assets. P.S. I am looking for the Rockets to make some sort of move TODAY. Today is the deadline on which (a) all players must be amnestied or teams must wait until next season to use it AND (b) all trade exceptions scheduled to expire during the lockout will now expire. Moves will be made. Or at least teams will be looking to make moves today. We shall see.
Feigen just ruled out the amnesty Not that there is any reason to make amnesty cut now, but on amnesty deadline day Hasheem Thabeet is practicing with Rockets, won’t be cut.
WOW what the hell where they thinking. That scrub would have taken a buy out. Andris would have been picked by another team with cap space for sure then they would been on the hook for less of his huge salary.
Bell only cost them $4.1M for one year (remember, they still have to PAY the amnestied player). Even with a decent bid on the waiver market, the Warriors would still have had to pick up the vast majority of the $27M owed to Biedrins over the next three seasons. They only amnestied Bell in order to get the necessary cap room to extend their offer sheet to DeAndre Jordan. The intent wasn't to relieve payroll. Plus, ownership views Biedrins is a worthwhile player to have on the roster as opposed to paying NOT to play for them. Maybe a buyout would have worked for Bell. But there's no way Bell would have taken so low a buyout as to permit the Warriors to make an offer to Jordan that the Clippers would reasonably hesitate on matching.
One on hand I agree with you but on the other, it just seems unfair to not expect them to try to get more wins. It's their job. I see us as a 5 or 6 seed with Dalembert, and a 8-10 seed without him. IMO the difference is enough to take a shot at him.
Bima, I suspect Morey is working on a 3-way or possibly even a two-way deal involving Dwight and Pau. They've brought too many guys into camp and with this signing of Adriens out of nowhere, there has to be something going on behind the scenes. IMO, we have nothing to lose by throwing the kitchen sink at Orlando for Dwight, even without him being willing to sign here long term.
Good points. I was under the impression if you waived a player and bought him out his salary did not count against the cap. At least they can see if Jackson can light a fire under him and get some better play out of him. If not they are stuck with him till he is a expiring contract.
That's what makes our management so good. We were in a similar situation with GSW in terms of trying to get a big man. However, we are shrewd enough to 1)Not offer an official sign-sheet to Gasol (therefore leaving capspace open just in case). 2)Save the amnesty (GSW could've used it in the future instead of blowing wad on Bell's 4 million contract. This is why I still have confidence in Morey. We can't control the outside circumstances of a stern veto or stars wanting to play together in LA/NYK/MIA. We're a team that make sound decisions and evaluate the effect of every little maneuver. In the end, this tactic will work.
Dwight's off the market . . . for now. I don't think he'll be traded until closer to the trade deadline in March. Plus, like others have said, Dalembert on a one- or two-year deal at the right price may give Morey one more asset to use at the trade deadline to get something done. But, yeah, if the Lakers end up making a move for Dwight, you can expect Morey to be trying to get involved so that he can get Pau.
I could see facilitating the CP3 trade, because he wasn't really that great of a fit there. But facilitating a DH12 to LA trade? That would be tough to swallow.
Yes. The way it works it that if you don't make the cut today, you have it for next season. HOWEVER, you cannot make a cut between today and, I think, July 1, 2012. So, no in-season amnesty cuts. Speaking of amnesty-- I suppose that a REALLY REALLY REALLY UNLIKELY DESPERATE MEASURE if the Rockets REALLY REALLY REALLY NEED EXTRA CAP ROOM for the 2012 offseason is this: Amnesty Scola or Martin if you can't trade him for little or no salary in return (which you likely can, that's why I said it's REALLY REALLY REALLY UNLIKELY, but it's a tool you have in the back pocket).
No. If a player is bought out, he counts against the cap at the lower "buy-out" figure. For instance, when the Rockets bought out Jared Jeffries last season (when Jeffries graciously agreed to leave $1 million of his remaining salary on the table so that he could latch back on with the Knicks), Jeffries's cap figure went from $6.88M down to $5.88M. Exactly. I think if Morey were running the Warriors he would have pocketed the amnesty to maybe use on Biedrins in another year or two if Andris doesn't improve. In fairness to the Warriors, though, Jordan was not viewed by most in the league as nearly the player that M.Gasol is, so there was a legitimate reason to believe that the Clippers wouldn't make the offer sheet. With Gasol, it was never in doubt. Yes, but Thabeet is potentially (and most likely) an expiring contract this season, meaning that this was probably the only time at which he could be waived using the amnesty provision. Also, with Thabeet not being amnestied this season, the Rockets' sole remaining contract that would possibly be amnestied would be Scola's . . . and that's only if Scola severely declines AND would only be used a couple of years down the line. Morey's curse for not having any bad contracts on the roster.
He's off the market because Orlando has ascertained what they can get from the teams that they let his agent talk to. I have a funny feeling that if they got the deal they wanted now (young players, picks in exchange for Dwight, Hedo, and other salary) and they were told that deal wasn't going to be available later that they might just take it.
Bynum, Scola, Martin, Dragic, Patterson, and a pick is a pretty attractive package for Dwight and Orlando's dead weight contacts.
You want to give up Scola, Marin, Dragic, Patterson, and a pick just for 31 year old soft Paul? Or you are talking about Howard to us?
