Do you think a possible low-seed playoff berth was worth keeping Lee/Dragic?

Not shocked at all they kept Courtney Lee. I fully expect Morey to follow the same playbook he did to keep Lowry in 2010. Say you'll match any offer. Chill the bidding. Wait for Lee to sign an offer sheet with another team. Match the offer sheet. (Mind you, this approach also relieves the Rockets of having to give Lee a fifth year on a new contract and sets his annual salary increases at a maximum of 4.5% instead of the 7.5% he'd get by signing a contract with the Rockets. Yes, it's pretty cold-blooded; but it's business.)

Keeping Goran Dragic surprised me a little, although the Lowry injury may have been the deciding factor there. Had Lowry been healthy, I think the Rockets could have easily gotten another first rounder for Dragic, which would have been an easier trade to make knowing you had a moderately competent backup PG in Fisher.

Keeping Dragic also leaves the door open a bit to offer Lowry in trades leading up to the draft and early during the summer. If (and it's a big if) the Rockets are comfortable trading Lowry for another star (maybe even Deron Williams?), it is nice to have Dragic's rights in their back pocket. Dragic's cap hold is just over $4 million. To the extent that Dragic has earned a starting salary in excess of $4M, that cap hold could be very useful to Houston if it wants to use its other cap room first and then sign Dragic later, since Dragic could then be signed to any amount without regard to the salary cap.

(And memo to those saying the Lee and Dragic could be "easily re-signed this summer using cap room" if the Rockets had traded them away today: Why would they want to come back here??? By keeping them, the Rockets have the advantages of (a) Lee's restricted free agent status and (b) Bird rights on both of them, and (c) cap hold amounts for both of them that may be less than their market value, giving the Rockets further salary cap flexibility.)

 

So... you think it's old to have Fisher as starting PG w twill as backup?

 

I agree with Bima, he makes a great point about the ability to sign Dragic after using up the salary cap money. It basically gives you more wiggle room and it does give you the option to make that Lowry trade if it nets you something big or just be able to keep him in general, if he doesn't mind staying a backup (just a well paid one). I think out of all PG where you may want to pay them money as a backup, he would be one because he can play in 2 guard lineups and I think you really need him to take some pressure off Lowry and helping with second units.

These trades didn't exactly make anyone leap out of their seat, but neither did really any other trades (we didn't have a Monta Ellis to trade for Bogut). I think it did, however, set us up nicely with the draft pick potential to trade up in the draft or whatever in the offseason.

 

And noticed around the league and probably one of many reasons that our cap room will net us less than stellar prospects.

But the players can say "It's just business, right?"

Really? Why would a team give up a first rounder for a pending UFA? I doubt that very much.

I do think they might have been able to trade Lowry for a first though if he didn't get sick.

Agree with this and honestly hope they keep Dragic, I like the way he plays the point, very aggressive on Offense and defense.

Big assumption that Dragic will want to come back here, don't you think he will want a team where he is going to be the starter? I doubt he signs in Houston without them moving Lowry, he probably goes somewhere better for his career.

Agree about Lee, but IMO, the better GMs lock up their guys without going this route, it does not bode well with players that might sign here.

Our rep has to be one of a cheap organization that doesn't extend or honor loyalty.

Yippee Rockets !



DD

 

We often fault Morey for treating players like assets, but I think the OP example of shipping two solid character guys out just so you can sign them later and not have to deal with them for a few months is brutal people management.

 

DD, I think you underestimate the value of Dragic on the trade market. I would put him in a similar category of "current trade asset" as Michael Beasley. Pending free agent (Beasley's RFA status won't mean much) who can help a team making a playoff push in exchange for a late first rounder.

If you disagree, so be it. Fair enough.

Also, on Dragic coming back, I think he does like it here. But you could be right. He may want out regardless. The Rockets do have the advantage of offering five years and higher raises, but Morey probably won't offer him anything where that becomes a huge factor.

I think they kept Dragic to make a playoff run. It may have cost the Rockets a late first round pick. Some may call that a mistake. Others may think it's worth it. I'm sort of on the fence, but leaning towards thinking it's worth it, largely due to the Lowry injury and the fact that I want to make the playoffs rather than have a late lottery pick again.


Much like everyone else, I am thoroughly underwhelmed by today's moves. But at least they were both positive moves, IMO. And the Rockets preserve almost all their trade options for a draft day deal. (Yes, there's a big element of "kicking the can down the road" here; but I don't know what else to say. It is what it is.)

 

Well, the playoffs are a good way for your team to get on the map. And if we truly are going to go after that big fish this off-season, getting to the playoffs this year will go far in convincing someone to sign here. Keeping Lee and Dragic bring us a lot closer to that goal, so I would say it was worth keeping them if it means we can point to a roster and say "Look Superstar X, with you on this playoff caliber team, we would be unstoppable."

 

You "think" they might have got a 1st for Lowry? Firm grasp on things

 

i think we're gonna resign both of em....

Klow would fit in nice in Atlanta wouldnt he....

 

Lee and Dragic are def worth keeping unless we get a legitimate super star...Goran can be a starter on many other teams and Lee as well. They keep our bench going. And our starters now too.

 

I was surprised they didn't trade Dragic. That pretty much means that they are going all in for a playoffs run this year.

I don't buy the "we can still trade Lowry in the offseason" reasoning. If they couldn't trade him now for a big fish (no pun intended), it's not gonna be very likely they can do it a few months later. If they don't trade Lowry, it won't make sense to pay Gragic starter money.

And keeping Martin together with Gragic is even more surprising. If you want to pay keep Dragic for a fairly high price, then let him play both the 1 and the 2 and free up some minutes at the 2 by getting rid of Martin.

 

you red my mind :grin:

 

We should sign them both.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't resign Goran because Fisher's 3.4 million is too much to pay for a 3rd string pg. Does not fit the moneyball move.

So you can thank Fisher for letting Goran go. But hey...we get a mid 20 pick to replace him with.

 

I think we can. A lot of teams will have cap space and there is very little out there to use it on. Making it easier to move him. In addition Lowry is still sick. He was hospitilized for 4 days. No one is even saying what is exactly wrong or exactly when he will be ready to play. Really if you were a GM would you sign off on a player like that. Lowry has value. He is a a rare player with good stats that is actually better than his stats. Teams definitely want him and will pay to get him. Just not while he is mysteriously ill.

As for keeping Martin. His recent decline didn't help his trade value. But Morey has already stated this offseason is a bad year to buy free agents and next year will be better. Martin coming off the books with Scola puts in excellent position to compete then. Martin also is more tradeable as an expiring. And I am one who believes Martin still has a lot of talent left just isn't crazy about Mchale and his role.

 

If we do not trade Lowry and somehow resign Dragic than I suspect the Rockets will buy out Fisher at about 2/3 of that.

 

I've been critical of Daryl but there was little to be had. He got another 1st rounder for guys that he was going to let walk. Fisher's contract could be bought out so he could have his freedom. Any moves that angle us toward piling up draft picks to draft our next great thing is the right move. Morey's strength is the draft. He's not going to recruit anyone to play here. I don't know if Les is holding him back, but if he is stopping Daryl from rebuilding he needs to step the hell back because the only way a superstar (in his prime) is coming here is via the draft.

 

Yes! With the Camby deal, we might have room to resign one or both of them, and possibly deal Lowry this summer if it makes the team better. Great job, Morey! Oh, and I hate the Fisher deal. Can't stand the guy.

 

No point guards in this draft! A few GMs have been pointing this out.

 

How do u know if we traded Dragic somewhere he would probably start and resign with them because he would finally be a starter... And lee should be the starter I'm sick of Kmart!!!