I think the free agent list of 2012 is good overall, it has something for everybody...but my prediction is it will hurt the rockets due to the lack of quality role players that are affordable, young, and have potential. Not one game changer is attainable for the rockets. Overpaying for batum, and letting go of lee may get the rockets in the playoffs, but it would ruin any salary cap flexibility the rockets have if they plan on keeping dragic. I dont think the rockets want a team full of overpaid role players with no cap room. Williams is the guy we want but cant have. Nash will be good for someone but not us. Ilyasova and Andersen will make two eastern conference teams happy. McGee will definitely be overpaid this Summer by the Nuggets. Wallace wont make the Rockets any better than they are. There are a few mediocre point guards in lin, williams, miller and brooks followed by the oldies in allen, carter, terry and kidd. We all know duncan, garnett, gordon, lopez, and hibbert will end up staying where they are. Something I cant say about the Rockets free agents. This leaves Lee's competitors: hill, nick young, and beasley. Mayo and beasley will be overpaid and most likely end up re-signing with their teams. Young and hill are less coveted. I think this will bring Lee's offer to the MLE. He is not worth more. Dragic will be the second best PG after deron williams. That alone will make him overpaid because he wont be a max player. Second, he is unrestricted so the highest bidder will win. Third, the next best pg is lou williams who doesnt bring the size dragic brings. Lin, terry, sessions and mo williams wont be sought after by the several teams who need a point guard, and have the cap space to make an offer to dragic. I think this free agency will be a bad one unless the miracle howard-williams thing happens. There is not one free agent the rockets can attain that will improve them long term. I believe draft day is the day that makes or breaks next season. If the rockets dont get better on June 28th, it will be another season where the ceiling is first round exit. I apologize for the lack of grammar. I typed this on my tablet.
I really hope we don't overpay for Dragic. He's good, but he has not proven himself to deserve a Luis Scola type of 10 mil/yr contract. watching westbrook, parker, rondo in the playoffs right now...i mean dragic is no where near tht evel.
Some might like Euros more than others...... I don't recall any star players from Slovenia..... wait the Machine?
I dont think scola is worth his contract. Dragic probably wont be worth what he gets. I think overpaying for dragic and batum, having a successful draft night and finding a good trade for lowry and martin would be enough to get us into the top 5 in the west. The rockets would have to really overpay for batum and that would put us at the cap without an all star. I see why morey is interested in gee. No.
If that is the case I would rather see Houston get (even over pay if have too) James Harden. A back court of Harden and Lowry sounds pretty good.
I'm expecting trades to be the main attraction this summer and don't expect to do much in free agency. You're right that draft night is the day to watch. If we don't do it then, it probably ain't happening. In princicple, yes; in practice, no.
Say we trade Lowry for a higher pick, can we use that newly acquired pick in a trade during this off season? I am sure we are going to offer Orlando: Lowry (or whatever pick he could net us), Parsons or Morris or Patterson, Martin, 14th and 16th...Obviously for Dwight. Outside of Miami or OKC, I don't see a team that could offer something much better. In the end, I just don't see Dwight coming here and same goes for Deron. I would much rather trade Lowry for 5th and take the "risk" on Drummond. After that if anyone wants K-mart I would pretty much give him up for any 2 role players...I just don't want him on this team.
I can hardly wait & contain my excitement for Rockets free agency! Tons of cap space(top five!) and potential to do big things! Oh boy, I can hardly wait! Those 29 other teams better look out, Rockets gonna be goood! Spoiler
IMO... Well keep martin and his 12mill expiring... well trade for al jefferson and his 15mill expiring... well pick up option on dalembert and his 7mill expiring... Well sign camby to a 1yr deal with non gaurenteed team option for 2nd year, thus another expiring... Does anyone see where im going with this? This isnt gonna be the year, unless we can get dwight/dwill, that we make a splash... Im looking forward to the 2013 FA class...
Who will be available in 2013 besides paul and howard? I know it's annoying. The rockets are not major players in free agency even though they can offer a major market where a guy like kevin martin can become number one, a nice city to live in with low living costs, and no state income taxes. Free agency is a joke if you don't already have a superstar or two. Getting lucky on draft night is possible, and its not like the rockets dont have anything to work with. If Morey really half the gm i think he is the rockets should be much better in 23 days.
By Position Who I would get. (In Order) These are mostly free agents. (If we trade Lowry) Point Gaurd: 1.Goran Dragic 2. Deron Williams (if weTrade KMart) SG: 1.Eric Gordon 2.Sign Lee if he gets an offer SF: 1.Batum 2.Grant Hill Power Forwad: 1.Kris Humphries 2.Beasley Center: 1.Javale McGee 2. Get back Camby I would trade Scola,Lowry, and Martin for other good pieces. if we were to get all the my top choices(pipe dream) PG: Dragic/ Someone maybe draft Kendall Marshall at 16 SG: Gordon/Lee SF: Batum/Bud/Morris PF: Humphries/ Patterson C: Mcgee/Camby/ (Maybe draft Zeller or another center product at 14)
Morey has been trying to improve the team for a while now and Rockets find themselves in the same boat for the last three years. Only God knows if this will be our year or not, it is good to be optimistic but don't be overly optimistic because it make more than one summer to become contenders.
