I have a strong feeling we will sign Howard. Paul I think its a 40 percent chance once we sign Howard. Houston Rockets would be the hottest team in the league if we pulled this off.
If we were to get CP3, we would probably have to do it simultaneously in the sense that we'd have to convince both first then approach LAL and LAC as a united front. This is for practical reasons. LAL can still screw us by rather letting Dwight walk for free and signaling to LAC that there's no credible threat that Houston could sign CP3 first and then SnT for Dwight, prompting LAC to call our bluff. Then we'll just sign Dwight by himself.
I also saw the Jalen Rose interview for Grantland. Both Jalen and the host (not Simmons) were thinking Howard was going to Houston. Howard makes sense for us on so many levels.
We'll see what Morey's plan is. If the two guys really want to come to Houston we will also see how much power do superstars still have in this league after the lock out and stuff.
Nearly impossible to do it otherwise. If we sign Dwight first, we'd lack the leverage to force LAC to do a SnT w/ us, esp. for assets they aren't excited about (i.e., Lin and Asik). CP3 wouldn't be able to leave them for us (capped out) and no where else is even nearly as good as LAC. We could try to clear the room ourselves to sign him outright, but that would require quite a bit of work. We'd have to move Lin and Asik and one of DMo/TJones and THEN hope CP3 will take a slight paycut (probably would at that point). That sort of hurts our bench and moving 3 players up to $18M+ dollars is really easier said than done, esp. when most major free agents sign around July 10...so we'd have to do this fast w/ other teams that might not want to help us. Of course, life could be easier if both CP3 and Howard both agreed to around 10% paycuts. Then we would only have to move Lin and Asik and be able to sign both outright, which would scare LAC enough to do a SnT (again, assuming LAL is okay with Dwight walking for nothing). A month from now will be quite exciting lol.
Im sorry, im confused about this whole sign and trade thing with the new CBA. Why do we care if LAL is okay with Dwight walking for nothing? We don't have to trade anything to them to sign him outright. Why is this a concern? They are unrestricted free agents, we are not required to sign and trade anything to them. Am I missing something?
Because we will be capped out after we sign howard. We would have to clear space to get cp3 and it would be easier just to trade with them directly.
We don't have to S&T If CP3 don't come (like 95% chance?) We basically sent our assets to LA for nothing
Don't agree with you there. We might be able to force them to do a S&T but highly unlikely, Houston will have little leverage after signing Dwight. It would be easier to send Lin+Asik+D-Mo to another team(s) individually or as a package. We may have to throw in some future draft picks or include beverley or parsons. Conservative trade value FLOOR: Asik = Future top 10 (protected) Lin = 2016 second round T-Jones = 2014 second round They are all tradable assets. Remember, in a S&T, we get nothing back except the player. If we trade them to other teams, we get future picks and then get to sign Paul outright - its better. Personally, I don't want to blow up the team to acquire Paul. Giving away Asik, Lin and T-Jones - I'm 50/50. Add Beverley and Parsons as well and I don't want to do it, I'd rather keep all of them and hope Harden and Howard plus those pieces are enough to become a challenger.
Other cities would hate on Houston hardcore if we get both players. The media already sleeps on us when it comes to sports.
Magic was always a lowkey Rockets fans. I remember him figuratively dickriding the Houston Rockets when they traded for Charles Barkley. He even flirted with the idea of playing with him in Houston. He decided to stayed retired though because even he knew that his career was over.
Revisiting this issue, what if on July 1st or before, CP3 and Howard both decided that they would like to play for Houston with Harden, especially if the Rockets can get it done possibly without gutting the team. Here is how I could see it happening, please correct me if anything is possibly wrong here. First off, either one of them, or both CP3 and Howard would have to take some discount on their salaries if they want to sign here AND have a good complete team afterwards. Most, not all, previous scenarios dealt with Howard signing first with us, and then trying to SnT for CP3 or trade enough assets to sign him outright afterwards. But what if: CP3 agrees to take a 10% pay cut to form this new super team and chase CHAMPIONSHIPS, so that we sign him out right for $16,650,000. That means that we only have to get rid of a few contracts before July 1st, which we intend on doing anyway and we have enough room to sign him outright with the following then being our salary outlook: 1) CP3 - $16,650,000 2) Harden - $13,668,750 3) Asik - $8,374,646 4) Lin - $8,374,646 5) Parsons - $ 925,500 6) Beverley - $ 788,872 7) TJones - $1,551,840 8) DMo - $1,422,720 9) TRob - #3,526,940 10) RWhite - $1,719,480 11) GSmith - $ 884,293 12) Roster Spot - $ 490,000 (?) Honeycutt - $ 100,000 Total equaling $58,497,687 salary, just $ 2,313 short of the projected $58,500,000 salary cap. Now to get DH12, if he agreed to take the same 10% salary discount during the time he and CP3 agreed to join here, we would need to clear $18,500,000 to sign him outright. We could do that by trading: Lin+Asik+TRob = $20,276,232 (can give him a little more after cap holds) They can be separated of course and would not be expected to go to one team only. TRob could probably be combined with Asik for a team that really wants Asik. Lin could be combined with a future draft pick if it really came down to it, but I think we could trade him and get a future pick back without taking back salary, the same with Asik & TRob. But the best way to get him would be to SnT him with the Lakers by giving the Lakers, Lin+TRob+White ($13,621,066), allowing Dwight to sign for $20,431,599 using the 150% rule. (if my numbers are right) Why do the Lakers do it? If they realize that they lose Dwight no matter what, which once we sign CP3 and DH12 says he is coming here, we will certainly do it even if we have to lose Lin, Asik and TRob; the Lakers now have the choice of losing him for NOTHING, or what we are offering. They have no leverage really except for maybe a small change. We would only sign and trade with them if it helps out the Rockets, and doing a SnT with Lin and Asik included is NOT in our best interest because we can get more for them by just trading them to other teams and getting back future draft picks. The Lakers are still in the luxury tax even with Dwight just walking, so they really don't have a whole lot of ways to get in fresh quality talent and/or talent with good potential and upside. Lin would be a marketing tool for them and a great PG to pair up to learn from Nash (I will hate to lose Lin personally). TRob is still the #5 pick from last year with potential, they won't that high a draft pick again for a while. And RWhite, well, they could let MWP tutor him...who knows, maybe he turns into what they need. But they get talent and some young legs into their lineup instead of losing DH12 for NOTHING! If they agree, our lineup will be: CP3/Beverly Harden Parsons Howard/TJones/DMo Asik/Howard/GSmith Then of course we could go after resigning Garcia and/or Anderson using whatever exceptions, veteran minimums, etc. that the rules allow us to use. And of course we have our 2nd round draft pick to fill out another spot. If the Lakers refuse our SnT offer, our lineup looks like this after trading Lin, Asik & TRob: CP3/Beverly Harden Parsons TJones/DMo/RWhite Howard/G.Smith and we fill out the roster with whatever signings and picks that we can. The other option being to sign only DH12 straight up and not pursue CP3. This being the worst case scenario, I think: CP3/Beverly Harden Parson TJones/DMo/RWhite Howard/G.Smith >>>>>> Lin/Beverley Harden Parsons Howard/TJones/DMo/RWhite Asik/Howard/G.Smith because when it comes to crunch time/winning time in the playoffs, the starting 5 with CP3 will be more balanced and dominate to close out the game and actually win. But of course the other team will have a little more defense with the twin towers. Both teams should be able to fill out the rest of the roster with the same players. So that's our case if we want to really pursue both CP3 and DH12, and if the Lakers do the SnT, we truly win by keeping Asik! The KEY is CP3 and DH12 both agreeing to come here and CP3 definitely taking a 10% pay cut, with DH12 possibly taking the same pay cut, or if the SnT works out, he essentially gets his full contract. Would that piss off CP3 though? But they both have to realize that just like Lebron, Wade and Bosh did, there will have to be sacrifices in $$$ and their games to come together and pursue legacies of championships. The opportunity before them now can not get any better in their careers considering the timing, etc. If they are truly about WINNING, more than money but while still getting paid millions; then THE HOUSTON ROCKETS is the best place for their career and future!
Seriously, you guys sound like a bunch of Lakers fans with this Howard + CP3 thread. Except, this sort of s$%t only happens to the Lakers in real life. Just gotta be happy with your re-building team with Jeremy Lin and James Harden for the next 3 years before he bolts. Asik is a good center too. Parsons will be playing with CP3 in a couple years though...on the Clippers. The way I see it, nothing in the rumors really mean anything until July 1 when teams and players can talk. But it would be sorta funny if Howard got bullied by media into signing his next 4 seasons away to play in Houston. Yes Dwight, it makes a lot of sense to sign with the Rockets...wink wink. Why not the Mavs too?
I guess you think that only LA deserves to consider super teams. You sound like a really bitter LA fan that is realizing the walls are closing in on you and that soon it will be all over. It's okay, get used to it for a while, you will survive. LA will still be LA and will eventually rise again. But get ready for the Super ROCKETS and stop being a hater...nevermind, haters gonna hate...so let them hate.
Morey has a business plan , he has 20 ways to get both Howard and CP3 The question is whether Howard and CP3 will leave LA
