Rockets have been offered a 1st round pick for Thomas Robinson (UPDATE: So much for "imminent")

I doubt that happens. They should be able to get a second round pick for him if it comes to that.

This, too.

 

Yeah, there is absolutely no reason to release Greg smith. Assuming the TRob trade got done, we'd actually need him considering DMo and Jones are still so raw. Also, Smith improved about as much as anyone, from the season before to the end of last season. One has to think that he'll be even better this year, which means that even at the trade deadline he's likely more valuable to you than as just a small cap-space dump or a mid2nd rounder now. Strong 6'10" guys that can play have real value.

Plus...I've really enjoyed watching him go from scrub to rotational player. He's a walking example of the fact that we have a good organization.

 

GS can play...they're not releasing him and i think the rockets are pretty much done once they get rid of robinson...howard will accept $19mil....just a matter of convincing him to come.

 

According to a report from Fletcher Mackel, the Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans might be nearing a draft night trade.

Per Mackel:

REPORT don’t be surprised if Pelicans acquire 13th pk from Mavs, select Giannis Adetokunbo. NOLA also gets Shawn Marion, send Mavs future pk
It’s been reported that the Mavericks also asked the Cleveland Cavaliers to take Marion along with the #13 pick and a future second rounder, but were denied when the Mavs requested a future first round pick in return.

The Mavericks are hoping to clear Marion’s salary along with the guaranteed contract of a first round pick so they will have enough cap space to sign either Dwight Howard and/or Chris Paul.

 

I'm never going to get used to Pelicans....I wish Utah had just given them the JAZZ name back....ugh.

 

I'd agree that there is no reason to release him, but I wouldn't want him to play over Jones or DMo. Smith is a backup 5 if the Rockets trade Asik or if there are injuries. Smith has little to no offensive game, it would be better to play Asik and Howard at the same time than to play Smith at the same time as either of them.

 

That's true. I hadn't considered the cap hold.



Are these the numbers you guys have? It seems like there's an additional 700k that needs to be cleared to offer Dwight the highest possible amount.

 

Agreed. Though I wonder if the Rockets would think about duct-taping Greg Smith to Royce White. If Howard joins the Rockets, and Asik is still around (or even if he's moved for a starting caliber 4), there's just not much room for Smith anyway.

White is essentially dead weight that would be cut. If you can find a team that wants him as a flyer, even better. The other team essentially ends up paying ~$2.5m (and maybe the Rockets even kick in cash?) for a year of Greg Smith, plus his restricted free agency rights. Given the premium on young big men, I don't think that's crazy. Since Smith is a minimum salary player, you'd just need to find a team with cap room, a trade exception, or non-guaranteed salary to fit White's ~1.7m salary.

That trade would add about $1.6m in cap room after accounting for roster holds.

A quick look through Shamsports shows that the Clippers (if done on draft day), Grizzlies, Thunder, Bulls, Magic, Sixers, and Wizards all have trade exceptions that could get it done. Additionally, teams like the Celtics have unguaranteed salaries that could match and be cut (there's others, but I haven't searched), and teams like the Cavs, etc. could use caproom if they wished.

 

Nice choice of words. I doubt any team sees him as a flyer.

 

If Boston is the team offering the pick, maybe the Rockets can try to add Royce White to the deal since Boston was reportedly interested in White's potential during the draft. Since he only has 1 guaranteed yr left, it would be a low-risk move for the Celtics to see if they can get something productive out of White.

 

Two minor issues with your numbers:

(1) Harden's salary will increase slightly if the cap increases from $58.044 million to $58.5 million. Figure by a little over $100k or so. We won't know the precise amount until July 10.

(2) You need to keep an extra roster charge on the books. Since NBA teams are required to carry 13 players, the roster charges are included until you get to 12 "things" BEFORE you add a free agent, since the free agent is essentially the 13th player on the roster. That extra roster charge only goes away AFTER the free agent is signed, since that free agent then becomes the 12th "thing" and cap room will then be calculated to determine how much room is available for another free agent.

Hope that explains things.

 

Can we release White and have only a third of his salary count against the cap via the stretch provision? Add in a minimum cap hold for his roster spot and we're pretty darn close to the $700K necessary to offer Dwight the max.

 

See my post responding to Sooner423's numbers. The Rockets fall another $600k or so short if you add up my two points above.

While waiving White via the stretch provision is a distinct possibility for the Rockets, it won't be the difference between "full Dwight max" room or not. Also, the Rockets will be saddled with a $573k cap hit for each of the next three seasons. I'm guessing that Morey would prefer not to have that hit, especially in 2015, when the team could once again have significant cap room to pursue a third star. (FWIW, the Rockets elected to have Tyler Honeycutt's $100k partial guarantee applied to the cap next year in its entirety instead of as separate $33k cap hits in each of the next three seasons.)

 

I'm not saying we'd play him over DMo or Jones. im just saying he's a versatile rotational big who's a 4 that can slide into the 5 spot in a pinch, is super young, continues to improve, and makes next to nothing. No reason to cut him lose.

 

Wow this is some creative thinking that's not magical thinking!

 

I was agreeing that there is no reason to cut him lose, but honestly, he's not a 4, he's an undersized 5. He has basically no offensive game so he'd be at best a #3 at either the 4 or the 5 if the Rockets got Dwight Howard without giving up Asik. That said, he's young and he's cheap, so there's no reason to dump him unless an extra 350k would be a deal breaker for Dwight Howard.

 

Would trading Robinson in exchange for draft pick/no salary coming back be enough for us to offer Dwight his max deal? Assuming we keep Beverley, Smith, Motiejunas, Jones, and Mr. #bewell.

 

Depends on what the cap comes in at. But if it is the rumored $58.5 million, the answer is no. Gotta move White completely out, gotta move Smith out, and gotta waive Anderson at least temporarily.

 

Sam Hinkie can do his old boss a favor in absorbing Royce White into the small trade exception the Sixers have in exchange for cash and one of the Knicks second round picks. I believe that would be just enough to offer Dwight the full max or close enough.

 

I've often wondered if Hinkie and Morey would help each other out this offseason. I could see something like this or something on a larger scale happening that may benefit both teams.