[ClutchFans] Hey, Remember when Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik were on the Rockets?

I don't doubt that we will eventually have a new player somewhere on the team that will also replace someone in the starting 5 this summer. Exciting.

 

Miami is going to be interesting if they can work the cap creatively.
GSW is another place that would be desirable. Steph Curry is an attractive teammate and they have plenty around them. Kevin Love allegedly has interest in them.
Plenty of other locations that may not have cap room but can get in on the sign and trade market if the player has a credible threat to leave.

 

Not knowing how this will all shake out is killing me. Watching this unfold will be interesting to say the least, though. Morey never disappoints with the dramatics. I for one don't think he is bluffing, I think there are deals to be made.

Yes Morey could pull an about face with Parsons and pick up the option, but I think we will instead have fireworks sooner rather than later. Here is to landing our last big fish for a championship run.

Thanks, Clutch. Great as always.

 

Great article! I appreciate the "nutshell" approach & can't wait to see how the front office works their magic this off-season. IMWT

 

It's going to be an interesting 3 weeks!

Last year we were so focused on Dwight Howard and we knew Chandler Parsons was big in the recruiting.

Now, we have some theories on who the Rockets might go after but nothing concrete per se. Things could get very interesting as we get closer to the NBA Draft on June 26th.

 

Whatever date Igoudala was signed & GS traded Biedrins/Jefferson to Utah is a date I would keep in mind as a Rockets fan.

I think it was the 7th of July but could be mistaken. That's probably the type of deal they are looking to do and would be shocked if they traded Lin & Asik first on draft night without knowing for sure that a big fish is almost in the boat if not already on the line (sorry just went fishing so excuse the metaphor).

 

Interesting to say the least. I believe Morey will move Asik regardless. If we miss out on all of the top tier FAs, I think he trades Asik, D-Mo, the 25 for Millsap and Carroll.. Hopefully we can get Carmelo, but if new don't get him or another star player, I think Lin will still be in a Rockets uniform next season..

 

Well, the stretch provision is often overlooked in these scenarios which could allow the Rockets to clear nearly 15 million dollars without the use of any trades. The term max is somewhat subjective, as it could be 11-30 million dollars.

One name that isn't brought up often is a guy like Eric Bledsoe. While not the sexy name, could the Rockets feel offering him max, so that Phoenix does not match, add enough "oomph" to this team to get to the next level?

 

The problem with GS is they can only trade players. They can't really trade draft picks. They most likely cannot put together a creative enough package that includes good, young talent, draft picks, and take back salary to give Minnesota cap space to go after Pau or somebody else with. Perhaps PJax might take Lee and Barnes back for a freshly signed-and-traded Melo but there has been no indication that Melo is interested in GS.

GS DOES NOT have the ability this season to buy their way into cap space.

 

Can't wait for Melo to join the Rockets!

Two volume shooters and a diva center!

Going to get my popcorn ready...

 

I am concerned that DM the GM has the hubris effect that will cause a backsplash effect from his peerage.

I certainly hope I'm wrong.

 

Yep seems legit. Also I'm pregnant with an alien baby. What indicators are you talking about? A declined option and a tweet. Facts??? Who gives a **** about facts.

About Chandlers contract. When he will an agreement with a team, Rockets will have 3 days to match. Obviously they're gonna match, that's the reason for this decline move. Then that contract will hit Rockets salary cap like teenager will hit his prom date. So even if we can find trades for Omer and Lin, it'll be too late. (there has to be already agreed deals for Omer&Lin. I can't imagine that we will find destinations in very short of time. We tried all year long this past year.)

And about Omer & Lin deals. So we won't get anybody/contract in return for this to work. This means, only teams with cap space or trade exceptions can be our partners in crime. www.spotrac.com says:
17 San Antonio Spurs 9,741,796
18 Toronto Raptors 12,783,657
19 Washington Wizards 14,210,228
20 Atlanta Hawks 14,483,942
21 Milwaukee Bucks 15,316,160
22 Cleveland Cavaliers 16,038,883
23 Orlando Magic 17,287,589
24 Charlotte Hornets 18,353,241
25 Detroit Pistons 21,022,125
26 Los Angeles Lakers 25,924,047
27 Philadelphia 76ers 30,630,884
28 Phoenix Suns 30,713,215
29 Utah Jazz 31,070,436
30 Dallas Mavericks 31,949,900
...has cap space. I just don't know why any of these teams would accept paying 15,000,000 for a basically rental player.

 

Nice.

 

Same reason Utah accepted paying $24 million for basically rental players last season and didn't win a thing with them.


90% of the salary cap has to be spent on player's salaries. Every team has to actually pay out 90% of whatever the cap is. That means they gotta use their cap space. They can't just float through the season going to the lottery and paying $25 million in salary while doing it. They have to pay out 90% of the cap. So, if they can't sign a max free agent and they are going to suck they might as well sell their cap space for picks. Understandomendo?

 

As a Lin fan, I'd like to see him get to a different team where he can play with a coaching staff that backs him. As for the Rockets, they might want to think twice before letting both players go. In the playoffs, it was Lin and Asik that made it possible for Houston to have a chance to win that series. Houston leaned on the very two guys whom they had demoted to reserve roles. They'd be better off moving the coaching staff.

 

As something in their back pocket worst case scenario... absolutely we dont talk about it enough.

I didn't see anything online that stated it, but for some reason I thought you could only stretch one contract in the new CBA, but I guess that's not true. Looks like you could actually stretch both Lin & Asik over 5 years, and have them only could 3.36 mil over the next 5 years every year.

If they were to stretch both that gives them what.... 47/48 million + empty roster charges & cap holds for incoming rookies? Looks like that could open up roughly 15 or so million which is not really Melo/Lebron money but definitely puts them in play for a Bledsoe/Monroe type of young player looking to cash in, or an older veteran player that isn't quite a max player(Deng, Piece), or at the point in their career just want to win & will take a major pay cut.

Going this route and going for more of a sure thing & can be a route to add a good player & still be able to hang onto Parsons in RFA.

 

Absolutely no one but the Rockets can say: he wants to play for a contender, so you're going to trade him to us now or we're going to sign him in the coming offseason.

No one. Certainly no one with two stars. Chicago is the closest, and there are BIG ifs there. Is Rose going to be Rose again? Is Chicago really willing to give up Butler + Gibson + Mirotic for a star, leaving them with unacceptable depth for a contender? Noah is a sure thing, and Thibodeau is a big draw apparently. But can Chicago offer a better team than Howard, Parsons, Harden and Beverley? I really doubt it, though having Thibodeau and being in the East has real advantages.

Golden State? Highly doubt it. The team has a new coach so there's a transition. Bogut is down all the time. Curry's ankles are worrisome. The team doesn't have future flexibility or picks. They were NOT closer than us this season. Since they have to trade CURRENT assets in exchange for a star, I think the best they can offer with the addition of a star is last year's Houston Rockets.

If an FA chooses Boston, then I'm glad they didn't come here. Ridiculous for someone to claim they want to win, then go to a Boston team that's obviously not close to contending. Kevin Love will arguably not make the Celtics better than the Pacers nevermind the Heat.

It's between us and Chicago. With Rose having to prove he can be a superstar again, I think they get the advantage. Howard proved he's healthy and Harden's the best SG in the planet. Bev is all nba defense. Parsons is a great teammate, a getting better every year. No one on the team is going to be in decline for at least a couple of years.

The big issue I have with everything is: I think Morey is bluffing, and I think the more experiences GM's in the league will call his bluff. His confidence may have screwed him over this time. I don't think he has trades lined up for both Lin and Asik. I think there's a real possibility we end up with largely the same team this coming season and no cap space in 2015. It's high risk, but we could end up assembling the most talented team in the league this summer.

 

Nobody cares.

 

I always wonder what they will say when the next coaching staff he ends up has him coming off the bench as well.

Who am I kidding, it will of course just be another coaching staff that doesn't "back" or "trust" or "believe" in Lin. Most certainly won't be that Lin has deserved the role he gets.

 

As a Lin fan, your opinion will probably get dismissed immediately, but I think there is some merit to what you are saying.

Lin & Asik aren't Biedrins & Richard Jefferson even though you'd think they were by the way they are being moved out or rumoured to be moved out. When in fact these are two very key contributors over the past 2 years.

Worst case scenario for the Rockets would be for them to move Asik & Lin for nothing of value (& possibly GIVING away assets in the process) & then striking out in free agency/trades for a really good player or even worse... making a trade/signing that turns out to be a bust (Deron Williams seems to be the riskiest of these types of deals).

If the Rockets dont have anything lined up, keeping Lin & Asik next year & extending Parsons isn't such a bad gig & they have more ways to improve the roster beyond what is being advertised on the GARM & they still have young talent that can take off. Keep in mind that Asik is actually pretty damn good, and Lin has his moments.

I think the Rockets front office is smart and knows this however. I dont think they are thinking of it as throwing away Lin & Asik merely as much as the fans think of it. That's why that July 5th Utah/GS/Iggy deal date is one to circle on your calendar. I DO NOT think that Morey wants to lose Asik & Lin if he strikes out in free agency, and will try to line up these deals (if there even are any) to happen on the same day to insure himself that he wont lose both players for nothing if he strikes out.


-As for your statement about the coaching.... save it. McHale isn't perfect, but they are obviously looking to make changes to the coaching staff if you keep up with what they do behind the scenes. It is what it is so there really isn't a point in b****ing about it. The Thunder have made it to the finals, and the WCF with Scotty Brooks as their coach so it is possible that the Rockets can win IN SPITE of him. So just put that one to rest for now. He's coming back but with some changes to the overall staff.