As Carmelo Anthony leans toward leaving New York, Chicago and Houston emerge as frontrunners

So what else does your magic crystal ball tell you?

 

And the timing won't allow for them to pick up his option that late in the game. All Melo/lebron/Bosh decisions won't be made till the first week of July.

The Rockets are just going to have to take an educated guess on that one.

 

The problem is, Both of you are wrong.

The Apron only applies to players acquiring (receiving) a player who is traded through Sign and Trade, not sending out a player through sign and trade.

In other words, the Knicks are over the Apron. They can sign their players and send them out in a trade as long as the salary is matched or reduced.

If the Rockets decline Parsons, then sign him to trade, the Knicks would NOT be eligible to receive Parsons unless the Knicks managed to get under the Apron ($4M over the tax line). If the Rockets do NOT decline Parsons, they can trade him like any other player.

So, the Knicks could sign and trade Melo to another team. They can NOT receive a player that is sign and traded to them.

Per Larry Coon...

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/chat/nba-chat-with-larry-coon-31414/

In other words, the issue is not whether the Knicks are over the Apron or not, the issue is whether the ROCKETS will be under the Apron.

Considering that the Rockets are at $63M in committed salaries this season and the Tax line is closer to $81M, doing a Sign and Trade of Lin+Asik+Tjones would only add about $4-6M to the cap while the Rockets will still be FAR under the tax Apron.

Sign and Trades are fully feasible, and the Rockets are one of the teams that can do it using the 125% rule (since they're under the cap).

 

he didnt say sign and trade to new york...nor does it even give off that impression. It seems more like he might have to sign and trade parsons to move the others.

we can sign and trade parsons and send him to philly with lin if we wanted...and we can sign and trade with nyk and receive melo since we are under the apron

 

Sign and trades require the player to give their consent. We can't do anything with Parsons in a sign and trade without his approval. Unless he's going to a MUCH better situation, I doubt he'd agree to go anywhere.

 

now that is a good point...if i am parsons i am not going to the jazz or philly lol

 

I don't know about that, If he is offered the chance to go to another team and get payed well I'm sure he would take it. Since he has been enormously underpaid his whole career the most important thing to him right now is setting himself up financially for the future, not staying in Houston...

Now I don't think he will be traded, but I have no doubt he would accept a move if it meant he was payed.

 

Finally the voice of reason.



We


are


not


trading


Parsons.

 

The following has to happen for Parsons to be S&Ted

1. Parsons want to join this team he's being S&Ted to over a team that will be perennial 50+ wins with 2 stars and possibly 3 in the future.
2. The team does not have the capspace to sign Parsons outright.
3. The team can give the Rockets enough assets to make things worthwhile for the Rockets. Which likely means multiple 1st round picks or lottery pick in this year's draft.
4. The team has expiring contracts necessary to to facilitate the trade.

For all those to come together, I would put the odds at below LeBron James signing with the Rockets.

 

Like i said i don't think he will be traded but if it were to come up Im sure he would do it

 

Parsons handsome face plastered all over NYC would bring Parsons an insane amount of money/sponsorships/modelling gigs/popularity/money/money/money/popularity/money

shi//y team or not.. I'm sure Parsons would be all over it

 

I just shut out all the national media this time of year. All they do is **** on Houston and write about how it's a mistake coming here.

 

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2014/06/carmelo_anthonys_odds_on_becoming_a_houston_rocket.php

 

Woj is about to be on the DP show.

 

NY is in the luxury tax. They can't receive a S&T player. Parsons cannot be a Knick.

 

This myth was busted 5-6 pages ago.

 

He can be a Knick if they pick up Parsons option and simply trade him.

They haven't declined it YET. Once they decline the option, then NO, Parsons can not be sent to the knicks.

 

Very true. Unlikely we go that route without assurances, so we shall see.

 

Woj:

No surprise 'Melo opts out?

He was always focused on opting out. Never considered the alternative of opting in, like Jackson had suggested or hoped.

Now what happens?

Chicago and Houston are in interesting positions. They need word from 'Melo to start making deals. Both are working on contingencies. Do we have deals in place? Houston, for example, if you take a million or so less, we can keep Beverley or re-sign Parsons and go down the list.

Likelihood 'Melo just walks away from the Knicks?

A little better than not. I still think he'll sway and go back and forth on this. My sources told me all along he's leaning towards leaving and that's different from he's definitely leaving. He's giving up $30-40 million based on how much cap space those teams can clear. There will be a moment of truth.

Sign and trade possibility?

New York doesn't want to take on money past this year. They want a clear slate in 2015. They don't have interest in Boozer. They might let him walk. Houston would love to give them Lin and Asik. It could be in play but they won't get value for him, someone who will help long term. It would be one year guys.

Phil Jackson won't shed a tear if he loses 'Melo?

He said that. If 'Melo leaves, you can go big game hunting in 2015, you saw this last time when they were in free agency. It's hard to get the first guy in. Stoudemire was the first guy in. Both sides were a little desperate. Guys know they can't win alone. They need 'Melo to attract free agents next year and the summer after. If it's bare, I don't know how it's attractive.

Kevin Love's status?

Lakers aren't really involved. It doesn't make sense. I don't know getting the 7th pick is enough. There's so much divide within the Warriors with Klay Thompson. Minnesota wants Thompson and Barnes and they aren't getting both right now. Denver has jumped in. They'd do a deal without a guarantee he re-signs. More and more it's looking like he stays in Minnesota through at least the draft. There are no high draft picks available that make it necessary to do a deal on/by draft night. Flip believes he can coach this team into the playoffs and can maybe convince Love to stay the way Portland did with Aldridge.

Joel Embiid with foot surgery, someone will take a chance on him. Where do you see him going?

Less of a risk the further he drops. Orlando, Utah, Boston and LA, it's a risk. He may not play this year. The bottom for him is Philadelphia at 10 and Orlando at 12. They both have two picks. How much medical info do these teams get? Arn Tellem can control that. Let's say he only wanted the Lakers to have his info, he can make sure only the Lakers and Celtics get it. It'd be difficult to take him without medical info.

LeBron James?

He gotta sit down with his teammates and with Pat Riley. Riley clearly delivered him a message which seems like a great idea until it backfires. Riles does know his audience. It was no accident. LeBron is too limited with options. Riley won't make it easy and has no interest in helping him with a sign and trade to the Clippers. I think they all opt back in and look again next year.

Why did he do that?

There's no question anyone else dare pull that off except Riley. It will be interesting to see his reaction. He called him out in every way. LeBron is not afraid of anything. If there is a better place, he'll go. We're in an age now where guys will go play with friends and a chance to win. The league set up these rules. Why should superstars take less when they're worth more? It'll be real interesting to see how he looks at this. I think they all come back one more year.

 

I'm gonna be a little disappointed if there aren't any fireworks (here or elsewhere) on draft night.