Is it possible to combine the trade exceptions into one big trade exception? Lin's 8.4 + Asik's projected 5.3 into a 13.7 TPE?
This is the thread that needs to be bumped an maintained with relevant possible moves over the next 48 hours. The Rockets have $15M to spend for this season before matching Parsons, or letting him go the Mavs and a little over $17M to spend. From those options, it looks like they're going to spend now (through signing UFAs and making trades) and then match Parsons.
Thanks for the numbers Carl. You have converted me to a match Parsons regardless. The money is just not that big of difference.
Thanks. Agreed. Some UFA targets who could help or fill positions of need: PG: Augustin, Brooks, Hinrich, Nelson, Ridnour, Sessions, Stuckey, Udrih SG: Carter, Morrow, Stephenson, Turner SF: Aminu, Ariza, C. Butler, R. Butler, Deng, Marion, Pierce PF: Blair, Blatche, Gasol, Smith C: Okafor, Birdman If we're able to still build a solid bench while keeping our rotation that won us 54 games last year, not all is lost.
With the options we have left my favorite senario would be ( this will be very unlikely) Sign Nelson and Okafor for cheap Sign Ariza for 6-7 a year ( I know not probable) And make a trade for Anderson or llysova without giving up Jones or Dmo (again not likely) Sign Daniels and Hamilton Match Parsons I would be very very happy with this team Again probably not every going to happen
Carl... would this be an option IF Pierce was willing to play for MLE Trade for F Josh Smith (DET) or Ryan Anderson (NOP) (send F Omri Casspi + rights to F Kostas Papanikolaou) Use TPE (Lin) to acquire F Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) (send rights to F Alessandro Gentile & future 2nd) Match DAL offer for F Chandler Parsons Use MLE to acquire G/F Paul Pierce (BRK) Re-sign RFA G/F Troy Daniels Use BAE to sign C Emeka Okafor (PHO) Sign 3rd string C to minimum (Udoh or Pittman or ???) Roster Beverley // Canaan // N. Johnson Harden // Pierce // Daniels Parsons // Ilyasova // Covington Smith (or Anderson) // Jones // Motiejunas Howard // Okafor // E. Udoh (or D. Pittman)
To clarify can the Rockets sign a RFA today, and the also match on Parsons, and still get the RFA if the other teams don't match? I suspect the answer is no, and even if yes Morey wouldn't do such a thing anyway - too risky - but curious. Would love to offer Bledsoe max and be able to keep Parsons. But again doubt it's possible AND Phoenix likely matches instead of losing him for nothing.
I tried to think of scenarios where it would make sense to let Parsons go. What I can come up with is this: If HOU can sign a comparable SF (Deng and Ariza being the two most mentioned candidates) to a significantly more favorable (to the team) contract-- one that is easier to trade away for positive value, then letting Parsons go would allow the team greater flexibility in summer 2015 vs. either 1) signing the new SF AND keeping Parsons or 2) keeping Parsons but not signing the new SF. Basically, it's the Lin/Asik situation: the team won't have cap room next year, but how easy is it to CREATE cap room if needed? It is better if all that stands between you and the cap room is one or more easy to trade contracts-- one like Asik's where you can get value for is the best, but at least one like Lin's where the price for cap relief isn't too high. If Houston could get similar production out of a player under a contract that would have more trade value than Parsons' deal, it might make sense to replace Parsons with that guy, depending on what else the team gets to do. But this depends on the availability of an opportunity to sign (or trade for, or acquire via S&T) such a player to a team friendly deal. It likely won't happen as multiple teams are competing for Ariza and Deng. Really so much of it depends on who actually would sign with Houston and at what orice. If the Bosh thing teaches us anything, it teaches us that having the cap flexibility to do something is quite different from actually getting that thing done.
One option... Help Chicago clear room to sign Gasol or Melo by absorbing Boozer. Why? To get a pick and/or asset to go after Love later in the season. Perhaps you could even do a 3 way trade.
What happened to Carl Landry? Maybe use the TPE on him? He is wasting away in Sac. Did he have a major injury or something? edit...google told me he did have injuries.
So, the plan is basically to go on an all-out shopping spree in an over the next 2 days in an attempt to max ALL of the credit cards, and then sign Parsons and go to war with what we have? It has potential, even if it is Plan H-23 or whatever.
Depending on who we net this year this is my plan. Let's not waste anymore of Harden and Dwight. Plus who the hell knows if we would even be able to land a star in 2015.
I don't think Deng and Ariza are coming in at any bargains. Plus Deng really didn't have a good year last year...a contract year. Ariza plays well on contract years. Other years..not so much. I think I'd just keep the chemistry and hope Parsons improves his game as he matures. Staying with my flop of signing Parsons.
So it's either use our cap space/renounce exceptions to sign UFA players and then match Parsons (therefore screwing our future cap space flexibility) OR match Parsons (still no cap flexibility) and just use the exceptions. So, REALLY, can we get better players through using the TPE or do we get better talent from the UFA pool?
Option 1: Renounce unguaranteed salaries, exceptions, capholds, etc. to have cap room to sign UFA and THEN match Parsons and sacrificing future salary cap flexibility (barring trades). Or we could let Parsons walk and try to make due until next year for Love (not likely) or KD. Dwight also has a player option at 2016 off season. Option 2. Match Parsons and then use our TPEs, MLEs, BAEs, etc. to get a few players. Specifically, since the players we could potentially get from the MLE/BAE are from the same pool of players (free agents), could we use the TPE to find potential suitors and even further give up picks/foreign players to fill out the roster? Might be best at this point to TRY to get get commitment from solid veteran free agents on short-term deals and if we can do that, then match Parsons. If not, we match anyways, and then it'll be a longer off-season trying to fill out roster spots.
The post-matching Parsons exceptions don't add up to $15M in current cap space that the Rockets have to spend on UFAs the next 2 days. Future cap flexibility is fluid depending on draft picks and the ability to move current contracts. Omer was a good signing bc we could move him for a good 1st. Lin's contract was bad, bc based on his value, we had to add a low 1st to move him. So as long as the UFA contracts are not poison pills or way above market (and the players perform), I think signing players now is the way to go.
