OKC would have to be gambling on the salary cap going up to around $70 million so they could re-sign him (after clearing the deck of everybody but KD, RB, and SI. Because Bledsoe wouldn't come with anything but non-birds rights. That means to sign him using an exception they could only pay him 120% more than what would be earning on the qualifying offer. That's not enough to retain him. So, OKC would have to carve out cap space. When you look at their roster...it would be a challenge for them to clear $15 million or so of cap to re-sign him. But they could use the non-bird exception to give him a starting salary of $14.4-$15.6 million on a 4-year deal without clearing cap if PHX signed him to a 1-year deal at $12-$13 million and then traded him to OKC with his permission. Same thing and even worse for the Rockets. Gotta clear out everybody but H&H to re-sign Bledsoe if he requires a max deal. And why would you trade for a guy to underperform and not earn a max deal? You can't trade for the guy and hope he underperforms so you can sign him cheap. That's why I say it's in both PHX's and Bledsoe's best interest to sign a 1-year deal for around $12 million or so if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. PHX has to pay out $56 million total to somebodies. There's no reason for them to just pay him $3.7 million. Might as well give him $12 million and thereby create a situation where there is more trade flexibility for him. He still can only be traded to the team of his choice. But at least the span of teams that would possibly trade for him will increase to include teams like OKC and HOU (and others) who do not want to have to clear the roster to re-sign him with cap space. By the way, you need to watch OKC. They are in a position to possibly trade for a guy like Bledsoe (or Rubio or Rondo). They've got guys like Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, and Perry Jones to go along with a nice expiring like Perkins and a pick to throw together a nice package for Bledsoe (or Rubio/Rondo). And they're in a salary cap position where they could re-sign any of those guys and have really a big 4, all the while staying out of the luxury tax as the cap rises. Just another reason why you know Morey has to be interested here. Bledsoe/Westbrook/Durant/Adams/Ibaka.......Welcome to the WC Finals at least.
Well they will either have to trade EB or lose him for nothing... He will probably sign that qualifying offer and that will probably be his last year.. A lot of bad blood has been spilled and I don't think there's any recovery.. T_Man
A Rondo, Westbrook backcourt would be insanely scary. I don't want to see that happen as a rocket fan at all. If healthy their in the Finals hands down.
All of this talk about Eric Bledsoe is very interesting but for Daryl Morey to even acquire him (and I wouldn't put it past Daryl), we'd have to do all this before October 1st (right?) or wait until December if Bledsoe's agent gets him a deal they find palatable. To get Bledsoe now at the deal he wants, assuming Morey will fork out Les' cash, wouldn't the deal have to involve three teams (I won't assume the possibility of four), with Terry going to one of the teams (because he can't be packaged with other players for a couple months), and and other players amounting to $3,700,000 (more or less) going to (an)other team(s).... Probably something like, picks and Terry to Phoenix, $3,700,000 worth of players to a third team that can absorb the contracts and shell out a decent pick rather than raking us over the coals....?
I believe I'm the one (from RGM) Aleron is refering to as saying this Suns in sider is a fraud. I didn't say that. I just tried to qualify is "insider" where-with-all...question it strongly. He came on the board back in '09 and made some claims he had possible insider information. He many times wrote things to the effect..."I get some tidbits from a couple of journalistic outlets...I know a couple of writers...I'm not really an insider, but I can pass along some things I hear from the press". He repeated this caveat a few times, but as time went on his "inside info" became more and more precise and written as sounding very much like it was coming from inside the Suns front office, not as if they were hearsay via the press. The heat got turned up on him some time later...like 2 years later, and of course that was followed by him getting defensive and pushing back...threatening to stop because he wasn't getting his due respect. It was around this time (to his credit) that he got specific (well somewhat) with his contacts. One works/worked for ESPN Dallas and the other he knew "is engaged to a Suns reporter". But he also made one curious claim, and that was he worked for NBA China. Made the job reference once and never used this Asian insight before or afterwards for validation...not sure what an NBA China gig would get him for as far as inside knowledge. In early '11 he "disappeared" when people were questioning his inside info. A year later he signed back on using a slightly different username, but came right out and said he was the same person. No mention of "insider" or "contacts" or "sources". For over two years he made regular average to good posts, question...observation, never with a hint that he was anything other than a regular contributer. Just a guy. As late as late May this year he was an average contributer, then suddenly when the talk of Lebron & Bosh might actually be communicating with Phoenix...rumors a flying...his posts took on a completely different flavor. They were written as if he at least at a decent inside connection to everything Suns. No reiteration of the quality or recent improvements of his connections, just "here it is", and of course people who crave this stuff, ate it up. I cocked my head greatly. But everybody knows, if someone claims to of precious inside information...or simply writes in a motif that suggests they do, any push-back however earnest in intention is almost always met with anything from metaphorical spitballs to deadly verbal poison darts. "How dare you?" The guy is not a fraud, I just seriously doubt how good his info is, especially because he's never claimed to be an actual inside...he just has a sports writer connection or two, and one is based in Dallas...sports busy Dallas. The other red flag for me is that some of his claims to the inside included ideas that aren't even possible or highly suspect. One of his latest, is that the Suns will trade Bledsoe soon after he signs the QO...huh? It's not even legal, and would be very problematic even if they could given the stipulations of a 1 year deal. Lets just say, I'm double dubious about any information that comes from him...and you should be also. OT: Regarding the idea floated that the Suns could offer Bledsoe a 12 million dollar one year deal to open up other possibilities beyond the standing QO? It doesn't work that way. There is nothing that special about a QO..it's just a one year deal that "qualifies" as a CBA legit offer. Boosting it to a higher dollar figure doesn't remove all the stipulations/limitations of the current 3.7 million dollar offer. A contract must be 2 years in length (no options) for the signing player to be traded without his permission and for his Bird rights to be transferable to the new team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Rockets and Bucks had discussed sign and trade involving Sessions but couldn't work out deal.</p>— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeryWoelfel/status/513358494884298753">September 20, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Re: Lowry trust issues, was first thing a Rockets insider mentioned to a couple of us beat guys post-trade in Vegas when we asked about him.</p>— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/514449338131841024">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This is exactly why either Bledsoe or Dragic are the BEST fits next to Dwight and the Beard. Rondo & Rubio are not nearly as good of a fit, but they are still an upgrade to our current talent. As long as we do not have to gut our bench and/or our future to acquire either of them. If we end up with Rubio then he is a Rocket, period, and I will root my ass of for him.
I think we could make it work with Rondo but otherwise I agree. I may not like Rubio but I will definitely root for him if he comes here. Spoiler I just hope he doesnt come here :grin:
We keep seeing article after article stating that NO team has offered Bledsoe any contract this offseason. I thought Morey offered a 2 year Max similar to the deal Stephenson received. Was this only an unsubstantiated rumor?
Great endorsement from the Celtics owner! <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Celtics' owner on Rajon Rondo: "I don't know how coachable he really is" <a href="http://t.co/QMzS4PA2Nz">http://t.co/QMzS4PA2Nz</a> <a href="http://t.co/cZaSmueXux">pic.twitter.com/cZaSmueXux</a></p>— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/514461000003616769">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A 1-year deal in the range of $12-$13 million does come with the right to re-sign the player to a deal with a starting salary up to 20% greater without having to open up cap space Chris. That is a big difference fora team that wants to re-sign Bledsoe but doesn't want to have to unload the roster to do it. Non-Bird Exception. Signing the standard qualifying offer hurts both Bledsoe and Phoenix. They'll pay him $10-$14 million on a one year deal or a 2-year deal witha player option on year 2 or they'll sign him to a full long term 4 or 5 year deal.
Back to Wicky Wubio (FWIW) May have already been posted <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Fegan/Jarinn Akana will gladly extend for the max. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/twolves?src=hash">#twolves</a> RT <a href="https://twitter.com/2_Shoe">@2_Shoe</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson">@DarrenWolfson</a> any indication of Rubio reluctance to re-sign w/ MN?</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/status/514422248426307585">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p>Re: Rubio, <a href="https://twitter.com/Adam_Kuhn">@Adam_Kuhn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/2_Shoe">@2_Shoe</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Twolves?src=hash">#Twolves</a> would do a 4-yr deal in $42M range. That hasn't changed. Agents see NYK/LAL w/ cap space next year.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/status/514423628352339968">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/BrianGaranich">@BrianGaranich</a> I'll add this: you're crazy if you think this second the Wolves are married to Rubio. HUGE year for him.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/status/514424521739075584">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/1purplehaze1">@1purplehaze1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/2_Shoe">@2_Shoe</a> Exactly what I'm saying. The Wolves are not offering Rubio the max before next month's deadline.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/status/514426449923543041">September 23, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
We've got a JoshFast and a StuDogg to fix what ails you. Thanks for the clarification Chris. Lots of PG rumors circulating.. #PlowMeOnce #ShameonZoplicone
Give up all your best assets for Bledsoe, sign him to a max, and if he has more knee problems, you can just go ahead and label the Rockets irrelevant for the rest of Dwight's contract. This is why I simply cannot buy into any rumor or theory that the Rockets would do either of these things. Maybe if the Suns weren't demanding a king's ransom, maybe if Bledsoe accepted a shorter contract, but since neither is likely, I peg the Rockets' interest in Bledsoe to be zero. He's simply too costly (assets and size/length of contract) and too risky (knee) to make him the "third guy". Rondo's personality is obviously scaring teams away, so that leaves Rubio, but I am so skeptical about Rubio. He just seems an odd (and very costly) fit.
