If the player starts in at least 41 games or played at least 2,000 minutes in the regular season in the one season before becoming a RFA or in the average of the previous two seasons, he meets the starter criteria. Source
Thanks for the clarification. So assuming the above scenario is right which the Rockets will dump all these players mentioned, it seems to me that Kpap probably will have the highest value of the group. Not because his playing value but rather his contract value? which the team that will be getting him simply will have the option to decline his option next year and instantly gain a relief close to 5 mils in cap? And while we are all assuming the Rox are going all in this year, it really seems to be risky to trade away any main roster players at this point of the season while could have major impact on our lineup? If that will be the case, plus the fact that NOP doesn't look like will get into the playoff, I think Morey is probably going to keep this NOP pick to use it ourselves UNLESS a major trade will happen in the offseason? Judging by how we have seen from Josh Smith so far, I think its a safe bet that Morey will rather keep TJ or Dmo for an extension after next season than him. And then, the NOP will have much higher value than we could expect, because the Rox will be very tight on the cap and this pick will definitely help us to get a cheap quality rookie to fill out the rotation for a few years.
Now, if Brewer plays poorly or gets seriously injured (such that Corey would want to exercise his player option), the Rockets won't be locked into paying him $4.9 million next season. As a practical matter, given Brewer's current level of play (even with Minnesota earlier this season), it was not very likely that he would have exercised that player option to begin with. More than likely, he was always going to test free agency this summer. But now, the Rockets are off the hook for any (however unlikely) downside with Brewer beyond this season.
this article reinforces my belief that Morey should keep the pellies 1st and nyk 2nd, and not go "all in" for a mid season acquisition.
Great work as always Bima! As Bima mentioned in the article, Brewer dropped his player option for next season, i believe he is looking for more $$$ probably a deal like Ariza's. Morey can afford to include Ariza in his all-in deal for the 3rd star be4 the feb trade deadline then go over the cap to resign Brewer.
Not really. He can't get more money under a SnT than he could via many other means that other suitors have at their disposal. So, he has no incentive to use a SnT versus just seeking out an MLE, or just part of it. It's not really a valid scenario, because the Rockets would keep him for cheap. I'm pretty sure the Rockets would pay him $2.5m vs trade him. Problem is: that's their top pay under a SnT.
I disagree with that. What this tells me is that because of how little cap space they would have and how many cuts they would have to make to create cap space , their best bet is to get that 3rd guy at the deadline , acquiring bird rights and being able to go over the cap to resign him in the offseason. You aren't getting a star for the $7.6m in cap space they could create by jettisoning Terry , Shved , KPap & Brewer. Then Morey has the difficult task of replacing those players with nothing but vet min contracts which means a bench that would likely be as weak as what they started this season with and few assets to improve it with.
I'm not saying that your opinion isn't valid, but why would my article *reinforce* your belief that the Rockets should stand pat? All the evidence I present suggests that the Rockets might need to make a mid season trade if they want to get that third guy before 2016. Your view preferring that the Rockets stand pat may turn out to be right, but it would be in spite of what my article says. This, pretty much. Not to mention the Rockets would also need to trade/stash any 2015 first rounders just to get to that cap room figure.
Where exactly did you see in the article that Ariza was "Trade Bait"? If anything, Bima cautioned that its unlikely because of his importance on the defensive end.... HOWEVER yes technically its a possibility just as its always been. Stop patting yourself on the back. Again, as always... if you throw enough S$%# against the wall, some of it is likely to stick.
I'm fine we're going with the "win now" mode since Dwight is already in decline. Bima, what would have to happen for us to get involved in the KD free agency sweepstakes? Would we have to once again gut the team?
Bima if the Rockets were able to swing a trade for Reggie Jackson(I know not likely) would a first and second round pick(s) and Shved be enough or would the Rockets have to make any more salary room?
Trevor Ariza will have 3 yrs remaining at $23.4M. He will not be difficult to move. With his contract off the books, the Rockets will have nearly $16M to offer someone like Dragic. It would ironic if Ariza finds himself with another one-and-done season for the Rockets.
We don't yet know exactly where the salary cap will end up in 2016, but it will be pretty damn high. While the Rockets could conceivably have enough room to fit all of Harden, Howard and Durant, I don't think they could keep all of their current rotation guys. Beverley, Brewer and Smith will all want bigger pay days this coming summer; and D-Mo and Jones will hit restricted free agency in 2016. But I'm guessing the Rockets would gladly move on from several of those guys in order to add KD. From a salary cap standpoint, Shved (plus picks) for Reggie works fine. However, I have no idea what Sam Presti would want for Jackson, who is a good young player but who may end up leaving for a bigger pay day this summer (if OKC doesn't match an offer sheet). Frankly, I'd be a tad apprehensive about moving that NOP pick for Jackson; but I also get that the Rockets are in "win now" mode and might be willing to give up more than fair value for a difference-making piece. Not so sure it will be "easy" to move Ariza, but that deal certainly isn't that bad, especially once the new TV money kicks in. But if moving Ariza was both viable and necessary to get a guy like Dragic, I could see the Rockets pulling the trigger. However, if they have to use assets to dump Ariza, plus have to part ways with other contributors to create the room in the first place, they may not necessarily be better off with Dragic and no wing/bench depth.
@ BimaThug Who else besides Dragic do you think they could target between now & the deadline - players in a similar contract situation and or who fit the 3rd star description that could be had ?! Seems like a mighty short list to me after looking over rosters , records & post season prospects.
The streetch provision has to be used by when in the year to start stretching future years. As in Detroit pays all of JS this year and stretches last two over five, yes? They had until what date to do that in the precise form? Thanks...x...
Not so sure the player has to have a similar contract situation to Dragic. With this roster, adding that third big-time player may complete the team, so aligning contract expiration dates should no longer be a significant factor. Frankly, I don't know who is on that list. A lot can change for teams between now and mid-February. A team can use the Stretch Provision at any time on future years (beyond the then-current season) during the regular season, as the Pistons did with Smith. In order to stretch out the current season, a player must be waived using the Stretch Provision by August 31. That's why the Kings agreed in principle to give up two second rounders to the Rockets in order to dump Jason Terry on that date this past August. If they couldn't trade Terry, they were likely going to waive him and stretch out his $5.85 million salary over the next three years.
