Well that probably should have been the plan from the get go. One of three things was going to happen with the Josh Smith experiment. A. He would play well, and remind the league what a talent he was & how Detroit was just a bad fit = too much money in free agency for the Rockets to compete B. He wouldn't play well, and the Rockets wouldn't want him regardless since he'd be playing behind Jones & D-Mo in the rotation next year or C. He'd get overpaid regardless in free agency by a stupid team that just wants to add big names and has money to burn. Probably the same teams that are looking to make a run at Rajon Rondo. Getting solid play from Josh, and then assuming he'd take a major pay-cut is probably a dream scenario for the front office. I still think its reasonable that he takes the 2.5 mil offer or whatever it comes out to (I think someone like AElliott has done the cap gymnastics to show the Rockets reasonable offer and make a case for it) and in that case you have to go for it because it makes Josh Smith at the least a trade asset. For the regular season at least that's a bargain, and one Morey will definitely do I'm sure. If they are really assuming Josh is leaving it really doesn't change anything. I still think they make him an offer around that 2.5 range and are pleasantly shocked if he takes it. They can still do something like this and make the moves elsewhere on the roster like signing Llull I'm pretty sure. They will just be able to bring back guys like Smith, and McDaniels to try and operate over the cap and then sign Llull to the MLE. I guess that's the plan from what you can take from Morey's recent interviews.
I expect them to get another replacement level backup probably in the draft that would be under cheap team control for several more seasons as opposed to Jones that is only under contract for one more season. If you could get even a late 2nd round pick for him, it would be more than you'd get by keeping him another season. As to that replacement player cracking the rotation, of course they would if they were the backup, a lot of the reason why some of the people you list don't crack the rotation is because they are buried on the depth chart. Even more so if they brought in someone cheap that was an upgrade over Jones as a FA. I can't see any reason why you wouldn't want to get whatever you could for Jones before he became a FA, all it takes is one sucker and you have a deal done.
No. The way to look at it is about next summer. The Rockets will have two RFA and will try to go after a big star (Durant,Love). Next summer will be the worst year to have RFAs esp two because all teams will have tons of cap space and money to burn. There is a real danger to lose one or both of them for nothing while waiting for the star to sign. So it's better to trade now or in the trade deadline than risk lose for nothing.
I don't even know who Jopat is. If you think there is anything wrong with what I said, feel free and point it out.
Jones has more value as a one-year regular season rental vs. whatever value you are getting back with a LATE 2nd round draft pick. The Rockets gave up TWO 2nd round draft picks for Prigioni, and gave up Canaan & a 2nd rounder for McDaniels who didn't even play this year and could be let go of in free agency this Summer. Why they would value those guys OVER Jones who is a pretty awesome 4th - 6th option for this team is beyond stupid to assume. The Rockets, if they can't get value for a player like Jones, in trade because they KNOW FOR A FACT (they don't FYI) that he can't be retained in free agency on a decent contract in the Summer of 2016, would rather keep him as a rental in that contract year as HE IS IMPORTANT at least in the regular season at helping the team produce wins, than dump him for the sake of dumping him. If you can get a half-way decent 1st rounder for Jones, assuming Josh Smith is coming back, AND D-Mo is healthy (back surgery FYI... go ask Dwight about recovery time), then sure maybe you look to unload one of your PF's. But you aren't just giving them away like they are milk that's about to spoil and contaminate everything in your fridge. Complete stupidity to trade Jones just for the sake of trading him, and shows your true colors if you continue to bring this crap up.
It's not trading him for the sake of trading him, he's not a good player and his contract is about to run out....why keep him? Also, you probably know that DMo had minor surgery, nothing even approaching what Dwight had, so there's probably not any reason for me to point out why that comparison is foolish. If anyone is stupid enough to give you ANY first round pick for Jones, you take it in a heartbeat and laugh about it.
I agree, that Morey will be reluctant to trade Jones( and he should be too) if Smith leaves. With D-Mo's injury, it becomes even more important to retain Jones. Nevertheless, he is probably our best trading asset along with the 18th and the 32nd pick, despite being a 2nd tier PF. I don't see him going anywhere, unless Morey can get a significant player in return. That is going to be hard to pull off.
Jones is actually a good player. And I'm not a big fan. 1st round pick? That's funny. Nobody is giving us a first round pick for any of our PFs. All our pfs are role players with strengths and weaknesses. Would be nice to get a real solution like Aldridge.
Umm... I have no idea what your qualifications are for "Good Player" but as you mentioned about replacement PF's.... Brandon Bass, who some would argue isn't even as productive, made nearly 7 million dollars last year. Jones will make 2.5 million dollars this next year on a one-year deal. Maybe Jones isn't a world-beater by any stretch like what you expect I guess, but he's good value on his contract for next year at the production he gives you. If you argue against that then I really can't have a reasonable conversation with someone like narrow minded, and blinded by vilification and un-objective favoritism. Reg D-Mo's availability next year- Have you ever fused a disc in your back. Have you ever known anyone that fused a disc in their back? Yeah.... its freaking major. Any time you have surgery on your spinal cord... ITS MAJOR, and comes with risk. If you think D-Mo has very little to no risk of missing significant recovery time next year, you are more foolish then perception would lead us to believe. "Jones' contract is about to run out" That's the reason why the Rockets trade people? There is a reason for trading someone who isn't coming back, or you know you cannot afford the previous Summer if you are a team that is not relying on that player for winning in the short term, or doesn't WANT to win in the short term. However that doesn't mean anyone and everyone in the NBA that has a contract year coming up needs to be traded ASAP. If that was the case you'd see half of the players in the NBA traded year after year because in the new CBA era, short contracts are a thing of normalcy. If you can't learn how to retain players after their contracts are up ever then you really need to find a new profession rather than be an NBA GM.
He's an okay backup if you have enough good defenders in your second unit that you can accept a defensive liability at the PF spot. Either way, not someone you want to give a second contract to. I would agree that no one is giving us a 1st rounder, I was responding to someone who suggested it. Personally I think a 2nd rounder is about all we could hope for when trading Jones, but there's a chance the 2nd rounder becomes something worth having. LMA isn't a real possibility and even if he was, he'd have to completely change his game to fit in with the Rockets. That inefficient mid to long range 2 that he loves taking wouldn't cut it here since it has the efficiency of a 26% 3 point shot.
He's a very good backup. I'll defer to Haralabob on this one. Morey would want Aldridge for defense and rebounding. As a third option his offense is fine
That's funny .Usually hrere most people overestimate their own players. You can't be more wrong. Both Jones and DMO can bring back first round picks ESP with this draft. I can say i.e that Milwaukee will gladly offer two first round picks (17th pick + Lac 2017 pick) + Ennis and Ilyasova for DMO. And Jones can bring a late first round pick too from other teams. Maybe a late lottery too if he's packaged with another asset.
Disagree for two reasons. 1. Upside. None of our PFs are likely to ever be all stars. Teams look for upside in the first round. 2. Control and salary cap. Our pfs are all due for raises. 1st round picks are cheap and under team control for awhile.
When your team is about to go after a third contract max player like Durant and Love and when the other 29 teams will have capspace and when the market rate for someone like Jones will be 10+ per only based on youth and hope he can improve then unless you want to face the very real risk to lose him for absolutely nothing real teams trade. No necessarily this off season but at the trade deadline.
SMH, you have so much wrong I probably shouldn't even respond to you. DMo didn't have spinal fusion surgery he had a lumbar microdiscectomy which is an outpatient surgery. He'd be back at work in like 2 weeks if he wasn't a professional athlete. As to Jones, look at his skill set. He's nothing but an athletic hustle player who can score on open dunks and layups and in transition. He can't really shoot the ball, he can't create his own shot, he can't create shots for others. On defense, if he happens to be in the right place at the right time then sometimes he can come away with a flashy block but that's the extent of his defense. He has the physical ability to be a better defender, but 3 years into the league he still hasn't figured out the mental side, he doesn't make proper defensive rotations, he doesn't stay with his man, he doesn't know when to help and when not to, he doesn't know when to jump up and try to get a flashy block and when to play for the rebound, he basically doesn't know how to play defense. He manages to get by on defense against some of the worst competition, but any halfway decent PF will eat him up all game long. Tell me what about that is worth more than another shot at a different player with the pick we could get from him? Again, to prevent confusion, I'm not saying don't retain ANY players once their rookie contracts are up, but there's no reason to retain guys that aren't any good once their rookie contracts are up unless they will sign for super cheap. Like you said Brandon Bass made 7 mil a year, Jones will probably get paid a lot more than he's worth by some team out there so he won't be back. The idea is that you want the Terrence Jones' of the world on rookie contracts, not 2nd contracts and athletic tweeners are super common making them really easy to replace. You don't re-use staples, you just use another one. Same goes for guys like Jones.
Not that your wrong about these types of theoretical scenarios, but I think its sort of a waste of time to really come up with tangible values for either player as if they are being shocked. Mostly because of real-time on the court value vs. market value. Both D-Mo and Jones will have more value to the Rockets next year (yes even as expirings) than they would on the open market. Sort of like the opposite of the Kyle Lowry situation a few years ago where he had more market value than real-time on-the-court value for that particular team. Trading either D-Mo or Jones creates alot of "If's" situations. -If Josh is brought back -If 100% health from all 3 guys -If the Rockets are getting back adequate "real-time on-the-court value" to help compete -etc. The point is, all 3 players are massively important to the Rockets right now and will be next year as well even in smaller roles. Finding a replacement player might seem easy when you see guys like Ilyasova and Brandon Bass available but look at their salaries vs. D-mo and Jones. Important tasks for Morey first before he shops a PF- A. Is Josh coming back B. What's the health situation C. How are we upgrading through other roster moves first that could impact So again, maybe those are accurate trade scenarios but it doesn't change the fact that we should seriously doubt that D-Mo and Jones will be shopped this summer because of the above stated and "Real-Time On-The-Court" value vs. market value.
Everyone in here would have sold DMO for a bag of peanuts before the season started little Bobby, stop your ridiculous rants, you sound like _asketballhollic already. One quick question for you, what is size of DMO's poster in your room?
This draft after the first 12 picks sucks. I also think that DMO if healthy and continues to improve can be an all star one time in the East. Jones has potential upside. The problem is that the more time passes and he doesn't improve the further the possibility of reaching his upside becomes. It really hurt his value that he didn't show much in this years playoffs. Also teams will have to spend money next summer anyway. I think that there will be a few teams interested in Jones. Charlotte, Phoenix, Indiana. But if they think they can steal him for free in Free agency why pay. That's why this summer imo, will be the ideal time for Morrey to trade one of them.
