[Spanish Radio] Sergio Llull close to deciding to join the Rockets?

I'm going to start sounding like a scratched record but the more stuff I read the more I dislike where this is going. Letting brewer and smith walk? After everything they did for us last season, those two were imperative to our run last season, that is a horrible move (if true). It would basically shaft our team. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm not too keen on gutting our bench for this guy and having players such as k pap playing meaningful minutes. That would be taking a HUGE step backwards in my opinion. He's not worth it

 

Horrible bench. I'd rather pay Brewer $8 million a year and try and keep the current team together and explore trade options in regards to Lawson etc.

 

Well letting Brewer walk wouldn't matter if the Rockets kept KJ McDaniels. I don't really like the idea of letting Smith walk, but if he wants more than the minimum, you have to.

 

Seconded, Morey appears to have had a man crush on Llull for years but adding him and subtracting Brewer and Smith doesn't seem wise. Llull for the MLE could make this a dream offseason by resigning everyone and still having assets to live for a Lawson or LMA.

Llull for $3 million more means you lose your bench.

 

Beverley, KJ and Capela is a good start to building a bench, especially on the defensive end. Add a Sergio Rodriguez or Aaron Brooks at the minimum to pump up the offense and you're fine.

 

Brewer is a very different player to mcdaniels. We also have Brewers bird rights. Smith is already getting paid by Detroit and is playing with one of his best friends, letting him walk is borderline moronic. We could trade papa, jones, pick 18 and a filler or two for Ty Lawson. A guy that wants out of denver and is a proven commodity at NBA level. But for some reason we are pursuing llull, who happens to be the same age as Lawson btw, and landing him will most likely result in gutting half of the team. The same team that got to the WCF. the same team that had a miraculous comeback against the clippers. We are going to bust up that team for... Sergio llull? Granted, I think he can play, but $24 million? Gutting half the team? Losing brewer and smoove? No thanks.

 

Brewer walking is a not remotely a good thing. He got so many steals and had the best fast break game that secured Rocket wins well into the WCF. McDaniels is still unproven.

 

I disagree. People forget that beverley struggled to hit the side of a barn for much of last season when he wasn't injured. KJ is still incredibly raw, he can't shoot. I'm sure he will develop a jumper in the future but banking your championship aspirations on a group of prospects is a recipe for disaster. Capela showed some great signs but I don't think he's quite ready yet. It's far from "fine".

 

Well, since the Rockets decide to use its MLE in Llull instead of Josh Smith (and we know that for months ago), Josh's continuity seems very unlikely, so I don't think this alleged new offer has any incidence in that regard.

I think T-Jones would be in still as a backup PF, but another significant change induced by operating under the cap it would mean the renounce of Prigioni & Papas unguaranteed contracts (important trade assets).

Morey said at the end of season that they were expecting to operate over the cap, so I would take that Marca info with a grain of salt...

 

J. Smith.
Doesnt seem like a guy who'd take minimum deal just because he's already being paid for not playing in Detroit. Milk that NBA cow while you're young and take minimum deals when you're about to retire.

 

So anchel, what do you think will happen? Honest answer

 

You don't get it though, once he Starts earning a certain amount he will actually make less, as Detroit will have to pay less of what they owe him, it would actually be in his best interests to sign a smaller deal. I forgot the exact term/name of what I am referring to. But morey is making a huge mistake if what I am currently reading on here eventuates.

 

I don't think Beverley, KJ, and Capela would necessarily operate as a unit like GSW's did. You'd have starters interspersed to help the group. For example, don't be surprised if one of our primary units was:

Llull
Beverley
KJ
DMo
Capela

There's enough offense and defense there to maintain a lead while Harden, Ariza and Dwight sit.

 

I'll address Brewer/McDaniels below so as to not have to say the same thing twice.

As to Smith, if he wants more money than we can give him, we have to let him walk. I would prefer he stayed because he would solidify the backup PF spot but there's just so much money to go around.

Brewer doesn't bring anything that KJ McDaniels can't bring. In fact, KJ McDaniels arguably has a much higher ceiling than Brewer at the things Brewer is good at.

McDaniels has athleticism for days and can score in transition just like Brewer does, McDaniels is a plus defender....more so than Brewer even. Both suck at shooting 3 pointers, but McDaniels is young so there's hope he'll improve, Brewer is what he is....a 28 or 29% 3 point shooter and that's all he'll ever be.

 

This would work and would probably leave us with about $2 million under the cap to sign another free agent (depending on how much it cost us to sign McDaniels back). And we'd still have the Room MLE to bring Smith back on.


But......I'd like to see what team takes on Terrence, Dorsey, and Pablo for no incoming salary without us throwing in at least #32 or some other low first or high second round draft pick. In the summer, teams are going to view taking on those guys as a trash move. You're asking them for $3.5 million of their cap space. At the deadline, you can probably manage that for a cheap second rounder and enough cash to offset their remaining salaries. But during the summer is a different story.

This is why I maintain that the best way to multiply our salary cap options is to trade Ariza plus our pick plus Jones/Dorsey in a move for non-guaranteed salary and possibly a little bit better pick in this draft.

Ariza was great for us this past season but he is, at best, the 4th best player on a championship team, and more likely to be the 5th best player on a championship team. Morey signed him as an emergency patch job and he played his tail off for us. But it's a case of being here too soon. Ariza would have been the ideal add after we had our big 4 in place. I think Ariza has to go for this team to take steps that really move the needle. And contrary to what many people believe I think we need a serious upgrade to be a championship team.

The best team in the NBA is not the Warriors. The best team is a healthy Cavaliers team.

 

Brewer and Josh must understand what Morey is dealing with here with regards to Llull and Bev. Josh in particular should accept any offer, the Pistons are already paying him big bucks. Brewer is good for a few games but not consistent enough to warrant anything in the 5-8 million range. Out of the 1st round and comeback game, both Josh and Brewer were nothing special. I like them as people, but WCF or not, they are not consistent enough so I hope egos will not get in the way

 

That is fair bobby, i also agree that mcdaniels will most likely become the better player, but the point is he's not right now. I thought we were in win now mode, which means keeping the core together. And I think Brewer was an integral part of our success. Mcdaniels does do many of the things brewer offers, but let's not get carried away by a prospect tearing it up with the 76ers. He's not a proven commodity as of yet, and banking on or assuming that he can seamlessly replace brewer and replicate his production would be a significant mistake. My overall point is, letting these guys go wouldn't even be an issue if we were pursuing a Ty Lawson/brandon knight type instead of trying to lure over a glorified role player.

 

Honestly, no idea. Marca is the most important sports diary here in Spain, still not the most reliable sometimes, and always a very sensationalist mean.

At the same time, the decision of operating under the cap it would be no doubt very surprising... But you never know.

 

You are right. That bench looks thin. Brew and Smith help us win a lot of games. Let's not forget that fact.

 

I think he gets the money from Detroit no matter what. Because what he got from us last season didnt minus anything from what Detroit owed him.