Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen Chicago or Indy, his hometown, best bets. RT @GameBreakers1: @Jonathan_Feigen where do u see Lee landing? Any S&T proposal for Lee? I hope we can make a S&T with Chicago for Mirotic rights
reported earlier today that chicago doesnt have space for him due to cap issues and lee isnt taking a small contract at his age
The Bulls would definitely be a good trade partner on a Courtney Lee S&T. Unfortunately, the perfect trade chips to make such a deal work, cap-wise--the partially guaranteed contract of Kyle Korver ($500k) and non-guaranteed contracts of Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson--must be waived on July 10, just one day PRIOR to the end of the July Moratorium. I guess the Bulls just mistimed when they thought the moratorium would end in 2012 when they signed those deals. If that date had been, say, July 30 instead, I think it would be very likely a Lee S&T to Chicago would have gotten done. Still can, though; just a little tougher. The key asset I'm sure the Rockets would be after would be the future Charlotte first rounder that Chicago received in the Tyrus Thomas trade. It is top-12 protected in the 2013 Draft, top-10 protected in 2014, top-8 protected in 2015 and unprotected in the 2016 Draft. Chicago probably won't give that up unless it's in a trade for a star player; but I'm sure the Rockets will try to get it. Mention of the draft rights to Nikola Mirotic isn't a bad guess either. He's supposedly a lottery pick-quality player (more highly rated by many that Motiejunas) but is under contract overseas for a few more years. He would count against the Rockets' cap unless they receive a letter from him waiving his right to play in the NBA each season (which I don't think would be hard to get from him for the next couple of seasons).
Bima: 1. Isn't it possible for one of these non-guaranteed guys to agree to extend the July 10 deadline by a few days? Lamar Odom did it for the Mavs, I believe. It's a slight inconvenience but none of these guys could really be hurt by entering FA a day or two late and being waived by HOU rather than CHI. 2. I wonder if CHI will be willing to offer much just to get Courtney Lee at above the taxpayer MLE. Specifically, look at their cap figures: If they retain Asik while waiving all of their non-guaranteed guys, they are pretty much stuck paying the tax for the next 3 seasons (other than by amnestying Boozer), so whatever they pay Lee would be doubled this year, and more than doubled in the next 2 years (especially if you account for Gibson's extension). Even if they don't retain Asik, the math will still be pretty bad for the upcoming season with the addition of Lee at, say $4.5-5M and a $3M taxplayer MLE player (Kirk Hinrich?). So, I am thinking the only way they give up anything in a Courtney Lee trade would be for HOU to take Richard Hamilton back, which buys them some breathing room to get Lee, sign a taxpayer MLE guy, avoid the tax for one season and figure things out next year while Gibson's extension is inked.
What position does he play? I think the idea of having a star or star complement player stashed overseas while we tank is great. It would be kind of like the David Robinson deal in San An without being dishonest Rocket River
Answers: 1. It's possible, but I doubt it. Odom pushed his guarantee date back in order to facilitate a trade that is now netting him his full $8.2M salary with the Clippers next year, rather than being waived and only paid $2.4M from Dallas plus whatever he could scrounge up in the free agent market. What incentive do Korver, Brewer or Watson have to push their date back if they know they'll certainly be waived a few days later? Still, if they would be so magnanimous as to do that for the Bulls and Rockets, it would greatly facilitate a deal. 2. Yeah, it looks like a deal for Rip Hamilton would be the only conceivable remaining option for a S&T deal that will pay Courtney Lee would he'd want to get paid. If the Rockets could pull off a Howard deal and also get something additional back from Chicago (ideally the CHA first rounder; more likely a future CHI first or possibly the draft rights to Mirotic), I could think of worse uses of Courtney Lee's Bird rights. Mirotic is a 6-10 PF who is a very adept scorer and a versatile offensive player. Don't know a ton about his game, but many scouts thought he would have been a surefire lottery pick in 2011 had he been able to come over right away.
Nikola Mirotić (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Никола Миротић; born February 11, 1991 in Titograd, Yugoslavia) is a naturalized Spanish professional basketball player of Montenegrin origin. He is a 2.09 m (6 ft 10.25 in)[1] tall power forward. He plays for the Real Madrid.[2]
Maybe the idea is Courtney simply signs with Chicago and doesn't match on Asik, similar to the "us-Ariza, Lakers-Artest" trade, but more deliberate.
Courtney Lee appreciation starts here: http://network.yardbarker.com/all_s...ves_have_reached_out_to_courtney_lee/11170472
I would be thrilled if the Rockets could S&T with the Bulls and somehow get either the Bobcats lottery protected pick, or Mirotic. Both of those "assets" are very Moreyesque.
LOL. If Morey could pull either the pick or Mirotic's rights for Lee, he'll be executive of the year.
