1). What Aruba said. 2). Yes, I included incomplete roster charges. 3). Yes, moving out Brooks for no salary - on top of Jalen and keeping FVV at a much lower figure - would create max cap room and then some. Thanks. Wife was disappointed but pleased with the Mavs’ season. She’s always loved Klay, so she’s happy about getting him.
I wasn't thinking about Booker and Durant. Having ability to get to cap space would be good for them.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...-fear-second-apron-first-week-nba-free-agency WINNER: The Houston Rockets, chilling out It's fine for the Rockets' brain trust to think ahead and wonder if Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are compatible to the point of paying both maximum or near-maximum salaries -- and if they could ever construct a "championship-level" defense around Sengun's ground-bound game. After picking Reed Sheppard, the Rockets now have seven interesting prospects. If enough hit, they will not be able to pay them all. But it would have been rash to trade any key young player -- including the No. 3 pick before the draft -- for a veteran upgrade. Houston does not have enough information about any of its young players, or how they fit, to make a decision of that magnitude when the immediate upside would have been fighting to stay above the play-in. Let this thing marinate. Every good player on a rookie-scale contract is a precious asset in the apron era. The Rockets barely know anything about Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Sheppard and Tari Eason -- and how they fit with Sengun and Green. (Jabari Smith Jr. fits with everyone. He might never become a superstar, but he's a keeper -- a winner.) Sengun, right now, is a minus defender. The Rockets went on a nine-game winning streak after he suffered an ankle injury. Thompson took over the paint on offense as a rim-runner. But the Rockets won four out of Sengun's last five games, their opposition in that nine-game streak without him was abysmal, and they lost six of their last nine to end the season -- all without Sengun. Concluding from that sample that trading Sengun now is wise would have been malpractice. Sengun has the smarts and footwork to become passable on defense with the right support system around him. Several reports have suggested the Rockets are ready to take a harder-than-usual stance in extension talks with Sengun and Green instead of conceding the max without any negotiations. That's smart, too. Restricted free agency is their ally. There are risks in pushing players toward offer sheets -- including shorter contracts -- but it doesn't have to reach that point. The Rockets can see how their young players perform and negotiate from there.
if griffin’s fully recovered from the injuries and plays to his potential we’ll actually rise from the sensational seven to the exceptional eight
All this discussion of cap space (trade space) in 2025 - 2026 got me thinking.... Who would you even use it on from other teams? Anything can happen between now and next season, but which players could potentially be targets? (and yes EVERYBODY could be an answer). I could envision: - Donovan Mitchell (secured the bag, but maybe still wants out) - Jamal Murray (even if he signs extension, maybe wants a change of scenery // Nuggets have a lot of youngish players - outside of Jokic who feels like he is 37, but is only 29) - Steph Curry (nawh - not leaving Kali) - Myles Turner (3's... defense.... probably could play with Sengun... Bari could be this if he gets those blocks up & hits more 3's) - JJJ (see Myles Turner) - Zion (ummm... errrrr... see all the threads) - Booker or Durant (Suns probably keeping Booker // Durant? See all the threads) - De'Aaron Fox (Katy native... Kangz kornerstone?) Interesting propositions all around....
Ivey could be an interesting player to watch out for, if the Pistons struggle again. I'm seeing him more as a potential trade asset than as a keeper in the long term. I like your ideas a lot.
I like the Ivey idea but he would need a 1-year boot camp under Udoka going from barely seeing minutes to gradually seeing minutes go up in the second half. Sheppard might already be better than him by next season. That’s a real possibility. Amen is competing for those minutes too. Maybe he can be backup PG while Amen spends more minutes at the 3? Would definitely be a good asset, late bloomer.
I believe Amen will be better off at the 3. Ivey can be a late bloomer. He can also be packaged in a trade, which will be my preference.
Man.. it really sucks we didn't get Wemby who looks like he'll be an all-star next year and another all-defensive 1st team Then next year Cooper Flagg comes along and we won't have that Nets pick chance to get him. Flagg seriously looks legit in the Team USA games, like the next great American player legit. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the all-star team in his second year in the league. Missing out on two generational players in our rebuild is gonna suck when it comes to future title contention, especially when we clearly don't see any clearcut franchise players in the ones we drafted (pretty clear by Stone opting not to give Green or Sengun the max extension like other teams did, ie Magic, Raptors). I doubt Jabari is ever gonna be that guy either so we really have to pray Amen gets a jumper or Whitmore having a star like trajectory. Like, I know we're gonna be good and improving year by year, but we all know title teams have all-nba players. Right now, I guess Sengun is the closest to that but I see so many people here down on him because of his defense.
You are right about Flagg but those other teams did max extensions because they have less leverage and are in worse positions. Green or Sengun in those positions on those teams would be getting max extensions also. The Rockets have the luxury of holding out till rfa to see what they really have.
Maybe I'm just being a pessimist but I really disagree with Stone about trading Nets their picks back for future Suns picks when next year's draft looks so stacked. I know the chances were slim anyways but if we lucked out and landed another top 3 pick next year with how terrible the Nets look (pre-trade), we could potentially be drafting a real franchise level talent right off the bat. On the other end... I'm very concerned about the Clippers being ass because OKC owns their pick unprotected next year and we already know how stacked OKC is and they are literally going to be our competition in the years to come already. Them getting any top 5 players in the next draft would be a nightmare... If we went from a Harden era where we were getting smacked down by the Warriors year after year into the next era where OKC is just stacked to the brim in terms of star level, it's gonna suck swallowing that pill.
I think Milwaukee did just fine while whiffing on all of those lottery picks. Denver turned out okay despite their draft failures. Phoenix’s run of draft busts is legendary and yet they had a nice run. The New York Knickerbockers look to be in good shape despite having an epic run of drafting future insurance salesmen. The Golden State Warriors never got their opportunity to draft any of the generational talent guys and they parlayed that into 3 Hall of Famers and a decade of domination. I mean the list goes on and on. On the flip side OKC has yet to win a championship despite having drafted KD, Eastbrick, and Harden in three consecutive years. I think it’s the basketball gods smacking them with karma for running the zone when it was illegal at the time.
Chiiillll.... We are better than good. Flush with big time talent, serious assets/flexibility, and a very good coach.
I’m chill I think the Rockets are in probably the best position in the league other than, maybe, OKC. Houston is still a more preferable destination for NBA players than North Dallas. Their picks are potentially less valuable than ours. They have some great players. How long will they stay in OKC? I do wish that we somehow found a way to keep the Net’s 25 pick, because Cooper is the real deal and it would have been exciting to have a shot at him. It will hurt us greatly if he goes to SA or OKC.
Flagg is a TON of leverage for a trade with PHX if they fail... this is how we get both book and kd by giving PHX back their picks..... if they don't want to deal..then we just keep the pick swap and their future picks... there's a chance the pick swap with the suns becomes better than the pick swap would have been with the nets...
