Rockets acquire Suns picks, return Nets picks to Brooklyn

Essentially the rookie max is 25% of the cap no matter who offers it.

The differences are that the team with RFA rights could have offered a 5th year and 8% raises where the team making the offer sheet can only offer 4 years and 5% raises.

I can't think of any instance where a team sent a player to RFA and they got a max offer which the team matched.

It makes sense to me that if you send a guy to RFA you really don't believe he's worth that max .... or you just would have given it to him to begin with.

It may not be a popular stance, but I'm not sold that either Jalen or Sengun are max worthy in the new CBA.
It's critical in this new CBA that you don't give those contracts to players who aren't worth the cost - you can't spend your way out of bad contracts anymore. The loss of salary exceptions and draft picks is just too punitive.
This season is crucial to both players .... and could impact Bari, Tari, Cam & Amen long term. It'll be nearly impossible to keep them all - they have to keep the right ones - or maybe none at all.

It would be really difficult to have 4 players making the rookie max and stay below the 1st apron - (you'd definitely be in the tax) as you'd only have ~21% of your total dollars remaining below the first apron to spend on the other 10-11 roster spots.
Three guys on the rookie max is probably sustainable.

 

Thanks for the info. My three right now are Amen, Sengun, and Jabari. Jalen can make me change my mind if he has his breakout year.

 

Who’s going to tend to the sheep though??

 

The Nets actually look okay even after trading Bridges. And Bojan hasn’t even played yet. If they don’t make some tanking choices, they won’t end up anywhere close to the dregs of the Pistons, Jazz, etc.

 

It would really hard to follow the pistons. They have been bad for so long and still really bad.

The Nets are in no man’s land I’m sure they will make a trade or two to get worse.

 

Suns are looking like a top 3-5 team to start the season. The shooting by Durant, Booker, and Beal has been sensational. So definitely glad their pick obligations to the Rockets spread into the 5 year realm.

I like the Rockets pushed the Nets pick into a somewhat distant future, by getting the Suns picks. It’s far enough away to allow for this current group to gel and thrive, if that is what they are going to do.

Look at Sengun last year having a breakout year. This year it seems Green is having his breakout year. And Smith is making good progress as he did last season…

The young fellas are definitely showing a lot of positive improvement.

 

The Nets are now vested to make decisions about their future. If Rockets still owned the Net’s picks the Nets would be trying to win now making the picks good not great. There would not be other Net’s trades made. They aren’t as horrible now even with their current trades that most people thought. Stone helping the Nets helped the Rockets because the Suns more than likely won’t be able to help themselves. I know this is a poor recap but stated to say, everything that happens is not the same as us keeping the Net’s picks. Keep track of the Nets progress is brain damage.

 

I do think many believed the purpose of the trade for the Suns picks was to make a run at Durant/Booker when, really, I think the primary purpose was to spread out our draft wealth. We’re already loaded with prospects who need time. Sheppard is a casualty of that.

 

Personally I believe it was a blend of both, but you're right that primarily it was a commitment to experiment, develop, and evaluate the young core with a few nice alternative options if things go wrong or even if things go right.

Rockets have one more year of debt to the worst trade in Rockets history, but this last year is inconsequential directly to our team. We're in a great spot because we don't have to rush into any bad decisions. We can continue to grow our young core 7 while being ready if a major opportunity comes around.

 

I agree with the take but all of this is like Texas Hold Em. You can put yourself in the best possible position with the odds, but the final outcome is determined by chance. Brooklyn was only the 9th worst team last year and that was good enough for us to jump to #3. In addition, we didn't have to convey Jalen Green or Thompson to OKC. I didn't like the deal at first, but I have changed course.

 

Stone takes a lot of things into account. He did the trade to increase the chances in his mind of the Rockets getting a star. Not sure which way he put as the primary means as getting the star. I think the Suns will be in dire straights in 2 seasons such that either Bookee is traded to the Rockets or the Rockets get good picks to draft or trade elsewhere.

 

The West is deep. The Rox aren’t elite. Yet.

Play-offs or bust? Oops, yeah maybe???

 

The Nets are squarely in the playoffs at the moment. If this keeps up, I’m not sure how they would justify making tanking moves at the deadline. Had they kept Bridges, they may have been towards the top of the East.

 

Gotta wait til at least a quarter of the season to see the playoff picture start to shape up

 

Early in the season, they'll let them play to see what they have. If anything, their players' trade value goes up. Towards second half of the season, they can really start making their moves to lose

 

We should look at Claxton and Cam Johnson if that’s the case

 

Wow the east is absolutely horrible this year. How does .500 = 3rd seed?

 

But why if they are in the playoff picture? This isn't a situation where they are fighting for the 10th spot. They are literally top 5 in the East at the moment. If that continues, I seriously doubt they "tank." Rather, they'll hope to use that momentum to land a big FA next offseason with Simmons money coming off.

 

No one is in the playoff picture after 10 games - there is no picture yet. Check back in after 40 games at least. There are still team who have only played like one or two teams who made the playoffs last year - that is going to skewer results. You just gotta give it time.

 

Hence the terms "if they" and "if that continues."