In what shapes up as mundane offseason, re-signing Mobley is top priority for Rockets By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle A three-peat would seem impossible. No longer part of the playoff fraternity that today begins the chase for the NBA title, the Rockets will instead search for a third consecutive offseason windfall. The Rockets have made the biggest and loudest deal of the past two offseasons, attracting Scottie Pippen in a sign-and-trade swap with Chicago, then acquiring Steve Francis from Vancouver in the largest deal in NBA history. But to make NBA earth move this summer would seem as great a long shot as landing that magic draft lottery ping-pong ball. "There's always a possibility," Rockets vice president Carroll Dawson said. "We're always looking for the best thing we can do to help the franchise. Our owner (Leslie Alexander) is sitting right here, and he's always prodding us to do the best thing to win the most games, win the championship and have another parade." With much of the future "foundation" in place, the Rockets' roster is unlikely to go through an overhaul to match this past season's. The greatest question likely revolves around Hakeem Olajuwon, who will enter the last season of his contract and career. Olajuwon and Alexander have discussed a buyout of the center's last season, but when that was shelved, Olajuwon committed himself to playing one more year, though he must first clear his respiratory problems. Any buyout of his last season would count against the Rockets' salary cap. "Obviously, there's a concern about his health status, whether he can or can't come back," Alexander said. "We're going to discuss it and see how he feels over the summer, see if his condition has been relieved. If his health isn't there, then we have to determine what we want to do." Cuttino Mobley is the top free-agent priority. He figures to draw a lot of interest, but the Rockets can match anyone else's offer up to 108 percent of the league-average salary (expected to be about $3.8 million next season). "I think he loves it here," said an optimistic Dawson. "He likes playing for Rudy (Tomjanovich) and the coaching staff. We'll see, but I feel good about it." Mobley's talents would easily transfer to any team willing to give him the ball. But if he stayed in Houston for two more seasons, he would have full "Bird exception" rights, and the Rockets could exceed their salary cap to resign him again. Because they would then be re-signing their own player, they could pay him more than any other team, potentially enough to make up for any shortfall in the next two seasons. Forward/center Tony Massenburg is a free agent who fits now more than he did when he was acquired in the Francis trade. However, Massenburg, who will be 33 by next season, might be moved to chase the largest contract he can get at this stage of his career. But because he missed all but 10 games this past season and teams are especially wary of big men coming off injuries, it is difficult to determine what he can command, Massenburg would give the Rockets, a team that allowed too many game-winning layups, inside muscle. He can run with their fleet, young backcourt and can hit jump shots left open when teams double-team Francis or Mobley. Moochie Norris was signed to a non-guaranteed contract for next season when he signed for the duration of the past campaign. He is considered an asset as a backup point guard to Francis. But that would make Bryce Drew, a first-round pick in 1998, a third-team point guard. Drew might not seem too great a commodity in potential trade talks, but he did draw extensive interest at the trade deadline. Help from the draft, considered unusually thin, could be difficult to come by. But the recent additions of underclassmen Keyon Dooling and Mike Miller could move a better player toward the Rockets' probable draft position at No. 9. "There's so many variables," Tomjanovich said. "I've never been in a draft where everything is laid out for you, there's the guy, and he's just made for your team. We have to look at players at all positions." The draft could also be strengthened by the addition of high school players. Tomjanovich has never been a great proponent of chasing prep talent, but because the Rockets no longer have what was considered a closing window of opportunity, a young project might be more attractive than in past seasons. The Rockets also could receive one or two more first-round picks besides their own. The Magic owes the Rockets a first-round pick in one of the next three seasons, though Orlando general manager John Gabriel said it was unlikely he would deal one of his three first-rounders this year. But the Suns owe the Magic a first-rounder, and that would give Gabriel four. He could send that to Houston. The Pistons owe the 76ers a first-rounder that Philadelphia would then have to pass to the Rockets. Teams must make decisions about conveying picks before the May 21 lottery. The free-agent lists do not offer much hope of a repeat of last year's bargain signing of Shandon Anderson. The Rockets do have salary-cap exceptions of $2.5 million and $1 million, but any player signed for the exceptions this season would cut into the space the Rockets plan to have under the cap after next season. "It's not like we just think about the cap once a month," Dawson said. "It's constantly on your mind. You're constantly going over it, redoing it, rethinking it, preparing for the future, because if you just let the future happen, you're not going to be ready." The Rockets are almost certainly out of the running for the most coveted or expensive free agents -- Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Eddie Jones and Tracy McGrady. Most of the top frontcourt free agents -- including Brian Grant, Austin Croshere, Ruben Patterson, Kurt Thomas, Bo Outlaw and Rashard Lewis -- will likely command more than the exceptions. But though the Rockets might be limited in the free-agent market, they do hold $4.5 million in trade exceptions, allowing them to come within $4.5 million of matching salary in most trade conversations. The exception could make an otherwise unworkable sign-and-trade deal for a free agent possible (though additional players would have be included) and could allow deals of base-year players that normally cannot be considered with teams over the salary cap. "It's as complicated as it can be," Dawson said. "It's a better deal than it looks like. You can't sign a free agent and put him in the trade exception. It can be only used in a trade. But it can help you more than it sounds. It's a tool we're finding every day is better than we thought it was. It's very involved, but it's very good to have. It can help us." And in the search for another big offseason deal, any help is welcome. ------------------ President of the Moochie Norris FAN CLUB
