Could the Rockets be one of those 15 teams? http://www.nypost.com/seven/07042009/sports/knicks/david_may_lee_ve_the_big_apple_177540.htm The $10M per year mentioned in the article is a contract starting at $8M. With McGrady the Rockets have a contract to get around the salary matching problem BYC players can bring. McGrady → Mobley + Lee (S&T $12.2M) + Sene (non-guaranteed) + Crawford (non-guaranteed) + Hunter (non-guaranteed) A front loaded contract starting at $12.2M with 10.5% annual decreases is the same as a contract starting at $8.18M. It's also required to make salaries work. If the Raptors are lottery bound again at the trade deadline or Bosh just wants to leave... Lee was their alternate choice to Hedo and touted as a possible replacement for Bosh. Lee plus a couple of young assets and the Rockets have Bosh? Portland are now interested in Lee, earlier on Kerr was rumored to have the been as well, and his agent claims 15 teams have proposed deals to the Knicks. Lee will be an attractive trade asset this trade deadline or in 2010 FA. IMO having the right assets for a S&T in 2010 FA will be the key to trumping all the teams with cap space. 10.5% salary increases > 8%. McGrady to NY → Mobley + Lee + Sene + Crawford + Hunter *Waive Sene, Crawford, and Hunter for $0 Mobley + Brooks + Landry + rights to Budinger to PHO → Nash *Kerr considers Budinger a late 1st round pick would have drafted him if he had fell further to their pick Cook + Dorsey + rights to Eliyahu to ATL → D.Andersen <html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/><meta name='lsq' content='21'/><meta name='trixrows' content='5'/><meta name='trixr1' content='0'/><meta name='trixr2' content='5'/><meta name='trixdiv' content='20'/><meta name='trixcnt' content='1'/><meta name='trixlast' content='5'/><link rel=stylesheet href="//spreadsheets.google.com/client/css/1776724897-trix_main.css" type="text/css"><style>.tblGenFixed td {padding:0 3px;overflow:hidden;white-space:normal;letter-spacing:0;word-spacing:0;background-color:#fff;z-index:1;border-top:0px none;border-left:0px none;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;border-right:1px solid #CCC;} .dn {display:none} .tblGenFixed td.s0 {background-color:white;font-family:arial,sans,sans-serif;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-top:1px solid #CCC;border-right:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;border-left:1px solid #CCC;} .tblGenFixed td.s2 {background-color:white;font-family:arial,sans,sans-serif;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-top:1px solid #CCC;border-right:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;} .tblGenFixed td.s1 {background-color:white;font-family:arial,sans,sans-serif;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-top:1px solid #CCC;border-right:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;} .tblGenFixed td.s3 {background-color:white;font-family:arial,sans,sans-serif;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-right:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;border-left:1px solid #CCC;} .tblGenFixed td.s4 {background-color:white;font-family:arial,sans,sans-serif;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-right:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;} </style></head><body style='border:0px;margin:0px'><table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 id='tblMain'><tr><td><table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 class='tblGenFixed' id='tblMain_0'><tr class='rShim'><td class='rShim' style='width:0;'><td class='rShim' style='width:48px;'><td class='rShim' style='width:76px;'><td class='rShim' style='width:47px;'><tr><td class=hd><p style='height:16px;'>.</td><td class='s0'>Nash<td class='s1'>Lowry<td class='s2'></tr><tr><td class=hd><p style='height:16px;'>.</td><td class='s3'>Ariza<td class='s4'>Taylor<td ></tr><tr><td class=hd><p style='height:16px;'>.</td><td class='s3'>Battier<td class='s4'>Barry<td class='s4'>White</tr><tr><td class=hd><p style='height:16px;'>.</td><td class='s3'>Lee<td class='s4'>Hayes<td ></tr><tr><td class=hd><p style='height:16px;'>.</td><td class='s3'>Scola<td class='s4'>D.Andersen<td class='s4'>Yao</tr></table></table></body></html> While the Rockets wait around to package Lee for a superstar player. In the meantime it doesn't hurt that he's more super than Superman:
I really dont see a reason for getting Nash, hes getting older and he wants a championship, Rockets already look like they are in rebuild mode right now, I rather keep brooks
With Hedo T. going to Toronto I predict Lee is going to Portland, there going to make a huge push for him. I really like Lee but his just a younger Scola so unless we move Scola in a mega deal I doubt anything will happen.
Do not want David Lee at a giant, long-term salary. Let another team overpay for him. Whatever GM gives him 5yrs/$50MM will be fired next season. Lee's stats last season were an inflated product of D'Antoni's system. He's not a lockdown defender, shot-blocker or creator on offense. Lee is a good role player, that's it. Like Ariza, he's worth the MLE.
I forgot to ask: With Scola as the starter and Landry backing him up, what do we need David Lee for? Scola is better.
Lee is a PF/C. He is a fairly capable rebounder who can defend quite well even though he is not a lockdown type of guy. His jumper has improved. He obviously does need someone to create shots for him. I like his length and hustle,but he is not someone who should be paid a huge amount or given a long term contract.He has no role on a rebuilding team.
They got LaMarcus Aldridge so why would they give a lot of money to David Lee? And I doubt they have given up on Greg Oden.
He stinks on defense. Can't hold his ground in the post at all. I had some good seats at a CHA/NYK game last year and had a good view of watching Lee getting abused by Okafor and Diaw.
Given my signature, which I've had for more than two years now...I don't want David Lee on this team for $10M per. He's going to be a double double machine, but since we have Scola, it'll just be redundant. Also, now that Yao is down, we need someone with length/shotblocking, not just hustle. I never thought I wouldn't want David Lee here, because I thought he would have been great before the emergence of Scola...but he's not what we need.
also Nash doesn't wanna play here with Yao. he wants to run and gun. why do you think he wanted Shaq out?
Lee could be part of a package that makes a Bosh or Amare trade happen at the trade deadline or in free agency in 2010.
Precisely, what is the need for David Lee if the Rockets have two players that play the power forward position effectively already. I do not see Lee as a center so it really makes no sense in obtaining him.
I can't see giving Lee a bloated contract just so the Rockets might be able to trade him for Bosh or Amare at the trade deadline. No team is gonna accept Lee and his contract and give up something worthwhile. McGrady is the Rockets crown jewel for the trade deadline. From my standpoint, David Lee asking for $10MM/yr is the biggest joke of free agency. Ben Gordon getting $10MM/yr from Detroit surprised me and Lee brings way less to the table than Ben Gordon. Watch his production sink without D'Antoni's run and gun.
I agree with most of what you said, but David Lee was a productive player even before D'Antoni's system was in NY. I mean, he averaged a double double coming off the bench in 06-07 and playing just under 30 minutes. I understand he's not worth $10M, but it's not like D'Antoni made him...
He's definitely a decent player, but D'Antoni made him into a $10 million man (if someone pays him that much). I actually like David Lee and he's worth the MLE to a team that needs him.
