How much will the Rockets be under the cap next season. -Olajowon will retire -Anderson is a free agent but get the big money free agent then resign him. -Franicis is still under contract by then (4 years) -Cato if here can take up a big chunk -Williams is a free agent (I think) -Bullards contract will be no problem -Mobley will likley be a free agent if here, thus the same deal as with Anderson -Thomas isn't making much to hurt the Rockets -Moochie Norris isn't making much and chances are he may not be here with this team -Drew is out of here as of this summer -Carlos Rogers has bickerings with Rudy thus the man is out of here Well, I can see how there is going to be some money with the Rockets. Will the Rockets make a push for Webber? Wow that would be sweet. Especially if this year the Rockets draft Mike Miller. Can you see a lineup like this: c-Cato (abeit a liability still better than average) pf-Webber (the best player in the league) sf-Miller (I've heard a tony Kukoc with defense) sg-Anderson (Mr. defense and do it all) pg-Francis (no longer the Franchise with this team but the best point guard in the league) 6 man-Mobley (mr. point per minute) Wow, wow wow wow wow wow wow Who could beat a team with Francis 2 years under his belt. Miller one year under his belt. Mobley 3 years under his belt. Anderson 4 years under his belt. Cato 2 solid starting years under his belt. And Webber with one MVP season under his belt. Who? who? who???? ------------------
Sounds good but who knows if Webber want's to come to Houston. This team looks solid and I think Miller, if we can get him, will be the key. This team will be ahletic. I like it. ------------------ the Heat suck!!
webber might not want to play here though. he has never said "i want to play for the houston rockets" he is a great player dont get me wrong. but i'd rather see us draft someone like swift who has an entire career ahead of them than webber who is about 1/2 done. besides some other team could very well have cap space btw when hakeem retires i gurantee you all of his salary is going to be needed to resign shandon and mobley mobley i think will want something like 5 years 30 million. there goes $6 mill shandon will want something similar another $6 or $5 mill we need to resign vets like moochie and bullard, they will proly eat up $3 mill total tahts $15 mill right there by just resigning our guys. personally i would rather draft another superstar than sign one through free agency. sorry but by the end of next year webber will have finished his 7th or 8th season. a realistic nba player that is very good plays 10-15 years. ok so if we sign him that means he has 4-6 years left. its going to take time for the team to get chemistry. personally and i doubt this will happen, id like us to move cato, trade for swift, sign croshere, and draft mamadou n'diaye, or some other defensive minded center. ------------------ --TEX
Well NBA playershave a tendency to have their potential basically unphazed up until their 12th season. After the 12th season, NBA players begin to go downhill. As of now Webber has reached his super star potentials. By the end of next year Webber will have some serious seasoning (after all being drafted in the '93 season) But that is the way you want it. I've been to sacramento and it sucks. There is nothing to do out there. Sacramento can't compare to Houston. Houston is a smart finacial decision for Webber. That's why Webber may come to Houston. And for Anderson and Mobley they can still sign with Houston because they would have their byrd rights. Thus as long as Webber signs early in the Off-season, then the Rockets could give Mobley and Anderson their just dues. The Rockets have the pieces in place for a championship run in two to three years. A legitimate MVP like Webber can do nothing else but help the Rockets win faster. Then when it's time for Webber to retire, the Rockets have seasoned players in Francis to build around him again. This is the best option!!! But, like you guys said where are the guarantees that Webber comes to Houston. So, if the Swift deal comes about, I say do it ------------------
Then Again the Rockets Can Draft Swift then go After Diekiembe Mutumbo. The c---- Mutumbo would have defense. The Pf--- Swift would have game. The Sf--- Williams can be a role player. The Sf--- Anderson is a solid defender. The pg--- Francis could make this team work. The 6-man Mobley could come in with points. How successful could this team be? The career gap between Mutumbo and Swift is too large thus this team would have to mesh over night to talk seriously about a championship. That's tough. Yeah Carlos Rogers and Rudy went at it during the season. This was kept a little quiet though. Rogers likley is gone!!!!! ------------------
You guys are so impatient. you think the rockets HAVE to compete within 2 years. personally i'd like to see rudy build this team through the draft, and add a role player or 2 through free agency and let the team take off from there. after next season webber has realistically 4-6 years left. 6 years- maybe 3-4 of the level he is playing at now. if we got someone like swift he has 11-15 years if he remains relatively injury free and stays with us. i like webber alot. but i would rather see us grow as a team through the draft and some role players in free agency than try to build some super team through free agency and my idea is purely hypothetical cuz getting swift is going to be next to impossible. and btw even if the rox decided to go ur route vince, mike miller might not be there either ------------------ --TEX [This message has been edited by TeXaSalsa (edited May 28, 2000).]
and going after mutombo is A) dumb he has no offense, eats up a ton of cap room, and why would he want to play here? B) unrealistic because he is about to re sign with atlanta. ------------------ --TEX
If you still want info on our Salary Cap position check out my web page at http://rocketdavo.tripod.com It is up to date, and the only thing you need to adjust is remove the 2001 exceptions(they don't apply to the salary cap if you are under the cap). We won't be that far under the cap, and considering we are likely to sign other free agents between now and then, we probably won't be under the cap at all. ------------------ http://rocketdavo.tripod.com
Texasalsa- I think you are being way too optimistic here. Even if we can draft Swift, whose to say he turns out to be as good as we all hope? Then even if that happens. whose to say hemeshes well with the team? Even then, without any type of veteran leadership, whose going to lead this team when it finally does make it. Certainyl not Francid, only a year older, or even Anderson, playoff experinced but never a key player. Acquiring Webber meansacquiring leadership and veteran experience. Just look around the playoffs today--LA, Portland, NY, Indiana- All very experienced, veteran teams. Sacramento, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Milwaukee-all teams without experience. Acquiring Webber, IMHO opinion would give us much needed stability and experience. BUT, that is just my opinion! ------------------ Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things!
There is one sure thing about the draft: IMO, a great college defensive player, will very likely be a good-great NBA defensive player. What I mean, is even if Swift is a total bust offensively, he'll still be good defensively. There's no real problem of him being too short, or not big enough (go to his NBAdraft.net profile, and look at the muscles on his arms). He's athletic, no problems there, the only thing that I could see preventing him from being at WORST 15-8 with 1.5 blocks, would be an injury. He'd mesh with the Rockets, as he's there ideal player. And he wants to be a Rocket, so its not as if he wants to go elsewhere. ------------------ Rockets fans wanted at hoopsboards.com Draft Chat, NBA Chat, Team Chat, and more!
Weve got a star with his whole career ahead of him. Sure, having one of those is great. But Im telling you man, you HAVE TO, and I mean HAVE TO have some sort of solid player on your team with experience. Experience (and defense) are the key really. Thats why our inexperienced Rockets team this year couldnt close out any games on the road in the 4th quarter. I agree that having Swift would be much more exciting, and I DO perfer him over Webber. Im just saying that if the possibility of getting a good, veteran FA who can lead through his play on the court, you gotta take that chance in order to win. For example, while I know they are not the reason why LA is winning, players like ROn Harper, AC Green, and even Horry provide much needed experience for the LAkers this year as they go deep in the playoffs for the first time in a while. ------------------ Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things!
Davo, you definatley have an interesting page. For all you guys inquiring about salary cap questions Davo has some good information about salaries for the next couple of years. Unless some serious things happen, the best option to build this team is the DRAFT. What can 4 million dollars get you? Perhaps another matt maloney. ------------------
Im not being too optimisitc jay. i put that getting swift would be impossible on like my 2nd or 3rd post. in fact i really doubt we will get him. im just sayin i think we should try to get a star through the draft rather than free agency. id rather have a star with his whole career ahead of him that one taht is about half done. ------------------ --TEX
i don't think the Rox are even thinking of trying to win a title next year specifically...i DO think they are focus on the near future and at least making the playoffs next season (IMHO). If the lake show wins this year...it probably will win next year too. i say do what ya gotta do to get swift with this draft and work with FA in the year to follow Dream's retirement. i'm willing to give the Rox's at least two years for championship contention with our backcourt and swift up front. i trust RT and CD with FA and trade decisions concerning the likes of Cato/Thomas/Drew. whoever is dealt we will get something in return to replace/surfice or ignite the line up. ------------------
If Webber wanted to come here that would be fantastic. It is not as if he would cost us anything other than money (no picks, no players). Getting Swift or Martin, that is more "greedy" in my view and will cost substantial players and picks to make that happen. Also, given Webber's size, skills (his shooting is still improving) and court sense he will probably be an elite PF until 34 or 35. If Swift or Martin can become close to the player Webber is I think their new franchises will be thrilled (there are no assurances they are that good). It is not being greedy to try to get Webber, you try to get the best players out there and he is one on a very short list. Also, just my opinion, but another first round loss or perhaps failure to make the playoffs entirely (we could bump them to #9) and I would think he would look to bolt. Looking at Davo's page some more (hadn't looked at it since the newer figures), there would be salary work to do. Foremost, we must dump Walt ASAP, especially if we get small forward in the draft. Also, we don't want to just hand out a mid-level exemption for 4.5 million dollars in 01/02 unless the player is worth it. A couple of questions for Davo, isn't that 4.5 mil you have for a mid level exemption high for 01/02, plus isn't it only relevant if you are above the cap which we may not be that year (so you can subtract 4.5 from 36 mil)?? Also isn't Mobley's contract high--aren't we likely to use an Early Bird for 2 (or is it 3) years starting at like 3.5. Thanks. ------------------
sir scarvajal, Yes - you are correct about the exceptions only counting towards our total salary if we are over the cap, which, at this stage we don't look like being in 2001. (Actually, if you scroll up to my last post in this thread I mention it). Once we get some action this summer and player movements become a bit more clear I will update it. As for any Contract signed by Mobley, best guess it will be an Early bird, which is capped at 108% of the League Average Salary(108% X $3.8mil = $4.1mil) followed by 12.5% raises each year), hence the $4.5mil and $5mil for the following years. I'm probably a bit low, since I have the first year at only $4mil instead of $4.1. Finally, the Mid Level exception is set at $2.25mil in 2000/2001 but after that, it is equal to the league average salary (I was guessing at $4.5 mil average in 2001) ------------------ http://rocketdavo.tripod.com [This message has been edited by davo (edited May 31, 2000).]
