The good thing is that a lot of these players are so young that even when they become free agents, they will be restricted. This almost guarantees us not paying anyone more that their true market value (ex. Landry). As for Lowry and Scola, I'm thinking that if we're indeed going to make a run at Bosh, they'll most likely have to be let go, along with some more tinkering. Losing Scola wont hurt cause Bosh will be replacing him anyways. Losing Lowry would, but as theCabbage said, Morey can try to bring similar player(s) for cheap, since he'd have landed <i>his </i> first superstar. If we however, go for a guard (Wade, J. Johnson?), it might be trickier. It'd hurt losing a starting PF if we're not signing one in return, when we'd have abundance of SGs and SFs (Battier, Ariza, Chase) on the roster. I'm thinking if we go this route it'd have to be some sort of trade, or sign and trade.
Contract negotiation was only for 1st round picks so Rockets can still negotiate with Scola regarding his future contract. Lowry will wait until summer to test out the restricted free agent water.
I think he plays the numbers game. He signs people for market value. There is no point in signing someone to an extension unless you think they will get more money in the FA market, or they are one of you franchise players and you don't want to risk them leaving because of hurt feelings. If you sign them to an extension and they get injure then then you are screwed. We can match any offer next year that he gets so no need to sign a contract early.
Have you not been following the discussion on this BBS the past several months regarding the Rockets' cap situation??? What you have just described is impossible. The Rockets cannot make a bid for a max free agent (or even anywhere close to a max free agent) AND keep even half of its current rotation. It is not doable under the current salary cap structure. This is not an opinion. It is a fact.
Rockets don't have the cap space to go after Wade, Bosh, etc... S&T is the only option in FA. They would need to package at least $16M worth of contracts for that max $20M star player. Would any team trade a young/in prime superstar for a package of Battier + Scola + Brooks?
IMO, knowing Yao, if the right max free agent is available to us, he (Yao) will opt out. That, and T-mac's contract will give us more then enough cap room, and that would make Scola and Lowry's contracts irrelevant (considering we have couple of oder expiring contracts). I see this to be the most likely senario , GIVEN a max free agent is willing to come. I think Lowry is here to stay (it better be the case that is).
Lou Williams isn't a pg and when they miss the playoff, the will see and go after Lowry. Also, a team like the kings, because evans is a combo guard also and they're missing a pg. Stevie, even in sign and trade, unless bosh or wade decides to take less and the rapts or heat wanted to take back contracts, its not going to work. Scola signed at 6m and shane for his 7, that only 13m. Why would someone like bosh bite on that when a team like the spufs can offer manu right now and finley to be within 25% of the 16m he makes now? The spurs are the team everyone needs to worry about.The rox don't have the money of the ammo to make a run at a big name guy.
Philly's not playing terrible basketball. They'll most likely make the playoffs in the East. Lou Williams might not be a true PG, but he's a young stud. He and Iggy are more than fine in the back court. Even if they do go for Lowry, I don't see them starting him over Lou. (Iggy and Young are definitely starters, and since Young can't move to the 4, they'd have to play 2 bigs, leaving only 1 PG spot) If anything, Philly's major problem is their two front court guys, who look nothing short of lost.
I agree. The free agent market is going to have bargain prices this summer. The NBA is not going to have good season revenues. Attendance is going to be a LOT lower. It is just that the recession is hitting pockets and people will be less willing to buy luxury items like a ticket to a game. With lower revenues, teams will not be willing to pay huge amounts on players. There will be cost cutting. I read in the Wall Street Journal that NBA teams are already cutting scouts. Too bad I didn't post the article in the NBA Dish. They are cutting costs everywhere, players will be next. The free agent market is going to be cheaper this summer and there will be lots of bargains if a team has the money. That's my .02
If there is a trade for Bosh, it will likely be at the trade deadline and involve one of Shane/Trevor along with Landry, Cook and Lowry. Toronto is going to prefer Landry's younger age and fixed contract to Scola's older age and pending free agent status. We are either going to package this way for a player like Bosh, or we are going to go for a smaller deal for a big man like Camby, or we are going to move McGrady in a colossal deal for a superstar/star level player(s).
Seconded. I'd like to keep them here for the next ten-plus years. Players come and players go. We'll just have to enjoy these two while we have them.
I don't necessarily think that the Brooks-Lowry tandem won't be locked up long term. Each has to go through restricted free agency (that is, unless the Rockets extend Brooks's contract next summer), so Morey will at least have the opportunity to match any offer for each of them. I think leebigez is overestimating the assumption that Lowry will sign a lucrative deal with Philly next summer. While I agree that the Sixers may seem like a good fit for Kyle, I doubt that Philly offers much (or anything) for Lowry. If Morey plays his cards right and threatens to match any offer for Lowry up to the MLE (remember, we'll all have a pretty good idea of the Rockets' cap situation by July 1), the Sixers may balk at tying up their MLE for a week and losing out on other free agents. Plus, in addition to the promising Louis Williams, the Sixers JUST drafted Jrue Holiday, who many projected to be a high lottery pick and who plays a similar style to Lowry (but is 6-4). I doubt they scrap their plans to develop Holiday as their PG of the future just to pay three times as much for a third PG, just because Kyle is a "hometown guy".
Kyle Lowry is doing a terrific job as a back up point guard and Luis was just a total package on both sides of the court. Morey new what's up this coming year and i'm sure he knows that he is holding the ace cards!
Bima I have a question. Is it doable to reach a verbal agreement with one of those superstars if he is truly interested and then waive Scola and Lowry to create enough cap room for a max contract?
Bima, talk is cheap and 7 days isn't that long if u want a player. Every team knows of other teams cap,cap holds and stuff like that. Otis threatened to match any offer for gortat, yet that didn't stop the mavs from offering him a mle. This game can be played a lot of ways and u see teams wait for a team to spend their money then throw the money out there and force the hand. I think lowry is a mle type of player and a starter in this league. He will get some good offers and it will not matter that morey will threatened to match. If someone wants lowry which I do, he's gone. Now maybe philly may not be as high on him, but there will be teams looking at his age and not hesitate to offer him a deal because he will be able to play out a 6yr mle deal.
Its depressing that the recession holds back people from buying tickets. Especially the ones that sit in the 400s of the toyota center(where the real fans sit with exception to the rowdies.)
As this roster is currently constituted, no. First of all, even if the Rockets waived every free agent (T-Mac, Scola, Lowry), there would not be enough cap room for a max player. The Rockets would likely also need to decline their team options on both Landry and Hayes. Even then, there likely wouldn't be enough cap room for a max player. By my estimates, that would create a maximum of just about $12.68M, which won't cut it for a guy like Bosh or Johnson. Also, no verbal agreement could be reached with a free agent prior to the deadline for deciding whether to pick up the team options on Landry and Hayes, so those decisions would need to be made blindly. It would take a trade of Battier either (a) this season for some scrub's expiring contract who the Rockets wouldn't re-sign or (b) next June to a team with cap space and draft picks to create enough room. So, at this point, if you're Chris Bosh, you can either (a) re-sign in Toronto for the most money by far; (b) sign with the Nets or Knicks, get a max deal (albeit for less than Toronto can offer) and get the exposure of playing in the nation's largest media market; (c) sign with the Heat, get a max deal and get to play with Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley in Miami (and Florida, like Texas, has no state income tax); (d) sign with either Chicago or the LA Clippers, get slightly less than the max and get the exposure of playing in a top media market; or (e) sign with the Rockets, make slightly less than the max and play with Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza and pretty much nobody else. I'm guessing Option (e) won't be at the top of Chris's wish list.
