[ClutchFans] BimaThug: Houston's Future: Dollars and Sense

Good question. I don't think so. While a team can make trades as soon as its season is over, I don't think players whose contracts are ending (and thus would be sign-and-trade candidates) can be traded. I also don't think a free agent can be signed to a contract until after the July Moratorium (this year, July 8).

Yes, that trade would work under the salary cap.

No, I don't think Minnesota would make that trade. Rubio's a known quantity. That Knicks pick is a crapshoot. David Kahn would rather hold out for a very good, known commodity. IF he even ever trades Rubio, that is.

 

Can you think of any examples that a sign-and-trade took place with significant pieces moving from one team to another? Most I've found have been teams taking on conditional second rounders/late 1st round picks. Admittedly, this is mostly because one team has the cap space to outright sign the FA, so the original team would rather SnT to at least receive something. But I don't think Jeffries/Battier is as far off as you make it to be. Toronto would have around ~47M if Bosh doesn't re-sign. Most notably, they would still have:

Turkoglu ($9.8M)
Calderon ($9M)
Bargnani ($8.5M)

As well as Marcus Banks, Derozan, Jack and Evans all making several million as well. In other words, I think Toronto would still expect/attempt to make the playoffs even if they lost Bosh. Having Battier/Jeffries on their team helps them accomplish this. Further, they are expiring contracts and wouldn't leave any long term detriment to their team. Adding Shane/JJ + their 1st rounder this year also wouldn't push them over the luxury tax.

I understand your point about the Raptors not wishing to pay ~14M for the Rockets draft picks, but I think you're overlooking the value and contribution that Battier brings. You seem to be considering Battier's salary and not his contribution -- Shane isn't a throw in, he's another asset added to the deal. Jeffries, by all means, is a throw-in to make the salary work, but I consider Battier more of another asset for Toronto rather than another expiring contract.

I do agree that our draft picks would be pretty worthless to them, as Yao/Martin/Bosh are never missing the playoffs. The Rockets 2011 pick (w/ option) and 2012 Knicks pick would be the most attractive. Hopefully, as I believe you've said before, Jordan Hill develops into a sought-after commodity in which we could also throw in the deal.

The bottom line, IMO, is that Colanegelo would have a lot easier time selling Battier/Jeffries/Hill/2011 1st/2012 1st to his fan base than he would telling them that their franchise player walked away for nothing. Obviously, he can't walk for nothing to the Rockets, but if another suitor emerges as Bosh's second choice (not Toronto; team with max FA cap space), this could help push Houston up Toronto's SnT wish list.

 

Pretty much. I wish they would stop fooling themselves and just start over like orlando,utah,portland and a few other have. If they miss out on their prized player they're aiming for, the rockets should offer yao and a pick for lopez and start over with a young team that can compete in 3 years vs the patchwork and hope. Not saying the nets would go for it, but there will be enough pressure to fill the new arena and to sell tickets in that market. Yao,Yi,CDR,Lee,Harris and a lotto pick can make the playoffs next year if they get a decent coach.

 

The problem with what you are proposing is that it will take TIME. And time is something that Rockets' fans don't have a lot to give. It's already been 15 years now since the Rudy T championships and the Rockets have been all over the map with not much to show for the effort (one 2nd round playoff appearance).

I've always maintained that you can't outrun your mistakes in this business and the Rockets made far too many under CD & Alexander to simply fire everyone and retool in a single year. CD's legacy of incompetence continues to haunt this team - witness this week's dumping of MeMac, the guy who was supposed to be key to their "next" championship 5 years ago. If Yao has to be let go, then you can put a wrap on another lost Rockets' decade.

So now, if they were to embark on (yet) another rebuilding odessey, you would be looking at another 2-5 years. There will be (yet) another new head coach, another system, another search for players who fit that system and so on. Truly, it will become another long march toward oblivion.

 

Hillboy, I would wait that long for a dynamic, true contender of a team. Look how many years it took to get the 1st two, so i dont think fans or adelman would care. What fans dont want is the 4-5 seed with basically no chance to win it like we've had for the last few years. Now like I've said,maybe they will get lucky and hill will develop into the potential everyone thinks he has or draft a brandon roy type who is instant top 15 type of player, who knows? Maybe morey can parlay the draft picks and expirings for bosh, but to me its bosh or bust in terms of putting this team into contention and being able to withstand the continued decline of yao. I know that sounds like a end of the world type of scenerio, but unless you can reload with that kind of player, the rockets will never be top 3 in the west. Then you factor in ok city with durant, portland with roy and aldridge, utah with williams and another lotto pick, they all have age and studs on their side. Dirk,Kobe,and carmello will be better players than anyone on the rockets squad over the the next 3 years also.

Maybe I'm just a grouchy old man that has seen enough of teams under us, surpass us in the last 3 years and think we need to shoot higher. Who knows, maybe morey has a super plan with the ammo to get some special players. I guess we will have to wait and see. I do know history has shown us those players are drafted vs traded for, but I'm patient.

 

Alrighty.