It really seems sacrificing Harrell's contract has been a decision that already been made. The fact that KJ got exactly the taxpayer MLE tells me all I need to know. I can't possibly imagine we would go into this season without any financial flexibility whatsoever to pick up free agents.
Harrell will be stuck in the D-League and Hayes hasn't been good since he left Houston. It's not that many dudes.
It's not so much that. Consider that you have 6 guys that can ONLY play the 4 or 5. Even TJones, the most flexible of the bunch, cannot play any minutes at the 3. The wings are different. KJ and Brewer can play the 1, 2 or 3, and Ariza can play 1-4. Signing Chuck Hayes right now doesn't make sense to me UNLESS there is something else going on. Chuck is a replacement level player, meaning you can get him almost any time. He's the type of player that gets cut during TC and picked up or signed mid-season. So when cap flexibility is precious to you, YOU DON'T sign Chuck Hayes in mid-July.
If the Rockets are committed to not being hard capped, then these signing hinder nothing other than Leslie's finances. The only thing that hurts cap flexibility is using the MLE on Harrell (or someone else).
I agree, but I'd have a hard time telling Harrell that he should take $500k when the guy drafted immediately after him just got $5 million. Obviously I could be wrong on all of this. The Rockets may just prefer Terry and Chuck to all other options, including passing on Williams and signing Harrell to a 1 or 2 year deal....but that hasn't been Morey's MO.
I don't think anything else is going on, and I see no problem with the front court you posted. 15 roster spots mean your supposed to be 3 deep at each position. Motiejunas is coming off of back surgery, Jones was injury riddled all last season, Howard has knee/back problems, Capela has barely cracked the rotation, Harrell will be in the d-league, Hayes won't be apart of the rotation. Lawson / Beverley / Terry Harden / Thornton / KJ Ariza / Brewer / Dekker Motie / Jones / Harrell Howard / Capela / Hayes Well balanced roster, ready and set to go. Harrell, Dekker in D-League, Hayes, Terry and McDaniels out of rotation unless foul trouble or injury. (although KJ could possibly beat out Thornton for his minutes).
The Vipers are actually going to be pretty fun to watch this year. Dekker, Harrell, and probably KJ are going to get extensive minutes down there along with what we can hope would be Christian Wood, and Alan Williams if other teams don't pick them up first. This roster is also built to sustain injuries better than the teams the past two seasons. The big loss obviously would be Dwight as Capela probably still is going to be a little light in the britches.
It doesn't look like Morey's MO but Morey's MO most of all is to be flexible. Even sacrifising flexibillity when the prize is worth it (Lawson), is being flexible rather than rigid in your ways. We need vets in the lockeroom right now.
i doubt the rockets signed KJ to a 3/$10 contract if they are going to put him in the dleague for part or all of the year. last year he didnt even go to the DLeague after the trade.
-They signed him at essentially the same rate they would be paying a mid-lotto pick. -They signed him three years with no player option so they will have his bird rights -There are at least two players ahead of him (probably 4 to 6 with small ball rotations) in the rotation with probably more likelihood of earning early PT. I think its very possible they view the signing as a similar situation as to drafting a rookie. He's in virtually the same situation. Now do we think the Rockets are the type of team that will be beyond sending a lotto pick to the D-League if they are not getting PT? Have we ever known them to NOT do that in the past? Not sure why KJ is any different. The way they probably look at it, on a 3 year deal, you are in good shape if you are getting solid production from him in the back two years of his deal at that rate even if he doesn't play in year 1, and just develops. More than likely injuries break like they always do, but I think year 1 on this contract will be viewed by the organization as his rookie season. He can very well beat out guys like Thornton, Brewer, Terry, etc. but its probably unlikely. There is no rush to get KJ on the court.
We paid him like a top 10 pick. And besides injuries KJ can offfer something that will be needed. DEFENCE. With our projected lineup we will need excellent wing defence. I think he will be in the rotation by the end of the year.
I think so too. I think KJ will do the work in training camp and practice and his defense and hustle will get him on the floor. I think the Rockets will end up flirting a lot with Ariza at the PF spot in small ball lineups, freeing up swingman position time. This is the new NBA where speed and versatility is at a premium.
If KJ emerges as a legit playoff rotation level player by December/January, I would really watch for a big trade involving Brewer.
BBH, if that happens not only will I post a great big bbs apology to you but I will change my sig to the sig of your choice for 1 full season. A limit of 500 characters.
Dude, I don't care about your sig. I've made it clear what I care about. Eliminate all the crap posts attacking other posters and just talk basketball. It shouldn't take a DeMarcus trade for that to happen. And as far as DeMarcus coming here, I have no info that that is going to happen. I just said WATCH for what happens with him and Butler. Those 2 players are flash points for the entire league. What I do know about DeMarcus is Morey likes him a lot and he is a "fit" here with his contract and his game and his future trade-ability.
Not only that, the idea of the two of them coexisting on the same team is laughable. They could be great friends off the court but on the court they'd be like oil and water
