So what is the Rockets cap situation? Will they be able to be a major player in this summer's free agent sweepstakes or not?
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jose_calderon/game_by_game_stats.html Jose is golden; he could be the PG upgrade that we need.
Estimate for next season's LT is $70.58M. Alston, Jackson, Brooks/Francis McGrady, Head, Brooks/Francis Battier, Harris, Scola, Novak, Yao, Hayes, Woods =c. $70.95M If staying under LT is a priority. Hinrich is having the worst season of his career. Alston+Jackson+Brooks for Kirk Hinrich+JamesOn Curry = c. -$2.95M *Curry has a non-guaranteed contract and can be waived for $0. Hinrich, Brooks/Francis, McGrady, Brooks/Francis, Battier, Harris, Scola, Novak, Yao, Hayes, Woods =c. $68M When Yao, scola, and Landry are all healthy Hayes is a luxury who is glued to the bench. So the Rockets could try to move Hayes for a TE or to team under the salary cap. Then try to swap their pick for the draft rights to Joel Freeland, sign Newley/rookie min, another rookie at the min, and Gerald Green to a min deal. Hinrich, Brooks/Francis McGrady, Brooks/Francis, (Green), (Newley) Battier, Harris, (Rookie/Eliyahu) Scola, Novak, Yao, Woods, (Freeland) =c. $67.81M That should leave the Rockets around $2.77M under LT. A 2007 second year mid-lottery pick would make around $1.5M. So hopefully Landry can accept that or somewhere close and find a chinese shoe deal. IIRC Hayes's shoe deal has a Yao Ming clause. Hinrich, Brooks/Francis McGrady, Brooks/Francis, (Green), (Newley) Battier, Harris, (Rookie/Eliyahu) Scola, Landry, Novak Yao, Woods, (Freeland) =c. $67.81M + Landry
To be honest, I'm not sure I'd be willing to part with BJax for Kirk - I love what Bobby brings to this team and how well he runs the offense. I was pleading with Rick to drop Rafer in the first quarter the other night - and he finally listened to me!
He's like 35-years-old and expiring next year. It's one thing to trade him, him get bought out then resign him but let's not get carried away with keeping an aging and declining player like that. If a decent offer for Hinrich is on the table you have to consider it. A potential PG duo of Hinrich/Brooks with Francis possibly waiting in the wings is very lethal. Hinrich for size, defense, consistency and intangibles. Brooks for a spark -- speed, scoring and a change of pace player. Anything Francis can add to that combination is just an added bonus.
I'm not against trading him - I just don't see Kirk as being that big enough of an upgrade for next year's team to warrant that trade - but in looking at the future, it would be a good trade. I think we're title contenders next year with this team + another 1st rounder. He may be 35, but he sure as hell doesn't play like it - He's the best PG on this team.
Kirk is barely getting PT compared to Ben Gordon, do we really want Kirk? Isn't he a bad 1 on 1 defender too? I see him foul so much because he loses his man.
Hinrich isn't ideal but if we do decide to pursue an upgrade at the point his name definitely has to be at the top of the list. Sure, he's owed a lot of money but don't make too much out of his bad season in Chicago. That team is a disaster and he's a year removed from a career year.
Once again scola struggles inside against longer, atheletic types. Calling for Mr. Okefor. I know DD is coming also.
What would it take to steal Vince Carter from the Nets this offseason? T-Mac and Vince both are having similar seasons all though i believe that having Vince Carter as our #3 guy or #2 guy some nights with Battier playing the ultimate 6th man defender some nights and T-Mac coming off the bench or Vince some nights still getting plenty of playing time would be a good move. Vince is making just a little less than Yao but the question remains would T-Mac want Vince as a team mate again and vise versa at this point of their career when winning is all that matters and not their numbers on paper. Vince can still do all of those things before and in this system with Yao/T-Mac where dominating the ball is not a option and making the right pass is i believe they would all 3 take the Rockets up a couple levels then where they are now. But what would it take to get him if no other option is available? It would still be possible to have 3 guys just like Boston who all average just under 20 points for a season with Yao leading the way. I think its ideal because we are now a ballanced attack on offense now.
There's no way we'd be able to keep Battier Mcgrady and Vince on the same team, we'd have to give up Mcgrady for him and the Nets probably wouldn't go for that since he's not really an upgrade. I could only see them doing this if Vince is causing trouble in the locker room like Kidd was.
Maybe but he fouls too much and isn't on the court to play said defense. If he could stay on the court I'd say go for it.
He wasn't the problem it was primarily landry and Deke tonight that got owned. Scola had 22 and 13...he was fine. DD
Landry needs to work on his defense a bit this summer. He doesn't position his feet very well to keep people from getting easy layups.
