I'd love to get #10, but I don't know if we have anything the Mavs would want (players that can help them win now). Maybe if they want to use us as a salary dump for some roleplayers so that they can shuffle the deck chairs on the Titanic? That's the only realistic possibility I could see.
We haven’t really talked about this, and I’m not in favor, but do u think the rockets are considering Kyrie as a free agent? We are desperate for a point guard.
That's a big hell nah for me. That dude is toxic every which way. Long-ass list of reasons to keep him out of our organization.
I my be over-listening but the new coach is about the here & now. The developmental and hand holding seems to be gone. The top two picks seem a little projectish and the twins can be add to maybe in the future. Coach seems play your role to its fulls or to bench you go. The rookies and youth get developed by earning it. He wants to spend the cap space not collect it. Miller, Walker, Hendrick, Black, Wallace & Hood-Schifino seem like fits with the new direction. Middle of the lottery.
Someone else smarter and less lazy than me has probably already done this (probably multiple pages ago), but I wanted to think about the potential competition the Rockets might have from teams with cap space. Yeah, some teams could maybe still be competition by making deals over the summer (or work a S&T), but I just thought I'd consider what we know right now. Going off of the info in this link: https://theathletic.com/4177203/2023/02/11/nba-salary-cap-2023-24-season/ These are the cap space teams: Rockets ($61 million), Spurs ($40-48 million), Jazz ($31-45 million), Magic ($22-58 million), Hornets ($27-37 million), Thunder ($31 million), Pistons ($30 million), Pacers ($28 million). I'll address what those ranges mean below. For Spurs, I think that range depends on picking up an option on Zach Collins. For Jazz, it depends on Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk. For Magic, it depends on whether they retain Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris (Athletic article thinks they'll keep most). For Hornets, it depends on what they do with Miles Bridges (RFA) and P.J. Washington (RFA) I think. OKC, DET, and IND numbers seem more set in stone at this point. Note these teams and others might have their numbers fluctuate a bit depending on lottery results I guess. We can do this for other teams, but for the sake of guys like Cam Johnson and maybe a few other guys (who would want more than MLE money?), I think this would cover most of that market? I'm ignoring the fact that of course you'd be competing with BKN for Cam Johnson, MIL for Brook Lopez, etc. You could then go team-by-team and debate whether say the Spurs or Magic would want to throw $25-$30M at a player, while possibly not addressing other holes in their roster (plus whether that FA would want to sign there). And for completeness, here are the statuses of the other teams. Over cap but can use full nontaxpayer MLE (4): Kings, Knicks, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers Less than full MLE but can likely avoid tax (7): Bulls, Cavs, Grizzlies, Hawks, Nets, Pelicans, Wizards Luxury-tax payers (11): 76ers, Bucks, Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Raptors, Suns, Warriors For those exceptions, see this: Alright, someone better than me can tell me where I'm wrong, but hopefully this is somewhat useful...until it is incredibly outdated after some summer deals/rumors/etc.
I feel like the Mavericks are going to want to turn #10 into a more impactful player than what we can offer. It’s a good target, because I think they definitely want to move it, I’m just not sure we can offer what they’re looking for. And I’m not sure they can take on salary without sending any out.
If we can do a sign and trade with Boston for Grant Williams that would preserve some of that important cap space. Tate ($6.8 mil) + KPJ ($15.8) for Grant Williams ($18) + Galo or Muscala. Then we could use the $60 in cap space on Lopez and Harden Sengun/Lopez ($25 mil) Jabari/Grant Williams Tari Green Harden ($35 mil) Plus our top 6 pick, and use the rest of our guys and the clippers pick to add another core vet.
Grant Williams would be a good pickup as a defensive dog and I'll bet Ime would love to have him here
•“…the Rockets remain committed to the core pieces of the rebuild; last season’s top picks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason and the previous season’s selections, Alperen Sengun and especially Jalen Green. But when Udoka cited the desire to add “some veteran pieces,” he specifically mentioned acquiring more shooting and a “different” sort of big man. Udoka’s role in the decision-making, Stone said, “is somewhat TBD.”” •“The Rockets have the cap space for a max contract and more, but the free agent class is not robust with players likely to land those sorts of deals. Even Harden, who has been open about his feelings about Houston as “home,” might not draw that kind of contract from a team that even with his help would not be a championship contender. Even less certain would be whether he would want to move with a hometown discount, having given back salary last summer in Philadelphia. While the success of the Sixers’ season remains very much to be determined, it is also not clear how that will influence any decision Harden faces, or the sort of offer 76ers president and former Rockets GM Daryl Morey makes to keep him.” •“The chances the Rockets would pursue a restricted free agent such as Cam Johnson or Rui Hachimura are less likely if it would require overpaying to keep a team from matching the salary. As with trade negotiations in which Stone has set a price and looked for a team to meet it, he is likely to determine what he considers a free agent to be worth in the context of the Rockets’ rebuild and offer that, rather than a contract to scare a team away from matching an offer sheet.” •“If a more coveted player is available because he is heading into a contract season, such as Boston’s Jaylen Brown (who could sign an extension, anyway), Stone might prefer to wait one season and to sign him as a free agent, rather than give up the assets necessary to make a deal.” •“The Rockets are unlikely to use their space to acquire future picks by letting teams park bad contracts in their cap room. With nine players likely to have been added in a span of three first rounds, the price for other teams using Houston’s cap space to move contracts has increased.”
Fine waiting for the impact player to become available rather than blowing all of our cap space in this crap free agent class. As much as guys like Harden and Lopez would improve our team, at their age and given where we are in the rebuild, it’s hard to make the case that it’s a good use of money. I could see going after value like a Jevon Carter? But a guy like Carter isn’t gonna move the needle all that much.
Honestly, I'm not sure I love the idea of kicking-the-can, so to say. Too much can happen between now and then. Besides, with a guy like Cam Johnson, how much are you really "overpaying?" I'm guessing he's in line to get 20+ mil from someone, if not multiple teams.
Tate + 1st to Minny for Conleys expiring Over pay for Reaves or Cam Jonson. Maybe include draft capital to do a sign & trade for one or both of them on 3yr deals KPJ/Conley Green/Reaves Bari/Tari Wemby/Johnson Sengun/Veteran/Garuba Would be dirty. Guys like Reaves and Johnson probably easily tradable to stay flexible
Add Brook Lopez to this on a two year rental and I would be very, very happy with this offseason. Although Conley should start over KPJ and KPJ should come off the bench backing up both guard spots, IMO.
Nah. Unless it’s Harden I’m not benching KPJ for a 35 year old. Conley would be there to mentor and keep the bench under control in the 4th. Imagine just swapping Conley with Nix in late games last season Not sure how much Lopez would cost
