Are the Rockets getting USED?

almost everything is a smoke screen, or a lie to gain leverage. when the dust settle we will see who actaully wants to come here.

 

I dont think so. I think we are just being fiscally responsible right now. We arent being suckered into this knee jerk reaction to FA where everyone is overpaying.

I admit, that sometimes I get impatient and want to add to this team. But we have the core elements in Yao and Tmac. We just have to show patience. This team is in constant flux. Whoever we get at PG this year will probably only be a short term solution anyway.

You dont pay FULL MLE monies for short term solution role players like some of these teams are doing. It ususally comes back to haunt you in the latter years of that person's contract.

 

Despite how the FA market has been so far, I think the Rockets will still make some key addition. We'll see on the 15th, but its usually a good sign when we don't hear anything about the Rockets. Usually rumors fall through, and the Rockets always keep talks quiet.

 

How were we being used?

Barry apparently looks like took less money than we offered, and instead chose a team with a better shot at the championship in the next few years. Arroyo never was much on the Rockets radar screen because Utah's ability to match. And we didn't try to aim for Hudson or any of those PFs, whom the Rockets most definitely didn't want to commit 6-yrs/$40 mil for.

I believe that all else being equal, players would tend to choose Houston over other places. But let's face it, by far the biggest influence on where a player goes to is MONEY. If the Rockets don't pony up the jack, players aren't going to come here.

 

With the contracts some of these guys are getting I'm happy we haven't signed anyone yet. We've got enough long and bloated contracts on the roster already.

Add cheap players who play solid if not exceptional ball and let Yao and TMAC do their things. Next year when we are sure what we need exactly then go out and make some moves.

 

Agreed. That wasn't too much to ask for Barry, and unless the Rockets can land an excellent PG it will look like we missed out. Hearing Van Exel's name in another thread was encouraging. I was super impressed with his playoff performance while he carried Dallas through the playoffs a couple years ago.

All is not lost. I feel like we still have plenty of potential since we have Mo Taylor, who is very valuable as trade material (considering the other MORE ridiculuous big man deals this summer which make his contract look very reasonable), and we also have the exception. Hopefully, CD's plans are going all right because I don't feel like we really know what they are thinking.

 

Doctor Robert, I like your posts, but have to disagree with your statement that Taylor is "very valuable as trade material". Though I certainly agree with the rest of your statement.

 

Exactly. Let all the other teams sign the marginal players to long rich contracts. They'll regret it in 3 or 4 years if not sooner. I mean come on...who would know that better than us? It seems like CD and staff have learned from their past mistakes (Maloney, Cato, Mo, et al) and I for one am glad.

I get a little impatient too but I'm glad CD and staff are sharp enough to resist the temptation to throw ridiculous money at these average players. Brian Cardinal?!? Can you say Austin Croshere?

 

CD is definite wise not to sign any of those rediculous bloated contracts so far in this year's FA. We always complained about the contracts for Cato, Taylor, Moochie. But they look tiny and well spent compared to this year: Martin 80M, Boozer 68M, Foyle 41M, Okur $50M, Nash $65M, etc. You get the idea.

 

At this point I really think the Rockets believe the talent in the free agent market is very even and would much rather wait until the other teams spend all of their money. Once the other teams are out of the running for free agents the rest of the field will have to take what is left if they wish to play. At the end of July or sometimes in August I imagine the Rockets can find another Jim Jackson like they did last year.

I am much more interested in how they use their trade exception.

 

Maybe Rox can use TE for Van Exel. Having having Excel running the PG is going to be explosive.

 

I thought it was the 14th

 

I can only pray that the Rockets are taking a fiscal approach and have learned from past mistakes. Maybe the Rockets truly have taken a step closer to practical financial planning.

... Then again, if we end up signing Fisher to a 5-year full MLE deal, all bets are off. That's an albatross contract just waiting to happen. Hopefully, in the case of Fisher, the Rockets ARE being used to get a better deal from another team. I'd rather not have Fisher, and I certainly don't want him for full MLE. Let another team get the "Whammy."

 

Bingo. There are two phases to the NBA contracts market. In phase 1, teams bid desperately for what they perceive as the marquee names. In phase 2, all the big money has been committed, and the non-marquee names are left to shop their services around for scraps.

Are the players who get snapped up in phase 1 much better than the players who look for a home in phase 2? We gave up Posey in phase 1. We signed Jim Jackson in phase 2. You be the judge.

 

I get what crash and Will are talking about, but what I don't get is that some of these guys are not marquee players. It may be simple supply and demand, but even then that shouldn't justify some of the ridiculous contracts that are being handed out. I'm just glad we aren't following the lead of these other teams. We may not get the big guy we need this year because the free agent classes of the next 2 years are far better than what is out there now.

 

I don't think this is a bad thing. Other teams agreeing to bad contracts is a good thing for us in the long run. Fiscal responsibility is important. I HOPE WE DO NOT OVERPAY FOR PLAYERS LIKE FISHER!

 

McDyess for $30 million makes Taylor look valuable.