Avery Johnson Believes We Have A Great Chance For LeBron

AND the best coach in the NBA....

 

No, we absolutely could not sign another star player and keep the role player we have while also getting Lebron, do some more research

 

Dont forget Ariza! He was recruiting Ariza to Cleveland! All joking aside, this is just all talk and wishful thinking.....right now imo. Would love to be proved wrong in the long run

 

Yea they can. Let Tracy go sign LeBron and use the MLE on Scola, then replace Lowry, that is still a huge upgrade.

 

IF and it is a very big if, Lebron James ever gave the slightest indication that he wanted to come to Houston or even was willing to come to Houston, The Rockets and Morey would ensure that we had the cap space to sign him. Plus, Alexander has said numerous times on the record, that he would pay the luxury tax for a special circumstance. Lebron James certainly qualifies as a special circumstance. So, fitting Lebron on the roster should be the least of worries.

There is just nothing to suggest that Lebron would even give Houston a thought. I would absolutely go nuts if the Rockets landed James. Damn, now I am not going to be able to sleep.

 

You are right i have heard Les say the same thing and this was after the season where they won 22 straight.

 

I can't sleep now that I'm thinking about this...

 

I think you're incredibly wrong. If the Rockets make it to the playoffs without Yao, it would make a pretty compelling case that this team + Yao + another superstar is a strong title contender. I think all the big name free agents would be fighting to come here to be the man who takes us to the championship - assuming we can free up the space to sign one of them (and I'm not sure about that).

 

Lebron to Rockets?

Could we hypothetically go after Lebron? Tmacs contract would give us somewhere in the area of 11 million dollars to use on a guy next year. Lebron this last game stated after winning against New York a max contract is not important. A chance to play for the title is more important. Surely he wont go to the Lakers for the minimum though or Celtics. Here we could theoretically offer him a decent starting year contract that increases every year or sign him for one year to resign him again later if it succeeds at a max contract. He would have a better team than he has in Cleveland here and with Yao could definately win a title next year. Could Morey go after Lebron and will he? I think he should to test how much Lebron is interested in going to a contender instead of starting over with a bad team like the Knicks would be. A team that has enough money to satisfy him though and the players close enough for Championship caliber. To me Rockets fit all criteria for his last comments. He did say he envisioned himself on any team that fits that in the offseason.

 

There is absolutely NO WAY in hell that he would take less than a max contract.

 

I only mentioned this because after the Knicks game he said the max contract was not as important in the offseason to being on a team that can win the Championship when he determines his destination and he said he envisioned himself playing on all teams at one time so no team is out of the picture except the Knicks who are horrible, Lakers who have mid level exception, Celtics, all horrible teams in the NBA(New Jersey included), and probably Cleveland since I dont think he is going to stay there. That leaves Rockets, Bulls, and a select few. I think Bulls might have the money but Rockets have the better team and some pretty good money to start off with who can compete for a Championship instantly with him.

 

i dont think he'll take 10-12 mil less per year to play for the rockets. Cleveland can offer around 6 years 120mil. What the Rockets can offer is pretty much an insult.

 

Money isn't an issue for lebron if he wants the title. He is nikes number 1 guy

 

There is a thread on this already, sure Rockets will be trying that is for damn sure they would be stupid not too. As for the criterias i think Rockets benifit him the most in all aspects he will be viewed as a player who turned down money to win and he certainly was not the first player to do it either. I think his view is if he can win now then he has another shot for a bigger contract next time because it would be on his resume. With a 90 million dollar shoe contract already i'd doubt he is all for it for money as well and 1.3 billion people in NY cant touch 200 billion people in China with a broom stick.

 

Money isnt that big of an issue coming to the Rockets who hold Yao Ming and the largest consumer base on Earth in China. He will more than likely make more money here than anywhere if we can structure his contract creatively and get his merchandise to Chinas fans. On fame? He could become the most known player on Earth over Bryant and Jordan starting off here with a billion Chinese people as his fans. He could be a global athlete with Yao as his teammate.

 

Do none of you read ANYTHING before you start a thread?

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=176784

morons

 

Dont call people morons. I am not the one who likes insults. Anyways your link doesnt work moron.

 

Using Bima's thread, I came to a mildly sobering conclusion (if everything he says is correct). The below is still the only way to free up enough space to possibly obtain Lebron, but my earlier conclusion about our final cap space and roster were more troubling.



Now, if we made this trade, we would have about 37 million in salary minus Tmac and Yao if we are to assume Landry can be signed at 6 million, Scola at 7 million, and Lowry at 4 million.

The salary cap could be set to 57.3 million. That would mean even with Yao off our salary we have only 20 million to play with. With Yao we have about MLE (5 or 6 million). We CAN NOT EXCEED CAP SPACE irregardless of Alexander's feelings about paying luxury tax.

Of course, we could find a way to move some of our dead weight in Dorsey, Taylor, and maybe even Anderson, but that is unlikely. Lets say we DO move Yao and free up his salary leaving us with about 20 million to spend.

Now, if Lebron accepts 18 million (which could happen but I'm being terribly optimistic). Then that of course leaves around 2 million left. We would then have to consider ditching Lowry which would bump that number up to 6 million. Not enough to get someone else really. Well, what if we decline to sign Scola??? Well that puts us at 13 million...but now we've gutted our team and why would Lebron be interested.

If we find a way to shed Dorsey, Anderson, and Taylor's contracts, that will free up about 4 million. Now you have 17 million and you can get a Bosh or Stoudemire with that number...if they don't go to Jersey or New York for more.

Lots and lots of ifs but IF somehow we can do all these things this can be our lineup...

Brooks
Ariza
Lebron
Carl
Bosh or Stoudemire

Conroy?
Chase
Battier
Hayes

Even after all that wishful thinking we would still be looking a little thin in certain areas...

So, to make a long story short, I have to concede that while it's possible, it's VERY unlikely we land Lebron.

I STILL believe we should move Yao's contract... I don't trust those feet anymore and I don't think he can fit on this running team irregardless of what others say. My opinion.

 

If this team plays some great bball against the Cavs (because its the only way Lebron will get to see us since we aren't on NTV), and that we make the playoffs, we are a legit Lebron contender.
A team of role players who can get to the playoffs on thereselves+Yao+a Lebron type player, is definitely something a guy who wants to WIN would consider.
Now, considering the money, we don't have any, but then again, we you are winning such a big amount like these superstars are, i'm sure a player who really wants to mark the history of basketball wouldn't mind giving up a couple lamborghini's.
These guys, and especially Lebron, could stop working now that there grand-grand-children wouldn't have to ever put on a suit.

So the question is, what does Lebron really want? Stack the cash and be the richest basketball player ever? Or does he want to try to make a run at the title of greatest ever?
If he chooses the first, he will have immediately lost any chance of ever being the greatest (due to choosing money over the love of the game).
If, on the other hand, goes for the second, I would love for it to happen in Houston.

 

Well if Yao opts out of his contract and then signs say for a much lesser amount we would be able to fit James in