Neither of these are restructuring of existing deals to take less money like the original post suggested we could do with Harden and Howard. So, unless someone posts an example, I'll go ahead and say it's not possible to restructure an existing contract to lower the cap number. Also, don't come at me with examples from 2002 which was what, 2 CBAs ago? You cannot restructure an existing NBA contract in anyway the reduces the cap number. And before you say that isn't what you were suggesting, you brought up restricting Howard and Harden as a way to buy cap space to sign Melo.
We always hear how Les would spend for a special talent, though we have never seen it. Carmelo is special. He can rebound very well, too. Maybe NY has humbled him to the point where he will be a little more well rounded. OR Lin, Asik, Jones,our first rounder and a couple of seconds. Get it done. Lin at $15million next year and Asik at $15million next year so why won't the trade work?
In a perfect world Anthony would have stood up, forced his way out of NY at the deadline and decided to go to a team where he actually had a shot at making the finals. That means Indy or any of the top 4-5 Western conference teams. Shots, selfishness and ego aside..... Melo would be perfect as a stretch four. I do enjoy the alternative (NY getting raped and left with nothing when he leaves this summer) He is not Lebron or KD. To win anything, he will need a good bit of talent around him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Carmelo Anthony: "You score 40 or 44 points and still lose, and you ask yourself, 'Is it worth it?'" - WOW.</p>— NBA Legion (@MySportsLegion) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsLegion/statuses/438158726147874816">February 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> can you blame him?
Yeah it is NOT possible for the Rockets to do this. Whats your point? Are you really trying to suggest that I am trying to put it in peoples heads that the Rockets can somehow do this to get Melo cause I think you need to go back and re-read what i wrote. If you take what I said as a suggestion than you aren't paying that much attention. Its quite the opposite. The only thing I came back and commented on what that yes it actually is possible to restructure an NBA contract which someone commented to my post before that it wasn't. Using an example from 2002.... well that shows you how often its done in the NBA reinforcing the point that its extremely difficult to get around the rules of the CBA that keep teams from doing what folks here my hope the Rockets could do with current contracts to manipulate their salary cap. If thats not the case than I'm not really sure what your problem is with what i said. If its not impossible, its pretty damn close for the Rockets to acquire Melo via free agency. Case closed... move on.
Well, you can continue to believe what you will. And perhaps I'm crazy. But it's a realistic possibility with a general manager like Pat Riley. Remember, NOBODY thought Riley could get 3 superstars to play together. But he did. Riley is in the short handful of greatest GMs in the league and he's fast approaching the greatest executives of all-time circle. So....entertain this. Salary cap goes to $62.9 million next season. That's the latest current projections I've seen. The big 3 are all 10-year vets so they're eligible for the 35% maximum. So....35% of $62.9 million is a salary of $22.015 million. Compound that over 5 seasons for Lebron and Bosh with 7.5% raises and those total deals are $126.58 million. Now, Wade is a different story. And he knows it. He's a couple years older at 32. And on the decline. Riley most likely tells him, "Look if we're gonna keep this gang together and keep it competitive and be able to add another major piece you gotta give Dwyane." Wade knows that is likely coming. If he were to leave Miami where's he gonna go to win a ring? Money? Ok, so the max money he can get is a 4-year deal starting at $22.015 million with 4.5% raises. That's a total of $94 million over 4 years to walk away to somewhere else for the max. So Riley and the Big 3 get Melo on board wanting to come to Miami. (By the way, that would be a group scenario. Riley would recruit and the Big 3 would recruit. There's no way another max guy comes to Miami without the Big 3 wanting it to happen.) So then it's a matter of making the money work. The big 3 ask Riley if they take less money will he make them whole after next season. Riley says he will. Lebron and Bosh decide to go down to $18 million with a player option on the next season and Wade decides to play at the minimum. Melo signs for $19 million/4.5% raises/4 years/opt out after 3 years. They all get Udonis to opt out of his deal with a promise to give him the Room MLE for multiple years and they get Birdman to opt out with a promise of the BAE (or minimum) guaranteed for another season and then re-upping him at a higher salary after next season. It all fits under the $62.9 million cap. In fact I think in this scenario Wade can actually make somewhere between $3-4 million. But let's assume the minimum. Now, here's the deal. They're running out Wade/Lebron/Melo/Birdman/Bosh plus Cole and other vets on minimum contracts for next season. In that scenario...Wade can basically take off the season. He won't have to play but sparingly. They can rest him and nurse him until the playoffs start. And then they go to war. They win a ring and the original big 3 opt out again. Riley gives Lebron/Bosh 5-yr max deals and Wade 4 years at the max. Only this time the new cap number is now $70 million. 35% of that cap is a starting salary of $24.5 million. 5 years totals $140 million with that 5th season being a salary of $31.85 million. It's still over $127 million over the original 5 years plus another year at $31.85 million tacked on at the back end when Lebron and Bosh are both 35. That puts them at the most optimum point of the over-36 rule. As for Wade: $24.5 million with 7.5 raises for 4 seasons = $109 million over 4 years plus another million plus for next year is $110 million over the next 5 years. Which puts him at age 36....if he makes it. That's an extra year and an extra $32 million over walking away for a max deal elsewhere. That means that extra season could be partially guaranteed or totally non-guaranteed when Wade retires and they make one last push for more rings. Now dobro....you say I'm dreaming that these guys would take that kind of risk. But I'm telling you the risk is minimal. The risk is two-fold: 1. Riley's word and 2. Their health. But really it's one-fold. It's Riley's word. Because even if one of those guys blows out a knee, they're gonna rehab and come back. Lebron...he's indestructo man. They already took less to play together. But they aren't suffering. And these guys want to make history. Lebron wants to run off about 10 in a row. To do that...he knows he's got to take some risk. Money is not that critical to his decision making any more. He's already worth .... what .....a billion? So keep doubting and watch all the games that are played this off season. If Lebron/Bosh/Wade want it to happen...they'll make it happen. Will they get Melo next year??? I don't know. I'm not even for sure they want him. They may prefer one of Hibbert/Love/Aldridge the year after next. The numbers will work even easier then with the higher cap. It's really up to the big 3. They all know they're gonna have to add another significant piece as Wade ages. It's a matter of them all wanting it to work.
By the way dobro. This is not optimism I'm expressing. It's pessimism. I don't want the above to happen. Makes it that much more difficult for us to get our championships. I'm hoping it doesn't happen. But I fear it will.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-harden-houston-rockets-hot-team-nba/5816795/ Dwight has talked to Melo privately...
Dwight Howard James Harden Carmelo Anthony The payoff can be huge. But wow. The egos on this team could result in a calamity if things don't work out.
Dwight Howard finally coming back into form. Harden was 6th man of the year playing behind two allstars in OKC Have you watched Melo on the USA team? He's best when he's just another piece of the puzzle. There won't be any ego. Howard will be our leader. And one thing McHale is great at is maintaining egos and having everyone to buy in.
That would be a helluva lineup, no doubt about it. If that were to happen, would it be too much to try to get NYK to include either T. Chandler or I. Shumpert???
Looking at that article (and verified on nba.com), didn't realize that Carmelo is shooting about 43% on 3PT FGs this season...very impressive! NBA.com link for Carmelo Stats: http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.html?PlayerID=2546
@SAM_AMICK 2-25-14 "Houston is no LA in terms of market, folks. So will Melo - another star in a top 2 city - downsize to chase a ring?" http://t.co/fFKLIm0tN0
Trading Asik and Lin contracts will free up $, and Im sure at this point of Carmelo's career, he will ask for just a little less the max for a chance to get a ring. And most importantly, If Les Alexander has a legit chance at signing Carmelo, I don't think he would mind paying luxury tax. All championship teams pay the luxury tax.
Not gonna work. Melo wants to be the main guy. Rox already have harden and howard. And melo does'nt have the ability to make his teammates batter. True he hates losing but he hates being second fiddle more.
