[CHRONIC] If no season, Rockets may overhaul roster

Just remember, though, that Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Jeff Green will either need to have their rights renounced by the Celtics prior to them signing Dwight Howard or will need to quickly agree to new, small deals. So, . . . I'm guessing the former. That will lead to those three guys fighting over the remaining cap room, with the "loser(s)" getting either that new $2.5M "Room Exception" or the league minimum salary. I doubt that ends well for 2 out of 3 of those guys.

I assume you mean that the Rockets would get the #14 pick every year. I doubt that. If they don't get Howard, they'll get SOMEBODY good who will make the Rockets a mid- to low playoff seed in the West, at least.

Not the result you're necessarily hoping for, but at least you won't be "stuck" with that #14 pick every year.

 

How many times does Morey have to reiterate that Les has no interest in losing to get better before we can stop hearing about it on clutchfans?

 

Ouch... here we are hoping for the lockout to end for a chance to watch our team do nothing but lose games...

Hey there, rock bottom.

 

NO TANKING! TANKING BAD! OKC NO TANK TO GET DURANTULA AND WEST-BOOK!

 

Funny. But this has nothing to do with how I feel about tanking and everything to do with how the man in charge feels about tanking. I just don't see the point in crying for something to happen a certain way when we have been told it almost certainly won't.

 

But what exactly did we risk to take a shot at Williams? A pick in the high teens low 20s? We are talking about guys like Tobias Harris, and our own Donatas Montiejunas here. Morey has shown with his history that he can reacquire guys like that with little effort. I'd hardly call that hamstringing the club. It's all about low risk, high reward. No one is going to bat 1000.

 

I think in terms of free agents like paul,williams,and howard, they want to play with each other so that its not all on them to perform peak every night. I think if the rockets can put themselves in position to get 2 of thos 3, they can get them. This whole thing about star players not wanting to come to houston just seems like a small time attitude. More importantly, those guys have been on teams without another guy to take the load off and they havent won. Those guys couldnt afford to have an off night in the playoffs and still win. In houston, if they have enough money to get howard and williams/paul, the team would be good enough to the point howard wouldnt have to dominate every night. The team would be good enough to where paul or williams wouldnt have to get a triple doubel every night. The rockets need to be in position to host those guys together and sell them on the idea of playing together.

 

I think you underestimate how hard it will actually be for this team to get a shot at a top 5 pick. We won 43 games last year, and that was arguably under performing their full potential if you factor in the slow start dealing with the Yao situation and Brooks injury. With guys like Lowry and Patterson improving and Morris contributing at all, we are looking at a 45-47 win season this year, conservatively. In order to get a top 5 pick, teams needed low 20s win totals. To lose over 20 extra games, we are not just looking at trading away Scola for picks, but also Martin, Lowry and pretty much anyone of value. A full house cleaning. Is that really worth it for 1 good pick?

I'd agree with you if it was only Scola, but to blow up the entire team IMO would be far too risky.

 

My reference to the Rockets being "hamstrung" by the pick obligation to New Jersey is NOT in reference to the quality of the eventual pick that is conveyed to New Jersey. It is in reference to the fact that the Rockets (basically) CANNOT convey "a future Houston first round pick" in any trade for a star player . . . without it being a VERY unappealing pick.

Other than the NYK pick, the only future first round pick the Rocket can use to entice another team to trade Houston its star player is the following:

"Houston's first round pick in the draft that is two years after Houston fulfills its obligation to send a first round pick to the New Jersey Nets (Terrence Williams trade - Dec. 2010)"

It never ceases to amaze me the ALLURE of "a future first round pick". Teams always want the promise of a CHANCE to draft a good player. Never mind that the actual pick may be so low that the pick will likely only net a mediocre player.

But the Rockets are unable to offer that allure when the only pick they can convey (aside from the NYK pick) is the far-in-the-future pick described above.

THAT was my point. Morey loves FLEXIBILITY. The Williams trade has taken some of that flexibility away from the Rockets.

 

God, another reason why I hate that tool Terrence Williams.

He not only messes up on the court with bad body language and off the court i.e twitter nonsense.

He messed up our flexibility as well.

I can't wait till he's off the roster, what a waste of a draft pick.

What is up with these guys from Seattle being tools and hot heads? Brooks? Nate Robinson? Williams?

 

This. 1000 times this.

 

Wow, leebigez. We actually AGREE on something!!! :grin:

Also, don't underestimate the allure of playing with Kevin Martin as a key factor in attracting two superstars. Rarely has any team had enough cap room to add two superstars* and still be able to offer those two superstars the chance to play with a top-10 scorer in the league.

And don't think that those star players don't know this. I remember that several contenders (including the Mavs and Celtics) tried like hell to add Martin before the February 2010 trade deadline. Somehow, Morey managed to swoop in at the 11th hour and nab Martin by offering up Carl Landry. I remember Mark Cuban being pissed about that, not even realizing that he could have just upped his offer to Sacramento rather than make his "fallback" trade to acquire Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood. Players remember this stuff, and they may have even had some say with management about deadline moves to put their teams over the top. Just like a lot of wing players would love to play with Chris Paul, I'm sure there are several top PGs who would love to play with a wing shooter/finisher like Kevin Martin.

*It's a topic for another day, but I don't think the Rockets can ACTUALLY offer two max contracts in 2012 unless they trade one of their top three contracts (Martin, Scola or Lowry). It may be possible, however, for a "Miami-like" situation in which two superstars take sizeable--but not max--contracts, either as free agents or via sign-and-trade.

Well said. I completely agree. People have no idea how far away from "sucking" this Rockets team is. They just see "lottery team" and think the transition to "holder of top-3 pick" will just be a walk in the park. Even if the Rockets lose an extra 10-15 games, they'll STILL only have around a 10-15% chance at any top-3 pick. To assure a top-5 pick, the Rockets would need to secure one of the two worst records in the league. That's not going to happen.

Oh, and that whole thing about Les not wanting to bottom out.

Like it or not, the Rockets aren't tanking. The ONLY way I can imagine the Rockets purposely playing younger guys ahead of better veterans for extended minutes (i.e., to the point where the team's chances of winning any particular game are jeopardized) is if Morey somehow plots with McHale to showcase certain young players for a mega-trade for a superstar. Not sure I can see that happening, though.

 

If I had to choose who to drop if it meant adding 2 superstars, it would be Scola.

Patterson can fill in for him and Morris could switch as the starting 3/backup 4.

Don't know if we could afford a CP3/Dwill and Howard though with Martin, Lee, Lowry, Thabeet, Williams and Flynn on the roster.

Paul/Dragic
Martin/Lee
Morris/Budinger
Patterson/Hill
Howard/Hayes

A bad ass lineup which easily trumps the Heatles or the Thunder. A brother can wish can't he?

 

I kind of doubt Morey would dictate to or conspire with McHale to give minutes to worse players just to "showcase" them. Instead, I think the only "tanking scenario" would be one where Morey trades his best guys like Martin, Scola and Lowry for future considerations (draft picks, etc.) and the team had no choice but to give minutes to young/bad players. I don't think Morey would ever ask a coach to play anyone other than his best players-- that's just a recipe for organizational disaster.

 

No point in keeping Lowry if Paul or Williams is coming in.

I think you look to trade for one at the deadline, if there is a season, likely Paul and then look to add Howard in free agency. Scola and Lowry +

I would look to have these guys on the books going into free agency:

Paul (17m) / Llull ?
Martin (13m) / Lee (3.2m)
Morris (2m) / Budinger (1m)
Patterson (3m) / D-mo (2.5m)

I think that is enough to lure Dwight here, while still having close to max money for him and a good mix of role players.

 

so true..........rep.

 

Id rather have D will than cp3 with howard. You wont need cp3 do as much as he does with martin and howard...I think D will is a better game manager and is clutch...plus he can give you some really good mismatches at the PG

 

DWill?

He can't even dominate in Europe...he.....oh, wait.....I thought I was OHMSS for a moment.

Uh...me too.

DD

 

I would rather have Dwill too....

DD