[ClutchFans] BimaThug: Sit Tight and Play the Hand

Utopia isn't a place it's a state of mind.....of which I am under the influence....

 

It's great to be a noble loser but really come on. Most fans would give their left nut for a championship and we don't care what has to be done to get it.

Look at Vernon Maxwell, he was a lousy offensive player and a total assclown off the court, who actually quit on his team rather than defer to a far superior player in Drexler.

However he's still revered on the board as a kind of folk hero by a lot of people. Winning a title makes us willfully blind, and I'm fine with it.

 

I have to agree with this. With Yao's Heath still a question mark, we need a serviceable big man to help shoulder the load. I hope Hill can fill that role, but I don't think we've seen enough from him to be certain. I pray that Yao gets back okay, but it seems foolish to put all of our eggs in that basket.

 

Excellent read, I enjoyed going through it! Great job BimaThug! By the way, where he did get all his knowledge of salary cap stuff?

 

Sweet article. Very informative..

I say patiently waiting for Granger or Paul is the most ideal route.


Melo's contract situation is bit worrisome. We don't want to left out in the dark after giving up numerous assets.

 

Thanks to everyone for the praise (and the constructive criticism) about the article. Clutch and I just hope that you enjoy it.


A couple of general comments in response to some of the posts in this thread:

--While I am definitely not asserting that the Rockets are set by any stretch, the point of the article is that NOW may not be the best time to address the team's needs. If "tolerating" Jordan Hill as your backup C will put the Rockets in a better position to improve significantly in February or next summer than signing Brad Miller, then it is probably something the Rockets need to strongly consider (sitting out free agency, that is).

--To all the aspiring capologists, I purposely tried to stay away from an in-depth salary cap analysis in this article; and I'm fighting the strong temptation to do so for the next few months. Unlike with last year (when the salaries were pretty much set after the Martin trade, we all knew the cap and tax figures, and there were known commodities on the market to be pursued), there is so much unknown right now with respect to the Rockets' cap situation, both for this upcoming season and for next summer. With the new CBA holding even Daryl Morey in the dark, I don't want to be so foolish as to espouse how much cap room the Rockets will have available without knowing about the new CBA or even what Scola and Lowry end up getting in free agency. That said, I am thinking of doing a salary cap-related article in October, when the Rockets should have a fairly good picture of their situation for the 2010-11 season and I can at least make assertions based on the ASSUMPTION that the salary cap and luxury tax threshold remain the same for the following season.


Thanks again, guys. Just trying to contribute to Clutch's phenomenal website.

 

BimaThug, do you think we can win a championship this season?

 

Dr. Bima thug read my mind. 2 weeks ago I was watching 21 on FX and I thought to myself, this movie is based on daryl morey. Now I must read the book.

 

Of all the potential targets, Bima chooses a picture of mah boi Danny Granger!

WHOOP!

I have a feeling there will be a combination of Paul George showing a lot of upside and Indiana's franchise losing too much money to resist trading Granger for a combination of expiring contracts i.e. Jeffries and/or Battier, player option contracts i.e. Andersen and/or Hill (although I'd much prefer to keep Hill if possible), and/or lesser long-term-contracts i.e. Ariza.

Nice article, BimaThug.

 

No. He states that in the article.

 

Meant "team-option," shucks.

Anyway, looking forward to February.

 

What if we get Chris Paul or someone else like he states in the article?

 

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

Larry Coon is the REAL genius capologist. Everyone else is merely his pupil.

A lot would have to break the Rockets' way for that to happen. And I mean a LOT. First and foremost, Yao would need to be 100% by the end of the regular season. Second, the Rockets would probably need to make a major move to upgrade their roster at the trade deadline (like Detroit did in 2004 with Rasheed Wallace). Third, I think Houston would need to catch a break or two in the Western Conference playoffs. Maybe someone else knocks off the Lakers (in a Denver-beats-Seattle type of series that cleared the path to the Rockets' championship in 1994). Maybe the Rockets just catch lightning in a bottle come May.

But with Yao recovering for most of the year, I'd say that getting back to the second round of the playoffs next year would be a fairly successful season for the Rockets.

Then, in 2011-12, it's time to contend for a championship.

Actually, it was Clutch who added the pictures. :grin:

 

Based on this article, the wise move may be to go in rolling the dice on Yao's health and Jordan Hill and company filling in as backups despite the risks. We are going to be underdogs for a title even with a healthy Yao prior to any potential trades at the deadline. So while a good back up might help us make the playoffs if Yao went down, how much does that really matter? If we aren't competing for a title, then just making the playoffs (and presumably losing in one of the first 2 rounds) if Yao was injured again isn't worth the drawbacks.

 

Bima nailed it.

We are waiting on New Orleans and to a lesser degree Indiana, Denver, Philly, and possibly Minnnesota, and whoever else may pop up.

Step 1 is waiting for Lowry and Scola and see what opportunities present themselves with these two players. I love both of them but I guarantee you Morey would sign and trade at least one of these guys if the right deal came along. It probably won't but just in case.

Also, don't be surprised if we trade our $3 million exception for Chris Wilcox, or Mo Evans or some other expiring contract.

Or don't be surprised if we trade J.Jeffries and Andersen in some sort of nutty deal for another expiring contract(s) of greater value, perhaps some sort of deal like Jeffries, Andersen, and Hayes to Indy for T.J. Ford and Jeff Foster, some goofy trade with expiring contracts that adds salary to our team.

 

There is safety in numbers.

If there is one advantage the Rockets have it is depth. If there one weakness in the two Evil Empires (East and West) it is lack of depth. Injuries will probably make a huge difference in someone's 2011 season; someone will go down.

If Yao plays a lot and well, we are in the hunt for ring in 2011; but we have proven that even with him out we are formidable. And will be more so if Hill and Patterson prove to be players. If Kobe or Lebron go down, their teams are playing 4 on 5 ( albeit a damn good 4 but...)

82 games is a long season.

It's also why I think the counter to these Super teams is to 1. rebound and 2. run. If the Heat have to play The Big 3 40+ they are vulnerable in the 4th quarter. If they have to play them 40+ every night, they are courting injury and may be spent in the playoffs.

 

I still think the Rockets need to cash in on those Knicks picks sooner rather than later.

Knicks have already leap-frogged ahead of the Cavs and Toronto.

Do season ticket sales dry up after a certain month? That could be another period when team could deal their franchise players if they're lookig to re-boot.

 

To each his own.

But first, I don't think my view is as a "noble loser". At least, as I reread what I wrote, I don't think I was raising any white flags. I just said IF they don't get a championship I'm not going to feel as badly as some here. I happen to think the Rockets can give any team a run for their money, assuming Yao returns to good form and stays healthy.

You and others can donate theirs (left nut) and if it helps, I certainly won't try to dissuade you from doing so.

As for Maxwell. Maybe some do still revere him in a folk hero sort of way. But the fact is he did quit on his team. Many here haven't forgotten that.

I enjoy following the Rockets. But, no, a championship doesn't mean as much to me as you. I'll keep mine intact.

 

We should trade yao while we have the chance! There, i said it! :grin:

 

You're stupid. If Rockets traded Yao, they're going to be back to lottery.