[ClutchFans] Houston Rockets Salary Cap Update: 2015 Offseason Pre-Draft Edition

Thanks Bima. These articles are always greatly appreciated.

 

ripper job bima, thanks for everything

 

Glad to hear that the Lowry name was mentioned in the article. I wish the rockets can go after him hard this time.

 

4 years, $32M, he [probably] gone.

Was scheduled to make $4.9M next year so that may be his starting point (or minimum). But $8.2 million? Ariza next year will make $8,193,030. Probably/hopefully something closer to that $5M number if they bring him back.

So...hope for the best with Smith & McDaniels.

Hope they accept the "lesser" offer.

 

Thanks a lot Bima. I would appreciate if you or anyone else explain to me how could the Houston Rockets acquire players like Lawson or Lowry via trade without giving up Ariza. Naturally, the assumption here is that Howard and Harden will be staying in Houston.

Also, would it be possible to retain Josh Smith if either of these players were traded to Houston?

 

With regards to Beverley, if a team like Dallas comes in with a 4y/32m offer, which you just know they will, I could see Morey offering an inflated one year deal with a non guaranteed portion for next year. If we are operating over the cap, it wouldn't cost the Rockets anything, other than actual dollars, and it could be a great trade asset for the deadline.

If you are Beverley, which looks more appealing:
4y/32m
2y/24m, second year non guaranteed.

You are guaranteed an extra 4 million in year one, and you get to be a free agent when the cap explodes, hoping for a better deal. Although his injury history might scare him away from that.

 

K.Pap + Prigs + Jones + Dorsey

Should be enough salary to get either Lowry or Lawson (salary wise)

 

Thanks for the knowledge.

 

Thanks larsv8 and Bima. I wouldn't mind if the other "goodies" were the 18th and the 32nd pick, or Nick.

 

I really do envision Beverley being viewed at as a perfect MLE guy who can play the Dellavadova role off their bench, but other than Dallas, its hard to see a team handing him the keys to the car to be their starting PG. Even Dallas might be iffy on that.

If he does get a Bradley type of deal, I think its a no-brainer the Rockets opt to give the full MLE to Llull instead, or look to make a trade.

If a team like Memphis, OKC (how funny would that be), or New Orleans want to use their MLE to sign Beverley as their 3rd rotation guard off of the bench, then it will be interesting to see if the Rockets even value him at that level.

If the Rockets think that their only real serious suitor for Beverley as a starter is Dallas it will be interesting if we get the whole "we will pay anything to bring him back" narrative thrown out there in order to get Dallas to boost their offer up. I love Beverley, but if the Mavericks throw that type of deal at him then I think its a good thing for the Rockets to have the Mavericks spending their FA dollars so ill advised.

 

So conceivably morey could sign Llull to the MLE and resign everyone though we would be limited to the non bird $2.5 or so for Smith and it would be very likely McDaniels gets a better offer elsewhere. If Llull came over its likely Bev is gone I would think.

Honestly that's the most likely scenario barring a Lawson/Lowry trade.

Llull/prigs/nj
Harden/terry
Ariza/brewer/papa
DMo/Jones/Smith
Howard/Capela/Dorsey

If you kept the # 18 it seems like we need to shed some depth here. We keep looking at ways to move Jones or Dmo and papa/Prigs for a PG but if Llull comes over the next biggest need is a Jamal Crawford type guard off the bench to back up Harden. Lou Williams in a snt maybe?

 

Bima, if we:

Let Beverley walk;
Let Brewer walk;
Let McDaniels walk;
Sign Smith for $2.49M;
Use the full MLE on Llull;
Keep both draft picks; and
Neither sign nor trade for anyone else significant salary wise;

Then would we have max cap space available for Kevin Durant next summer?

If so, I think you have to draft guys to replace Beverley and Brewer, and then roll the dice next summer. I don't know how else you become better than the Warriors.

 

On this point, Bima can someone offer a poison pill cap killing offer to Draymond Green similar to Parsons that GS might balk at matching?

 

Yep... precisely what I've been saying. He will command at least 5-8 million a year. Bev is probably gone. I can't see the Rockets committing this much too a guy who's not elite. Ariza's contract is 4yr, 32 million right?

Is Bev worth that much? No.

 

I see where this is headed......

Morey: "We really wanted to keep Josh, Patrick and Corey. We made very competitive offers but the rules of the salary cap hindered us and they decided to take contracts that under the rules we cannot match. However, we are really excited about X. He brings about a dynamic to the point guard position we have not had and really need. James really needed another play-maker and Coach is excited to integrate him into the system....... We are overall a better club."

Houston Radio: "Thanks Darren."
Morey: <awkward silence deciding whether to correct "Darren" to "Daryl"> "Thanks guys!"

- CLICK-

Houston Radio: "Hey what about the fart JJ Watt let out at practice?"

 

Why not just try to get Rondo on a 1 year deal that's inflated... it makes more sense to throw the money this direction in hopes he can revive his career. If it doesn't work then you can say you at least tried... Then you could gather the troops again and go after Durant in 2016 or whomever.

 

Bima might have some better hard numbers, but I can give you my take on it.

-Cap is "projected" at 89 million next year.

-You got a tad bit over 50 million in Dwight (assuming he picks up his PO), Harden, Ariza, Capela, and Johnson.

-I believe the full MLE is 5.3 mil next year so you can add that for Llull + the salaries of the two rookies, and cap holds for Motiejunas, Jones, & incoming rookies. So you're probably estimating somewhere around 60 million on the books to create 25 to 30 million in cap space... which is more than enough under this circumstance where you let go of this years free agents.

Also you have the Dwight Howard situation where he might very well be opting out in order to sign a longer deal. So his number might actually be lower for 2016/17 if the Rockets structure the deal differently for a longer period. Or Dwight simply walks which seems highly unlikely.

Either way, I don't see the Rockets NOT having the ability to create a max contract slot for Durant or whomever in 2016. Even if they add in a resigned Smith, Brewer, or KJ.

So basically, at this point, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If Durant wants to come to Houston, Morey will make the money work.

 

I would love this.