I am needing someone to explain a) which players are presently on the roster, b) which draftees are expected to be signed soon (rather than stashed overseas), c) basic contract info for each player ($/year, # of years, guaranteed $, etc.), and d) available cap space. And thank you to whoever provides this information. I am unable to find a thread that contains this information but if such a thread exists, please point me in the right direction. Again, thanks. Some observations: 1) Shawn Marion is still a good player and Houston should offer him a two year deal. Not sure how much $ they can offer him as I don't know how much cap space remains. 2) Trevor Ariza is a better basketball player than Chandler Parsons and is excellent at the corner three. Ariza and Marion combined is for sure better than Parsons, especially at that price tag. 3) Sorry to say I told you so, but I told you guys that Parsons would be grossly overpaid in free agency. I predicted four years, $52 mil, at least, and the majority of Clutchfans users found this excessive. As it turns out, he got even more $ than I projected, at least on a $/year basis. 4) I also advocated for a Parsons-for-2014 lottery pick trade, because I knew he was going to get way too expensive. I don't remember a single person agreeing with me. I think Houston could have gotten a pick in the 9-12 range. Big mistake by Daryl Morey! Although he went for it, and is recovering quickly, and nicely. 5) If Morey signs Marion, I think Donatas Motiejunas gets traded before the final roster cuts must be made (late October, I think) for a draft pick, probably a second rounder, and hopefully a relatively high (31-40 overall) second rounder. There are some bad teams that would be able to give this guy 30+ minutes/game. I am looking at you, Philadelphia. If the team signs Marion, Motiejunas is expendable. 6) I do not think Motiejunas is this team's backup C. Joey Dorsey is presently slotted to be this team's backup C. All the Rockets need from their backup C is rebounding and defense, and Dorsey can do both of these things. Motiejunas can do neither. 7) Isaiah Canaan and Nick Johnson are both going to be good basketball players. I suspect Canaan begins the year as the backup PG and that Johnson begins the year in the developmental league. 8) The advanced stats crowd is VERY high on Clint Capela. If he is signed, he joins Nick Johnson in the d-league to begin the season but do not be surprised if he replaces Dorsey in the rotation by March. 9) The advanced stats crowd was extremely high on Jeff Adrien last season, which is why Morey signed him. He has a shot at making the rotation. 10) Robert Covington is going to make the 13-man active roster and has a legit shot at making the rotation, especially if Marion is not acquired. 11) I think Houston is in a great spot right now. They will be extremely good, better than most of you seem to think. And they are very well positioned to trade for whatever big names become available in January/February. Capela will be a hot commodity. Terrence Jones will be a hot commodity. Nick Johnson may be a hot commodity. The draft pick obtained from New Orleans will be a hot commodity. However, Houston may not need to make any trades, especially if they sign Shawn Marion. Even at his advanced age, the advanced stats crowd really liked Marion last year.
I am fairly confident IF Morey COULD have gotten a pick this high for Parsons, Parsons would've been shipped out. It wasn't a should we do that, it was a could we, and there is no way we could.
of course i'd rather have bosh and parsons coached by hollins and win a championship this season, but after missing out on those guys, i'm happy we are going with a young bench rather than spending money on guys like jameer nelson and marion who are declining investments. we wouldn't be able to trade those kind of bench players for a 3rd star, and they wouldn't help us get out of the first round. going with young guys on the bench means that if just one or two prove they can produce, they can become the next "parsons" is a sense that their production value will be much higher than their rookie salary, thus making them very valuable in trade. if you add the pelican's pick and our own future pick, you start to have the framework for a good offer. the only thing we need is a larger expiring contract. this is why the lin trade was so bad, because that expiring contract and draft pick wouldn't been used... of course morey made the move when bosh had agreed to sign, and then after the trade bosh backed out and took more money with the heat. we could just offer some lucky free agent a very large 1 year contract, knowing that we will look to use that contract to match salaries of rondo or dragic close to the deadline. but back to the point... giving the young guys playing time will make them valuable... the depth chart should be: dwight-capela-dorsey jones-motie-adrien ariza-daniels-covington harden-johnson beverley-canaan-ish i think that canaan and motie might have a chance to put up good numbers this season. i think johnson makes the rotation at some point forcing daniels to backup sf. i also think adrien starts the year at backup pf with motie at backup center, but eventually motie will prove himself and take all of the backup f/c minutes.
Thanks. How much $ will Houston owe Alonzo Gee, Josh Powell, and Scotty Hopson if these players get cut in late October, do you know? And how much $ can Houston offer Shawn Marion? I think somebody signs Marion to a two year deal, somewhere between $12-$16 mil total, and Marion is still a good ballplayer, he is aging ridiculously well. I would love to see Houston scoop him up. My ideal 2014-15 roster entering the season: Starting lineup PG Patrick Beverley (32 minutes/game) SG James Harden (36 min/g) SF Trevor Ariza (32 min/g) PF Terrence Jones (24 min/g) C Dwight Howard (32 min/g) Key reserves Shawn Marion (24 min/g) Isaiah Canaan (16 min/g) Joey Dorsey (16 min/g) Troy Daniels (12 min/g) Robert Covington (12 min/g) End of the bench Ish Smith Alonzo Gee Jeff Adrien Stashed in the developmental league Clint Capela Nick Johnson Traded to Philly for their 2015 second round pick Donatas Motiejunas
I think Michael Beasley off the bench could provide some energy and scoring if he can return to Minnesota form. Our bench would be nasty Bev/ Johnson/ Cannan Harden/ Gee Ariza/ Beasley Jones/ D Mo/ Adrien Howard/ Dorsey Sniper: Daniels Bench bum that everyone loves for some reason still unseen: Covington
I think terence jones will be shipped out as well as canaan. I feel like Morey is pushing to get a staring pg and those two are assets that a team will take. Do not be surprised if Nick Johnson is in a package as well. We are definitely in win now mode and Morey is going to push to beef up the starting pf position and 6th man role.
I think you are wrong about iNick Johnson...I think he is ready to go now! Not a starter but def gonna be ahead of Cannan
wow OP is extremely high on Covington. He has played horribly in SL... I wouldn't be surprised if he gets cut before the season...
This is a bad thread. Why would you make a thread saying I told you so, and wanting to get rid of a good player like DMo, for an old washed up player, with a shot that doesn't hold up in the clutch?
6) I do not think Motiejunas is this team's backup C. Joey Dorsey is presently slotted to be this team's backup C. All the Rockets need from their backup C is rebounding and defense, and Dorsey can do both of these things. Motiejunas can do neither. Just curious. How do you know for sure that Dorsey is slotted to be the back up Center. Right now he is training camp filler. He may never see a minute of a NBA season.
I've been saying the same thing since i saw him play in person last season in the d league. I like the guy but his shot is overrated.
His shot is overrated, but the biggest problem is that he is a slow mover on the court. This will continue to cause difficulties on defense for him. I would like to see him succeed, but I am afraid he will be out of the league very soon. Even Europe doesn't seem like a future option, with the availability of talent there.