Do we have to get rid of Asik and Lin's contracts in order to get a 3rd star?

Parsons will be the substitute for the pick, I believe.

 

In corporate accounting world. This years over payment to Lin and Asik could/should have been accrued over the course of the first two years. Essentially on the books as if they paid out them at 8.3m a yr. essentially putting aside the funds to do it without impacting current years books with a huge 15m for each. That said the actual cash isn't distributed but that shouldn't have an effect much when they do pay it.

 

I'm not sure that it is possible to S&T a restricted free agent. Can anyone confirm this?

And even so, Chandler would have to agree to sign with that team first and I have my doubts that he would want to go to Minnesota.

 

We HAVE to move both of them to get that 3rd star. Moving Asik hurts though. Lin, I don't care too much for so wouldn't shed a tear.

 

I was going to ask this question also. I don't think Parsons or his agent will agree to a sign and trade unless he wants to play in that city. I think it also rules out pre draft trades. It's clear the move was done to be able to sign free agent(s) and then go over the cap to keep Parsons.

 

I'm just at the airport so I can't look it up, but I think you might be able to with just one, but you can't s+t a RFA with another RFA.

 

I don't think he was asking if the CBA allowed it. He was saying Parsons has to want sign a new contract to go to Minnesota if he's a RFA.

 

No, he was asking if the CBA allows it, which they do. Obviously he has to agree to it, just like any other free agent, restricted or not. As I'm sure a lot of you recall, Daryl Morey was angling to get restricted free agent Eric Gordon via S&T a couple summers ago. I do not think there are any limitations for a double S&T for RFAs either (i.e. we S&T Parsons for another team's RFA).

 

you must hate all people named Lin

 

Not sure if it was mentioned yet but on 610 this morning they were mentioning the implications on what declining Parsons to become a restricted free agent.

By going this route, the Rockets would have time to sign a max level player and then match Parsons xontract in time which will allow us to go over the cap without penalty since you're bringing back your own.

This is beautiful and very well played if this pans out. Most feasible FA we'll sign will be Melo.

 

He doesn't have to agree to the trade destination. The other team would probably want him to, but his options are to sign an offer sheet with some team and wait to see if the Rockets match or play for the Rockets qualifying offer or negotiate just with the Rockets on a longterm contract. Then the Rockets can trade him whenever they want to whoever they want.

Lot of interesting possibilities with Parsons.

The CBA reduced the response to offer sheets from 7 days to 3. May a team know they aren't going to get a top FA like Melo and give Parsons an offer sheet the 1st/2nd day of FA? That would be an interesting dilemma for the Rockets because they may still be waiting on Carmelo or another FA and trying to execute trades to clear the space to get room for that FA. Then it is an interesting dilemma for Parsons because if he wants to remain with the Rockets he knows it would be best to let them try to put together the best team and then match, but he can't risk not getting a lucrative contract. Would they privately agree they would match the offer, but not through the RFA offer sheet process?

I think this decision with Parsons has the potential to cost the Rockets a good (not great once he gets the next contract) piece and get left without a top FA this year.

 

Very well could work in exactly the opposite way under the new CBA. You only get 3 days to match, not 7. Dwight took until the 6th to decide last year. If a team makes an offer to Parsons (knowing they can't get a guy like Melo) in the first couple days of FA to force the Rockets/Parsons' hands, it could backfire in a big way.

-Magic (or whoever) sign Parsons to offer sheet on July 2nd
-Rockets decline to match by July 5th because Melo hasn't decided and they still think they have a shot
-Melo signs with someone else
-Rockets lose both Melo and Parsons

Even worse could be if they make the cap clearing moves before Melo agrees and they go into next year without newly signed Melo and Parsons, plus a traded Asik, Lin, and Jones.

This has the chance to work really well and the chance to completely blow everything up.

 

What you just said is 100% true. But I disagree. Here's why - expiring contracts are always valuable, especially when you're getting a great player back in Asik and/or a marketing piece in Lin.

These aren't your typical expiring deals for aging stars on the decline or unhappy campers, these 2 players can contribute, are young, and have plenty of room to grow. They are both in contract years meaning you're going to get 100% out of them no questions asked.

It's my belief the Rockets signed Asik & Lin as a 3 year investment. I don't believe Les looked the situation as though he was saving money for 2 years and getting these guys under market value. It's not going surprise him when he has to pay them $30mi next season. Instead, I believe he digested the payment terms over the long haul and understood what he would be paying long term. Like any smart business man would.

This means I'm sure the Rockets are prepared to include cash considerations with Asik and/or Lin to offset the out-of-pocket costs for the owner of the team they land on. Their new team gets the luxury of a friendly cap hit AND cash to help cover salary.

Asik & Lin are still valuable. Lin more than ever (well, almost as ever). Nobody on earth would take him if he had 2 more years on his deal. But he's expiring and a big draw. Now he has value.

 

I'm pretty sure the time to respond doesn't start until Parsons signs the contract, so teams can offer a contract to him at any time and he can decided to sign whenever he wants (if that team is still interested).

I believe that Morey and Parsons already have a plan in place that allows Morey to sign his third max player and resign Parsons to whatever deal he gets, within reason. I think/hope Parsons knows that his value is roughly 8-10 million per year and is willing to potential take less money to be on the Rockets who would have 3 star players and Parsons rather getting a couple more per year to play on a team that doesn't have anything.

 

Lin + Asik + draft picks for Carmelo. This would make sense for both teams

 

I do not believe this is true. You can't sign Parsons and then trade him without his consent until later on.

When can a team trade a free agent it signs? Do they have to keep him forever?

 

I agree with what you pointed out, but I still think it would be harder to trade them now than it would have been sometime last season, especially in Lin's case.

For me, the biggest thing is the 15 million due to both of them this year that will potentially hinder a deal from completing. For Les and the Rockets, it was an investment and planned so no complaints. But for other teams, I can't see many welcoming a player that's owed 15 million for only 1 year, even if it only counts for 8.3 million against the cap and is expiring. And if the owner doesn't like the deal, there will be no deal to be made.

I do think Lin and Asik are movable. Their value should peak around the trade deadline. Then owners can see them as expiring deals and won't have to pay anywhere close to 15 million for the rest of the season. And like I said, if a team really likes Asik and was planning to pursue him when he hits free agency, they should probably trade for him as it gives them an advantage and shows loyalty, something obviously important to Asik. And maybe a team needs to please their fans and decided to trade a big name like Lin for the rest of the season.

But right now, if the Rockets want to move Lin/Asik, I think the Rockets will need to include more value than they should have to. Draft picks, draft rights, other players will have to be moved with either.

 

You are correct that it would not, but a team could very easily say "We want you to sign an offer sheet today. If you don't, we will move onto 'FA X' instead and try to sign him."

That is the Rockets having a lot of faith in a young guy who will be courted and presented with 10s of millions of dollars and Chandler having a lot of faith in the Rockets to actually give him that deal without being forced to. Would the Rockets still give him $10m a year if they miss out on Melo? That would mean you never again have the space to sign a big FA with Parsons, Harden, and Howard around.

NM, you are right, but actually the place to find that answer was:

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q99

 

That's why I think Morey and Parsons have some sort of agreement that's allows Morey to get his star player first then sign Parsons to a reasonable deal.

Just because a deal is presented to Parsons, it doesn't mean he has to sign it, no matter how lucrative it is. I have no doubt that there will be at least one desperate team willing to sign him to 12-13 million a year. Morey would be a fool to match that type of deal, unless he already has his third star. I think Morey knows Parsons value is around 8-10 million. If Parsons really wants to leave a team with 3 stars for a couple more million dollars, then it's Parsons lost.

For your second point about losing out on a big free agent, and having to sign Parsons to 10 million a year thus losing out on the 2015 offseason; that's why I believe Morey knows or is very confident he will get his third star this offseason. Morey has always been mindful of the 2015 offseason so why would he ruin that chance by declining and signing Parsons? He must know that he can get his third star this offseason so the 2015 free agency doesn't matter to him anymore.

 

I don't think the math works on this, Parsons would by a BYC player and could only bring back half his outgoing salary. Plus, you can't do cross-sign and trades, Melo would have to either waive his opt-out or agree to an extend and trade.