Feigan: L.James trying to steal Ariza, Morey working on having the MLE & eat it, too

It'd be one helluva irony if Ariza backs out of his commitment to sign with Cleveland... especially since he mentioned previously that L.A. didn't show him enough respect.

And who's Lebron kidding? Even the most gullible of all people would be hard pressed to believe that.

 

What is everyone's obsession with getting a Disabled player exception or getting or MLE again by sign and trading Artest/Ariza?

Yes we want the Rockets to be exciting and watchable this year (not tanking).

But if we want a true superstar next year we should not be signing new players to contracts even of 2-3 million. Even as it is, it will be difficult to sign a major star without rescinding Scola or trading Battier.

So why should we try to pay excess money for Center that may not be in our true future plans?

We do not even know how those true future plans will work out because 1) we do not know how good Yao will be after his surgery and 2) we do not know what star we can get next year and how our team's gameplan should work around him?

Also, of the half-decent to decent centers that we want how many of them will actually sign a short-term contract for the money that we will want to pay them? Pretty much no matter what, we will eating into our cap space for next year.

 

This whole thing makes me nervous. I won't be comfortable with this until Ariza signs. If he does he will have some respect points from me. I'm sure it is very hard to leave home and a championship team all at once, and now you have Lebron and Shaq recruiting you to a team that has a legit shot at winning a title. all this for what seems to be for the same money we offered. Hope his word is gold

 

If he really wanted another chip he would have stayed in LA.

 

Ariza mentioned that Houston will allow him to "expand his offensive game" which neither LA or Cleveland can offer as they would want him to stick to a designated role in order to win a championship. I think he knows this is a transition year and will be vital in the development of our role players until Yao gets healthy and/or we get a star player in 2010 and really compete for the title. He believes we will get back on the winning track in the 10-11 season at the latest and won't be a perennial mediocre team.

 

my thoughts exactly on the money. i couldnt have said it better.

 

Plus he'll make more with Houston than the Cavs if they offer the same amount. That, plus the CHinese shoe contracts. Yao Ming effect + texas tax laws ftw

 

Yeah maybe so, but if I just left my heart out on the floor, and helped them win a title, and was made to feel not so important I might want to leave too.
Yes money is a big part of it, but if he really wants to have more of a role then I respect that

 

Even gold is losing its value, so until he signs that contract it doesn't mean nothing tome

 

I would like to see Morey get the rights to Chinemelu Elonu from A&M. That would give us some size up front.

 

I don't know... adding Wafer, Childress, Pachulia, or whatever Morey has his eye on may add some trade assets for an early Bosh/Amare push. I wouldn't mind getting recently signed Shannon Brown if we do trade for Ariza. Elonu would be a decent project but meh.

 

Is Josh Childress coming back to the NBA this season and does Atlanta still have his rights. The return of the Afro.

 

I think there is a rule that you cant give out the MLE two years in a row, so not having to use it this offseason opens up possibilities for next season.

 

Would they already qualify for DPE through McGrady?

 

oh right!

What rule is that?

Considering we used it last season (Landry, Dorsey), it would mean we're not allowed to use it this season.

You're on the right track though - but my guess is that you're thinking of the LLE? that's available to use every second season at most (ie - if you use it one off-season, you can't use it the next).

We also used the LLE last off-season on Barry. So that'll be available to use next off-season too.

 

Ariza's goal is not to be Robert Horry, I believe. I think he is sick of being a role player and which is why I think Ariza will be MIP if he stays with the Rockets. I'll be surprised if he bails to become LBJ's peon.

 

Great line - and interesting that seemingly no 'A-listers' (Shaq excepted) wants to go to Cleavesburg.

 

No. He played well into last year; is expected to play some time this season. He would have to be declared to be clearly incapable of playing the full season. Would pouting and sleepwalking count as not playing?

 

I don't see Wafer being offered anything more than the min. They're going to spend MLE money on Ariza as a starting SG and have spent around $4M on Taylor + Budinger who both can play SG. Then there's Barry and not to forget Adelman playing Brooks and Lowry together. That's 5 players at SG.

Gortat, Pachulia...
I think of the C's left Varejao & Ryan Hollins are the type of players he'll go after with the full or part of the MLE. Young mobile centers who can defend and step back into a backup role in the future.