if we do get Tyrus Thomas and Brad Miller. Would that make Chuck Hayes, and David Anderson expendable. It just makes sense we would make a separate deal to get better at SG. (hopefully)... because of the overload at the 4 and 5.
Signing straight up, of course, but I think the odds of getting one of those players (while still low) increases dramatically if the NY deal goes down. The Rockets are set up beautifully to become the preferred S&T option for a lot of teams with their combination of young talent/future picks and the Jeffries expiring contract to help with the salaries.
Signing them in free agency? None. But there was never really any chance of that happening to begin with. As part of a sign-and-trade? Possibly. But definitely not probable. The ONLY situation I can honestly think of where taking on Jeffries's contract will actually hurt the Rockets in any real way is the following: Step 1: In the days leading up to the draft, Chris Bosh informs Bryan Colangelo that he definitely does not want to come back to Toronto next season and that the Raptors ought to start looking for partners (to be approved by Bosh) for sign-and-trade scenarios. Step 2: Due to the many assets that the Rockets have (Brooks, Landry, Budinger, potentially a late lottery pick, Scola's Bird rights, etc.), Colangelo decides that Houston would be a good sign-and-trade partner for Toronto. Step 3: Colangelo and Morey agree on which "assets" Toronto wants and which the Rockets are willing to trade in order to get Bosh. Step 4: Chris Bosh both agrees to go to Houston and comes to terms on a long-term contract (likely for the max). Now, if ALL of these steps were to play out (again, every single one of them), then having Jeffries's contract could potentially be an impediment to getting such a Bosh deal done. For instance, if Luis Scola was willing to sign a long-term deal (early in free agency, mind you, which is not something in Scola's best interest to do) to play for the Raptors at a salary around the MLE amount, give or take a million bucks, then the Rockets could package Scola (via S&T) and other assets in exchange for Bosh, and then absorb the extra salary coming back (Bosh) with the few million bucks in cap room (AFTER re-signing Scola, which would probably be about $3M or so, tops). Oh, yeah, and Kyle Lowry would have to be renounced. If ALL this happens, then having Jeffries on the payroll would likely prevent such a deal. Otherwise, I don't see how his contract hurts the Rockets in any way other than Les having to pay it. And the likelihood of such a scenario playing out like this is not exactly high. Just my two cents.
You tell me. Two first round picks from NY(hill) and a swap in 2011 versus tyrus thomas and brad miller and maybe salmons? Two expire after this season. Brad miller is 34 and Tyrus thomas is overrated. John Salmons albeit servicable is overpaid no matter how you look at it You tell me how that's not shortsighted.
I think wade is going and someone like boozer are going to chicago after the season. Wade is a no brainer given all the incentives along with rose,deng,and noah and playing in front of 20k people every night. Since they cant get a upper tier free agent after that,getting a 2nd tier guy like boozer makes alot of sense also. Rose,wade,deng,boozer,and noah is a really,really good starting 5. If the rockets do the bulls deal and get the picks,they will be alot lower than the knicks picks.
That's only if Les doesn't want to pay the luxury tax, right? If he agrees to pay it (which I think he will for a superstar like Bosh), then Lowry would be signed as well. Or am I missing something?
leebigez, while I don't necessarily think that is going to happen, it is definitely a LOT more likely than New York's "grand scheme" playing out to its liking. By no means is that a "pipe dream" for Chicago. It's a very realistic possibility for them. Chicago is a much, much better destination for any major free agent who want to leave his team AND win a championship than New York is.
They have to do something with both before signing their "max" players. Both will count heavily against the salary cap until they are renounced, traded, or signed to new contracts. As Bima said, if you trade them for players, you are increasing your salary, which goes against the reason you have them (in McGrady's case). The Knicks will probably hold on to them until they have verbal agreements with the FAs they want to sign, then either renounce them or sign them to new deals.
Only if Toronto was willing to take back relatively equal salary in return for a signed-and-trade Bosh. But the Rockets would probably then have to include Battier's $7.4M salary in any deal. If the Raptors are losing Bosh, my guess is that they will need to rebuild and won't want Battier's salary coming back. If the Rockets want to use their cap room in a Bosh sign-and-trade, then Lowry is either going to be (a) renounced or (b) sent to Toronto. If the Rockets have any cap room this summer that they choose to use, the luxury tax will not be a factor at all for Les, since the Rockets' total team salary will be "capped" at the (lower) salary cap.
Well, we are only getting one 1st round pick in the NY deal with the option of swapping 2011 picks. We are rumored to get a 1st round pick from Chicago if that deal goes down. You tell me: Tyrus Thomas = More developed, more athletic, and about the same age as Jordan Hill Miller = Wayyyyyyyy better than Jeffries, also is expiring after this season Salmons = Can contribute this year, and possibly be a trade chip this summer/next season Chicago 1st rounder = We are only losing the option to switch 2011 picks. Chicago's pick and NY's pick will probably be around the same area on the draft board.
FWIW, NY isn't as stupid as many of you seem to believe. Walsh is a top GM. If they can't get what they want with this humongous cap space, they aren't just going to blow it, like many teams do. They will take the excess space and sign good players to short-term contracts, until they get the players they want over the next few years. It might take them a while, but they have a bright future - though maybe a more distant future than they'd like.
Right, but the distant future isn't of concern to the Rockets with this deal. It's only the next two years, and unless LeBron walks through the front door, they're going to be a major work-in-progress.
Well put. Donnie Walsh is one of the best GMs in the league. Assuming that the Knicks strike out with Lebron and Wade, it will be VERY tough on Walsh (from a fan and media perspective) if he passes on guys like Joe Johnson, who would probably sign with New York for the max but are not really quite worth it, in favor of a more prudent approach to asset accumulation. Of course, Walsh is not a scaredy-cat. He's a big boy who can take the criticism. But the real key will be what James Dolan wants. If he is determined to get a "big name" in 2010, he may overrule the more rationale Walsh in terms of decision-making. (Reminds me of the story/myth/legend of how Brian Cardinal got a full MLE deal. Jerry West was the GM of the Grizzlies at that time. The owner was getting impatient during the summer and kept complaining to West why he hadn't made a big free agent signing yet. West picked up the phone, offered Cardinal's agent the full MLE, hung up, and the rest is history. Hell of a way to prove a point, Jerry Logo!)
