[Fox 26 Sports] Rockets Use Disabled Player Exception on Trevor Ariza

The Qualifying offer being more than the MLE doesn't really mean jack as it's only one year of guaranteed money. But, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Atlanta is praying that Williams signs a MLE deal so they can match it.

 

Isn't the qualifying offer only for one year? Anyway, one week I hear that the Hawks are considering dealing Josh Smith because they don't think they can sign all of their other FAs (and also because he's a problem child). Now they've signed Bibby, Pachullia, and traded for Crawford. You never know.

 

But do you think he's worth $6.9 million a year starting for 3 years minimum, probably 4 years (what he'd want) in a trade for Battier?

I don't like him at SG, either, but could see Ariza there, though he pretty much exclusively played SF in LA...though, with Kobe, he would. Unfortunately, Trevor is a horrible 3 point shooter. Williams is better.

If you could get Atlanta to throw in their 2010 first round pick (lottery protected) that'd be great. They don't save any money, but all the teams that finished ahead of them in the East were great defensive teams, and Shane really is the perfect defensive glue guy that would help a team like Atlanta, especially now that they have Crawford's scoring.

Even if you don't get the pick, it's tempting. It's hard to believe, but true, that Williams still has "potential" and "upside". He's still only 23. He's got the whole athletic, young thing. A Brooks, Ariza, Williams, Scola, [fill in the blank lineup] should at least be entertaining to watch, especially offensively. If you can now re-sign Wafer, hope either Taylor or Budinger can be semi-productive off the bench, keep Lowry, then you're bench is young and exciting, too...just need centers desperately.

 

another simple yet spectacular move by one, young Morey

 

Trevor Ariza shot a better percentage from 3 with more shots last year than Williams if you count the playoffs. Williams has never played a single minute at the 2, he's exclusively a combo forward.

 

The only reason our Clutchologist didn't have this scenario nailed is because the prognosis for Yao was still up in the air and the NBA league office is not known to do anything very quickly. I'm actually surprised they allowed the exception before the final surgery decision is made.

Can the MLE be used to sign the draftees to a team option? If you had two years to see if the kids were going to be something and held the option for the the third you could cut them if it doesn't work out.


Put me in for the 2nd rounders option over finding another full MLE player. Winning this year is not a priority. We will want all the cap flexibility Mr. Creative can come up with going forward.

Maybe Mt. Mutombo would take a 1 year partial MLE deal. Play him 15 minutes surrounded by Dorsey and Hayes?

 

I think we should go for Brandon Bass, im sure it wont take the full
MLE from us. Noone is offering him the full MLE. I say 2 year 4 million
or something like that. This guy is a beast. He is a young huslter.

 

Probably.

If nothing else, Williams should be able to put up much better numbers than Shane, and that, along with his age, would turn him into a much better trade asset in the not-so-distant future than Battier.

 

true, though Williams playoff sample size is kind of small. If Ariza can turn into a +/- 40% 3 point shooter, fantastic. He would clearly be the one more capable of playing 2 guard than Williams (who I don't think has it in him at all). Still, they're both true SF's, I think.

 

I can live with that, but if not I'm pushing to have this guy back



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That's great news and yet another example of why Morey knows what he's doing. Major props to Ariza too for not becoming "offended" by our reluctance to sign him outright with the MLE and instead waiting for this disabled player exception. All around good news for us, which is nice, for a change.

 

yep, agreed. I think it should be something Morey should be exploring right now, at the least.

 

Why would we go for bass when we have Landry, Scola, Hayes, and Battier...

We have all the hustlers we need. We need a legit center. Dalembert would be ideal.

 

The Clippers did it last year with BOTH DeAndre Jordan and Mike Taylor. It's a more common occurrence that you might think. It just doesn't get publicized, since it is a very unglamorous (albeit heady) move by GMs.

Minimum deals (for anyone, including second round picks) can be a maximum of two years. In order to tack on a third year (or more), a team that is over the salary cap can use a portion of the MLE equal to that player's desired starting salary (typically the league minimum, although Morey gave Dorsey a slightly higher salary last year). This way, the team can hold onto its investment for a little longer.

These "MLE-carveout" deals are typically structured as three-year deals, with the third year being a team option. This way, the team can take a look at the player's development after two seasons and decide whether he's worth the continued investment. If he sucks, the team can just let him go. But if he's good, rather than have to match offer sheets for the guy in free agency, the team can simply exercise the team option and lock the kid up for another year at around the league minimum salary.

Another (less common) way to structure an "MLE-carveout" deal is make it a four-year deal, with the third year being partially guaranteed only, and the fourth year being a team option. This is what Morey did with Joey Dorsey last summer. The deal is either at the league minimum or a little above the minimum, perhaps the starting salary for a late first rounder. The player (I think teams would only make this type of deal available to a very high second rounder, which leads me to believe that such an offer may be coming Jermaine Taylor's way) sacrifices his earlier free agency for a chance to make a little more in starting salary. Much like the other type of deal, if the guy sucks after two years, the team can simply waive him and only pay a portion of his salary for Year 3 (by the way, if anyone knows how much Dorsey is guaranteed in 2010-11, please let me know - I know it's SOMETHING, and it affects the Rockets' cap situation in 2010). If he's good, or if he's at least serviceable and his guaranteed amount doesn't make it worth waiving him, then the team will keep him locked up.

Agreed. The Hawks may not be the best-run franchise in the NBA, but they're not THAT stupid. Marvin Williams isn't going anywhere (except Europe, if he wants to play with his boy Childress) unless the Hawks agree to a sign-and-trade. And even then, Marvin's getting paid a whole lot more than the MLE.

No, thanks. The Rockets already have the same exact player on their roster. His name is Carl Landry. Also, there are reports that he's getting much larger offers than that, many for most of the MLE.

 

Morey is always 3 moves ahead.....even if Yao DOES return, we don't get penalized...PLUS we still have the MLE...

 

Should have worked out that Ariza/Artest sign and trade. We would still have 2 MLE valued contracts to throw out. At who? I don't know. Fun though no?

 

Doesn't matter how they look in the summer league. They are cheap and the rockets brass think they have potential, so they will be signed, most likely with some of the MLE.

Landry sucked ass in the SL.

 

ah, thanks for the clarification.

Bass has way more offensive game than Chuck. Way way more. That said, I still see no reason the team needs him for any amount of money.

 

Here goes the list Morey will be evaluating

26 and Under: Decent Talents

Ryan Hollins (Restricted)
This past season, Hollins played in just 45 games and averaged a quiet 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. However, it was a solid year for the 24-year old, as his per 36 minute stats translate to 11.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He also made 53% of his shots, and that number should rise as he gets more experience. Hollins is an excellent athlete for his size, and due to his relatively young age, I really like his potential. I’m not sure what Charlotte was thinking when they traded him to Dallas for DeSagana Diop, but now the Mavs will be able to match any offer made to Hollins. Fantasy Impact: for those wondering, Erick Dampier still has 2 agonizingly long years left on his contract.

Solomon Jones (Restricted)
Jones hasn’t improved much since his rookie year, so it will be interesting to see if the Hawks choose to bring him back. He’s a rather skinny big man, but his long wingspan and nice leaping ability help him to block and alter shots. His offense still needs a lot of work, and since he turns 25 in July, it’s questionable how high his upside really is.

Joel Anthony (Restricted)
Anthony turned some heads this past season, blocking 93 shots in limited minutes, for an average of 3.2 rejections per 36. Like Jones, Anthony has very long arms and is a restricted free agent this summer. One negative is that, despite only 2 years of NBA experience, Joel is already 26 years old. This means his upside is also limited, so Miami shouldn’t pay a lot to re-sign him. Fantasy Impact: is worth watching if Jermaine O’Neal can’t stay healthy.

Kyrylo Fesenko (Restricted or Team Option for $.9 million)
I’m a fan of Kyrylo Fesenko, but I’m not sure if Jerry Sloan is. The 22-year old still has a lot of maturing to do, but he has a huge body with big soft hands, and is fairly mobile for his size. Comparing both his NBA and D-League stats from his rookie year to sophomore year, he cut back on his turnovers and fouls while improving other aspects of his game. Having a guy like Kirilenko around to mentor him is hugely important, so I hope the Jazz exercise their team option on Fes.

Savvy Veterans: Solid and Cheap

Rasho Nesterovic (Unrestricted)
Believe it or not, Rasho set career highs this past season by averaging 14.0 points and 3.2 assists per 36 minutes played, and he’s shot over 50% from the field 4 seasons in a row. His rebounding and shot-blocking skills have declined, but he’s still a decent player on both ends of the floor, and at the age of 33, but he’s still a solid backup. Will the Pacers re-sign him, or are they ready to lean heavily on Roy Hibbert? Fantasy Impact: if he signs elsewhere, Hibbert and Jeff Foster will get more minutes.

Brian Skinner (Unrestricted or Player Option for $1.3 million)
Skinner was forced to play more minutes than expected due to several Clipper injuries, and he averaged a decent 7.5 points, 5.9 boards, and 1.4 blocks on 47% FG shooting in 21 starts. However, with Chris Kaman healthy and Blake Griffin arriving shortly, there won’t be much need for Skinner’s services in Los Angeles, so the 33-year old may not exercise his player option.

Theo Ratliff (Unrestricted)
Ratliff re-joined the 76ers this past season, the same team where he once averaged a league-best 3.7 blocked shots per game. At the age of 36, he’s still an elite shot-blocker, but after criticizing their coaching staff and skipping their final team meeting, Theo won’t be back in a Philly uniform.

Adonal Foyle (Unrestricted)
Foyle played a total of just 59 minutes this past season for Orlando, and in that limited action, he managed to rack up an incredible 26 rebounds and 8 blocks! So the 34-year old can still be effective, but his real value lies off the court, where he’s one of the smartest and most professional players around.

Sean Marks (Unrestricted)
He played in just 57 NBA games before the age of 29, but since then, Sean Marks has suited up for the Spurs, Suns, and Hornets. He’ll turn 34 in August and his skills are quite limited, but he’s a good 12th man/practice player, so another minimum contract seems likely.

Jamaal Magloire (Unrestricted)
He just turned 31, and he peaked a long time ago, but Magloire is still a serviceable backup center. He played 47 minutes this past postseason, and while he scored just 2 points, he pulled down 11 boards (5 offensive) and racked up 9 personal fouls. His career average of 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes is very solid, and he’s still a physical defender who’s not afraid to mix it up. Someone will make room for the “Big Cat.”

Borderline Options: Risky or Unproven
Jason Collins (Unrestricted)
Jason Collins has started 429 games in his NBA career, so it’s tough to knock the guy. However, if you look at his detailed on court vs. off court stats, you’ll see that Minnesota was a MUCH better offensive team when he was on the bench, and they were a better defensive team when he was on the bench as well. Sure, he sets good screens and does the dirty work without complaining, but he’s become a major liability, and teams should be wary of signing him.

Lorenzen Wright (Unrestricted)
Over the past two seasons, Lo-Wright has played 286 minutes for 3 different teams, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in the process. He’s never been much of a scorer, but his rebounding rate has declined in recent years, and at the age of 33, it’s unlikely to bounce back. Someone may consider the 13-year veteran, but they’d have to be really desperate.

Mikki Moore (Unrestricted)
In ‘06-07, Mikki Moore had a career-year in New Jersey, averaging 9.8 points and leading the league in FG% by running the floor with Jason Kidd. Overestimating his abilities, the Kings decided to offer Moore $18 million for 3 years. After 1 1/2 disappointing seasons, Sacramento waived him. Luckily, the 3rd year wasn’t fully guaranteed, but they’ll still have to pay him $2 million next season. Mikki played in 24 regular season and 10 postseason games for the Celtics after being waived, but he didn’t give them the boost that they were hoping for (and sorely needed due to Garnett and Powe going down). At 33 years old, he is now a very risky option.

Aaron Gray (Restricted)
The good: Gray has excellent size, is a solid rebounder, and a decent touch around the rim. The bad: everything else. Gray is very limited athletically, so it’s no surprise that he fell out of Chicago’s rotation. He’s a restricted free agent, but I doubt that the Bulls want him back, so he’ll be available to any team that wants to take a chance on him.

Patrick O’Bryant (Restricted or Team Option for $1.6 million)
I’d really like to write this guy off, but since he’s fairly young (turns 23 on June 20th), he could still develop into a decent bench player I suppose. Despite three seasons of NBA experience, O’Bryant still picks up fouls left and right (for his career, he has 116 rebounds compared to 114 fouls), and after being traded twice already, his confidence can’t be very high. The Raptors have a team option for him, but they could opt for this next guy instead.

Nathan Jawai (Restricted or Team Option for $.7 million)
Since Jawai played just 19 minutes for the Raptors as a rookie, let’s examine his D-League stats instead. In 14 games, he averaged 11.1 points, 6.4 boards, 5.1 free throw attempts, 1.6 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 3.4 fouls in 24.1 minutes on 52.6% FG and 77.8% FT shooting. Decent stats, but nothing to write home about. He’s 22, he has a big body, and is fairly athletic, so the potential is still there, but he has a LONG ways to go before being an NBA rotation player.

Johan Petro (Restricted or Qualifying Offer for $2.9 million)
Petro has 4 years of NBA experience now, but his career is headed in the wrong direction. After shooting 51% from the field and averaging 1.4 blocks to 6.0 fouls per 36 minutes as a 20-year old rookie, Johan shot just 41.5% from the field and averaged .9 blocks to 6.9 fouls per 36 minutes as a 23-year old. He’s still young enough to turn his career around, but in my opinion, he rarely looks comfortable on the floor, and I’m guessing that he’ll continue to disappoint.

Robert Swift (Unrestricted)
Swift was the #12 pick in the 2004 draft (ahead of Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, Jameer Nelson, Kevin Martin, JR Smith, Trevor Ariza, etc.), and while injuries have certainly slowed him down, he needs to start producing immediately if he wants to stay in the NBA. In 26 games for the Thunder this past season, he averaged a mediocre 9.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 5.2 fouls per 36 minutes. He’s still just 23, but it looks like picking him and Petro (ahead of David Lee, Ronny Turiaf, Monta Ellis, etc.) with back-to-back 1st round picks turned out to be a bad idea. Of course, that was before Sam Presti took over as GM.

Out of the League???

Raef LaFrentz (Unrestricted)
Raef LaFrentz didn’t play at all in ‘08-09, and he played sparingly for Portland in the couple of seasons before that. To see how much he’s fallen off, just look at his outside shot. After making 112-of-286 threes (39.2% 3P) in ‘05-06, Raefer has shot a sorry 2-27 from beyond the arc (7.4% 3P) since then. He isn’t very valuable without his 3-point shot, because LaFrentz is no longer the intimidating shot-blocker that he once was. At the age of 32, his NBA career might be over.

Chris Mihm (Unrestricted)
After missing the entire ‘06-07 season, Mihm played just 383 minutes for the Lakers over the past couple of years, shooting just 47-135 from the field in that timeframe. He was traded to Memphis in February, but had right ankle surgery and never suited up for them. Injuries have derailed his career, and at this point, he’s likely played his last NBA game.

Jake Voskuhl (Unrestricted)
Back in 2000, who knew that Jake Voskuhl (8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds for UConn in ‘99-00) would play in 400 more NBA games than Khalid El-Amin (16.0 points and 5.2 assists for UConn in ‘99-00 after leading them to a National Championship in 1999)? Since big bodies are always in demand, Voskuhl is a 9-year veteran, despite never having blocked more than 29 shots in a season. Someone might want his veteran presence around, but I would rather gamble on a young player with some athleticism.

Calvin Booth (Unrestricted)
Another overpaid 7-footer? Despite career averages of 3.3 points, 2.8 boards, 1.0 blocks, and 1.9 fouls, Booth managed to make over $36 million over the past 8 years. Can we please let him retire now?

 

There might not be one MLE valued players still available let alone two. My guess is that Morey doesn't go full MLE and instead breaks it down for our draft picks and a cheaper option at center, like a Ryan Hollins type.