Our needs...PF, SF, PG and depth. (pretty much everything) Realistic but good: U Haslem D Fortson V Radmonovich G Wallace R Bell K Korver J Kopono E Watson M Williams Not as cheap, but good: T Chandler D Marshall J Johnson S Battier D George C Mobley (probably too expensive) A Daniels J Mcginiss
m_cable, first of all, great thread topic! I totally agree with your assesments with how we should allocate our MLE money this offseason. Your post echos much of what I have been saying recently. Your 3 target players are 3 solid guys that would help out this team greatly. I think Swift is a natural to be a PF alongside Yao. You make good points that the FA monies are starting to dry up in terms of teams that have money that can be spent next summer. I dont see Swift going back to Memphis. And I dont see Memphis overpaying him since their payroll is outrageous given their W/L. Atlanta seems like the best destination for Swift ABOVE the MLE line. And like you said, they didnt even try to sign him over the summer. They STILL might make a play for him, but who knows. Personally, I think Atlanta more than anything is looking at a PG, not a PF. They have Al Harrington at PF right now. They have Josh Smith at SF. Of course Atlanta is also looking for a C and perhaps Swift is an option there. I think Bobby Simmons is another guy like Marquis Daniels of Dallas, that will turn one good year in and then cash in on the FA market. I think with his age and potential upside he is worth the full MLE. Some team will offer it to him. That will be his market value. Will he be overpaid? Not according to the market value and that's all that matters. Getting Simmons would allow Tmac to slide back to the 2 guard spot. Simmons would perhaps give us a 3rd scorer on the court which I feel our team needs. Simmons really is a worker and a hustler so I can see him fitting right into a JVG system. Hughes. I have a feeling the Wizards will keep him. He is having a breakout year and I think the Wizards feel he is a key piece to their team. I think he stays. Hughes would be a great 3rd option on the Rockets and JVG likes tall guards. I might be a bit concerned he would take shots away from Yao and Tmac. Still, he would be a solid player. But I dont think he leaves the Wizards so I wont spend too much time thinking about Hughes and his potential on the Rockets. In terms of the FA market this summer, I have a feeling it is going to be different from last summer. Last summer every FA wanted to get on a team and teams wanted to sign guys NOW before the new CBA takes into effect. I have a feeling there isnt going to be as much money being thrown around this summer and with the LACK of teams with cap room it will mean there might be some VERY good players that are NORMALLY probably worth MORE than the MLE but can be HAD for MLE money. In other words, it looks like it might be a BUYERS market. I think m_cable makes a good analogy with the Olowokandi and Swift situation. I think this summer Swift and Bobby Simmons are two solid targets for this team. I dont think the Rockets should waste any time on RESTRICTED FAs as I feel most teams will just match those players. I would put ALL of our MLE money into one of those playeres, preferably Swift and then look to tweak the roster more via any trades. Keep in mind, it is much easier to get a quality SG or SF than it is a PF so I feel if we CAN get a quality PF we need to get that PF by all means. Things I would like to see the Rockets do now and over the summer: 1) Use our 5.2M Trade Exception to acquire a player (asset) before it expires. 2) Use our 1st round draft pick. It potentially could be one in the teens or lower. Dont be afraid to draft a HS player if he has good upside and a "high motor." 3) Use our FULL MLE on one QUALITY player. Swift for example 4) Perhaps use Spoon+Wesley (combined 11.4M) expiring contracts to perhaps get a "3rd scorer" for the Rockets. If things went our way we could have as many as FOUR new QUALITY guys on this team next year. That could be huge.
Someone called in and asked what it would take to maybe get Chandler, and he responded with probably Taylor and a 1st. I would be surprised if that could land Chandler, especially as well as he is playing right now.
Scratch the following off the list, since they'd be fools to opt out: Austin Croshere Brian Grant Charlie Ward Danny Fortson Devean George Eddie Jones Grant Hill Jalen Rose Jamal Tinsely (I don't think he should even be on the list, I think he's locked up) Jamal Mashburn Keith Van Horn Shane Battier (he just signed an extension this past summer!) Tariq Abdul-Wahad Tony Battie Evan
Also word of caution about this summer: While I hope it doesn't happen, there is a very real possibility of a lockout. Beyond that, I believe this summer will be subject to the new CBA, not the current one. We have no clue what will happen to the MLE, the salary cap itself, or the luxury tax. It's not likely we're headed towards a massive shakeup in terms of the salary cap rules, but it's tough to say for certain. Mutombo & Wesley ($10) will most likely be our most attractive package (and we can toss in Ward, Spoon, and Gaines as add ins for salary-matching), but keep in mind that teams may not make trades for final year guys until February. Evan
Yes, this summer will be governed by the new CBA. I think the only real difference we are going to see though is shorter years on contracts. Perhaps Max years will go from 7 to 5 for players for their own team and new players from 6 to 4. That would be a nice change. I think that will be the only BIG change. I am sure the MLE and it's use will probably be about the same.
I am confident that we will be able to parlay Mutombo+Wesley into a solid addition to this team. They have a good track record with this. The last time they had such a large expiring contract at their disposal, they were able to reel in John Ameechi and only had to throw in 2 draft picks.
bobby jackson is not leaving sacramento. PG, i'd try to pick up jason kapono or steve blake. Bobby jackson would be nice, but that is not happening. Maybe we can go after Tyson Chandler at the Power Forward spot. all these people are old, or really young and unproven. I rather take my chances on the young guys because we are already old right now.
I doubt it as well. Playing well or not, he has too much of the P word that everybody loves to be shipped of for what we can offer: "potential". But if we could get him, I don't think I'd be the only one thrilled! ALA
I like Haslem but the Heat will probably match our MLE offer. Simmons would be a nice pickup if the Clippers don't won't to keep him. We should also try to get possibly cheaper players like Mikki Moore who might not take up the full MLE.
Bobby Simmons and Stromile Swift. Good idea to go after either player. Wasn't sure if it was mentioned, but Stromile's favorite team as a kid was our very own. It would be nice to see him on the Rockets. Give him 28 minutes per game, even as backup center at times, depending on the matchup. Other teams might offer more than the MLE, but they'd be nuts to do so. At 28 mpg, Stromile might give you about 10 and 9 and maybe 2 1/2 blocks. And maybe put some energy next to Yao.
West is a smart guy he will try to package Swift in a sign and trade or resign him instead of letting him go as a UFA.
West can TRY to do a S&T with Swift. But Swift is a UFA so he doesnt have to agree to anything. I would say though, West probablyhas better chance of doing a S&T with Swift for some other asset than trying to resign Swift. Swift doesnt look to have much of a future in Memphis or he would be starting right now. Maybe I am wrong but I dont see Memphis giving him a long term deal at 8-9M when they have so much money tied up into a lot of other players. Memphis' payroll is humongus for a team that is likely to miss the playoffs this year. I wonder if they are willing to pay that much salary for a team that is mediocre. More than anything they need to do a 3-1 type trade that can bring in a star player and give the team a higher ceiling, but no one seems to be willing to trade with West.
Really? I think Stromile would like playing with Yao. I have no idea though lol. Anyways yeah they'd be good together. Damn good. I like Chandler more because Chandler seems to have a bigger body and is younger..but both sound good. I hear Simmons is a good shooter and he is shooting like 50% or whatever..but against the Rockets he missed a lot of shots.. Really I hope we get at least one of these guys.
the roster makes no difference if ole man grumpy religously mantains his anti talent, youth, speed bias. on three, chant, "get riddy JVG!"
I think we are going to be in an interesting position come draft time. We will probably be picking in the top 20, which will give us a chance at picking up one of players that slip out of the lottery (like Steve Francis' backup in Orlando). Those type of players always come into the league looking to prove something. This year we traded for experience. This summer, we should concentrate on youth and athleticism. Based on the what we do in the draft should direct us toward what FA's we pursue. I say we go for a PG in the draft, and either Simmons or Swift in the FA pool.
the interesting thing is is that if seattle want to keep radman and reggie evans they're going to have to get rid fortson's contract. they're stacked at PF anyway. dike and gaines would get us fortson salary-wise.
