Is Les Willing To Pay Luxury Tax Next Year? (I Think He Is)

If you're saying we should've signed Artest because he would've put us over the top, I honestly think you overestimate Artest. Artest is great on a team with other stars he can defer to, but for him to lead this team and possibly be the focal star? I don't think so. He did well for the Rockets this past season, but he returned to playing crazy Ron basketball after Yao went out, and it was frightening. I could deal with Artest on the team this past season, but honestly, his defense seemed overrated when I watched him. He wasn't the defensive juggernaut I thought he was.

If you're saying the signing of Artest when we thought we'd have Yao and TMac was putting us over the top, then I agree.

 

I know everyone likes to dream but let's be honest....

Tmac will probably be back in uniform after the all star break and by that time, our record would be one of the worst in the league.

Yao Ming is not suiting up for this upcoming season and may never suit up again due to his injury.

I know Morey had made a couple of good moves but he is not the best GM in the history of Nba. Everyone keep thinking that the Rockets are okay because for some odd reason, Morey will some how make a miracle trade that land us a superstar like Bosh, Wade, or Joe Johnson. It is not going to happen. We do not have any assets for that and by trading Tmac or Yao...it just won't work.

Even in the off season, I highly doubt we will be able to sign a superstar in 10-11 offseason. Why would Bosh, Lebron, Wade, Joe Johnson etc would sign with the Rockets? There are so many teams that unload their salary cap for that offseason.

Morey believes that we can unload and rebuild quickly like in a season or two but reality bites. It just don't happen that way. Morey is good but not great. He got lucky with the Artest trade. The season before that, he got Mike James, Steve Francis, and Scola and then everyone thinks Morey is god and can do anything. Only Scola was a good deal.

The best Morey can do is just sit back and hopefully we get a lottery draft this upcoming offseason and HOPEFULLY we can draft a young, talented, high potential, good player that will be great fast like Brandon Roy or something and we can start building around him. There is no point of keep trying to wait for Yao to recovers and keep building around Yao. Yao Ming is done and if he ever returns to court, he will no longer perform at the level he is now. You will no longer see the 20-9 guy but probably see the 11-6 chinese man that struggles just to keep up with the younger and more athletic players.

I love the Rockets but I just can't see us making any major moves or anything. I would love to dream like everyone else and believe Morey is the wizard of GMs but it is hard to dream and believe when all you can do is sign Trevor Ariza while all the contenders are only getting stronger by adding good solid players to their rosters while we lost all three of our solid stars.

The Yao and Tmac era is officially over. I just can't wait to see who would be the one to step up and so we can finally say this is this guy era. I just can't wait til that day when we have a player we can officially say this is his era and his team. I just have to be patience. Only time would heal.....

 

Houston is not THAT bad, is it? There are some things in our favor...

1) No state taxes
2a) Yao could return next year bringing a huge Chinese fan base with him = more negotiation power with shoe companies
2b) If Yao retires due to injury then Houston may get the cap room? If so then they could get not just 1 but multiple max or near max players. Which should be enough to convince the free agents that the team is ready to fly again.
3) Proven coaching staff and system
4) Potentially high draft pick - maybe even #1? A good pg like John Wall could make a difference to the free agent's choice...
5) Favourite destination for many players in the offseason

Probably not enough from dissuading Lebron from going to NY, but may be enough for one of the other marquee free agent? Especially one who plays in Toronto now but is actually a Texan...

 

IMO, how much luxury tax we pay this year is a lot less important than how any transaction will affect our cap situation next year.

That is, unless that transaction is trading for someone like Bosh.

 

Somebody has a case of the Mondays.




Allowing that Les is willing, what's the strategy to get the 1 or 2 players that guarantee a playoff series?

A trade including one or more of Battier, Landry and Brooks with trade exceptions that brings a player worth something like his $10 million dollar contract?

Who? And I can only assume that the trading team would only do it as a salary dump so I'd guess the contract wouldn't be close to expiring.

 

Haha I found this to be interesting, somebody calculated how much our players get paid per game they played since they were signed.

Came out to this.

Tmac: $291,135 / Game played
Yao: $161,262 / Game played

hahahahahaha, they get the last laugh. No Wonder T-mac said he will have the last laugh.......

 

I for one really hope he get something done. The team is not that far from championship level as proven last season.

However with the leaving of Ron, and the uncertainty of Yao and Tmac. I rather chance on a big FA signing at 2010 than getting a player that will help push the rox to the playoffs but will handicapped the rox of its plans of 2010.

By the way things are looking. The only player on the wrong side of 30 is barry who no doubt will be gone next year if not this season. That leaves the main rotation of a competitive squad intact for years to come.

Its still an attractive options for FA to come to rox on 2 basis.
1- They be coming and will be added to a competitive squad, instead of replacing other key players.
2- If yao's contract is cancle, rox will be on line to sign 2 FAs at max money. Which make (1) even more attractive.

Other teams may have money, but none will have a competitive squad for the FAs to join. NY? NJ? Phenoix? They are blowing up their entire squad.

Which is why I hope that Rox do not sign a player that will compromise the future. A FA that signs a 1 year deal, or a veteran min is what I sincerely hope DM will get.