I think DD's thinking we'd blow up the team without Yao, so you'd want to be able to SnT or cut guys to quickly reshape your roster. I think having productive players on favorable contracts would be more beneficial because you can always trade guys like that for the assets you need. Besides that, I think one year contracts would be dangerous for the team. If Yao's return is successful, you don't want to have to go through the risk of having so many core free agents at once. And, Lowry and Scola will likely resent not getting the security of a long contract the prior year and would then be free to test unrestricted free agency. The plan only seems to have appeal if you're counting on Yao not being able to come back. And, even then, I think it is better to have reasonable contracts than short ones.
One year deals allow more flexibility and we would still have their bird rights, so we could pay them more than anyone else. But to me, the key is acquiring a superstar, and to do that requires a lot of assets and cap flexibility. Just my .02. DD
We'll match Lowry. I don't expect him to get huge offers like Scola might. Scola, however, it ponderous. Morey has indicated that Les Alexander is demanding Scola stays, but I think Alexander will understand if Morey wants to let him go because he's too expensive (some team gives him a gigantic contract since they struck out in free agency). But the question is... will that be necessary? Will Scola get a huge contract? I don't think so. Perhaps if the free agents weren't so deep at that position (Bosh, Boozer, Lee, Stoudemire) he'd get some ridiculous offer with someone's cap space, but that's not the case this particular off-season. I think the Rockets will be well-prepared to match anything Scola may be offered. In addition, if we can't land Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire in a S&T, Scola becomes hugely important and is a must re-sign.
The short answer is: Nobody knows. The current collective bargaining agreement (pursuant to which the salary cap is set) expires in 2011, and a new system will likely be put in place. Frankly, the owners are claiming that the current system is so messed up that no one has any idea what's going to happen. All teams can do is to try to keep salaries at reasonable levels in the interim and try to put themselves in a postion to have both a competitive roster and some salary cap flexibility at the same time. I think Morey is doing a good job of steering the Rockets in that direction. Much more so than most other teams. You don't need to talk to me about shades of gray. I'm Mr. Gray, both in terms of my understanding of nuances and my personality in general. I just love how emphatic you can be about one thing before the situation changes, only to see your about-face once it does change. Sorry, no examples come to mind. Hell, I could be imagining the whole thing. But, you know. Perception is often greater than reality. Or something like that. Keep on truckin', DD. You're the BBS's most cherished punching bag!
Excellent post. I can't see how big time free agent would like to be a Rocket so much with Yao/Scola/Battier/Lowry all gone. Scloa/Lowry are great trade assets for sign and trade. They are not scrubs with a bad contracts.
So why do Morey risk overpaying them after one year instead of pay them at reasonable market vlaue? More often than not, FAs are more expensive to sign than RFAs. Sign Scola/Lowry doesn't lose flexibility. Basiclly no big name FAs wants to lose big money just to change team, a sign and trade is much more likley. Scola and Lowry are good players, they are good trade assets if their contracts are reasonable. Better than just cap space.
This. Big time. As Morey has said on multiple occasions, the key to building a franchise is in "asset accumulation". Having two more solid to very good players under reasonable multi-year deals adds two more assets to the treasure trove. If pathetic franchises that cannot attract quality free agents need to improve themselves, a team like the Rockets would be in a position to deal with them. If a contending team is just one piece away from a championship (preferably an Eastern Conference team), Morey will be ready to take multiple future picks in exchange. If another team thinks that one of our guys is better than Morey thinks he is, we'll be in a position to move that player for potentially better assets. Sure, a one year deal means that the Rockets have additional "expiring contracts". But I truly think that expiring deals are overrated and will be less valuable after this summer, with so many teams getting out from under bad contracts and finally having cap room (or expecting to have cap room in 2011). Better to have a guy locked up on a reasonable deal.
I don't see how getting them to sign a one year deal helps us with flexibility whether Yao is productive or not. Well, unless you're thinking that we could trade them at next year's trade deadline. Besides that, Scola and Lawry will have trade value for their actual playing value, not the contract. There are plenty of crappy players with nice contracts that just have economic value. But I'd think a team would look to acquire these two becaue they are solid rotation players who can be effective in a starting or backup role. I'd want them to have a good 2 years left on their contract so there is no risk of them leaving for a pay day the season after I got'em. No, I think he keeps them because they are surely going to be good assets. I'm not even sure he's going to try and lowball much. He certainly is capable, but we don't want to get a bad rep with FAs.
The only cap flexibility Rox will have for some time is by trading assets for supe and accepting 25% up cost. Owner Alexander will have to be willing to swallow the hit. Who would he do that for? Bosh? Uh, can Bosh and Scola and Yao finish games together successfully? Amar'e? I think not. Pierce? Hmmm, not an FA but could be marketed after the p/o's...
I think DD is a little wrong, and a little right. I think we will retain Lowry and Scola, but I also think that it is fairly obvious that 2011 is going to be our big year. With Jeffries/Battier/Yao off the books, check out these unrestricted free agents... Kendrick Perkins Carmelo Anthony(ETO) Nene Hilario(ETO) Carl Landry Samuel Dalembert I could see Denver just sucking balls If they don't turn it around next year. I think Melo would be a great target and make up for our small backcourt...
We already know that DM would be willing to part w/ Scola for someone like Amare'; or IMO Bosh. So I think it's at least possible that Scola may not be matched, but only if something firms up w/ one of those two guys. Of course since he offered Scola for Amare', Scola's game (and value) has gone up considerably, so it's really anyone's guess. I think Lowry will be matched, unless DM has some other ace up his sleeve. But DD I agree that it will drag out ... as most of these things do. Remember the summer we matched Landry's offer? Man I thought that would never end. Everybody knew Landry was turning into something special, and I was thinking "either **** or get off the pot", but in hindsight I can understand what happened; it was business. They were trying to get the best deal possible, which required waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Also, as DM said, "we are betting on Yao". But, when you bet on a hand and it loses, you play the next hand. So you're also right about the future depending much on how Yao responds next year. When Yao was at his best last season, most of us couldn't believe our eyes! Let's hope he can at least come close to that next year. If so, we are set for quite a while.
It’s really hard to low ball Scola. His agent can use some European clubs to jack up the price. Clubs like Olympiacos, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are willing to throw big bucks on him. Before he came to Houston, he was the best big man in the entire Euroleague. IMO, he is still better than Splitter, Bourousis, and Pekovic. Those guys got paid big time in Europe and hesitated to come to NBA. Scola took a pay cut to come here, so Rockets should reward him a decent contract. Unlike Yao, Scola never missed a single game in the past three years. Nocioni got a 5-year 38 million contract from Chicago. They hired the same agent. It should be a reasonable offer for Scola. For Lowry, it depends on the price. Last year, Jarrett Jack, a career backup pg, almost got a full MLE from Toronto. If Lowry got this kind offer, Rockets should just let him go. There are quite a few solid point guards on the free agent market. Luke Ridnour, Steve Blake, even Jordan Farmar are decent replacement. Those guys at least can shoot. Rockets can also draft one. Armon Johnson from Neveda looks like the next Ramon Sessions.
I believe what we have right now is a champtionship team. We must improve on our defense, limit Yao's minutes so he can play 82 games next year. We have enough big bodies on thebench. But without Scola and Lowry, this team can't be the same. I don't see anyone in teh league that can match Scola's heart and passion. That's one big factor to win games. We can only let Lowry and AB go if we're getting a veteran PG like Chris Paul which I don't think is going to happen. That's my 2 cents from the other side of the world.
I'm still trying to figure out how stoudemire or bosh fit next to Yao. These guys are the focal points of their team's offense and they are going to come here and play second fidler to Yao. I don't think so. Scola is a better fit. The rockets don't need a 4 superstar, they need a 2 superstar.
Seriously, as much as our fans love Scola and Lowry, no other teams' going to give them nutty, insane contracts. Scola's 30, and is really only useful to a contender. And no team with good amount capspace really is that close to a championship that Scola will put them over. As for Lowry, I think Morey matches a full MLE, which is the most any team is going to pay for him.
Hey I think DM will pull his magic again. He will convince Cp3 to leave the hornets and we will give them lowry plus picks or filters. Then DM again use his mind control to get Bosh for hayes plus filters.
nah, next year, with Yao's coming from back his fx foot and limited PT. He is not going to be the focus pt, even so, he will only be the vocal pt for 25mins ish.
