we should trade rafer and junk(reed+lucas+novak) for foster to clean out our cap space situation. I say dont sign chuck hayes because our pf/c situation would be good enough if we got foster. we got a better version of hayes in harris and landry sitting on the shelf.
The Rockets are close, but they should be able to come up with a contract starting at $1.5 mil, provided Sura is released and JLIII is traded for a pick. The problem with trades is that both Butler and Reed have two years left, which makes them non-expiring contracts. Both are overpaid scrubs with no trade value by themselves. Alston is not a worthless asset. But he's not good enough for teams to take on an extra salary. In another words, if the Rockets want to clear out more room, they'll have to take on a crappy contract. And try to save some money through the 15% trade rule. Possible? Yes. Likely? no.
I could've sworn I read Butler had a team option on the second year from an article near the time of the trade. I have to think that Reed is supposed to be part of a package when he can be traded again because otherwise it was really stupid to take him. I'm pretty sure we were the ones that wanted him included. We could've saved some money and trouble by not taking him. Buy out Sura for $1M and try to trade JL3 and Novak for 2nd rounders. If we can't get 2nd rounders then just trade them for nothing or cash. We can do that since they are on minimum contracts. I'd like to keep Harris as a backup SF, resign Hayes for backup PF, and resign Deke for backup C. I'm pretty sure this can all be accomplished. Maybe we can package Alston and Reed later for another big like Foster. Yao/Deke/Butler Scola/Hayes/Reed Battier/Snyder/Harris TMac/Bonzi/Head James/Francis/Alston
Actually, you're right. I forgot that the 2nd year was a team option. Still, the money you can save by shipping out Alston+Butler in any trade is $1 mil at most, unless there's a TE coming back. I think we almost HAVE to release Sura to keep under the cap. And then be very frugal with the rest of our money.
I completely agree. Even if we could somehow squeeze under the tax and trade him in a package for a player it would probably not be worth it as we are pretty loaded at most spots. Then we would be screwed for future seasons on the luxury tax and have to pull a Glenn Rice trade (aka Phoenix trading 2 1st rounders this year) to dump salary. Let's not get greedy now and screw ourselves for the future. I don't know if I can stand another 10 year period of mediocrity.
I agree. I'll be surprised if Sura is included in any deal, unless it's for a clear upgrade. (oh, and I think you meant to say LT threshold)
Feigen said in his blog that the Rockets were forced to take Reed by Minnesota as a condition of the trade.
Yeah. I think the confusion on this BBS is due to the Rockets front office's "spin" on the trade. I believe that Daryl Morey made some comments about Justin Reed being a player that the team "wanted". However, I think that REALLY meant, "If we HAVE to take him, we could possibly find some use for him on the team or as an asset", as opposed to how most of us took to mean, "We demaned that Minnesota include him in the deal to get it done."
I'm guessing he got paid based on the "P" word...potential. But that is just a guess on my part sense he just turned 22 and seems to show a lot of promis and some very real skill on the offensive end. Of course we need to see some of that in a real NBA game and not just the NBDL or Summer Leagues.
Yes, I do mean the LT. Not that anyone would ever mistake the two, given the Rockets will be over the cap until at least Yao or T-Mac's contract finishes. As for the salaries, both Butler and Reed showed some "potential" during their rookie contracts, and got reward multi-million dollar contracts as a result. Obviously, both teams have since regretted their decisions and were eager to get rid of them. Morey says they're good and can contribute, but the truth is he'd cut them in a second if he isn't stuck with their salaries.
Isn't Sura's contract basically free cap space for the team we trade him to? I was under the impression that a player retiring gets to negotiate a buyout with the team he is under contract with when he retires, and is therefore off the books? Anyone want to clear this up for me?
He has a 1 mil buy out. He won't retire unless he gets that. He's injured. Not stupid. We will free up 2.something mil to pay him 1. Only 1 mil counts against the cap. To "retire" the player has to agree. The deal with Vspan was different. If SA had paid him a cent it would have counted against their cap. The buyout is in Sura's actual contract.
Les always said he would pay the luxury tax [only] to get a special player. I never believed him, but per Feigen's blog, he must have been telling the truth, and Francis must have been that "special" player: http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2007/08/sunshine_state_of_mind_for_me.html August 03, 2007 Sunshine state of mind for me, and a few topics to debate for you Before Fran headed to the beach, Steve Francis signed in a stunning turn of events. Not that I'm complaining, but as I head out of town, Chuck Hayes signed the deal certain since the season ended. Chuck is a fine guy and a better player than people seem to remember, but he does not generate conversation quite like Steve, who remains as much a force in that regard as ever. Fran will be back next week, and I will post comments when I come out of the sun. I might not answer as many questions, but we'll do what we can. I do leave you, however, with some topics to consider. I still think Dikembe Mutombo will sign. I was wrong this morning when I told Matt that the Rockets have offered $1.83 million. I got that figure from someone assuming that number in a conversation about the Rockets' luxury tax situation. For now, they have offered $1.2, the veteran's minimum. If they have to, they will have a tough decision to make about going to the $1.83 figure. Also, I said the Celtics were very interested, but had not made an offer. That was true at the time, but they have since made their offer, also the veteran's minimum. I'm hearing there is a third team showing interest. Here's something else to kick around. The Rockets have been spending as if on a Cinderella Liberty. That is not generally their way, and not likely to continue. They bought a second-round pick last season, bought two more this year, took on the contracts of Justin Reed and Jackie Butler to get deals done for Mike James and Luis Scola, sent the Spurs between $1 million and $2 million in the Scola deal and spent all the rest of their mid-level exception to get Francis. Assuming Dikembe at $1.8 million, signing Carl Landry and waiving Bob Sura, the Rockets would be $2.8 over the luxury tax line. Counting the money over the tax, the tax and the escrow money they would no longer receive, that would be a hit of roughly $10 million. Daryl Morey will obviously try to reduce that, but when Les Alexander sent him after Francis, the decision was made to go past the tax number and not make a subsequent deal that would hurt the roster in the name of tax savings. That will make saving the money very tough, though Morey will go after that. With that in mind, I still believe he'll find a home for John Lucas III, and it will probably be in New Orleans. But they have to find a third team to take on a contract to make the deal work. As for Rafer Alston, the Miami thing is not entirely dead, but unlikely after the Heat signed Smush Parker. The Rockets, though, are not as eager to move Alston as the commentators on the blog. They would seem to have too many point guards to keep them all happy, but Alston is different from the others. Teams have played three point guards. The Rockets could do that for awhile. That would hold off Aaron Brooks a bit, and it's really not what the Rockets want. But it does not look as if they will make any deal that moves Alston, last season's starter. They seem willing to wait for a deal that does more for them than trim a point guard from the list. Finally, back where we began - with Chuck. The contract is four years, with the last at the team's option. It begins with a base salary of $1.5 million, with another $200,000 in incentives considered likely to be met. There are other incentives, too, that would be less likely. For some reason, many seem to have forgotten what Hayes brings, focusing on what he does not. The Rockets still are counting on Luis Scola, but Hayes does things that are always useful. Drawing charges, getting loose balls, rebounding at a high rate, defending well. We know that in others ways, he is limited. But when he started, the Rockets' starting five had the best plus-minus in the NBA, and a very strong record. I don't think he'll be starting again, but he's a good signing. At least he, Dikembe, Rafer, even Les' spending spree should keep things moving for a week. I'm heading to the beach, but I'll mix in some time hitting the approve button on the blog. What vacation would be complete without that?
If anyone is dumb enough to just take on Bonzi's contract, we should let them. There are enough teams that need any PG that one should give Cash for Little Lucas.
And don't the salaries for Francis and Scola also count towards the luxury tax? I don't recall the exact terms of their deal, but I think we're well over right now.
I thought Scola + Francis = $5.5 mil. Harris can't be an addtional $1.5 mil. I think there is a minimum $50K since it is not non-guaranteed contract but aelliot or some else could probably confirm it. Probably the same situation as with Landry. Looking at the list and adding $5.5 for Socla/Francis, taking Sura's 1 mil buyout and adding Hayes' contract of $1.6 mil and we are at ~$68.5 million without singing Deke. I am not shocked, and I think Les is sick of the injury bug the last two seasons and he is not going to let the Luxury Tax stop us from a good push to the Finals this year. Somehow Morey will minimize the impact but I am betting we are sticking with the key contracts we now have in place. The only options we have to acutally get under the cap is trading for draft picks. Trading players for players/TE won't help the LT situation.
