Understandably, folks are focused on the immediate possible trades with NYK and CHI right now. However, lets not forget this is really an interim solution to the McGrady situation. In other words, the team isn't nearly done being "predatory" yet. Specifically, the McGrady situation is that he has value as an expiring contract, to the extent the Rockets are willing to eat future salary. The problem is that value has an expiration date on February 18. So, the NYK/CHI trades are really just a way to kick McGrady down the road in order to can him to preserve his value. McGrady no longer has much value to the Rockets past February 18 (see Bima's thread, the team won't have meaningful cap room unless they dump talent along with letting TMac expire), but NY's draft picks and Jordan Hill likely will have some value, either as players or in a trade. Hell, even Jared Jeffries might have value as an expiring contract next season if teams face a dramatically different CBA and want to dump some of their contract to adjust to life in the new era. Judging from rumors, the Rockets had tried to hit a "home run" with the expiring contract, but that kind of deal is not to be had, generally because the other teams are not giving up hope yet of either competing or at least getting substantial value for their star player. As such, the Rockets did what any moneyballer would so-- take a walk and give the next batter (i.e. the offseason) a chance to drive you in. I am guessing their thinking is that if, say, Sacramento wants to give Kevin Martin more of a chance to see if he fits, this trade will give the Rockets something of continuing value (either to trade or to replace a traded player) in case Sacramento changes its mind in July. The same goes with Iguodala and the Sixers. In any case, don't be suprised if the Rockets' quest for that additional "special player," perhaps involving the same guys that have been discussed in recent rumors, resume in the offseason.
The Butler/Haywood scenario was probably the best example of what we're primarily going after. This type of deal would have accomplished three things: 1) We would have acquired our key asset (Butler), 2) It limited the amount of long-term salary we would have taken on and 3) We would have been taking back less salary thus getting us closer to avoiding the luxury tax and protecting our bottom lines. This type of scenario ties in with what you're getting at regarding future options (i.e. this summer) because Butler would be coming into the last year of his contract thus making him a lethal trade asset. You are absolutely right that Jeffries would assume this role to a lesser degree, provided Morey actually agrees to take on his contract and teams starting viewing $7M in potential cap relief as an ultra-attractive option. Perhaps the new constraints of the upcoming CBA will force teams to see things this way. In any event, $7M + one of NY's draft picks could be a very attractive trade asset to have down the line so I 100% agree that whatever happens before Thursday's deadline is as much as about preserving the value of McGrady's contract as it is netting us something useful right now. Like most, I still hold out hope for a knockout move that happens immediately but I'll understand completely if the line of thinking is to use the long summer to get some of these teams to breakdown and back off on their seemingly irrational stances (i.e. Philly hanging onto Iggy). P.S. I very much think an Iguodala deal could still be in the works. Not necessarily with us, but I'm just about ready to call Ed Stefanski's bluff on this one. They're simply spending way too much to be as bad as they are. I'd like to see if the pressure of Thursday's deadline changes anything.
Why do people keep saying this. Feigen in his blog stated that the Rockets were never interested in Butler. Moreover, he further stated that Morey didn't mind the rumor because it drove T-Mac's value up. JF link JF link 2
T-mac Was no dought one of the best player's of the decade he used to be my fav over Kobe or Labron, They both have their strength's and weeknisses. Kobe Great out side shooter but kinda lack's the strangth to crash the bord's at all time's Labron Man child own's the paint King james but his out side shooting need a little more focus. T-Mac he USED to be able to do both but age annnd Injery can catch you when you least expect it. If you agree then were good if not i don't really care haha.
As much as I respect Battier, I'd put him just ahead of Jeffries on my to-be- traded-before-next-Feb list.
I totally agree that the Iguodala deal could still be in the works. I've been thinking that for the last week, Morey seems to really want him. I wouldn't be surprised to see this or even Kevin Martin swung in an other deal after Mac is dealt
Well, sorry....I missed that blurb. Between the 150 blurbs/threads that talked about our supposed interest in him you, caught me. I hadn't seen this one yet. You're definitely missing the main point of the post as I was merely using the Butler/Haywood scenario as an example of the type of deal I feel Morey is trying to strike. The point is finding a trade that satisfies those three objectives -- not so much about the details. So says the Elton Brand advocate.... But in all seriousness, I hadn't seen that blurb yet suggesting our interest in Butler was all a farce. Very interesting....but I'll take it. Butler was never my top choice anyway.
Could happen in the off-season, but I have a strong feeling that Morey will be scrambling to get a good second deal done before the deadline after McGrady is traded today. If he can't find anything he will wait until the off-season but I'm sure he'd like to do it now.
Carl Herrera, You've captured Morey's approach well. Preserving value isn't easy with a deadline, but I think Morey will wind up with as many chips as he could have reasonably obtained. With that in hand, he gets to wait. The goal is the same -- land a star or No 2 option with upside. You can't do that now without sacrificing too many assets, so Morey waits. Wait until some variables change. Philly continues to lose and hemmorage money. Maybe discontent settles in. Sacto continues to lose and it becomes clear that Evans is a SG and Sacto realizes it needs a legit PF more than Martin. Never buy at inflated prices. Look for value and growth opportunities. You get a big wad of money and wait till the price of Iggy, Martin or Bosh drop. (Hill develops and we move Scola in a S and T for Martin??) Greed is good.
Top choice would be upgrading our abysmal center play that I consider an even greater weakness than the dreaded Battriza duo. Bosh isn't a center nor are we getting him anyway. Amare could masquerade as a center for the time being or, better yet, someone like Al Jefferson. These are all unlikely scenarios, though. A more realistic one? People are probably sick of hearing me say it but I really want Gortat in a separate trade (example: Battier for Gortat/Redick) then do whatever with McGrady's deal. Whether it's the Knicks deal, Chicago or whoever -- get a key "asset" or two, take back less salary and roll from there. Clearly, I'm open to any trade that makes us better whether that be for a center, wing player or any position. I still definitely think some of these seemingly irrational GM's will breakdown and embrace the idea of moving their second-tier stars (i.e. Iguodala, Martin, Ellis, etc) for cap relief + sweeteners -- so I'm definitely not ruling that out as a possibility. As Carl Herrera was alluding to, that might not happen until this summer but the point is to have the resources necessary to make us a player in such a game. I'm just curious if anybody's minds will change before tomorrow's deadline comes and goes.
