On another thread (mainly about whether or not to take Ming) someone mentioned that we should not trade away the first pick just to dump salaries. Now my contention is that trading away the first pick is our only opportunity to dump salaries. So if we take Ming are we saying that we will not go after Duncan and McGrady next year? two players who are definatley better than Ming presently (and probably for the next few years) It seems that most people on the BBS agree that it will take a few years for the Ming pick to pan out or flop. So why not trade the pick, dump salaries and pick up some contributing players this year. We at least make it to the playoffs which should be beneficial to team morale and making Houston a more attrecive location for free agents and then go after Duncan or McGrady hard next year? Then we definatley contend in two years. Can anyone provide any insite as to how realistic it would be that we could sign either of those two players? Is there more to the process than simply opening up cap space?
No way you pass on Ming just for the small chance that you may land Duncan or McGrady. Besides that, I'm not sure we'd even be under the cap at that point anyway even if we got rid of some bad contracts.
I am not sure if McGrady is a FA any time soon. The chances of Ming becoming a star are better than Duncan coming here to Houston. If trading the pick 100% assures us that we could land another star in the near future then fine but the chances are slim to none.
I think the talk of dumping contracts is misleading. In the context that it is being used, it doesn't neccessarily mean freeing up cap space. In most cases, what they mean is for the Rockets to get rid of some bad contacts (i.e. guys that are being paid more than they are worth) in return for other players that are a better value. In other words, If you want my draft pick, you have to give me two guys that make $4.5M each (and are worth that money or more) and you also have to accept my $9M overpaid aging small forward (totally hypothetical example) in return. Even though I was able to "dump" that bad $9M contract, I still took back salary and didn't really free up significant cap space. Something like #1 and Rice for McDyess. We're getting rid of Rice's contract, but we're not freeing up cap space. Sure, it's possible for us to trade our bad contracts for players in the last year of their contracts, but nobody is going to take on that many bad contracts in order to get us under the cap. Even if they wanted to, I don't think that anybody is that far under the cap right now. Now factor in that Francis' contract will jump significantly (assuming we max him and he signs) right before Duncan becomes a FA. Also remember, we don't have to just free up enough money to get under the cap, we have to get under the cap by whatever amount we would offer Duncan. I believe that he's eligible for $11M next year, so that would be a whole lot of money for us to dump. McGrady can't opt out of his deal until 2005. This isn't a very good explanation on my part, but I hope it makes some sense.
Aelliot, Ye I knew that we woudl be getting salaries back but was thinking that there woudl be achance that we wocoudl open up enough space for a player such as Duncan. It seems that with some many inflated salaries around the league that it wil get harder and harder to move players. I woudl liek to understand the whoekl process better but have not had the time to relaly delve in it. Although it woudl seem that even after some study I still may not understand it all. Rocketman: a risk is a risk whether is is hoping to get Duncan or hoping Yao wil be an allstar. persoanlly I think Oilpere is on track in that Les will be wary of so much BS atached to Yao. Bad enoguh that you have to lay out big bucks to a player that has not yet played in the NBA ( I am talking about all draft picks) and who is under contract to get paid those big bucks whether they pan out or not.
