One of the surest bets of the soon-to-begin 2011 NBA free-agent period is that Nene wants out of Denver. Where he winds up, and how, will be among the most intriguing storylines when the floodgates open around Dec. 9. The Nuggets are operating under the firm belief that Nene will test the market as an unrestricted free agent, according to a person familiar with the team's thinking. Six teams have registered interest, the source said: Golden State, New Jersey, Indiana, Miami, Dallas and Houston. Nene, the top unrestricted free agent on the market in the view of many team executives, will have a say over where he winds up -- though not as much as free agents did under the previous system since free agents can no longer get max deals when leaving their teams via sign-and-trades. Nene, 29, has long coveted Miami and Dallas as landing spots, but would have to force his way to one of those teams via a sign-and-trade since both are well over the cap. And whereas LeBron James was able to get a max deal through a sign-and-trade when he went from Cleveland to Miami, Nene would have to settle for a four-year deal with 4.5 percent raises under the new system in such an arrangement. If the Golden State used the amnesty provision on Andris Biedrins, the Warriors would have enough room to sign Nene outright for close to the max -- but again, that would be a four-year deal with non-Bird raises as opposed to the five-year deal with 7.5 percent raises he'd get by re-signing with Denver. There's no incentive under the new rules for Nene to push for a sign-and-trade as opposed to an outright signing with another team, unless there was a clear preference for a team that didn't have room to sign him. There is incentive, however, for the Nuggets to accommodate his wishes in the hopes of getting significant assets back through a sign-and-trade. For the Nuggets, the most advantageous scenario would be if Nene wanted to be in Miami, Dallas or Houston enough to be willing to accept less money to get there. The Nets would have room sign Nene to a max deal starting at 30 percent of the cap -- $17.4 million -- if they used amnesty on Travis Outlaw. The Pacers have enough room regardless, while the Rockets would need to work with the Nuggets on a sign-and-trade. http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/33584531 Berger updated the Rockets mention in the article: UPDATE: The Nets would have room sign Nene to a max deal starting at 30 percent of the cap -- $17.4 million -- if they used amnesty on Travis Outlaw. The Pacers have enough room regardless, while the Rockets are close. They would either do a sign-and-trade or use amnesty on Terrence Williams and clear the rest through separate deals to clear room for an outright signing.
I bet he ends up with the Nets or Warriors if one or both of them offers near the max. I don't think the Mavs or Heat can pay him enough. I don't want the Rockets to pay max money for him. He plays like a teddy bear too often and you don't know when he is going to show up.
Hmmmm (not you, I'm just thinking) . . . While I agree that using the amnesty on T-Will would not be my first choice, that decision would be dictated more on what the trade market was for the Rockets' other players. If the Rockets can dump salary via trade without incurring much additional cost (cash, picks, etc.), that is obviously going to take precedence over an amnesty cut. Perhaps Rockets fan underestimate Thabeet's trade value. Shane Battier was a valuable trade asset last season. Maybe Memphis chose Battier over other decent offers for Thabeet. Or maybe the Rockets simply don't want to trade or dump Thabeet. Who knows? Personally, I'd rather try to sell Nene on taking $2.3M less in starting salary and pocket that amnesty in case Scola breaks down in a couple of years. That said, if the Rockets trade Scola, then this may be the only chance the Rockets have to EVER use the amnesty clause.
http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/33584531 "A source indicated the Rockets have no plans to use the amnesty clause on Terrence Williams."
If there is an amnesty candidate for the Rockets, it would most certainly be Thabust. Scola would be one too but he has way too much trade value.
You can not call a guy a bust when he is only in his 3rd year and is learning the game. Was Jermaine O'neal a bust in Portland? Sometimes it takes a while for guys to find their confidence. Hopefully that is this year for Hasheem Thabeet ! DD
See, that's where you're wrong because 1) you can call someone a bust when they are only in their 3rd year in the league, and 2) I am doing just that right now: Hasheem Thabeet is a bust who will never be worth a damn in the NBA. See what I did there? I don't like doing it, and I hope dearly that I'm wrong, but the guy has shown me absolutely NOTHING up to this point. I'm supposed to all of a sudden believe that a miraculous transformation is in the cards for the kid? I'm not buying it...
My guess is that someone in the Rockets front office wanted to get that information out there quickly before T-Will went on a Twitter rant! :grin:
The largest contract anyone (other than Denver, and then only if Nene actually plays for Denver) can offer Nene is four years, ~$74M. That's a max contract for a veteran player (starting at 30% of the cap). If Nene wants $90M, then I hope he's happy playing in Denver. It is literally IMPOSSIBLE for him to get more than $74M otherwise. Either way, if Nene is demanding that much money, then I suppose you can count the Rockets out. I just don't see any way that the Rockets can possibly offer Nene a contract that big without it completely destroying their cap flexibility. The tone of these recent pieces on Nene's dissatisfaction with Denver and desire to chase the money have definitely put some things into perspective. R.I.P. "Notion of Nene as a Rocket" b. January 2011 (or earlier) - d. November 29, 2011 (Not sure even a Daryl Morey iPad can revive these hopes.)
Morey wouldn't have gotten him either way. We are stuck man. We have no center, we have no superstar, nothing. Morey hasn't shown us anything so far. Just praying a miracle happens now but don't count on it.
Ye of little faith. Remember, signing Nene was considered by most here (even those in favor of signing him) as a "Plan B" to either making a major trade for a star or sucking and getting a high draft pick. Give Morey some more time.
I'm trying Bima but my patience is wearing thin on Morey right now. Just a little frustrated with our current situation, like we are stuck in neutral or something. It doesn't help that the new CBA does nothing to help the Rockets but actually gives bad management a get out of jail free card and does nothing to reward good managing.
