I didn't realize how easy it would be for us to get to two max contracts and keep the vast majority of this team together. It's a simple, two-step process: 1) Revoke QO to DMo 2) Trade Brewer and Harrell (with picks or player rights, ie. Llull, Gentile or Qi) That's it. See below for proof: 94 CAP 26.6 Durant 26.6 Horford 16.7 Harden 7.8 Ariza 6 Beverley 3.3 McDaniels 1.7 Dekker 1.4 Beasley 1.3 Capela 1 Onuaku 0.8 GPII 0.6 CAP HOLD 0.2 Remaining I recognize that Onuaku and GPII don't have cap holds, but I imagine we would want to leave some space to sign them to 3 year deals. This would leave the Rockets with 4 more spots they could fill with minimum contracts and 1 Room MLE contract (2 years at $3 per). They would be looking for guards that can shoot and a backup big. Another interesting outcome to this....while overall salaries would rise, the Rockets would go into next summer with the ability to create yet another max contract (or close to it). With the cap jumping to $110 million, you could trade someone like Beverley and have around $20 million in space! I recognize that the more challenging part is getting Durant and Horford to commit, but if they do, we are well positioned to make it happen.
If Horford and Durant really wanted to come here, Morey would find a way to make that happen. And there's definitely enough flexibility in the roster to make it happen, and Morey would gladly give players away to make room under the cap (as he did with Lin). That was never the issue. It's whether Horford and Durant actually WANT to come here. That's the real challenge.
You can build a bench for relatively cheap. Beasley is obviously great but we will only have him for one year unless he takes a homeboy discount and why should he? Unless we can afford him with the next cap jump. KJ is the weirdest damn project. Is he good enough to justify having him on the roster? We keep him there but hardly ever use him. Perhaps that will change with the new coach. But your top 7 there is acceptable. Also, IIRC we can hold DMO until Horford and Durant sign, then sign him to a 10 mill contract or whatever he will get. We can operate over the cap on bird rights restricted free agents, right? Then again I think a rival executive could poison pill him. At any rate lets say they dont theres top 8... room for Dekker and Trez to get playing time, that's top 10. Then the rooks to round it out. It's not San Antonio Spurs 2015-2016 depth but that top 8 is serviceable. Im not sure how the MLE and other ways of beating the cap works.
Not saying it's impossible, but it is going to be very difficult to trade Brewer. Lull won't do it, teams are expecting him to come over. Qi was drafter in the second round, if a team really wanted him they would have traded for a pick rather than take an atrocious contract (atrocious might be harsh considering it's not that high a number but he really made it seem that way last year). Gentile certainly won't get it done, a lot of other Euro players could be available without having to take on Brewer. Dekker, no, we're talking about a player who's seen a back specialist more times than the floor. If you're offering just Harrell, you're basically saying would you want Harrell for 8 million a year for the next two years? Nope
The Florida Gators connection might make sense...people don't speak on this common factor much but I think Brewer might have some value after all!! Bye, Bye Ariza....
Trading Brewer isn't as hard as some seem to think. He has two years left on his deal for 7.5 million a year. If the Rockets decide to move him, his contract is small and could be moved for a draft pick.
I would keep Dmo and Harrell and dump KJ, Dekker, Beasley instead. Also the max's are 26.4 million from what I've seen, and we don't have to sign our 2nd round picks or Payton on the books until after free agency or late in free agency if I remember correctly. Have we officially signed any our of our second round picks or drafted players, anybody know? How much for if so? Beverley Harden Ariza Motie / Harrell Capela + 2 max's, but I highly doubt we need them, or even one for even for that matter lol. If Durant must have Beasley on the team, dump Harrell instead. If Horford must have Brewer on the team, dump Ariza instead.
forget about durant and focus on Horford and Conley and ship Beverley and brewer out. If we had to, ship Ariza as well, but i would hate to do that without a good option to replace him (dekker, kj haven't shown anythign to date). But, if you could get those 2 you would figure out what to do at the SF spot.
Calvin Watkins: Mike Conley will not meet with the Rockets according to a source. 1 hour ago – via Twitter calvinwatkins
Doesn't matter how much money they can get to, they can't get two max worthy players to take their money...I have a very bad feeling about this free agency period.
why do you say this about JT? I'm hoping he's not coming back... good locker room presence, but I don't think he has the legs anymore... plus I thought he was all yippy skippy last year looking to be dealt (and waived) so he could return to Dallas...? Was something said?
