Podcast: Rockets Draft, Omer Asik, Eric Gordon and Dwight Howard

For contracts up to $14.8 mil, the Rockets only have to match the salaries by 50%.

 

Actually I agree with your first sentence. I think that's what's going on. He is making sure that Chicago and NY have even less of a chance to clear space for cap room. He knows NY will match. If Chicago matches thats nice too.

In any case, unless LA (either team) or Atlanta trade for Dwight, I predict we will get him in a trade and keep him. He won't give up the bird rights money unless it is to go somewhere where the endorsement money makes up for it. But NY, Nets, chicago, Lakers and LA will have a hard or impossible time clearling room for a max offer. He could walk to Dallas or Atlanta, but the endorsement money there is the same as Houston. So he wont go to either of those places if it costs him money. So I'm sure his agent is frantically to get him traded to LA or Brooklyn right now. I'd be stunned if Orlando accepts nets offer so it's really LA ahead of us. Unfortunately, that always seems to be the case.

 

Could the Rockets sign Shved and trade for Josh Smith and still have enough assets/cap space to get Howard?

Instead of the Lakers, Rockets should explore a 3 way with Chicago to send Noah to Orlando, Asik to remain in Chicago (plus pick/player) and Howard to Houston.

 

From Orlando's perspective, I just don't see the sense in trading for Bynum and Gasol at this time. They will have to trade Gasol and his trade value is very low because of his age and past year production. And then they're stuck with Bynum in a non-contending situation for the next several years. Why would they do that? To potentially flip Bynum somewhere else? Bynum has less trade value than Dwight. If they flip him for young players/future picks, he's going to bring back a lower return.

And it doesn't fit the Thunder mold. Whereas massive cap space, a future lottery pick, another possible future lottery pick (Dallas pick), and another first round pick, along with 3 players on rookie contracts seems to fit the OKC rebuild mold much better. If Orlando is going to go to the lottery after they trade Dwight (which is the most likely scenario even with Bynum), then why have Bynum there adding a few wins and pushing them into mediocrity?

I think the Laker talk is smoke and mirrors and the dreams of Laker fans and reporters. I don't think either team wants a deal.