Again, like the "news" about Dumpier, it is just Morey keeping busy. Fesenko will sign with the Jazz, and maybe this rumor gets him a bit more money (and causes the Jazz to squeeze a few more dollars out; probably showing Morey and Fesenko's agent with a shared objective). Playing the game a bit more, I would think Dumpier might actually be a slightly better fit... at this point all he does is rebound and defend and complements Miller. But I have to admit I have seen more of Dumpier than Fesenko.
I wonder just HOW MUCH Daryl Morey likes Fesenko as a player. It is obvious that Fesenko is an athletic freak for his size. (He's also allegedly one of the most interesting personalities in the league. I bet if he and Brad Miller got together it would be riotous! I can just see the "jumbotron skits" they'd play during time-outs and between quarters at Toyota Center featuring those two. But I digress.) If Les and Morey REALLY like Fesenko as a player to fill the backup center role for the Rockets over the long term, then I could totally see them doing to the Jazz what Portland has done the past two summers to them with Paul Millsap and Wesley Matthews, although on a much smaller scale. With the Jazz already over the luxury tax threshold, and with team ownership not having pockets quite as deep as Les Alexander's, I could possibly see the Rockets extending a deal to Fesenko either akin to the full Biannual Exception offered to Dampier (2 years, ~$4M) or maybe a 4-5 year deal with the remaining $1.365M of the team's MLE, with a signing bonus. This way, if the Rockets get Fesenko, then it would presumably be worth it for a guy the front office loves. If the Jazz match, then at least the Rockets will have managed to have saddled the Jazz with a contract larger than Utah was hoping to lock Fesenko in to.
My guess is the deal is probably for the BAE. I don't think Fesenko wants to lock himself into a $1.365M-ish salary for too many years, given that he has a good chance to earn more (here or overseas) if he gets better/more productive in the next year or two-- and $1.365M is not mure more than the vet minimum. I think Jazz matches even at $2 mil, but I also think the Jazz is paying the tax, so maybe that'll be a consideration: either make them lose Fesenko or decrease flexibility for future deals. Another thing the Rockets can be whispering to Fesenko is that "We'd ofer you more than the $2 mil, maybe something like $3 or $4 mil even, if only the Jazz will do a S&T and we got a TPE." Not sure if he's worth it, but may be a good way to force Jazz to spend more money, or have a unhappy player.
I'd give the Jazz our 2012 draft pick (not the Knick's) as an inducement to not give us their rights to pursue Fesenko, with the caveat that they not get the pick if some other team signs him.
Hah, maybe the Jazz will take Dampier as a replacement for Fesenko (don't see this happening, but you never know with Morey on the phones).
. . . OOOORRRRRR . . . the Rockets could just do a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz, where the Jazz re-sign Fesenko and then the Rockets use one of their trade exceptions (probably the Carl Landry one) to absorb Fesenko's salary, along with the LOWER of the Rockets' or Knicks' 2012 first rounder. Not that I necessarily like that proposal. Just that it accomplishes the same goal you have without being so complicated. (Momentary tangent: It drives me crazy that guys want to automatically trade the ROCKETS' 2012 pick, assuming that it will be a lower pick, when they could just offer the lower pick and then not risk that the Rockets suck in 2011-12 or otherwise just miss the playoffs and then win the lottery. But anyway . . .)
I forgot about the exception. Yes, that would be highly preferable. Getting a young, tall, athletic center to eventually back up / replace Yao Ming would be a dream come true.
Granted, I didn't watch Fesenko like a hawk everygame that series, but neither my memory, nor the stats, indicate he did anything special in the playoffs. Of course, Dampier ain't that special, either, and is much older, but he still seems to use his length to rebound and defend better than anything Fesenko has ever shown. The good news overall is that we don't have Gortat at 2x the price we're talking about for either of these guys. I think Morey lucked out that the Magic gave him the full MLE offer.
What, you didn't enjoy Antoine Carr's tenure as a Rocket? I know I did. :grin: And if you're saying that you wouldn't want Deron Williams on the Rockets, then I just pity you.
Maybe they use the tpe and get fasenko. I thought they shouldve gotten him last yr,but thats just me.
