Salary cap is 121 mil, and we have 112 on the books. Might have some rookie cap holds too for our draft picks so basically we only have exceptions as options at this point. Usually when teams have salary in that range they only really look to use the MLE or bi MLE. Full MLE is just north of 10 mil a year for up to 4 years. IF the Rockets were truly looking to make a huge splash this Summer to go get a star level player, they would have used future draft picks to have a team take on Wall's contract, and maybe even EG's. Given that we are still rebuilding, those future picks have a much higher value likely than even what a max free agent would mean to this team given they aren't ready to compete around that max player. Next Summer however, the Rockets could have north of 80 million dollars in cap space give or take whatever happens with Kevin Porter Jr. and Tate. So for this Summer here in the next week I would really just be focusing on what MLE type of pickups make sense, but honestly, me personally, I would want to retain the ability to do something like what the Clippers did when they in the same Summer were able to trade for Paul George and sign Kawhi Leonard. I personally don't think it's worth it to sacrifice that potential capspace next Summer on a Nick Claxton type of player when it really doesn't matter and you can at least give Garuba a shot instead.
This buyout doesn't weaken the assertion that he's cheap, in fact it might help the narrative. Wall was scheduled to make $40.8 million on the last year of his contract. If the Rockets would have kept him and repeat last year's "Sit at home John" scenario Fertitta would have had to pay 100% of that $40.8 million. If the Rockets somehow found a trade partner to offload Wall the chances are the returning player(s)/salary would have stretched beyond next season (e.g. not an expiring contract). Fertitta would have had to pay more money out of his pocket to get rid of Wall. If the buyout was to leave $7 million on the table then Fertitta's cost here was really $33.8 million vs the original $40.8 million. I wouldn't say this was a "Tilman is cheap!" move that resembles the other instances of frugality but more of not compounding one's mistake (Wall) by either holding onto him or trading him for a less-than-desirable return.
we've added 3 rookies to our 20 win team & Wall is still on the books for 40m. sufficient handicap to produce lottery results.
We do, it's a top 10 payroll... Here's the rankings for payroll the last 3 seasons of Les and the first 3 seasons TF: Les 10th 6th 23rd TF buys team: 8th 8th 9th Source was hoopshype... I think you've lost the right to comment further....
The first year Tilman doesn't gimp our future prospects to avoid paying luxury tax, I'll eat at Landrys. Deal?
thats why folks gotta stop tryin to juke the system... quit trying to manipulate the game... stop running some aspect out to the nth degree... get some good hardworking players, instill a system that plays to their strengths and mitigates their weaknesses... and let the chips fall where they may. but we are in the age of 'the ends justifies the means'... and 'it's not whether you win or lose - but how you play the game' is a punchline...
the whole hmmm category can flip for future draft capital - if anyone is interested... let the kids play fast n loose this season... doesnt have to be a winning record - but dont saddle them with the burden of outright tanking... maybe plan on 30 win season... leave the holes in the roster - to allow for some losses... Consolidate some hmmm players & draft capital into 1 lottery pick next year... Try and attract a high dollar free agent to fill new cap space next year... and rock n roll!
It was an inevitable non-event. You could have called it to the day, though I would have said tomorrow.
You realize cheapest doesn't mean 15-20 owners paying less in payroll? Also, Crane isn't spending into tax so i guess you think he's as cheap, right? Is it too much to ask for consistency?
Good point. But then we'd have to factor in the picks and swaps we got for Harden as well, and that would take us all the way to 2027 or so. I'm old af and can't wait that long for the new era to begin.
I thought about that this last week. If the last two drafts for the rockets are successful by the time they are off the team and done I will be really damn old. I mean really really old
Bruh, he paved the way for Harden to be traded, then single-handedly led the rebuild effort which landed Rockets to the #2 pick and #3 pick. ABSOLUTE WINNER in my book - he exceeded my expectations (in being tank-commander).
He’s gonna pay John Wall regardless. If there’s no buyout he needs to pay 47 mil guaranteed money. Buyout actually saves him 7m. Not saying he’s cheap or not. Just stating the fact.
My thoughts exactly... let's just bank on this past draft class, our current draft class, and next year's draft class being the official start of the "new era". By then Wood, Wall, and EG will be the finale of the Harden, CP, and Westbrick era.
