Rockets Salaries, Cap Health, Roster Moves

Good post. With all this talk about improving the team in the off-season, people tend to foget that we might be constained by the cap. At least we know have an idea of what we can do REALISTICALLY.

I think we should go for Desmond Mason. He's the athletic type who can make defenses copllapse and free our shooters (NOVAK and HEAD). He can also drop passes off to Yao in the middle.

 

rockets need a couple of miracles.

snyder is still an unknown but he does have some value.

 

the only solution at PG is spanoulis, there is no other way to significantly improve the PG position other than to just tell the new coach, play this guy 25 minutes a night for the first 30 games and see what he's got.

If he's got what it takes then problem solved, if not then you move on without wondering "what if".

 

i'm not so sure how gone all of the players you listed are. depending on the coaching situation Deke and Bonzi may return. sure some teams will be interested in both (and with the lack of playing time mutombo may listen) but how likely are they to sign elsewhere? hayes will be back, but he's going to get a significant increase. the team salary is still pretty bleak, and for the next several years we're going to be limited to our MLE and LLE each offseason.

 

What are the likelihood of us getting Billups?

 

that's the reason why i am not against trading tmac or yao. we have very little room to operate if we keep both.

if we have a new coach, wells may be back to prove himself again, sf3 ma be back too ...

sf3/wells/battier + ???

 

1. Revisit the Howard-for-James trade. If the Wolves want to do it straight up, then do it (it actually works salary-wise). If they demand a pick, send them nothing higher than a 2nd rounder.

-This will ease the glut of combo guards Minny has. Why have four players (Hudson, James, Foye, Jaric) fight for one position when you can rid of one and give Foye some more minutes to grow? Especially if that one player hasn't exactly worked out in their system.

-Juwan's contract is more per year but also one year shorter. I think right now, James' contract is long for a player his age but I'd find it hard to believe that most on this board wouldn't mind doing a Howard-for-James swap after Juwan's abysmal shooting during the playoffs

2. Re-sign Hayes. As one-dimensional as he is, he's a good player for the price that we could be paying him (2 mil a year max maybe?). I think the Utah Jazz match up took him out of his element. He was too far out on the court guarding Okur to do us any good. He needs do be down low to get rebounds and couldn't get the chances to do it.

3. Janero Pargo, Matt Barnes, Devin Brown, Jamal Magloire, and Luke Walton. We have limited cap resources so we should use it wisely.

Pargo-if we need another point guard who can shoot, this is the guy. He's younger than Chucky Atkins and is "bigger" than Mo Williams. He does have a player option for next year, but if we can't get James back, I say make a run at this guy.

Barnes-if I haven't made it known around here how much I want him on our team, I'll do it now. Barnes is what we wanted out of Shane Battier and more. He can create his own shot. He can penetrate. He can handle the ball and pass. He can defend 3 or 4 positions. He can make some crucial blocks. He's a team player.

Jamaal Magloire-believe it or not, it was only 2 years ago that he averaged almost a double double in points and rebounds. The dude is still only 28 years old. If we need to part ways with Deke, Magloire fits the bill. He's a rebound hawk and has some offensive game. I'm pretty sure he'll want some kind of payday but a chance to play the starting 4 alongside Yao? This guy can be our Otis Thorpe and I'm not kidding either.

Luke Walton-I'm not enamored by his play because it's so helter skelter but I do love his hustle and his team play.

Out of those 4 (who I think would be the best fit and most realistic in this year's FA crop), I'd say Barnes should be priority number 1. Having him on the floor with McGrady lifts a LOT of pressure off of Tracy to create for everyone. Barnes is a better 3 point shooter than most give him credit for as well. Of course, the best we can probably do is the MLE and I'd be ecstatic if he accepted. Next, is probably Magloire. We were thoroughly roughed up by Boozer and he could be our answer. Granted he plays exclusively at the center position, I don't see why he couldn't be on the court at the same time with Yao at certain times. He's a hustler and uses his body well. Pargo would be great as a 6th man. He uses his time on the court very well and doesn't seem to turn the ball over as much as Luther Head does when he's at the 1 slot.

Outside of those three things, I don't see ways that the Rockets can improve significantly without making a monumental trade (i.e. with McGrady or Yao). Our salary cap isn't flexible and we don't have that many bargaining chips outside of Yao/TMac.

 

I totally agree that Matt Barnes is the best match to go after in the off-season. I assume he will be getting significantly more than the 771,000 he is making now. No idea how much.
At backup point guard I like Steve Blake. Nice assist to turnover ratio and production per minute. He is also an solid defensiver player.
At backup center I would like to know if Chris Mihm's foot has healed. I suspect he could be had cheap since LA has him third in their rotation and may not be resigned.

 

Orlanda are reportedly interested in him which makes Diener a good free agent target for the Rockets.

 

I really like the idea of getting Morris Peterson. He is the type of player we need and he definitely has some toughness. He would be a wonderful parter in crime for TMac. Would it be possible to do a sign and trade involving Rafer and the amount we have under the cap for Mo Pete? Check out the highlights video. Towards the end, is it just me or does the announcer nearly say "Rockets"?

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The Rockets have no cap, no trade assets, a late 1st round, MLE. So, in the coming season, the Rockets are on its way down.

There are many teams on their way UP: the Suns, the Nuggets, the Jazz, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Warriors, the Hornets.

The Spurs will still be the Spurs. The Mavs at worst will still be a top 4 regular season team.

If the Rockets are reluctant to go over luxuary tax in the coming season, the Rockets at best will be 6-8 seed if they make the playoff. It will take a miracle for the Rockets to contend for championship.

However, if the Rockets hire a coach that knows how to pull rabbit out of his hat, i.e. a coach who knows how to identify some good role players from CBA or NBDL, then the Rockets will have a chance to contend. Who will be this guy?

 

A good player worth more than MLE will require a trade partner. That same trade partner must also be willing to give up that good player for $6+Mil worth of scrubs.

 

If Rox can borrow Isiah Thomas for one month, the month of June, for scouting and draft pick, Rox can at least get one good player out of this year's draft.

As bad as Isiah as a GM, he has excellent eyes to draft players.

 

The Raptors already have 2 PG's. They won't take Rafer back. It may be possible to get Mo Pete with the MLE.

 

I like Matt Barnes too. Do the Warriors have his Bird rights? I assume they can give him more money than anyone else. He has fit in brilliantly with them and they are not likely to let him go.