If the increased age limit comes to pass, than it takes even more wind out of the sails for tanking. As it stands, there are enough drool-over-worthy studs to go almost 15 deep. If they make it 2 years to qualify, it shrinks considerably and the Rockets would need to be in the top half of the lottery to snag someone nice....and can forget about the likes of Perry Jones or Harrison Barnes. All of a sudden, you're looking at pro turds like Zeller or Plumlee. Probably better to angle longterm for a megatrade. Everyone's on the table now. Every last guy. And there's a slew of cap space in the summer.
How can you bet on how much potential a guy has? Is that even quantifiable? T-Will has TONS of "potential". He just doesn't seem to be realizing that potential. Same can be said of any of the guys in the 6-10 range in next year's draft. The league is littered with players with tremendous potential--and who were selected in the mid-lottery based on that potential--who just didn't pan out. I understand your general point, but that isn't something on which you can really wager.
KBergCBS Ken Berger Nene wants out; six teams in hunt. #NBA #Nuggets http://bit.ly/rPJwPG 6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
Interesting that Nene still wants to entertain free agent offers when he KNOWS that he could get vastly more money by staying in Denver. The new sign-and-trade rules make it economically neutral to leave via sign-and-trade. S&T deals only help the player if he desires to go to a destination without sufficient cap room. I can't see Miami or Dallas getting Nene, since Miami has nothing to offer (except maybe Bosh?) and Dallas would likely prefer to re-sign Chandler. It will be hard to compete with New Jersey or Indiana from a pure money standpoint, since those two teams can offer a 30% max contract outright. Interestingly, if GSW was willing to amnesty cut Biedrins to enter the Nene sweepstakes (they'd probably only do it if Nene commits to them, though), then Morey may instead choose to pursue Biedrins instead on the waiver wire. Unfortunately, that strategy could be flawed, as some other team could still outbid Houston for Biedrins under the modified amnesty waiver claim process. Morey will have to either get a S&T deal done with Denver or otherwise sell Nene on Houston being competitive enough (over New Jersey or Indiana) that it's worth him taking less money to sign with the Rockets.
Teams somehow quantify it. Teams were happy to give up picks in the last draft, or previous ones where there was no clear stud on the horizon. Teams have been holding onto their 2012 picks like gold. The general point is this draft is "supposedely" loaded and those other drafts weren't. If there is a time to tank to land a stud with a top pick it's this draft, and the same goes for just being in the lottery in general because the class is supposed to be that deep (assuming freshman can declare).
Also, the Warriors just might have enough cap room to sign Nene if they use their amnesty on Charlie Bell. From what I've read they don't seem too high on the idea of amnesty cutting Biedrins.
Those talks about max deal for Nene are making me seasick, he is very good at 10-12 mill, acceptable at 14 if you're going to be contending but anything more than that is a mistake from a cap strategy stand point. What was this lock out worth for if somebody gives Nene the max? You know what, if some stupid team gives him that I ain't even gonna get mad because they will suffer for it.
Yep yep, which is why I don't think Morey is really after him, Nene is neither a superstar, nor a player worth the contract he will be paid.....I would be shocked if Morey signed him to a max deal, that would be more a CD move. DD
I agree with this. Giving Oden a multi-year deal is definitely a gamble. However, if he is able to get healthy, he will vastly outperform any contract that he receives this year.
Seems like Houston is always in the conversations for players on the move or FA's... Either way, I like Nene, but not at the price he thinks he's worth.
If we sign Oden, tankers can be rest assured their dreams have come true. I honestly couldn't imagine one thing I would rather do less for this team than sign another perpetually injured big man that never plays and eats up cap space.
Can somebody enlighten me about our cap situations? Seems like i forget pretty much thing about Rockets because of this friggin lockout, thanks.
If you sign Nene, you better amnesty Scola or trade him to a team looking for PF depth for draft picks. We need all the cap space we can get for 2012. Besides, a Nene/Hayes frontcourt is hell of a lot better than a Nene/Scola froncourt.
ZachLowe_SI Zach Lowe This. RT @RobMahoney Feel like it needs to be said amid all the Nene-ness: he may be overpaid in FA, but [he] is still really, really good.
Nope. You won't be able to give him that high of a yearly raise. Only 4.5%/year, if I'm not mistaken. I'm not all that good at math, but I think the first year would have to be in the $11.5-11.75M area in order for Nene to get $50M/4years.
