Rockets To Target Brook Lopez, Dillon Brooks, Austin Reaves, Cam Johnson In Free Agency

This is the correct answer.

The only reason we need someone like Harden or Lopez is if we expect to make a strong playoff run this year or next.

Narrator: "They won't. Even with Harden and Lopez."

Also, wtf would Lopez want to play for us after spending time with a title contender the last few years? He's got, what, maybe 3-4 good years left before he calls it quits, and he wants to spend it on the team that has been historically bad for 3 years running? I predict Stone won't even get his agent to return his phone calls.

Austin Reaves and Cam Johnson make a little more sense if we can get them at a decent price.

 

But you can't do that to KPJ!
He's the only Rocket who showed up at the new head coach's introductory press conference to suck up for playing time.

 

You can't, though.

 

$$$$

Money talks.

I like the potential Lopez signing because I think he has a lot to teach our young bigs about defense, having gone through the process of being a terrible defensive player and working his way into becoming a great one. Shows it's not all instincts, and it can be learned, and he knows how to learn it, which means he probably knows how to teach it.

I agree that he won't be around when we're contending, but it sounds like Tilman is determined that we must win a lot more games right now by god, so if that's the case, the least-harmful way to do that is to offer good veterans big, short contracts. Maintains our cap flexibility for when our guys hit their peak years.

 

How much would you pay him? 20 million?

 

75% ain't bad.

Best to get on board now, that is what Tillman wants.....

DD

 

It would be really great to have Udoka, Lopez and FVV quarterbacking a defense containing Garuba/Jabari/Tari/Tate/Christopher. Even KPJ may surprise us. Would have defenders of all sizes. That would be the backbone of a top NBA defense in less than a year.

Offensively Lopez and FVV are great 3rd/4th options on offense and can occasionally be better than that. FVV needs some tweaking to his shot selection, but the rest of his game is solid AF. Very Eric Gordon-like at guarding bigger players than him when he's motivated. Good floor general. Good 3pt shooter. For reference, $30m/season would be the 15th highest paid starting PG and I think it's fair to say FVV is a roughly average starting PG. If we can keep it under $30m it will be a liquid contract with the new CBA.

It would be awesome seeing Sengun/Green/Jabari carrying the offense and learning from two former champions. Highly underrated path for the Rockets to take.

 

Lopez? I expect $20-25m steals him from Milwaukee. Another team may try to outbid us, so I'm willing to go up to $30m/season as long as it does not exceed two years. There are so many intangible benefits having him on the team, it would stabilize the hell out of this roster and bring championship experience protecting the paint and playing your role. Bud is a great coach who is also from the Spurs coaching tree (like Udoka) and Lopez grew under him the most.

I really hope we don't pass up the opportunity and Lopez doesn't become the first guy to turn down a 100% pay raise in order to stay on a contender.

 

The Rockets don't own their own pick next year, there's no reason to intentionally tank like that again.

 

my understanding is that the Bucks can offer $18 mil, but probably can’t pay both Lopez and Middleton. They say Middleton is the more likely to be brought back. I think you’d have to pay Lopez $25 mil per for at least 2 yrs to get him to think seriously about joining the rockets. But sounds like it’s not impossible.

 

I agree but I think we still need to go after one or two just to show other players Houston is still a destination not to be trifled with.

 

Lopez only agrees to come to Houston if A) he's motivated solely by money, and B) Stone throws a metric ****-ton of it in his direction. There are much better ways to improve this team than by bringing in a grizzled old vet with no guarantee he's even the slightest bit interested in teaching young kids how to play. Right now he's considered a key piece of a title contender; do you really think he's ready to give that up to teach Sengun how to play defense?? I think he signs with another contender, most likely a 1-4 seed in either conference.

Tilman hasn't insisted that we make the playoffs next year, only that we begin Phase II, which is working our way towards an eventually play-in spot. He knows we're not going to come close to doubling our win totals from last year. If he starts talking playoffs-or-bust this year, then he's wasted the last 3 years of misery.

 

I'm honestly more wary of throwing big money at an RFA like Reaves or Johnson--it will take a huge contract to have a chance at prying them away, and those kinds of deals sometimes work out, but they sometimes turn into albatross contracts. I'd honestly rather overpay for a "grizzled veteran" on a two year deal right now since you know that contract will be movable as an expiring deal in short order.

 

2-year “MEGA” deals

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/271831/James-Harden-Remains-Torn-Between-Sixers-Rockets
"They're going to have a ton of money and I think this is a team in Houston where I do believe they are going to be aggressive in the marketplace, potentially two-year deals, balloon-type deals. I've heard whether it's Dillon Brooks, Brook Lopez, obviously James Harden. They're going to be a team that's going to be trying to beef up that roster. Now, whether that's anywhere from three to five veteran players...

 

Season after next? Maybe. Even Tilman's not arrogant enough to think any amount of coaching changes and free agent signings is getting us to the playoffs next year. All of you who think that's going to happen are fooling yourself and getting all worked up about nothing.

35 wins would mean Tilman has forgotten all about the rebuild and brought in enough veteran players to get us to a play-in loss or a quick 1st-round exit. Hard to imagine that he puts into place a plan to get his franchise back to prominence then gets cold feet and throws it all away just to be the laughing stock again next May.

 

Pay Lopez about $10 mil / yr. Y

 

Cam Johnson would require a major overpay to not get matched by BK

Lopez coming here if he’s overpaid and promised a starting role with major minutes…What’s gonna happen to Sengun?

will be surprised if Lakers don’t match even a max offer sheet for Reaves

Dillon Brooks would be horrible…a delusional non-shooter who thinks he’s way better than he actually is

 

We still need money for a PG and a SF?

 

We still need money for a PG and a SF?

He is not leaving Milwaukee for 10 million

 

Maybe not, but most people would leave Milwaukee for just $5 million. I'd leave for $500,000.