No, Donatas Motiejunas does NOT count against the 15-man roster. However, his cap hold (100% of the rookie scale salary for the 20th pick of the draft) continues to count against the Rockets' team salary (for salary cap purposes) until the start of the regular season. That cap hold will go back on the books upon the earlier to occur of (a) Motiejunas's contract in Poland expiring or (b) July 1, 2012. Also, don't forget about Jeff Adrien on the Rockets' roster. Apparently, he has a partial guarantee for this season, so he'll likely make the roster over any of the guys you mentioned. I believe the league extended that deadline until the start of the regular season, December 25. FYI, the decisions must be made on Thabeet, Flynn, Hill and Williams (for their fourth-year options) and on Patterson (for his third-year option). Budinger (a former second-round pick not playing on a first round rookie scale contract) is not subject to the same option deadlines. The Rockets have until June 30, 2012 to pick up Bud's fourth-year option (at a meager $942,293). That will happen no matter what, since Budinger's fourth year is completely non-guaranteed if he is waived prior to August 1, 2012. (This allows him to be included in trades during July 2012 while still allowing the receiving team to waive him without consequence; although Bud's far too good to be waived, especially at that salary.) Obvious no-brainer to pick up Patterson's option ($2.1M). Obvious no-brainer NOT to pick up the options on Thabeet ($6.47M) or Flynn ($4.33M). After the (lack of) offseason moves, and with their development since last season (and I'm not even counting the first pre-season game), it's now looking like picking up the options on Hill ($3.63M) and Williams ($3.14M) is the right play.
Not sure exactly when with the lockout shortened season, but traditionally it's been Oct 31st for picking up the 4th year rookie options when the games started in the last week of October; it seems like a fairly obvious and clean substitution to require them to be picked up on Dec 31st instead. Chase's contract is not a rookie-scale deal, meaning the Rockets have until June 30th to exercise their option. Note that Chase's deal is fully unguaranteed for 2013, so there is no way the Rockets don't pick up his option; even if Bud has a total meltdown, the Rockets could just waive him at any point during the season. Looking at how Chase's deal (as well as Jermaine Taylor's, and presumably Chandler Parsons') is structured compared to a 1st round rookie scale contract, you can see why Morey has always tried very hard to buy second rounders; you get an entire extra year to evaluate a developing player before picking up team options.
Still possible, although the starting salary for an outright signing dropped after the signings of Adrien and Parsons. If Sacramento's willing to play ball, the Rockets can offer Dalembert a starting salary of up to $7.45M if they acquire him via S&T using the Battier TPE. At this point, though, I'm not holding my breath.
Do any of these guys get anything money-wise or are they just gonna turn up at the corner of Bellaire and the 59 overpass, washing our windshields? Maybe even a parting gift? $10,000? Coupons for Krogers? Kinda makes me sad when someone posts "I saw so-and-so who just got cut eating by himself at Micky D's".
There's a training camp per diem, I think. They get paid SOMETHING. It's chump change compared to making the league minimum. But it's probably pretty nice money for the average American.
Part of me wonders if this is gonna happen: trade for an available center (Jefferson? Okafor?) or wait until enough suckers buy tickets for this season's games....THEN trade KevinM and/or Luis for draft picks and cap space (tanking).
Another interesting possibility. A S&T would still be far and away the most preferable scenario for Dalembert. Motiejunas's cap hold is only about $1.13M.
Here is the link to the Rocket's roster on NBA.com http://www.nba.com/rockets/roster/ There are 20 players currently listed, including the 3 just cut. Also, D-Mo is included, which should not be the case. So, that is 16. Further, Jeff Aiden has been signed, bringing the current total up to 17, unless some of these other players have been released and I did not see it.
Is a S&T still possible if Dalembert's rights were renounced by the Kings? It appears they did that over a week ago.
Sorry about that; forgot about Adrien. So, really, if we were planning on having a full 15 man roster, it's down to Smith, Lin, and Cousin? Who would y'all choose?
He's an American. If fans in China chose to cheer for the guy, outstanding, but I think we're trying to see if he's a good fit (and probably thought at least one of our points were going to be moved in a deal). Lin's ethnicity makes no nevermind, in my opinion.
