The Rockets can't just send Young and Henriquez to the RGV. They still take up spots on the team. The only way they don't is if they are waived, clear waivers and are signed by RGV.
Ahh... good catch. Thanks. Those early reports from Draftexpress & SBNation didn't really tell the whole story, but still, I dont think its safe to say that 640K is going to be the deciding factor in an undrafted rookie being a sure lock to make the cut by any stretch... when that same GM & owner cut how much in guaranteed salary just a year ago???
That's the point I don't really agree with. As good as BJ Young might do in training camp I do not think he can push off someone like Brewer, Brooks, Williams or Casspi. Those 4 names have 4+ seasons of NBA experience. Brewer, Brooks and possibly Williams have Playoff experience. A no name like BJ Young can't do that. We do not even know if he will make preseason games.
Good pickup When the Rockets experiment with both Omer Asik and Dwight Howard on the court together, the paint will become a no fly zone. The other team will react by putting in their three point shooting wings. That's when Brewer figures into the defense. Brewer has been a rock-solid defender who can create turnovers and help guard the best wing player on the opposing team.
I'm not selling anyone on Covington. I can see the distinct possibility of him getting cut if he comes to camp and stinks it up. That could happen. However, he looked like a good contributor in summer league. And I suspect if it comes to either him or say..Aaron brooks..getting cut that we'll cut Brooks. With this one caveat in mind. Covington does have guaranteed money that we gave him. It's difficult for me to believe Morey would just give a young, UNDRAFTED rookie free agent that kind of money straight out of college before the kid has even tried on a uniform unless he really wanted to keep him and control him for the next year or so. How else do you explain giving an UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENT that much money without him even playing a single summer league minute for you????????????? That's why I think the odds of him getting cut are relative low. And that's why I think IF he does get cut that he has already agreed to stay stateside and play for RGV unless another NBA team picks him up (unlikely since they will be cutting down their rosters as well). So, either Covington makes the team or he most likely is the very last cut. And if he is cut, I fully expect him to sign with RGV. And at that point I would expect RGV to not play him very much until a roster spot was created again by the Rockets to re-sign him before another team signs him away. In this scenario we will attempt to "hide" him at RGV. So, there's 3 possibilities with Covington: 1. he stinks it up and gets cut outright and we part company with him. 2. He plays so good he can't be ignored and is one of the final 15. 3. He plays good enough to keep but we cut him and he signs with RGV and hides out there until we can clear a roster spot through a trade. Then we re-sign him. IF I AM RIGHT and there really is an agreement for Covington to stay stateside if the Rockets still want to develop him at RGV after he is cut...then I can see the Rockets cutting him and holding onto someone else that they really don't like as well as Covington until they can start trading some of these guys on Dec. 15. Once again, Brooks is not in the long-term plans of this team at this moment. He's just contract dollars and a roster slot. If he knocks it out of the park during preseason (not likely) then that could change. Or he could very easily be cut. Or we could hang on to him as trade fodder for Dec 15 and beyond to the trade deadline. But the odds of Brooks still being on this roster after the 2014 trade deadline are very small unless there is an injury to one of the other 3 points or a trade involving one or more of the other 3 points or unless he does the very unlikely and plays his tail off in preseason.
I love this move. Now we have a defensive stopper to back up harden. I love it, why can't the season start tomorrow
If he makes it onto the 15 man roster outside of training camp, the odds are that he is a Rocket at season's end. He will have to beat out NBA quality guys to make the team. The odds that Morey finds a player floating in the ether that can beat out the best 15 guys from this year's Rockets training camp is unlikely. The Patrick Beverleys are few and far between. The odds Brooks is on team past trading deadline are less than not good, but better than very small. I don't see the Rockets re-signing Brooks after this season unless he earns it with his play during the season.
Well, I can see two possible scenarios: 1. A trade is coming with us sending out significantly more players than we take back. 2. We want a real competition in camp and try to increase our chances to find that hidden gem by bringing lots of bodies to camp. Basically we spend some "useless" dollars (so cutting players that get guaranteed money) in order to find that guy that vastly outperforms his contract.
Just using him as a random example of a long-shot 15th man. Everyone will get a chance for sure to prove "something". I'm sure with the Jeremy Lin experience (the first time), they will to give those guys a chance to work out after practice a little longer, or try to make sure they don't miss out on another talented player.... However, as you noted, these guys like Brewer, Brooks, Williams, etc. just have the upper hand because they know the NBA systems, know how to communicate with the coaches (underrated skill), have reputation and data to analyze, and know the tricks of the trade much more than a rookie would ever know. Still there are a lot of things that could happen. Someone comes in out of shape, has a locker room dispute, suffers an injury, trades, etc. etc... things can happen so I'm not going to say either way who for sure is going to make it, but your right that the veteran guys have a much greater shot.
That's not what I said. I said, if Greg Smith *IS A HEAVY CONTRIBUTOR* then this team is not contending for a title. I didn't say 'if he is on the team'. What I mean by that is, however much we may like Greg Smith and however nice a kid he is, if we end up being contenders, Greg Smith is not contributing heavy minutes. *Therefore*, it is ok to move a marginally-contributing player for a future asset.
The roster is already set: Game Roster: 1. Omer Asik 2. Pat Beverley 3. Aaron Brooks 4. Marcus Camby 5. Francisco Garcia 6. James Harden 7. Dwight Howard 8. Terrence Jones 9. Jeremy Lin 10. Donatas Montejunas 11. Chandler Parsons 12. Ronnie Brewer Vipers: Isaiah Canaan Robert Covington Jordan Henriquez BJ Young Odd men out: Omri Casspi Reggie Williams Don't forget that Les paid almost 7 mil in cut contracts last year, Casspi and Williams were both signed to the vet minimum (Williams 50% guaranteed). I don't think Les would even be bothered about cutting 1.5 mil. Real quick though, our second unit is gonna be a defensive monster PG: Pat Beverley SG: Ronnie Brewer SF: Francisco Garcia PF: Greg Smith C: Omer Asik
