You know my initial thought was that we could keep him with his salary but that would be a very competitive line-up; Dwight, Harden, Parsons, Iggy, Milsap and (Beverly may be able to stick around) the D-league.lol
My theory is that Morey is doing what he does and is trying to get greedy as hell. I think he has targeted what he considers to be high value targets (Milsap, Iggy, Granger, and Smith) and is trying to find a way to get one of them here without trading Asik. I think he is probably willing to dump Lin, jones or d-mo and maybe a pick. I imagine he is trying to line it up before Friday so he can lay it out to Howard as part of a pitch. Beverley / Cannan Harden / ??? Parsons / ??? Smith / Jones Howard / Asik
We'd be able to get a backup 2 and 3 with the MLE and then vet min guys to fill the roster. I'd be pumped, but again this is a longshot.
I think Morey will go after Robin Lopez as the backup C, with or without Howard, NOP are trying to give him away to clear salary space, and it would allow the freedom to trade Asik.
I think its a very valid question. Despite what we think, players in Howard's situation (and howard specificially) understand the salary cap a lot better than we imagine. Asking "Can you sign another max player" is more likely "Will the owner pay the tax for us to have what we need to win?" If the question was asked (And I imagine it was) then good for D12; I'd ask the same thing.
Instead of starting a new thread, can someone please explain how we expect to keep the glue (Chanlder Parson) when his contract is up and we already have Harden, Howard, and Smith on max deals? Cap guru's on this GARM, please enlighten the rest of us.
Because we will have the ability to exceed the cap to re-sign him via Bird Rights (four years on the same team). Parsons will get paid, and we will be the ones to pay him.
Free agency is well underway and good players are signed away by other teams fast. If DH12 is really interested in playing for the Rockets, he should have made his decision known already so that GM Morey could start interviewing other good players to compliment him. He indecisiveness is the root of the Dwightmare and is going to hurt any team he is going to join in.
I don't think its a big deal to ask the question "can you get a third max contract?". He could be asking the question hypothetically to prompt a discussion, it is an interview. Morey could come back and say, "yes, but we don't want to because a, b, c, d." Howard is the best center in the league, Akeem was hated by many when he was younger (knocked Kupchak on his arse) and before he was about to be traded for Sir Charles he perfected his moves, matured and the Rockets became great. Any healthy male younger than 27 is a borderline idiot because of the testosterone coursing through their veins. Some of you don't understand because your low on that on the T scale and you look at Howard and you don't understand or appreciate what your looking at.
Owner is on record multiple times saying that he will go well into the luxury tax to keep together the RIGHT team. We can exceed the luxury tax to resign our own players. If we are doing well, when Parsons is FA, we have his bird rights and can offer him the extra year as well as more $ than anyone else. I think Les Alexander will spend what it takes to keep Parsons. None of the guys are going to want to leave if we can put together the lineup we are making a run at currently.
Who knows the truth about Howard asking for a third max guy. I still think all this is a misinterpretation. I'm sure he did ask about improving the team going forward. I honestly believe the team would be better served if we could trade Asik and Lin for no returning salary (lest it be for Howard, but the Lakers say they won't sign-and-trade). Say: Cleveland? Charlotte? Atlanta? Take future picks in return. Use the cap space to better fill the roster. I don't know if Josh Smith is the way to go. How much to get him? Wouldn't Paul Millsap be a better fit anyway, and for much less money? Get a solid backup center, maybe a Mareese Speights. Hell, Bosh is often an afterthought on a three-max team. They win it all because they have LeBron, Wade, and a heck of a backup cast.
Totally agree. Same idea as here. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=8068689&postcount=79 Move Lin for value (PF), keep your "Asik in the hole."
