Since this is Rice's last year, how much cap room will that free up?

I'm guessing not much.

Where Rice will help us is in trade value. We may be able to pick up a decent player by trading his expiring contract away to a team that will have cap space next year.

 

Not much, if any. Our projected payroll will be around $48 MIL. Projected cap will probably be $48-$50 MIL.

 

We will STILL be over the salary cap. But it does lessen the payroll...which is always better.

Moochie, Cato, and Taylor are here for another 3 years...

 

All the money that rice makes will probably be taken up just by signing our own free agents and draft picks. Unless you see names like Francis and Taylor being traded for draft picks/expiring contracts, don't expect any free agent pickups above the MCE.

 

It'll probably free up enough to give Yao a fat contract when his rookie contract is expired.

 

Rice’s salary or anyone else's salary on the team will not have an effect on the Rockets resigning Yao Ming to a max contract. Neither will the Rockets salary cap situation since the Rockets can resign Yoa Ming to the Max at the end of his third year regardless of the Rockets salary cap situation.

 

You say that like it's not your money.

 

Do not forget some players will also be going to Charlottes expansion team possibly.

 

Probably none when they resign him....

 

A team can only lose one player via expansion draft.

I wouldn't be suprised if Yao got lowballed on his contract extension...He'll probably be used as the "example" after all the crappy contracts that Les has approved...

 

I would hope that we trade Rice's expiring contract for an asset this summer (like a quality PF?).

And I hope there is no luxury tax next year, as Heypartner says Larry Coon believes, so that we can re-sign Posey (or another player to the MCE) without fear of crossing the $52 million or so luxury tax threshold.

 

i read something on ESPN that said the cap would be 42 or 43 million.