Haha, you're welcome. I've been lurking around here forever and always enjoy reading your stuff. Keep it up.
Whats the status on deron williams? he'll be a free agent at the end of the year he might not wanna be in utah anymore
The Rox cannot trade that 2011 pick swap right now but it's a matter of semantics. They could go ahead and trade the 2012 pick. Or they could take the Clippers 2nd rounder and a future 2nd rounder and find a Boston or another contending team who would gladly swap to the top of the second round and pick up an additional 2nd rounder as opposed to keeping their first rounder. Plus, what do you think the odds are that we could pick up additional draft picks by trading Yao's expiring to a team doing a salary dump?
I think it's bigger than what can we just get for Yao. If rumors persist that Carmelo is a target, I'd assume we'd try to land another star to help lure him to stay. The other expirings, other young assets we have would lure that star.
WojYahooNBA: So far, Rockets aren't impressed with offers rolling into them for Yao Ming. Still, there are several weeks for teams to get serious. .
WojYahooNBA: So far, Rockets aren't impressed with offers rolling into them for Yao Ming. Still, there are several weeks for teams to get serious. . Damn, same time but still beat me. ^^
Reminds me of McGrady, we heard for weeks that the Rox were probably going to just eat the contract and use the capspace but once Feb rolled around, things got interesting.
WojYahooNBA: Rockets want combo of prospect, picks and expiring $ for Yao. Teams can get $8M in savings via insurance/chance to re-sign him at cut rate.
WojYahooNBA: If you're Houston, you have to test market and determine Yao's value -- if any. Despite injuries, his talent still demands consideration.
Woj is talking as if Yao the player still has some significant value. I doubt it since what value he has need to be heavily discounted by his injuries and then by the fact that Yao is going to be an unrestricted FA, who can choose to go anywhere, before he recovers from injury. Yao's Bird Rights simply isn't worth a ton right now. Like with McGrady last season, it's the $$ saving that counts.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/12/21/yao.ming.rockets/index.html That's the problem...who will believe they will be able to sign Yao when our GM has already publicly mentioned wanting keep Yao long term.. "We see him as being different than a normal player," Morey said. "He is an essential part of the Rockets. Whenever he's done [playing], we want him to be involved with the team as long as he will have us. And if you look at our team, our biggest need is someone in the middle. We hope Yao will be an option there for us."
Woj has lost his mind. There is not a team in the NBA that wants Yao the player. They want Yao the insurance covered, expiring, cash cow. Again, Daryl Morey is a genius. We should be able to add some nice pieces for absolutely nothing, while retaining Yao next year if he is truly not done.
Who said that? I think we debunked the myth about 2010 cap space quite some time before the February 2010 trade deadline. Letting T-Mac's contract expire was a last resort if they couldn't even get a lower amount of expiring contracts for him to help reduce/avoid the luxury tax hit that year. I was "calling my shot" about a Rockets three-way trade that involved T-Mac to New York and Jared Jeffries and other assets to Houston back in early 2009. And in case you don't believe me: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=4557419&postcount=356 (Sorry. Couldn't resist the urge to post this. It's probably the greatest sports-related "call" I've ever made in my life.)
Very good call. And I think the Yao Ming trade may result in a similar haul. The Yao contract is better than the McGrady contract due to the insurance money. However, the McGrady contract was sold in a more favorable condition (teams wanting to dump salary for FA bonanza). In any case, I am not expecting a "superstar" trade since those are rare. The Rockets will, of course try for one. Most likely, they won't get a superstar, but will settle for getting some "Jordan Hill+draft pick" kind of assets for the $ saving Yao's insured contract offers. They may even ship out "Landry" or two as part of a trade to get a "Kevin Martin" in return. (Guys who smell like this year's "Kevin Martin" to me include, inter alia, Nene, Varejao, and Devin Harris (who might be what the Rockets get for "facilitating" a Melo deal to NJ). By the way, assuming the cap stays about where it is in the new CBA (with owners winning some other concession such the cap being hard or reduced value of exceptions, etc.), what does the Rockets "cap room" look like? I am curious because one report says the Rockets want prospects/talent plus "expiring contracts" in return for Yao. So I am wondering if they are trying to preserve cap room for upcoming free agency.
