He's one of the top 10-15 players on the planet and only 29 years old, of course he's going to want and get the max. I do agree that there are limits to what Fertitta would pay — most notably, the repeater tax, as he explained at Media Day — but if that's the hindrance, you can always trade Butler into cap space a year later, as long as he has positive trade value. Assuming there's no major injury, I can't really fathom a scenario in the next 2-3 years where Butler wouldn't have positive trade value. As for Capela, he'll have significantly positive trade value at any point during his discounted deal (due to RFA). There's no reason to let a player walk for financial considerations if they're highly likely to have positive trade value on their contract. And if the repeater tax is the primary deterrent, the earliest you'll have to worry about that is the 2020-21 season.
In the midst of all of this Butler stuff and 3-4 team deals Morey found time to post about Bruno on Instagram. #chill
I look at it as rational talk. 2 years from now the Rockets already have right at 100 million set aside for just 3 players, how are they going to add another 30+ million to that for only a 4th? They'd be damn near in the luxury with just their starting 5 and they'd be paying repeater tax for the entire rest of the team. I think Fertitta is willing to pay a lot, but...I mean, that's just a ridiculous amount to ask him to pay.
The Rockets are over the cap, regardless. They will not have any "cap space" next summer no matter what they do. The notion of cap space in this era went out the window the moment CP3 and Capela inked their new deals. You're right that Butler is a Top 20 player — I'd argue Top 15, maybe even Top 10 — and that's why you don't let a player like that walk for no compensation. Worst case, if you need to save tax dollars, he'll be a positive trade asset down the line.
I'm not insane for having a difference of opinion, and I understand the value of what PJ brings to the team. I dont think most people understand the value of what Gordon brings. I'm far from insane homeboy. Edit: Gordon played a major part in that "historically good offense" last season. Who btw has been a borderline All-Star EVERY year he's been healthy. Anyone who would call me insanse for wanting the Rockets to keep Gordon is insane. This isnt Patrick Beverly vs. Chris Paul. And you're forgetting Ennis. But im not bout to go back and forth with you.
A quick aside here... I've been watching NBA basketball longer than most of you have been alive, and I have to say, Morey is by FAR the hardest-working GM I've ever seen. The man is f^%king relentless.
Fair enough, we'll see what happens. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for the Rockets to spend whatever it takes for a dynasty, I was just trying to use the rational part of my brain rather than the fan side......I'm hoping Fertitta is using the fan side of his brain LOL
I can appreciate what you are saying. I will, however, still have to disagree on account of those not being good enough comparisons for me.
Melo's taking up so little cap space, it's not even worth discussing what you'd get back. The danger there is that next summer, he's going to want a LOT more than vet min to stick around.
As fans, there is uncertainty because we don't see the "flow chart." So understandable. But you can be assured that Morey has a long time horizon in terms of how he sees the team's finances. That is his job......aside from Instagram and Twitter posts.
If you do the math, sending Dieng to Sacramento and Tyus Jones to Houston and Butler anywhere, WCS and McClemore become extra pieces. It’s sort of obvious; however 3 to 4 team deals involving 12 players are hard to do. Sacramento wants the picks. @Codman called it complicated ago day’s ago.
some of Morey’s work Watch him get this done without including PJ, but if he just had, this man can’t find a way to ease the loss of a PJ Tucker after acquiring Jimmy Butler?
Yeah, the Kings have a lot of expirings. I just don't see them moving a plus asset in WCS while taking in a negative asset in Dieng. The Kings would like instead move Koufus or Randolph or Shumpert or McLemore first.
The Rockets need both Tucker and Butler to beat the Warriors. Nobody here thinks Tucker is a star, but he’s nearly the perfect role player against the team the Rockets are trying to beat. Remember, the Rockets’ Tuckwagon lineup was able to best the Warriors’ Hamptons Five in the playoffs. Also, while Jimmy Butler is an elite defender in his own right, he doesn’t have the body frame to guard centers on a consistent basis. When the Rockets go small and need someone to guard DeMarcus Cousins, that would be Tucker’s job, not Butler’s. Bottom line: Having both Tucker and Butler would give Steve Kerr and the Warriors nightmares, and those two plus Harden, Paul, Capela and Melo is the team that I would pick to be the favorites this season. Not Golden State.
Warriors looking at $225m in player salaries alone But they pulled about $360m in revenue last year (as best as I can tell) Plus their franchise is now valued at $3.1b We win that ship and the $ will take care of itself
