because it still has drew and gordon on the roster?? counting the others that drop that year its about 15mil under the cap
IMO we've got a good core to build around. I'd try to trade McGrady for an expiring contract instead of going through a youth movement. AI or Marbury it doesn't matter whichever team is willing to deal. I'd keep Artest for the rest of the season too. I feel this team without McGrady still has a chance. Though I'd let Artest walk after the sesason. In free agency I'd set Ariza as the no.1 target. Prigioni, Alston, Brooks Ariza, Wafer, Barry Battier, 14th, 15th Scola, Landry, Dorsey Yao, Nielsen, Hayes The Rockets enquired about Pablo Prigioni at the beginning of this season but he was still under contract. He'll be a free agent. Matt Nielsen is a 6-10 PF/C, probably measures 7 foot by NBA standards. He's quick enough to play spot minutes at SF. He's a good rebounder, shot blocker, face up + post up, 3P range, plays physical defense. Problem is he could be under contract. I know he has an option for next season but I don't know if it's a team or player option or whether he has an out clause to head to the NBA. Since both players don't play for any of the cashed up Spanish teams I'd guess they could be signed for maybe under $2 or 3 million each? They'd also be vet guys who are expected to make an impact straight off the bat. If Prigioni is able to establish himself as the starting PG. I'd then try to package Alston, Hayes, and Dorsey (totals c. $8 million) for a specialist SG.
Worzel- I'm not going to doubt you about those players, but I have a few questions. If Scola was the best big in europe and he's avg here, what makes neilson different? Another thing is, if we're building a team for the future, why is a 31 or 32 yr old limited Battier still on the team? Just asking
Beyond the T-Mac for Deng trade, which doesn't work for salaries, the rest of the trades all serve to make the team worse. Just because they're younger doesn't mean that any of those players will be better than the player that was traded for them within their contracts with the Rockets. Unless the Rockets picked up 3 or 4 first round draft picks in all those deals, they go from a 50-win team to a 40-win team for the forseeable future.
The deng for mcgrady trade does work after this season because they will be 15m under the cap minus gordon and gooden. Tracy in and Deng out and they're still 5m under the cap. We can prolong and gamble that a big free agent will come, but if one doesn't and the rox line up in 3 yrs with a 32yr old scola, 34 yr old battier surrounding Yao, the team will be in the lotto. At least with deng,cv,and azubuike with yao, the team would have productive young player who are getting better. CV has a higher ceiling than anyone on the rox right now including wafer,landry, and brooks. Deng is already good and getting better as is azubuike. Its better to start a yr early than a yr late.
You would be the worst GM in the NBA, hands down. But I bet you would be popular among the other GMs.
The 15% rule is only when both teams are over the cap. That's why Denver gave Camby away and La absorbed his contract. There are always a few teams that are under the cap, but not many. The bulls after the season will be like 15m under. So taking in 22 and giving out 10 leaves them still under the cap.
DD, even if shotblocking isn't a significant stat, that's pretty pathetic that if you give brooks more time, he'll have more blocks than Scola.
This of course assumes Chicago wants to use their cap space to get rid of Deng while taking on a broken down TMac, as opposed to say, keeping Deng, and adding a $10m player.
I dont see how this is a good team. Azubuike is a decent player, but he plays small ball with gsw so his numbers are suspect. Didn't Rox cut him? If you have ever seen Villanueva play, he is a chucker. For a guy that is 6'11" his field goal percentage aint that great. He should be banging more instead of trolling at the three. Plus he sucks at D, at least scola plays inside and bangs. Read what Hollinger says about Villanueva. Deng, another nice player, but nothing special. No dynamic guys. Who would get doubled besides yao? Lastly, the bench looks weaker than this years team.
It's not really about the years ahead that makes youth attractive but getting that single rookie talent & contract that allows teams to add more vets. I'm referring to the Stuckeys of the league. That's all a team needs to build for the future without having to forfeit the present. Too much youth doesn't get anywhere. Seattle are the worst team in the league even though they have decent vets but Collison is the only key start of that group. Grizzlies, Minnesota all lottery bound. Then look in the opposite direction at the Blazers they have Blake, Outlaw, Przybilla all vets playing key roles and are pseudo-starters if they're not. Scola played off the bench for most of his career at Tau. He wasn't really an outright star & Nielsen definately isn't but they're key players. They're not the Ricky Rubios or Victor Clavers, ie young guys with NBA star potential. The hope is they will be ready made vets, ready to play, important role players but at a cheaper rate than the vet NBA equivalent. Instead of spending $6-7 million on the NBA vet it's $2-3 million for the international (e.g Garbajosa & Scola). Obviously the turnover rate on these guys will be high. In 2-3yrs I'd expect new faces. Ariza will be 24 next season. If the Rockets can lock him up to a deal around the MLE... IMO Ariza has the potential to get even better. I see him as the Rockets own "Stuckey" if they can get him. Battier may be 32 when his contract runs in 2010 but by then I'd expect Ariza to be starting ahead of him if not earlier. IMO rebuilding is a cop out. It's marketing. Every season should be competitive otherwise the front office made some bust moves.
No one gets doubled now except Yao and tracy? Who was doubled besides Hakeem.What about Detroit that had no one doubled. You said Villanueve doesn't bang, he was lighting scolandry up last time we played. Too quick on the perimeter, too big on the blocks. He's versitile , can dribble,rebound, pass,shoot , multi tool guy. Deng isn't special, but he's young and productive at 24. Azubuike was cut which was a mistake by houston. Right now, he would be better than any perimeter player the rox have other than a healthy tracy and artest. Plus he's cheap. It 5 man basketball where all 5 guy are threats to put the ball on the floor, shoot the 3, pass the ball. If we're to agree Yao is the guy everyone says he is,then he should have the team hanging around the playoffs. Then the young guys will get better and the team will have a young consistent championship level team void of the flaws that have dogged this team.
Not really, Brooks gets a lot of blocks from behind, Scola plays in front of his man and puts his hands up, not really trying to block but trying to challenge. Totally different way of playing D... And with the way Scola rebounds.....I am VERY happy with Luis play. DD
