I don't think he was brought in for this season. It's a little odd for Morey, but remember two things : 1) he likes Potential, and 2) he doesn't have the same flexibility that he had before. I wouldn't be surprised if the future brought more off-the-wall Morey moves.
Ignore this post if KJ is restricted lol KJ is one of the more interesting players for the Rockets this off-season. Terry is likely gone after this season. It's going to be very difficult to keep both Brewer and Smith and honestly I would take Brewer over Smith. Harden, Ariza and Brewer are all going to be the main swing men and I don't think KJ possess the ball handling skills to run any minutes at the one. Giving him a new contract will also be hard since there are no bird rights on him. We either sign him with our free cap space or some other exception we have. It looks like we may not even have KJ on the squad next season? So what was the point of trading Canaan and the 2nd rounder for someone we may not have next season? I have a theory. To start off, the 2nd rounder we traded is basically useless since it is our own 2nd rounder. Meaning it will be around pick 45-60. Most of those guys end up being euro-stash guys or just players who never enter the league. Like seriously. I went all the way back to 2007 and the percentage of getting a solid player from picks 45 or lower was less than 2 percent. There's a reason why you can buy those draft picks. The trade was essentially a swap for Canaan and KJ. It has been alluded in another thread by a certain poster that Canaan was in the dog house. Big time. Meaning there was something huge happening behind the scenes that we were all unaware of. It was so bad that Canaan likely wouldn't ever get any play time I assume.. So, either two things happened. Or both. Either Canaan requested a trade or Morey realized that Canaan is essentially killing cap space, but more importantly wasting a roster spot for this season and the next. So why not trade for a guy who has shown some potential as a defensive stopper(something we're trying to fix on the team as a whole) but doesn't necessarily ruin the team's plans? It also makes sense for the Sixers and Hinkie because KJ would probably sign elsewhere and they would lose him for nothing. Getting Canaan meant they'll have the guy for at least another season and just under a million. So yeah, Morey basically traded for flexibility which I'm fine with since Sip unfortunately wasn't going to get any play time. This doesn't mean that KJ sucks or whatever. He's still a talented, young player who could have a bright future in the league. He just really gambled on his own future, and I think he won. Just doesn't look too bright with the Rockets. If he does end up re-signing with the Rockets though that would be dope.
yes...that thought crossed my mind too...including other things Hinkie has done for Morey. Maybe it is as simple as Morey owed Hinkie a solid and wanted to give Canaan a shot to be showcased on a young, tanking team, as well.
two point 1.the 2 round pick we give to PHI is Nuggets's 2015 pick, which wold be 37# since now, which at least has SOME value for us. 2. I think we still have KJ's Non-bird rights and can give him 120% of minimum salary. no need to use our exceptions
He also traded Rafer Alston for Kyle Lowry, bet you didn't think it was a "trade for the sake of a trade" then, did you? How about when Morey acquired Corey Brewer? Most people were thinking we didn't need another SF since we already had Ariza and Kpap in the rotation. The thinking for the trade is clear, Canaan wasn't as good as they thought he initially was and decided that as a prospect KJ Mcdaniels is better. As a prospect, Mcdaniels might be better than Canaan and yet another 2nd rounder now. We all know 2nd rounders have a lot of value with Morey and the Rox FO being good drafters, but at the same time you can always buy 2nd rounders with cash and Mcdaniels is a good insurance if the Rox decide Ariza/Brewer/Kpap need to be shipped out for cap reasons. I don't really understand why people think turnover is a bad thing, the Rockets are trying to win a championship why keep around players who aren't valuable? Ab wasn't a difference maker last year, and looking at how Canaan is playing now in Philly he isn't good enough to be a difference maker either. Why not take a chance at another guy who could turn out to be a diamond in the rough? Some of these posters always complain that Morey misses out on guys like Hassan Whiteside, but when he does go out and pick up some random prospects who could turn out to be someone you guys blast him for making "trades for the sake of a trade". LOL whatever
The issue with KJ as insurance for the departure of the other SG/SF is that it is highly unlikely that the Rockets would have the cap space or exception to sign KJ. It is reasonable to project that KJ will get an offer substantially greater than $1.15M, his non-Bird exception amount, from some other team. Under what salary cap and roster moves scenario will the Rockets be able to match even a $2M or $3M contract offer?
No, we cannot match all offers unless the team has sufficient cap room or the MLE available to use on him. This is because KJ is a 1st year player. The Rockets do not have his full Bird Right or even the Early Bird Right. The team only has the "Non-Bird Rights" on him, which allows the team to offer KJ up to about $1.15M. http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q45 The highlighted part is the scenario that the Rockets are likely to face, particularly if they plan on signing Sergio Llull-- which requires the use of the MLE.
Probably something behind the scenes. I feel like Canaan was deep in the doghouse with McHale so he wasn't going to get any run anyway. Also, it's not like he's lighting the world on fire in Philly. He's shooting 36% from the field since the trade.
Trading Canaan was a risk, but with Prigs coming on lately, I'd say it's not that bad. This is T-will type of move, something Morey always does when he can. KJ definitely has potential, just an amazing athlete and we could use a wing like that in the next few years so
If the Rockets are letting guys like Brewer and Josh Smtih go in FA, they are likely going below the cap anyway. In which case the MLE restrictions are not applicable. If they're basically keeping everyone for another run, then McDaniels will simply be let go. The only scenario where we face the issue with McDaniels is if we try to keep our own FAs and sign Llull to the full MLE instead of a sizable amount below that. In which case you're right that we would be unable to match a large McDaniels offer (also not certainty). But Morey as everyone knows likes to keep his options open, so that's hardly the only scenario we could be entering the offseason with. Your question is better asked in FA than at this point where all we have
It seem most of the posters think McDaniels will resign if the Rockets have the money. I'm telling you McDaniels is as good as gone baring a trade of Ariza and even then I think odds are he'll be elsewhere. Young players want and NEED to play. That's how they get the big contracts. Before the trade KJ was averaging 27 minutes per game. He is a 6-6 SG stuck behind the league leader in minutes played at the SG (Harden is at 37 m/g). I know some of you say but he can play the SF, ok even then Ariza is #2 in minutes played as a SF at 36 m/g. Don't forget Brewer is talented and needs minutes too. Harden is NOT going anywhere. Ariza could be packaged on draft night IF the right deal presented itself. But make no mistake the Rockets are going to try and keep Brewer at nearly all cost even if Ariza is returning. McHale loves Brewer, he drafted him in Minny. Morey has wanted Brewer forever. McDaniels has a say in the matter and his agent is going to tell him to sign where he gets playing time so the next contract is a big pay day. Get over KJ he is gone, and can't shoot.
He's restricted. If the Rockets want him, he can't leave on his own. The best he can do is accept the Rockets qualifying offer and become a UFA in 2016. In which case, the Rockets would gladly oblige.
I thought he has the right to deal any team. Another franchise could offer him whatever amount they'd like but we could match it. Somebody is going to pay too much for KJ. I believe Morey will try to keep Brewer. Now maybe Brewer gets too much money from another team and nobody signs KJ to a contract and then Morey extends the offer sheet. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25065046/what-could-kj-mcdaniels-earn-this-offseason-as-a-free-agent
A few reasons for the trade, as far as I can see. - The Rockets got an upclose look at a young, promising player whom they might want to sign long term. - As others have noted, they got insurance in case Ariza or Brewer went down with an injury this season. - If another team wants to give McDaniels a large contract in the offseason, the Rockets could convince the other team of a sign and trade, thereby potentially getting back something substantial back. In that scenerio, McDaniels probably has much more value than Canaan and a second rounder.
These things don't happen independently, i.e. acquiring Prig and trading Canaan. Prig was the key acquisition....and with him here, Canaan clearly was just taking a roster spot. So, get the most you can for him = KJ. KJ has a lot going for him as several have pointed out...but the real key to this was roster balancing with Prig in and Canaan out. We got years and years of true PG championship experience for our stretch run and the playoffs for virtually nothing...plus we have an asset in KJ. Brilliant.
Two things cross my mind... Possible insurance in case Brewer bolts over the summer Morey is always three steps ahead of everyone else in the trade game. While there is the occasional misstep, his track record is proven that he knows how to game the system. I mean just look at what he gave up to get Harden, at the time all the CF know it alls were coming out of the woodwork freaking out over the trade but in hindsight OKC got owned..
Exactly. As spoiled as we have been on 2nd round gems in the past by Morey (Landy, Budinger, Parsons, and maybe Nick Johnson in the near future), they're much harder to find than we expect. If I am not mistaken I believe we still hold a pretty high 2nd rounder in the NY Knicks deal. All we gave up was a 57th overall pick in the Canaan trade... so not much of a difference for a possible stud, again, in the near future.
