The Rockets are setup to be this years Memphis Grizzlies with (the most important part) impecable roster flexibility. The "Mediocrity treadmill" statement couldnt be further from the truth. Imagine if Memphis' players like Marc Gasol, Conley, Rudy Gay, ZRandolph, etc. had attractive contracts and they did what they did last year in the playoffs? You would have teams chomping at the bit to deal for them. Thats what Morey is going for with this team. He understands that young players who make noise in the playoffs incease their value significantly for future trades, trades for high draft picks, attract major free agents, and attract teams looking to move their stars. If this roster can go for a playoff run, players like Martin, Lowry, Scola, T-Will(with increased role), and Jordan Hill could increase their value significantly as a trading team could view a package centered around these players as a way to win now with this squad. The addition of Dalembert, on one of the best Top Free Agent Center Contracts signed in years, should put this team in the playoffs baring injuries. That is the goal now to complete step 1 which is to get in the playoffs and increase the value of young players, or vet. players on value contracts. Step 2 would seem to be very liquid depending on how successful Step 1 is, but the Rockets are in a very good position now to go in a very positive direction for years to come. Lets just see how Step 1 plays out this year.
I agree. Although at the time the OP posted this thread I would've agreed with the "mediocrity treadmill" statement. But then you look at our cap situation next year. The only players we will definitely have are Lowry, Scola, Martin and Morris. We could cut everyone else and we would only have about 25 million on the cap. Or we could take the options on guys like Williams, PPat, Hill, Flynn and Thabeet if we wanted (but we don't have to is the point). Think about what situation our team would look like if we were like an 8th seed this year (which is in the realm of possibility easily). Obviously you have guys like Williams and Dwight Howard that might be looking for new teams next year. But it might turn out that we could trade for a "decent" player to boost our appeal to one of these guys next season. This year someone like Stephen Jackson would be possible. AI, Granger and Rudy Gay under the right circumstances might find themselves on the trading block if said teams want to cut salary. And we could even send back some of our young guys on rookie scale deals. Think about what the team might look like this season at the trading deadline if we dealt for AI and squeaked into the playoffs Memphis style... and then next season we still have a good 20 million in cap room. Howard could look at a line up of Howard, Scola, AI, Martin and Lowry and think that team could certainly be competitive for the next 5-6 years. And if we got Williams it would be Dalembert (if he fits under the cap), Scola, AI, Martin and Williams. It's wishful thinking but you can't get there unless you make the initial moves first (and those moves would be signing Scola, and trading for Martin and Lowry)... if we have a firesale then there is no way we can pull off that deal.
I mentioned a few in my post. Iguodala is a guy that has been floating around recently. If the 76ers aren't looking like a playoff team this season. They might take advantage of our cap room/young guys and trade him to us. And then the rest of it would be like I said... next year you'd sill have a good 20 million under the cap and you could make a run at Williams or Howard.
