Last year Morey and the Rockets surprised many by winning Dwight Howard at the expense of the Lakers in Free Agency. The Year before, they first shocked the Knicks by stealing Jeremy Lin with "an offer you can match" then topped that by 100x in acquiring James Harden in an incredible trade with the Thunders. Its now 2014, with Morey & the Rockets interested in not only Melo but Klove, Lebron, Bosh, Lowry, Deng, Ariza, Gasol, frye and who knows how many others. So who do you think/predict the Rockets will pull this year? 1 Morey pull another small miracle and get his top prize in max or near max guys like Melo or Lebron or 1A Love or Bosh? 2 Will have to settle for the second tier guys in the 8-12 million range like Lowry, Deng, Gortat and Ariza etc. 3 The Rockets miss on both and instead acquire guys slightly above the MLE range and under, improving their depth etc. Guys like Paty Mills, Frye, Gasol, Okafor, Diaw etc My prediction - 2 Morey and the Rockets will miss out on Melo/Love and settle for some like Deng or Lowry, both of whom would improve the teams not only defensely but also in terms of fit. I also predict Melo to resign with the NYK and Love to go to GSW. Lastly everyone knows 99% Lebron/Bosh are returning to Miami.
I think I would rather the Rockets get two good players instead of one great player like Love or Melo. Lowry, Deng, etc. type players. Those guys are solid 2-way players. That's what the Rockets need.
If you have a guesstimate tell us why, because at this point anything or nothing could happen. I don't have a clue.
I think chances of LBJ, Bosh or Kevin Love are very small --because the Miami guys are going to stay with almost-Championship team, and because if Minnie trades KLove, it will not be to D Morey, who every team in the NBA has to want not to do any favors for least the next few years. I don't see Lowrey leaving Toronto, to come back to Houston. Because of what they were able to achieve this year, that team has got to be close. And also he would have such a reduced role here. that leaves Ariza, Deng and Melo. I don't know about the first 2, but I think the Rockets definitely have a chance with Melo. Melo's clock is ticking, and he knows it. Tyson Chandler's gone. Melo does not have time to wait around for P Jackson to create a contender in NY. And if P Jackson's lukewarm protestations that they will do everything they can to keep Melo are any indication, the Knicks know it too. Apart from the Bulls, I don't see a team that is a real threat to our getting Melo. And the Bulls are not as good as the Rockets. So--I would have been surprised to say this, even a few weeks ago, but now I think it may almost be an even call, or a call slightly in the Rockets' favor, that Melo may end up here.
Yeah I honestly wouldn't be too surprise if any of the four scenarios happened or a combination of them lol. For Carmelo, my rationale is that while the Rockets (and Bulls) are definitely appealing to Melo, I ultimately think he returns to NYK for the $$, family and city. He loves NY, just bought a new multi multi million dollar condo in manhattan, loves the limelight and perhaps maybe believes in phil Jackson. I'm guessing Knicks 50%, Bulls 25% Rockets 20% 5% other. For Love, I use to think the Rockets had very little to compete with other teams from a trade perspective, however after reading some very recent takes at canishoopus, I've learned different. So while the Rockets could have a compelling offer for Flip, one huge problem remains, such an offer would hinge on CParson agreeing to go to Minnesota. Why would Cparson agree to go to one of the worst run organizations in the league for 10-12? million when he might very well likely get the same offer from Pheonix, LA or Dallas? Ultimately odds are IMO Love stays in Minnesota as Flip doesnt want to make a huge mistake, but I predicted GSW nonetheless. Twolves 40% GSW 30% Boston 15% Chicago 10% Rockets 5% Other 5%.
Give me Melo or Love and let the Bulls have the other. For the life of me I cannot understand why Melo would go back to NY. He's made plenty of money and this is his last chance for a ring and the Knicks are nowhere near contention. Apparently they are pinning all their hopes on Durant in 2016. Feel like waiting two years for that long shot Carmelo?
ITA! Not only do I think the Rockets would be a better team with Lowry + Deng than Melo, I'd also much rather watch the former team than the latter. I think Lowry with Bev as his backup, gives them amazing depth and versatility at the pg spot and makes them amazing defensively. Getting Deng who I envision splitting time at the 4 spot and at the 3, would be perfect for the Rockets. Defensively he would guard the great big wings in the league like Lebron, Durant, Melo, Paul George while also be able to somewhat handle 4's like Griffin, Aldridge, Milsap & Ibaka.
Chandler Parsons is the player the Rockets might re-acquire and they may have to pay him like a star.
I meant to make this poll public, if possible can someone help change it? Thanks. Nice team! Only opponent that could cause matchup problems IMO would be Memphis.
Lowry's off the block, no upgrade at PG this year, if miss out on Melo and Love JLin stays with the team and is moved for an $8 mil per player or his contract just expires next summer and they use $5 million or whatever they have in cap space on someone.
I predict none of the big names will come here. Why? They are ALL too much of self-absorbed idiots and they can't see that the Rockets have the best young team that's one or two players away in winning the championship. I predict under-the-radar players will be coming here. I'm really tired of waiting for these players to realize how good of a team we have here....
Lebron is staying. I think once the other 2 opted out that was all but settled. All that remains now is getting contract sizes/new players all that crap correct. I think Melo is the best chance with Love being second. Bosh will ONLY come here if Miami decides Melo > Bosh and doesn't extend an offer to Bosh (don't see that happening). Melo is most likely because he (I don't believe) will go to Chicago without knowing Rose is going to be back and at least 80% of what he was. I don't think he is taking any other spot seriously (New York and LA have name alone, if you want to win they make no sense). Love will only be here if he demands to come here. I still think he is the absolute perfect fit for the Rockets, but we'd need him to demand it and push his way here.
on espy today they were breaking down what players miami could bring to help out the big 3...it looked surprisingly bleak for the heat. With huge paycuts for bosh and wade, ~17 and 12.5 mill respectively, and with lebron getting the max (22mill) there was still no room to bring in another guy to help out. I really don't see wade going below 12mill and bosh going below 16 mill. with 55mill in cap room...22+16+12=50 mill, leaves 5 mill left. theres no one that can make them that much better in that range. That really made me feel better about houstons chances, he can play with 2 better superstars and a third borderline star in parsons. With the talent level in houston, combined with the youth, its hard not to say houston is the best landing spot for lebron by far.
As far as I know, the rockets haven't lost Parson to any other team yet, so I doubt they will need to reacquire him... resign him? yes. reacquire... no. Regardless I thought it fairly obvious, the thread is about which new players the rocket might obtain. While San Antonio does play a big lineup with both Splitter and Duncan on the floor together, they only did so less than 25% of the time in the playoffs. http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/2014/lineups/ IMO having Deng/jones cover splitter and Howards on Duncan in spots wont be a huge problem. As for Portland, I agree Aldridge is probably a huge problem, though I think Deng could do a decent job on him, though ideally it'll also be Howard on him and Deng on Lopez. I'm more confident Deng could do well against Dlee, Dirk, Milsap, West, Diaw, Patterson etc. Less confident against Love & griffin but I don't think he'd be terrible. Zach Randolph with Marc Gasol on the other hand ...
Cap is expected to be 61 million next season, but your point remains... with caphold for the other roster spots it only leaves Miami around 8million or less to sign a FA. Regardless there is less than 1% chance Lebron is leaving Miami, I doubt DWade would've opted out of 2yrs 42 million otherwise.
