Raef Lafrenz was an albatross contract. Gortat's pay isn't imo nearly enough to be worrying about that. (Almost) 7-footers who can rebound and play some D are 5M+ players almost always. I don't know what we would be willing to give up for him or if he even is a step to the right direction, but the salary in itself isn't very worrisome to me.
i dont think this is a very complicated deal and it sounds like a sure thing at least between orlando and washingto...morey probably got his 2 cents in and is waiting for the details or a call back.
Good idea, except I'd be stunned if we'd bite off on the additional $6.3 million luxury tax hit this year in taking on his salary without shipping salary out. I only see us taking on Gortat if we can send out Jeffries in the process.
Yes, the Rockets can use the Ariza Trade Exception to acquire Gortat. Because both Ariza and Gortat signed identical mid-level salary deals, and since Ariza was traded after his salary increased to Year 2, the amount of the trade exception is identical to Gortat's current salary. However, if the Rockets use the Ariza Trade Exception to acquire Gortat, they BETTER not be using a first rounder as well. Orlando would save (and Houston would spend) SOOO much money in that deal. The savings to Orlando (and the additional cost to Houston) would be about $10-11M . . . THIS YEAR ALONE!!! No way Les throws in a first rounder on top of that much in savings for a guy who doesn't even play 20 mpg for the Magic. Better to deal a guy like Jeffries and cash (~$1M, enough to offset the small difference in their salaries and the resulting luxury tax hit to Orlando), plus maybe that Clippers' 2011 second rounder, for Gortat.
No. The "amnesty rule" was a one-time thing when the current CBA was entered into in 2005. There is a way to wipe a player's salary off the books if the player is forced to retire for medical reasons, but the team has to wait an entire year before being entitled to that relief. Since Yao is in the last year of his contract, the Rockets will not get the opportunity to obtain relief before Yao comes off the books at the end of his contract anyway.
You only get exempted from luxury tax if the player dies from syphilis. Ankle injuries = no tax exemption.
I don't think we need starter's minutes. We have Miller, Hayes, Hill behind him. To be sure, I want somebody better than those three (until Hill develops, at least), but if we only get somebody that averages 20 min/game, and we can play whoever's hot, or whoever is the best matchup for a particular game, we're in reasonable shape. Gortat would add to the team, but is he a top 10 center? Is he as good at C as Scola is at PF? I don't think so.
Not once is there an article that says "the Rockets" are interested in... it's always the "Blazers and Rockets"... getting old man.
Didn't Gortat play well when Howard was out forabout 3 games last year? Or is that my imagination kicking in instead of my memory.
Yep, both are cursed. TMac/Yao; Roy/Oden. Goes way back. In the 80s, it was Ralph and Bowie. Before that, Bill Walton.
Is Gortat going to be the next dominant Center in the West if the Rockets aquire him?....well no, but what he has shown in the minutes he has been given is that he has enough size and length to defend pretty much any Center in the league, is fundamentally sound with few weaknesses, and doesn't make very many mistakes. He is good for about 12 pts/ 10 rebounds/ 1 block. That sounds like the Center the Rockets need for the right price of course. If Jordan Hills keeps on developing I think you keep a 4 post player rotation of Scola/Gortat and Hill/Miller. Thats a solid backcourt unit with alot of depth.
Uhmmmmmmmm.... AlexKennedyNBA Sources say Orlando has talked to a number of teams and could be planning two separate deals. Trading for Arenas may just be the start.
