196 replies to this topic

[Mason Khamvilay]

Actually, Morey has already stated that all the hard work is already done, and if we acquire anymore players it will be via FA.

[thejohnnygold]

Link?

[Mason Khamvilay]

Link?

[rocketrick]

2016 Champions, did you mean towards the end of the 10 minute interview when Morey indicated the Rockets were considering pursuing some (unnamed) international players with front loaded deals to get them across the pond with their $15 - $20 million cap space room??

 

Maybe some of our international Rockets contributors could enlighten us on who some of those potential international players could be? Not only those contributors of course, but anyone with any insight on what talent may be available overseas that the Rockets could pursue.

 

Sounds like to me as if Morey and the Rockets have more than a Josh Smith, etc. on their minds as far as potential future moves with the extra cap space currently available during the upcoming off season.

[Mason Khamvilay]

My mistake, I've seen so many interviews and listened to so many podcasts that it's hard to keep track. What I actually heard was:

 

"Most likely, it's not going to be through trade. Most likely, it's going to be through the use of our cap room where we have max room this summer."

- Daryl Morey with USA Today in regards to if they will be making a big trade to acquire another star.

 

http://www.usatoday....season/1918747/

[Steven]

Sergio Llull is a 25 year old PG who plays for Real Madrid in Spain. He is averaging 11.5 points/ 3.5 assists. The Rockets paid the most money in the history of the draft for a second rounder to get his rights.

Jon Diebler played 4 years at The Ohio State University. He is currently playing in Turkey where he is shooting over 40% from 3s.

Them are probably the international players Morey was talking about with front loaded contracts. They have to buyout their contracts if they not have an opt out clause.

[rockets best fan]

I wouldn't be so quick to take morey's words to heart. he is excellent at fading you out of position. remember when he said it was unlikely we would make a move at the deadline? one thing I have learned about morey is expect the unexpected.

[rockets best fan]

if we are making 2 small addition instead of 1 big one I would like mayo and splitter from the spurs. that beefs up PG and C.

[Mason Khamvilay]

Yeah, I think Morey is exploring every option and this international front loaded contracts route is not many peole here have discussed yet. Who knows, maybe he will use this year to sign international players to front loaded contracts and still have cap space for the next year's FA.  

 

As for taking Morey's word to the heart, I believe he honestly didn't expect anything to happen before the deadline (he has talked about it in several interviews including the one above and it's always the same story), Kings were interested in Patterson for a very long time and Morey always said no no we're not going to move him. But everyone has their price, and Thomas Robinson was an offer Morey simply couldn't refuse. 

[Stephen]

Re the international players.

Here's the dirty little secret NBA teams don't want their fans to know:

NBA teams can only contribute $500,000 to a foreign player's buyout-IF THEY'RE OVER THE CAP!

If they are under the cap,they can contribute as much as they want out of their Cap space. The buy-out contribution only counts towards the one season the buy-out occurs in.

 

For instance,suppose the Rockets draft a top young player in Europe w/a Second Rd pick. They could pay whatever they wanted up to an amount equal to their available Cap space towards a buy-out. Say some young Euro really has caught their eye and he's available early in 2nd Rd,but he has a $6mil buyout. If the Rockets don't believe they have a shot at Dwight,they can use $6mil of their cap space and give the Euro team the entire $6mil for the buy-out,while signing the player to one of their 4yr $900,000 deals. They lose $6mil in Cap room for 2013,but they get it all back in 2014,meanwhile adding a player that spent 2013 in RGV learning America,getting stronger and in 2014 is now a cheap rotation player.

[rockets best fan]

Stephen:

that's food for thought no doubt. good point.

[Stephen]

Rahat,

Either this summer or next the Rockets will have one shot at a max FA.

Morey has repeatedly said the Organization's goal is to contend for a title.

They aren't giving up their one shot at a top player to sign two good players. Signing a couple of good players improves the team,but a team maybe making it to the Second Rd isn't what the Rockets are aiming for.

 

Keep in mind that altho teams have to have at least 90% of the Salary Cap in team salaries in 2013,the Rockets are allowed to count Scola's salary towards that minimum even tho it doesn't count towards the Cap. If they don't find a max FA to their liking,they can ride out 2013 w/their existing roster-and a small contract for another player and count Scola's $6mil toward their minimum team salary requirement,preserving max Cap space for 2014.

If the team decides early on they aren't getting Dwight and they don't want to settle for being Atlanta West,they bring back everyone but Brooks and they're less than $3mil from the min salary requirements. They can choose to contribute to a Euro buy-out or sign a wing defender to a 1/1 deal like Delfino's. In 2014,they should have nearly $18mil in Cap space.

[rockets best fan]

I agree this is more likely to happen

[Mason Khamvilay]

Good info.

[thejohnnygold]

Atlanta West???  That is an insult to every Rockets player If Josh Smith has the power to transform an entire team he must be better than I thought....

 

Besides, I always liked Atlanta...I thought they would get over the hump before they lost Crawford and Childress....after that it was all downhill.

[Mario Peña]

Thanks for the good info Stephen. Does everyone here agree that Dwight and Paul stay in LA? If Smith gets overpaid does that mean Morey certainly waits till 2014 to make a play for another star player? Would Morey rent a second tier star like a Gasol or Bosh for next year or the end of the next season and the playoffs? Will Mayo get over paid?

[Rahat Huq]

Great info Stephen.  Wasn't aware of the Scola part.

[timetodienow1234567]

I want OJ Mayo to come and be our starting SG. We move Harden to SF and Parsons to PF. That would make us nigh unstoppable on offense and might actually help us defensively. Mayo is 5 times the defender Harden is. And unless you have KD/Melo/James the SF spot is normally not that good on offense. So I think that lineup would work great. If Lin is struggling, you can move Mayo to PG. It's a win/win especially since DMo's not ready at this point.

[thejohnnygold]

Mayo's got an ETO (early termination option) I believe....does anyone know the deadline for him opting out?  Would anyone here trade T-Rob straight up for Mayo?  Their contracts are similar and that would allow us to still make a sizable offer to another certain someone from Atlanta....

[Mason Khamvilay]

I want OJ Mayo to come and be our starting SG. We move Harden to SF and Parsons to PF. That would make us nigh unstoppable on offense and might actually help us defensively. Mayo is 5 times the defender Harden is. And unless you have KD/Melo/James the SF spot is normally not that good on offense. So I think that lineup would work great. If Lin is struggling, you can move Mayo to PG. It's a win/win especially since DMo's not ready at this point.

Harden would get tired much quicker playing SF full time, even if the guy he's defending can't score well just the process of fighting for position, fighting for rebounds, it's extremely exhausting to do all that against a guy much bigger and stronger than you. Just think, Lebron said he gets too tired playing PF full time and he's a physical freak of nature.