RL: Steve, please see quote from Chris’s twitter page … http://twitter.com/chrisbosh” I don’t film my meetings. I am a professional. Having control of your own media is a distraction, but when other networks do it, it’s not? ”Maybe Ric got misleading info. RL  (reply with quote)  (reply w/out quote)

I saw that already. Doesn’t mean that either Miami or Chicago would still be happy about it.

Steve
…. He’s had cameras follow him everywhere because he’s filming a documentary on his experience with Free agency.

Steve, please see quote from Chris’s twitter page … http://twitter.com/chrisbosh

” I don’t film my meetings. I am a professional. Having control of your own media is a distraction, but when other networks do it, it’s not? ”

Maybe Ric got misleading info. RL

Unlikely but NY could still turn things around.
S&T Lee to GS for Monta Ellis.
Curry,cash and whatever pick they have in 2011 to NO for Okafor(or again GS for Biedrins).
Throw $6mil+ at Lowry.
Room for 1 max FA,looks like it’s Amare.
Still some $4mil under cap to find a back-up big.
Lowry,Douglas
Ellis,Walker
Gallinari,Chandler
Amare,min,Gallinari
Okafor/Biedrins,FA

1.lebron
2.wade
3.CP3
4.Granger
5.Stoudemire
6.Stand pat until next years deadline
7.Bosh

First off… Sorry to make another thread about Bosh but I thought this might be important. Ric was on SC this morning talking about Bosh. I’m going to paraphrase some of the conversation and post a direct quote from what he said.

Bosh has more or less made Miami and Chicago weary of him because it seems like he’s more about branding himself rather than basketball. He’s had cameras follow him everywhere because he’s filming a documentary on his experience with Free agency. Ric spoke about how he’s the only one that’s been real open about what’s going on. Today will tell more about where Bosh is going to go since he has his meeting with Chicago. Ric stated that the Bulls owner isn’t going to be thrilled with Bosh having cameras because he’s had players like MJ and Pippen that were strictly about BB business. Ric also spoke about how other teams are not really interested in giving him a SnT and this is what he wants. Miami and Chicago wants to offer him a little less than the Max.

Direct quote from Ric: Miami is having some questions about Bosh. It reopens everything and maybe the Houston Rockets are able to step in here. They are waiting there in case Miami and Chicago fall apart with Bosh. Then its Bosh goes to Houston. Carlos Boozer goes to Chicago. Amare goes to Miami. Chris Bosh is in the driver sit. The concern is he’s not acting like he is. The question remains is he a max contract guy.

Overall, what I take from this is Bosh needs to act like like he’s a max player. He’s rubbing Pat Riley wrong already based off on how Bosh is treating the whole situation. Houston has a big shot because they will offer him the max and work a SnT. I still think Bosh’s agent is going to be the overall problem here. He’s not interested in Bosh coming to Houston. He wants Bosh to partner with Wade or LBJ.

If LBJ stays in Cleveland, it works in favor for Houston.

1. Cleveland and Toronto would probably prefer sending James & Bosh to the West rather than to Eastern rivals like Chicago, Miami, New Jersey or New York.

2. The Rockets have more assets in terms of draft picks, young talent, expiring contracts and veteran players to woo potential trade partners than almost anyone else.

3. Texas has no state income tax and the standard of living in Houston is less expensive than New York, LA or Chicago.

4. When you factor in the Chinese, the Rockets have the largest fan base of any professional sports franchise in the Western Hemisphere. A Yao era championship will turn the entire Rockets squad into living demi-gods in China with all of the financial windfall that entails.

5. A sign & trade makes the player (and agent) more money than signing via free agency.

6. The Rockets were already a 52+ win team in each of the past three seasons in which Yao played. With the return of a healthy Yao and the addition of a top free agent (Bosh, James, etc.) the Rockets should be a legitimate 60+ win team.

7. The Rockets have more depth with which to surround a marquee talent than almost any team in the league in terms of quality role players and young talent on the rise.

8. Assuming they can swing a S&T without giving up Brooks, Martin or Scola and that they bring back an All-Pro forward, the Rockets could start five guys with All-Pro skills and still have a solid bench behind them.

9. The Rockets have a great owner who is willing to spend and do whatever it takes to win. They have a hall of fame coach who by all accounts players love and respect and they have quite possibly the sharpest GM in the business in Morey.

10. Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S., so even without the Chinese, its a premier media market, sitting right behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Seriously – I find it hard to believe that more “experts” don’t consider Houston a serious contender to land a top free agent. I’d put them at or near the top of the list all things considered even if I wasn’t a Rockets fan.

1. Cleveland and Toronto would probably prefer sending James & Bosh to the West rather than to Eastern rivals like Chicago, Miami, New Jersey or New York.

2. The Rockets have more assets in terms of draft picks, young talent, expiring contracts and veteran players to woo potential trade partners than almost anyone else.

3. Texas has no state income tax and the standard of living in Houston is less expensive than New York, LA or Chicago.

4. When you factor in the Chinese, the Rockets have the largest fan base of any professional sports franchise in the Western Hemisphere. A Yao era championship will turn the entire Rockets squad into living demi-gods in China with all of the financial windfall that entails.

5. A sign & trade makes the player (and agent) more money than signing via free agency.

6. The Rockets were already a 52+ win team in each of the past three seasons in which Yao played. With the return of a healthy Yao and the addition of a top free agent (Bosh, James, etc.) the Rockets should be a legitimate 60+ win team.

7. The Rockets have more depth with which to surround a marquee talent than almost any team in the league in terms of quality role players and young talent on the rise.

8. Assuming they can swing a S&T without giving up Brooks, Martin or Scola and that they bring back an All-Pro forward, the Rockets could start five guys with All-Pro skills and still have a solid bench behind them.

9. The Rockets have a great owner who is willing to spend and do whatever it takes to win. They have a hall of fame coach who by all accounts players love and respect and they have quite possibly the sharpest GM in the business in Morey.

10. Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S., so even without the Chinese, its a premier media market, sitting right behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Seriously – I find it hard to believe that more “experts” don’t consider Houston a serious contender to land a top free agent. I’d put them at or near the top of the list all things considered even if I wasn’t a Rockets fan.

I just saw your post on CF and posted a reply on there. This is what I said, “i didnt take time to read all of the replies, but why in the hell would his agent care where he plays? his agent should be all about the dollar signs. not wins/losses/players/teams. Houston = max $ and if his agent doesnt see the Chinese $, hes a f**kn moron. The more this all goes on, the less I want Bosh.”

First off… Sorry to make another thread about Bosh but I thought this might be important. Ric was on SC this morning talking about Bosh. I’m going to paraphrase some of the conversation and post a direct quote from what he said.

Bosh has more or less made Miami and Chicago weary of him because it seems like he’s more about branding himself rather than basketball. He’s had cameras follow him everywhere because he’s filming a documentary on his experience with Free agency. Ric spoke about how he’s the only one that’s been real open about what’s going on. Today will tell more about where Bosh is going to go since he has his meeting with Chicago. Ric stated that the Bulls owner isn’t going to be thrilled with Bosh having cameras because he’s had players like MJ and Pippen that were strictly about BB business. Ric also spoke about how other teams are not really interested in giving him a SnT and this is what he wants. Miami and Chicago wants to offer him a little less than the Max.

Direct quote from Ric: Miami is having some questions about Bosh. It reopens everything and maybe the Houston Rockets are able to step in here. They are waiting there in case Miami and Chicago fall apart with Bosh. Then its Bosh goes to Houston. Carlos Boozer goes to Chicago. Amare goes to Miami. Chris Bosh is in the driver sit. The concern is he’s not acting like he is. The question remains is he a max contract guy.

Overall, what I take from this is Bosh needs to act like like he’s a max player. He’s rubbing Pat Riley wrong already based off on how Bosh is treating the whole situation. Houston has a big shot because they will offer him the max and work a SnT. I still think Bosh’s agent is going to be the overall problem here. He’s not interested in Bosh coming to Houston. He wants Bosh to partner with Wade or LBJ.

If LBJ stays in Cleveland, it works in favor for Houston.

You said:

Carl Herrera,
The Morey Chronicle quote about the agents needing to go to the other teams first was odd though. If there really was a conspiracy, I don’t know why he would state that?

My answer is: It’s Morey’s modus operandi. When he wants to keep some info away from other teams (his statistics method, for example), his tendency is not to just be completely silent about it, but to give some info, but not to any meaningful extent. Anyone who thinks logically would know how the leverage works, he would only look more suspicious by being silent about it.

The last big S&T I remember was Rashard. Didn’t Magic have cab space?

Kevin,
Doesn’t make sense though if he stands to make more here – bigger chunk for the agent.

JK,
That’s true, but maybe they will?

RFWC,
That Joe Johnson contract is the worst in the NBA now.

Akon,
Agreed.

thetruthsports,
They’ll be gold.

DizzyDutch,
Bosh fits our offense much better with his skillset.

Jordan,
Knicks look screwed.

Mike B,
Not sure if it would work but too beautiful to not try if possible.

RL,
That’s true but I think he’ll be gone regardless just because his contract is so conducive to facilitating something.

Icesavage,
I don’t know that Toronto would have the leverage to demand Brooks.

We do have to give up something to get Bosh. Zach Harper of Hardwood Paroxysm is saying Aaron Brooks will be requested by Toronto, and I think dealing him is a mistake.

A starting lineup of Yao,Bosh, Battier, Martin and Brooks sounds nice to me.

I don’t really agree with the suggestion that Battier can be easily replaced with a utility wing out in the market. Besides stellar individual defenses and locker room presence, a lot of times, Battier keeps our team defense organized with his communication and rebounds; he erases mistakes with his transition defense & block shots. Maybe folks will disagree with me but I feel he also keeps our offense flowing a lot better (his passing, not holding the ball, space floor with three, be in the right spots). He is offensively challenged, but often hits 3’s when we need them the most.

He so rarely make mistakes and has such basket IQ, I don’t think he is someone we can easily replace. He may not be worth as much as 7 mil a year, but our team will not run as smoothly, if you put substitute him with other typical defensive wing such as Brewer.

I wonder how easily Tayshaun Prince could be had, should we deal both Ariza and Battier.

I always felt that those 2 had the best chance of going to New York, because they both wanted to get paid big money and I never thought Lebron/Wade/Bosh was going to make the mistake of playing with JV players on the Knicks team. (w/ the exception of D. Lee he is great)

With JJ and RG almost out of the picture who are the Knicks going to target now? I know this is all speculation and that is why I have refrained from commenting ( the tension is killing me) but Richard Jefferson has opted out? maybe Amare would go to the Knicks, he has always been more money driven than anything. What about, you know what I cant think of anyone else that the Knicks would try to go after. Who else? and why would that player go to New York?

Rahat, I agree with you that Daryl is at his most dangerous with a plethora of assets.

After the proposed Scola, Ariza, Battie trade would the Rockets have enough fire power to go after someone like Carmelo? Granger is like candy and Melo is like liquor, and you know what they say Candy is Dandy but Liquor is Quicker!

“The agents are focusing on the teams with room. That’s to leverage their original teams so they can go through sign-and-trade, where they maximize their money. The free agents will make $30 million more through sign-and-trade.”

The reason why you would think the NBA is a six team league right now (if you watch ESPN) is that the first step of FA is to progress through those teams. Once those teams pressure the Raps, Cavs, and so on into believing their players are willing to leave for less money, the S&T route is open.

This is a move based on fear. Something is wrong with talent evaluation and fundamental understanding of the game with hawks mgmt. But this is what happens when you don’t clear cap space, didn’t cumulate talent, or can’t convince your guy that you’re trying to build a championship team. Then you give your featured ball hog $20 million a year to hog the ball.

The only good thing about this is that bosh will wake up to his real worth and not just sign as FA.

December Fire Sale. Get paid now demand a trade later. But gotta get paid first!