2018 Rockets Offseason Thread - LeBron or bust

[Chapo 104]

Surprisingly, I'm already over the loss. Rockets shoot their shot and played their way but had no luck.  No shame in that especially losing to a team like GSW, unlike last year.  This offseason is going to be very dynamic, a lot of tough decisions.   I'm not sure if Fertitta has the deep pocket for the huge tax bill to run it back so I'm expecting big changes.  If Morey do his magic and we get LBJ, then forget about everything I wrote below.

• CP3 - this is the big one, we need him to reach our highest level but a huge injury risk.  I wouldn't give anything longer than a 2yr max contract, not sure if there other teams (76ers?) that would compete.  
• Capela -  Worth big money against most teams but he is not a difference maker against GSW (at the end of the day, that's the only team that matters).  I'm not completely against letting him walk if he gets a huge offer elsewhere (S&T would help us get some assets too).  Morey can to scour the bargain bin for out-of-favor rim running bigs like Nerlens Noel and Willie Cauley Stein and make it work in the Rockets system.
• Ariza - should be able to resign at the same money ~$8M/yr as his current contract.
• LMAM - I want him back
• Ryan Anderson - We are done with him.  Don't need him on this team anymore, can't have $20M sitting on the bench in your biggest series. If we can't get rid of the contract any other way, I would be wiling to swallow a longer bad contract just to have a player that can play with GSW (Tyler Johnson, Nic Batum).  
• Green - Rocket 4 life, vet min ain't bad for him.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Isnt cp3 expecting like a 5 year max deal? Maybe it was 4. He opted into this season to facilitate the trade, when he was in line for a max deal, so I assumed they had a wink wink deal.  

[Patrick Bateman 3966]

5 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Isnt cp3 expecting like a 5 year max deal? Maybe it was 4. He opted into this season to facilitate the trade, when he was in line for a max deal, so I assumed they had a wink wink deal.  

He could have signed an extension in December.  By waiting he gets more money getting 6 million more in the first year plus escalators.  29m vs 35m.  By waiting, he also makes it easier for the Rockets to possibly get a S&T done or maybe sign another rotational player, but Morey seems adamant about trying to keep him in Houston L-T.  That will most likely take a max extension which is 5 years unless he wants a PTO like Lebron.  But he's not Lebron so this may be the most money he can get because of his age.

Quote

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey have said Paul has meshed with James Harden and the Rockets' offense even more quickly than they had hoped.

"Chris was really born to play in an offense like this," Morey said.

But Paul has had two injuries in his first three months with the team. Morey, however, does not consider that a concern when he looks ahead to signing Paul, 32, to a long-term deal.

If he were to sign an extension, Paul would be eligible to earn as much as $132 million over four years. As a free agent, the Rockets could offer him as much as a five-year, $205 million deal, an especially significant investment in a player that will turn 33 this season.

Morey would not discuss the sort of contract he might offer Paul, but he left no doubt that Paul's early-season injuries had not changed his intention to work hard to keep him

 

[HtownHorn 15243]

Just stop with Lebron. He's not leaving the East. Best spend your energy on resigning the core of the team, and going after a guy like Tyreke Evans or finally convincing Sergio Llull to come over. This team is very close, just needs another play maker in case Paul gets hurt, which you have to move forward with thinking it's going to happen in the playoffs.

PG - Paul, Evans/Llull

SG - Harden, Gordon

SF - Ariza, Green

PF - Tucker, Mbah a Moute

C - Capela, Nene, Wright (if he's healthy, I know the Rockets training staff was working with him after he got hurt and waived).

[Ricky Butler 2790]

I don't like the Rockets, but man would it be fun if you guys sign Lebron. I'm pulling for you this offseason.

[Rockethorn1978 6203]

Yea Lebron isn't coming to Houston. I'm sure they will have a cup of coffee with harden and cp3 and morey but at the end of the day he will either stay in clev or bounce to a Philly team.

[El Diablo 4232]

IF you get Lebron then what do you do with Harden?

[Orca of Peace 109]

look at the hype Capela is getting . Cuban could screw with the rockets financials with an offer sheet

 

https://hoopshype.com/2018/05/28/clint-capela-houston-rockets-free-agency/

 

If team owner Mark Cuban wants to make one more run at the playoffs before Nowitzki calls it a career, landing a player like Capela, who is both already a double-double machine yet still possesses impressive upside, would be a perfect acquisition; the center wouldn’t dampen Dallas’ future-oriented timeline and his production would translate to immediate wins, too.

What’s more, the fact the Mavs would be negatively affecting an in-state conference rival certainly couldn’t hurt their motivation to make such a move. Either they land Capela and make the Rockets scamper to find an adequate replacement, or they force Houston to match a huge offer sheet, thus harming the Rockets’ future cap flexibility, something general manager Daryl Morey values almost above all else.

[Orca of Peace 109]

1 minute ago, El Diablo said:

IF you get Lebron then what do you do with Harden?

do the unthinkable , otherwise how do the numbers allow for Lebron?

[Ricky Butler 2790]

7 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Yea Lebron isn't coming to Houston. I'm sure they will have a cup of coffee with harden and cp3 and morey but at the end of the day he will either stay in clev or bounce to a Philly team.

But what if he would go to Houston for 2 years. It'd be sweet.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

11 minutes ago, Orca of Peace said:

look at the hype Capela is getting . Cuban could screw with the rockets financials with an offer sheet

 

https://hoopshype.com/2018/05/28/clint-capela-houston-rockets-free-agency/

Would he be the same player without two of the best passers in the league feeding him? He's a nice player, but  over valued in my opinion.  

[Chapo 104]

4 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Would he be the same player without two of the best passers in the league feeding him? He's a nice player, but  over valued in my opinion.  

Mavs would be better off with Demarcus than Capela. Cuban would love to ruin Rockets' plan but he should remember what happen the last time he did that.

[BigOrange1 6607]

i think the odds are they don't get lebron, but that has to at least be plan A.

i'm hoping cp3 will agree to a 2 +1 type of deal, but his contract is going to be tied to whether or not they get lebron.  obviously, i think he'd take less if it helped land lebron.

i think the good thing about the lebron saga is that their best chance to land him involves him opting in to the final year of his contract and then being traded to the rockets like cp3 did last year.  and that would have to happen before july 1st so they should know whether or not they are getting him by the free agency begins.

if they don't get lebron, my strategy would be to do whatever i had to do in order to trade ryan anderson for someone who can actually play against the warriors (and i know it will cost a lot in terms of draft picks, but that's just the price you have to pay) and then bring back the rest of the squad.  i like the idea of anderson (plus picks) for nic batum or something along those lines.  at this point, just getting someone you can actually play against the elite teams in the league for anderson would feel like a home run.  

should also be able to get a ring chasing vet for the MLE as well.  and then, of course, there is always buyout season after next year's trade deadline. 

the good news is that there are things that can be done to improve the roster and i fully expect morey to do something that does just that.

[Mack Tripper 703]

I've been told by an extremely high level person in the organization that Lebron is most certainly Plan A, and they feel very good about their chances, especially if GSW goes on to decidedly beat the Cavs again. Whether Lebron happens or not, they have some options for getting rid of Ryan Anderson's contract that will require multiple draft picks and a player.  Llull turns 31 in November but is playing well after an ACL injury. His team just won the EuroLeague again and are on their way to win the Spanish League again. Their thinking is that if there's ever a time for him to come over this would be the year. 

This isn't earth shattering apart from who it was saying this and the context of the conversation. 

[Ricky Butler 2790]

14 hours ago, BigOrange1 said:

i'm hoping cp3 will agree to a 2 +1 type of deal, but his contract is going to be tied to whether or not they get lebron.  obviously, i think he'd take less if it helped land lebron.

I don't know the ins and outs of CBA, but a lot of podcast mention two things that pique my curiosity: 

1) What "under the table" agreement was reaches last year with CP3 to get him to only take a one year extension and leave money on the table.

2) CP3 is/was head of the players association and fought hard to get a higher max contract for veterans like he and Lebron. (I may be misunderstanding this) The question would be how those two things influence his desire to leave money on the table when he played such an integral role in making those types of contracts possible.

This summer is going to fascinating. Another thing will be if Lebron hasn't actually made up his mind yet. If he makes teams wait, it might scare a couple off.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

45 minutes ago, Ricky Butler said:

2) CP3 is/was head of the players association and fought hard to get a higher max contract for veterans like he and Lebron. (I may be misunderstanding this) The question would be how those two things influence his desire to leave money on the table when he played such an integral role in making those types of contracts possible.

If I remember it has to do with raising rhe age for which a player can be under a max contract.  I think it was raised from 36 to 38.  It allows guys in their early 30s to sign full length 5 year deals.  Heres an article.  http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-cba-changed-over-36-rule-lebron-james-200-million-contract-2016-12

It looks like cp3 missed out on using his own rule.  If I read it right he can sign for 5 years not 6 this summer.  

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Oh, we must remember he negotiated this while the clippers were pretty good, and I'm sure he thought he, blake and deandre jordan were going to stick together for the next 8 years and win 8 rings in LA.  

[Dutchrudder 11228]

Quote

 

LeBron James Rumors: Cavaliers Star Being Recruited to Rockets by Chris Paul

Chris Paul is reportedly already recruiting LeBron James to the Houston Rockets following the team's Game 7 loss against the Golden State Warriors, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. 

Per that report: "Rest assured that the Rockets' understandably devastated Chris Paul—who made a fast exit from Toyota Center late Monday night after being forced to watch the biggest game of his life from the bench because of his hamstring injury—has already begun his recruitment of James to Houston."

Rumors have linked James—who can opt out of the final year of his contract this offseason and hit free agency—to a number of teams throughout the season, most notably the Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers.

For the Rockets to land James, however, they'll need to get creative. 

The team will already have $75.8 million in salary cap space tied up to five players next season, per Spotrac.com: James Harden ($30.4 million), Ryan Anderson ($20.4 million), Eric Gordon ($13.5 million), P.J. Tucker ($7.9 million) and Nene Hilario ($3.6 million). 

If they want to retain restricted free agent Clint Capela, who will likely get offers in the $20-25 million per year range, along with unrestricted free agents like Paul and Trevor Ariza, there is simply no way they'll be able to afford James outright in free agency.

So, general manager Daryl Morey will have to work some magic if he's going to bring James to Houston. He may need to find trades for players like Anderson or Gordon, or he may need to convince both James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to do a sign-and-trade deal for the superstar. 

James has a player option for $35.6 million next year, so if James tells the Cavaliers he won't re-sign, getting a package involving Anderson, Gordon and draft picks could convince Cleveland to do a sign-and-trade. It's possible, however, that Cleveland tries to call that bluff and refuses to do the deal, hoping that James will choose to return to the Cavaliers over signing elsewhere like Philly or Los Angeles if Houston is out of the mix.

But if the Cavaliers take the deal, it would allow the Rockets to then re-sign Capela and Paul and essentially fill out the rest of the roster with cheap role players. And a starting five of Paul, Harden, James, Tucker and Capela would be scary, even if the team would have pretty questionable depth behind them (and quite the luxury tax bill to pay). 

The Warriors figured out their depth behind Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Rockets could do the same.

So basically, James to the Rockets is certainly possible, but Morey will need at least one team to play ball with him. More than likely, that team would have to be the Cavaliers. But if James wants to go the Rockets, the team will likely find a way to make it work. Certainly, it will be the summer's most fascinating storyline to follow.

 

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2778639-lebron-james-rumors-cavaliers-star-being-recruited-to-rockets-by-chris-paul?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

[Orca of Peace 109]

do it Morey! I'll have your baby. 

[immortal13 4059]

Will this be viewed any differently than Durant signing on with the Warriors?

[HtownHorn 15243]

Just now, immortal13 said:

Will this be viewed any differently than Durant signing on with the Warriors?

No. Lebron didn't blow a 3-1 lead to the Rockets were he played horribly in the final few games.

[Machinator 32102]

So... it will be viewed the same?

[Ricky Butler 2790]

30 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

No. Lebron didn't blow a 3-1 lead to the Rockets were he played horribly in the final few games.

I AM SHOCKED THAT ROCKETS FANS WILL VIEW THIS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. SHOCKED.

 

 

SHOCKED

[clapclapclap 9000]

48 minutes ago, Orca of Peace said:

do it Morey! I'll have your baby. 

Whale's vagina?  Are you Katy?

[Patrick Bateman 3966]

2 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2778639-lebron-james-rumors-cavaliers-star-being-recruited-to-rockets-by-chris-paul?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

Would Cleveland even want Anderson and Gordon with 2 years left on their contract.  If I remember it was a free agency signing when he left for Miami.

[Orca of Peace 109]

super teams are the new normal

[Ricky Butler 2790]

9 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Would Cleveland even want Anderson and Gordon with 2 years left on their contract.  If I remember it was a free agency signing when he left for Miami.

Methinks if BronBron leaves, then Cavs will want to dump salary, not take on more shitty contracts. (not Gordon... he good)

[Patrick Bateman 3966]

2 minutes ago, Ricky Butler said:

Methinks if BronBron leaves, then Cavs will want to dump salary, not take on more shitty contracts. (not Gordon... he good)

I mean that's what a smart team would do, but Cleveland isn't smart..... and with Lebron their picks will be bottom 5 picks, so not very valuable and Houston doesn't really have any good young players anymore unless they sent Capela.  No idea what they'll do but if I'm the Cavs, I wish Lebron well and start the long rebuild by selling off those shitty ass vets they have.  

Also, a sign and trade now institutes a hard cap now.  I think it's 129 million but could be wrong.  

[Ricky Butler 2790]

7 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I mean that's what a smart team would do, but Cleveland isn't smart..... and with Lebron their picks will be bottom 5 picks, so not very valuable and Houston doesn't really have any good young players anymore unless they sent Capela.  No idea what they'll do but if I'm the Cavs, I wish Lebron well and start the long rebuild by selling off those shitty ass vets they have.  

Also, a sign and trade now institutes a hard cap now.  I think it's 129 million but could be wrong.  

Yeah, I bet they are wishing they played the whole Kyrie situation a little differently.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

If true, cp3 is a asshole for bringing that up to a guy who's about to play a finals series. 

LeBron should be trying to recruit cp3 to Cleveland.

[Dutchrudder 11228]

If true, cp3 is a asshole for bringing that up to a guy who's about to play a finals series. 
LeBron should be trying to recruit cp3 to Cleveland.

He probably knows LeBrons feelings on the Cleveland situation right now, and is trying to make sure they get a chance to pitch him.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Right but in the small chance Cleveland wins, there is no way LeBron can leave.  Cp pitching him now is basically cp telling his friend he is going to lose the series.

[Thatguy 9293]

7 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Right but in the small chance Cleveland wins, there is no way LeBron can leave.  Cp pitching him now is basically cp telling his friend he is going to lose the series.

    CP is Bron's kids Godfather. He isn't just some passing friend. His pitching to Lebron is a public thing for the rest of us schmucks. Those two have been talking about the probability for a long time. The only scenario where Bron couldn't come to Houston is if the finals had Houston in them. The fact that Houston lost opens the door for him to be the savior. To be honest, the league is in a great spot for it too. You have a few solid squads in the East to take Cleveland's spot as the rep, and it would give Houston a real chance to beat GSW.

[Orca of Peace 109]

they'd be better off just going to Lakers together, who still have enough money to pull in a 3rd All Star

[angryhomer 98]

On 5/29/2018 at 1:34 PM, Ricky Butler said:

I don't like the Rockets, but man would it be fun if you guys sign Lebron. I'm pulling for you this offseason.

We hate you too.

[Sidney Sherman 66]

The league wouldn't let Lebron leave the East. Especially to join the Rockets.

[Sidney Sherman 66]

On 5/29/2018 at 12:42 PM, HtownHorn said:

Just stop with Lebron. He's not leaving the East. Best spend your energy on resigning the core of the team, and going after a guy like Tyreke Evans or finally convincing Sergio Llull to come over. This team is very close, just needs another play maker in case Paul gets hurt, which you have to move forward with thinking it's going to happen in the playoffs.

 PG - Paul, Evans/Llull

SG - Harden, Gordon

SF - Ariza, Green

PF - Tucker, Mbah a Moute

C - Capela, Nene, Wright (if he's healthy, I know the Rockets training staff was working with him after he got hurt and waived).

Great post. They need more defenders that can switch to all players, especially another PG. Same formula, it obviously works very well.

Tyreke Evans would be perfect, im not feeling Sergio as much... Maybe Michael Carter-Williams, Dante Exum, Delon Wright, Cory Joseph, Malcolm Brogdon, Emmanuel Mudiay, Shelvin Mack... A PG with some height and defensive ability would be great to backup CP3. Bobby Brown was his backup this year...

[Robin Masters 122]

Boston just took Lebron to 7 without Kyrie and Hayward.

Philadelphia could be salty, but this Colangelo shit is probably going to keep Lebron away from them and maybe mess up their offseason. I'm also not convinced that with Lebron  they would beat GSW next year. Maybe the year after.

Does Toronto have any space to do anything this offseason and actually be the threat they were hyped to be?

Basically the east is not going to be the typical cakewalk, so there's no reason not to consider the west.

That leaves Houston or go to the Lakers with Paul George.

I don't think Paul George, Lebron and the Lakers are going to knock off GSW, probably not even Houston. So if Lebron wants to win right now, Houston it is.

I would REALLY want to resign Capella. He completely disrupted GSW. They could not box him out. For every rebound he got I bet he tipped a ball back to a teammate for another, or went over the top of GSW and forced it to be ball out on them. He's getting better and better offensively. Maybe Olajuwon is waiting to make sure he's going to be around a few years before teaching him the dream shake.

33 year old point guard coming off multiple hamstring injuries. Who wouldn't want to give a max contract for that.

 

[HtownHorn 15243]

Lebron on Houston with Paul and Harden would make them the prohibitive favorites to win it all.

[Orca of Peace 109]

man that Rino contract is the 250lb weight on the neck. Why did they give that much for so long??

[Mack Tripper 703]

Morey was trying to get Anderson for several years, as we viewed him as an ideal stretch four, and overpaid. It happens. 

[Ricky Butler 2790]

 

1 hour ago, HtownHorn said:

Lebron on Houston with Paul and Harden would make them the prohibitive favorites to win it all.

No doubt, and they could just spend the regular season trying to find good rotations and rest for the playoffs.

[BigOrange1 6607]

6 hours ago, Mack Tripper said:

Morey was trying to get Anderson for several years, as we viewed him as an ideal stretch four, and overpaid. It happens. 

also, it was the drunken nba summer of 2016 where that was far from the worst contract handed out (mozgov, noah, deng, etc).

[Dutchrudder 11228]

He also got EG on a very reasonable deal in that crazy offseason, so there's that. Morey has an excellent batting average overall compared to other teams. The only teams I would say that have been managed better in the past few years would be Golden State (thanks to players taking discounts), and Boston (thanks in part to the Nets).  Morey built a championship contender of scraps without ever having a top 10 draft pick. That's pretty remarkable. 

[Orca of Peace 109]

the 2019 FA class doesn't look too promising, so lots of average players will get bloated contracts. Time it right and you hit the jackpot. 

[BigOrange1 6607]

yeah, teams will have no interest whatsoever in guys like kyrie irving, kawhi leonard, klay thompson, kemba walker, kevin love, etc.

[Orca of Peace 109]

Klay is staying, KL will be traded and stay for years with the new team, Kyrie isn't going anywhere. 

[immortal13 4059]

It's a foul. 

No shit Mark

[CurlyDumps 4618]

Lebron’s gonna wanna beat the shit out of these front running fuckbois after this series is over in 4 or 5.  And Houston is the one place where he can do it.

[Dutchrudder 11228]

Yup. Time to beat Kevin Durant and the Warriors at their own game by stacking the deck in his favor. It ain't happening anywhere but Houston or Boston.