Jonathan Feigen: Rockets turn attention to centers in free agency

Just because everyone wants to play lazy defense with the switch everything doesn't mean the Rockets should do it. I like Bamba because he can hit the 3 and blk shots, plus he's 7'1. Right now,as been in the past years, they're too small. Bamba fits the bill either off the bench or as a temp starter for injury.

 

why not just get Mo bamba

 

Rockets will not spend big $$$ on FA center.

 

Why not Hartenstein? Has become one of the best backup Centers. Knows the franchise and city, seems to be a hard worker and is still young. Probably get him for something like 10mio/3 years..?

 

Some of these highlights show just how effective VW will be. His reach completely disrupts a player's ability to shoulder him to create space. And his quickness is really on display. A rare ability to time blocks and recover. The upside is Hakeem on D with longer arms. And what he can do on offense is equally startling.

The Rockets may be out of this sweepstakes with their improvements over the last two years unless the current Nets meltdown reaches epic proportions.

 

Any center we sign to the MLE will cut into our available cap room for 2023. This isn’t a good FA class and frankly we simply don’t need to spend on a backup center. I don’t want to pay a backup center $10 mil for the next 3 yrs. It simply makes no sense until we see what Sengun and Garuba can do. We need to sign a cheap, productive vet. All of this Mo Bamba talk is really misguided in my opinion.

 

I want Harty back, he played great last year and knows his role so he won't complain about being a backup center.

This team has too many mouths to feed, we need to start concerning ourselves with minutes distribution or more Kevin Martin Jr. type situations will happen where players want to be traded to another team.

 

if he is so good did he win the championship in europe this year?

 

especially since we have a great coach who will develop him into even a better player

 

That was a very nice compliment to John Lucas.

 

no, they won’t. Enough for a reasonable back up

 

Agree, don't see the need to add salary unless is someone we really want to see playing along our guys long term. Even if we really need one, the plan looks like tanking for a 3rd year in a row, stay pat and wait for the leftovers to sign someone for the min vet.

This looks like a team that really believes signing Theis and trading him mid season was a win. I still don't understand that move, even if Garuba was not ready, was not tanking the whole idea? What better way to tank?

 

Also this 3 point shot thing - seems like a gimmick - will never catch on.

 

I wonder what the going rate is for an average backup center?

2 years at 10 million per?

Will he accept less to be a starter elsewhere?

 

I'm not saying you're wrong that we should remain flexible so we can sign the best free agents possible, but who do you think we will sign in 2023? Only one worth pursuing is Jokic and I don't think signing a backup big stops that (although Denver might!)

 

The cost will be ~10M in cap space. Rockets likely have that to spare in 2023. Though I expect if the Rockets sign a backup center, it will be in hopes of trading the backup center for a FRP or better by himself or with others at the trade deadline. As bad as the Thies situation went, the Rockets still got out of it without keeping any salary past 2022 (i.e, the Theis signing and subsequent trade is a net zero impact). Provided they don't have worse luck, they should be able to get a positive asset from whoever they sign with the MLE (either in trade or keeping the player).

If Garuba can't get PT, it will be on him.

 

Garuda is not a center at 6’8” and 220 lbs, anymore than Tari Eason is.

 

About to be a Stone Cold Stunner FA signing.