I was going over the free agent list to see who might be had at the 4.2m starting salary that we could use our TE on. (I hope this is not a dupe but there has been so many threads in the last few days) Link Joel Przybilla - C - POR would probably sign him if that's all it took - I think he might get a full MLE somewhere Olowokandi - C - 6 fouls Cato - C/PF - His last 2 years in Houston were productive, does he have anything left? Scot Pollard - C/PF - Keith Van Horn - PF/SF - Well, he can spread the floor - probably could get more open looks here then he has ever had - maybe duplicates Novak though who is much cheaper. Devean George - SF - could he be had at that price? Matt Harpring - SF/SG - could he be had for this amount? Flip Murray - SG - maybe if the contract was 5 yrs - perhaps he would consider? Sam Cassell - PG - surely it would take more than that, right? Bobby Jackson - PG - hmmm, maybe there is a secret promise to SnT Jackson to us for the Gay fleecing? I didn't post who I thought was a sure bet to sign with their old team or who would absolutely be able to get more than the 4.2m we have to offer. Any of the above intriguing? Can anybody make a case for those I did not include?
Lorenzen Wright or Nene could possibly be had--either would make me happy as a rotational player at the four, especially if what we give up is minimal either in conjunction with the TE.
Keith Van Horn? HELL NO, this guy is DONE, can't hit a shot, actually will airball one a game intead of bricking. Does NOTHING good, at all, has no skills.
of all the choices you mentioned I like Murray, Harpring, Jackson, and Cato. Murray or Harpring would be very good rotational players and same with Jackson. I think we could get Cato with our small TE, he's not worth that much anymore. Could we get Tim Thomas with our big TE? That would give us that PF to spread the court. I'm pretty sure phoenix is looking for some moneyyyyy.
He was a key part in Houston being up 2-0 against Dallas last playoffs, then he got injured from there...and as we know, the rest is history.
Someone will overpay for Nene. That or he'll sign a qualifying offer. Either way he ain't coming here for no 4.2 million. Or the MLE for that matter.
I'm assuming DeShawn Stevenson is still one of those possibilities. I really don't like much of what is out there. I was hoping the Rockets could acquire someone out there that isn't a free agent or currently being viewed as on the block, but with virtually no trading assets, we'd have to absorb bad contracts for that to happen.
In a funny way it depends on what big Ben Does? If he signs with Detroit then Bonzi is not going to Detroit and therefore we can make a bee line- which we will anyway. If we dont get Bonzi- I think we should traget Mike James or Matt Harpring. Mike James - despite what he says publicly would need to get whatever he can squeeze out of this contract- so keeping expectation reasonable it would be Matt Harpring with the MLE. If the Moochie TE ( I thought it was worth about 3.6 Mil)- then we should use that for Bobby Jackson- he is not going back to memphis- so I am not sure if he will come here- Bobby would be an adequate Back Up PG with shooting capability. Infact if we get a medical exception for Sura ( and he retires)- then I would give that money to Speedy Claxton and give him a shot at the starting Job. Rafer is adequate for Now- but we need some of Speedy Claxton's calibre ! If that trade with Juwan for Miles is still doable- I will see if I can get a PG is return from the Blazers- I will still do that trade even straight up- Our PG and SG spots can be fixed- but the biggest concern is the PF spot- hayes is at best a back up ( a good one)- maybe the options we have there are limited unless someone like Darius Songaila is what we are going to have. There are others at PF- if we somehow can beat the offers on the table- eg Wilcox, Melvin Ely etc etc anything other than J ho is a much needed break. There are others like Rasaul Butler and Jumain Jones etc who could be good bench players- especially Jumain, who knows we may find another Chuck Hayes? The question is will we be looking to do that are just do PR! I for some reason think that Rockets are being packaged for a sale.
Speaking of on the block, I wonder if the Hornets lose Speedy Claxton, if they would go for JR Smith for Luther straight up. Smith is in their dog house, and maybe they'll buy Luther as a backup PG. I'm not even that high on Smith since he floats on the perimeter so much, but the only thing that could possibly salvage the draft debacle of 2006 is if we steal a similarily talented player from another team and have him blossom into a star. It's a microscopic chance for sure, but it's all the faith in the Rockets front office I have right now.
theres nothing out there to be had. nothing of VALUE anyway, at least not as far as big men go. nene is outta our price range, all we have to deal is our future 1st rd pix and weve seen where that has gotten us. this season is DOOOOOOOOOOOMED!! all this talk of running battier at the 4!! yeah GREAT plan!
The best place to use the TE is hopefully CD worked out a deal with Jerry West to use it on Bobby Jackson in a flat S&T if BJAX wants to come here. That is contingent on Mike James not accepting our MLE. I'm wondering though if the smarter move isn't to bring in BJAX and then get Harpring for the MLE.
Bobby Jackson is on his last legs. He's constantly injured and his production has steadily dropped the past three seasons. I think the same line of thinking behind dumping Derek Anderson essentially for free applies to not signing Bobby Jackson at all: you simply cannot depend on them to stay healthy anymore.
Forget the dead wood surely we have had enough of it during the last two seasons. We need players that can bring life to our team, such as Mike James. with James you know what you are getting and know he is a decent producer, night in and night out!
I'd like to see Rockets use TE to acquire Jumaine Jones of a sign and trade from Bobcats. He is 6'8 and only 27 years old. Able to play both forward position. Can shoot the 3pt and play tenaciously on defense.
Something else I didn't think of, but we should also be able to trade for players under contract as long as this next year's salary is at 4.2m or lower. (I'm pretty sure) Nevermind - it is not a good list. link
I have to say watching league pass last year Stevenson is severely underrated on this board for whatever reason. The general opinion of him amongst fans here is off base. he could definitely bring something to the Rockets.
