Chris Paul Opts In; Then Traded To Houston

[HotTubMike]

Ok that's an absolute pipe dream there...

LeBron(a player whose team plays best when the ball is in his hands), is gonna go to a team with two point guards(whose teams play best when the ball is in their hands)?

Why wouldn't he go to San Antonio where 1. The ball can be in his hands with Kawhi as his 2nd option, 2. He doesn't have to guard the opponent's primary perimeter scorer because Kawhi does that, 3. He has Pop as his coach, 4. The Spurs have a much better cap situation (as it stands right now) at that time? Because he wants to play with a CP3 who will be 34 by the time those playoffs roll around?

Why do you have a GSW thing I thought you were a spurs fan?

1. what makes you think Lebron wants the ball in his hand? He isn't a PG... he likes playing with All-star guards (D-wade/kryie) this would be no different.
2. Ariza is a pretty good primary wing defender too
3. D'Antoni is a good coach too...
4. The Spurs cap situation isn't that great... they have LMA and Leonard on Max contracts... idk how you figure it is "much better" that is nonsense...explain that.
5. Yes, it is well known Lebron wants to play with CP3... if Houston this year has Harden, CP3 and maybe Melo/Millsap or PG13... Lebron could definitely want to come join that team.

1. For starters, his 6.1 minutes per game with the ball in his hands. He is the only non-point guard who has over 5.0 minutes a game.
2. This is true. Can you keep Ariza if you have 4 supermax players? Or is LeBron, who is widely known to be unwilling to take ANY discount, going to take a discount here to play with a 34 year old Paul (he'll be 34 in that year's playoffs)?
3. How has he done in the playoffs? Regular season - great coach no doubt. Gets exposed in playoffs.
4. In this imaginary world where "max names might sign with the Rockets", the Spurs "might also get rid of Aldridge". Or, he might just decline his player option after next year since he supposedly wants out, and put his house for sale already in SA. In that case, the Spurs (as it stands) have Kawhi Leonard at 21 million, and Danny Green player option of 10 million. That's it.
5. Again, I'm confused. In 2018/2019, Paul is getting a 5 yr / 205m contract. LeBron will get that (if not more), right? Since he's not taking discounts. That would mean in this theoretical scenario where you already picked up a 3rd star before LeBron, you're going to somehow have this lineup prior to adding a 40m a year LeBron?

CP3: 41m
Harden: 30.5m
Player X (Paul George? Melo?): 30m
Ryan Anderson: 20.5m

122 million, among 4 players.

"For 2018-19, the NBA estimates a cap of $103 million with the tax line at $125 million."

Explain please?

So you a spurs "fan" or gsw "fan"? lol

1. Like I said, he has already played on teams with ball all-star guards... it explains itself... your stat of 6.1 minutes per game is useless.
2. You have no idea how the cap will shape out so enough with the "4 supermax" players - pretty sure Harden doesn't even have a supermax..
3. He wouldn't be the only player teams game planned for in the play-offs it would be totally different.
4. Do you understand how bird rights work? We already have Harden... then we sign free agents (lebron) then we sign ... CP3 using his bird rights to go over the cap... duh.

Your analysis of the cap is all wrong.

1. Pretty obvious you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to moving Anderson... the Rockets can do it if they have to. He is an accomplished player who lots of team chased last summer. You wildly underrate him.
2. You sign Lebron... and then CP3 using his bird rights ... you don't understand cap basics? You can go over the cap to resign your own players...

[HotTubMike]

"Almost beat them" - got clobbered at home by a team missing a top 3 MVP candidate.

Uwotm8?

Cp3 will fit right in with the choking culture

The rockets would have beat the Spurs in 6 if they hadn't got demoralized in game 5. CP3 there means that the rockets blow out the Spurs and don't even need OT in game 5

What a weak excuse.

Oh look all the glory hunter/band wagon front runners are out to dump on the Rockets... Oh you're both a Spurs fan and a Manchester United Fan? Shocker?

Fico is a Spurs and a Warriors fan? adorable.

[kvash37]

CP3 is the type of player that has great stats but pounds the ball too much and will never win a ring. Houston messed up. Should have just gave Harden better 3 and D players.

[HotTubMike]

CP3 is the type of player that has great stats but pounds the ball too much and will never win a ring. Houston messed up. Should have just gave Harden better 3 and D players.

Yes, that would have done it. We totally would have been contenders by just adding better 3&D players...

Harden is in his prime and Houston is making aggressive moves to try and compete.... there is no downside.

[Hindenburg]

I love the way Clippers handled this trade. Knew CP3 would leave anyways. Sat down with him, talked him into opting in and got good assets back.

A+

[kvash37]

CP3 is the type of player that has great stats but pounds the ball too much and will never win a ring. Houston messed up. Should have just gave Harden better 3 and D players.

Yes, that would have done it. We totally would have been contenders by just adding better 3&D players...

Harden is in his prime and Houston is making aggressive moves to try and compete.... there is no downside.

Who is going to play off the ball? Neither player has shown any success in that area. It's a hilariously bad fit.

[Fico92]

Why do you have a GSW thing I thought you were a spurs fan?

1. what makes you think Lebron wants the ball in his hand? He isn't a PG... he likes playing with All-star guards (D-wade/kryie) this would be no different.
2. Ariza is a pretty good primary wing defender too
3. D'Antoni is a good coach too...
4. The Spurs cap situation isn't that great... they have LMA and Leonard on Max contracts... idk how you figure it is "much better" that is nonsense...explain that.
5. Yes, it is well known Lebron wants to play with CP3... if Houston this year has Harden, CP3 and maybe Melo/Millsap or PG13... Lebron could definitely want to come join that team.

1. For starters, his 6.1 minutes per game with the ball in his hands. He is the only non-point guard who has over 5.0 minutes a game.
2. This is true. Can you keep Ariza if you have 4 supermax players? Or is LeBron, who is widely known to be unwilling to take ANY discount, going to take a discount here to play with a 34 year old Paul (he'll be 34 in that year's playoffs)?
3. How has he done in the playoffs? Regular season - great coach no doubt. Gets exposed in playoffs.
4. In this imaginary world where "max names might sign with the Rockets", the Spurs "might also get rid of Aldridge". Or, he might just decline his player option after next year since he supposedly wants out, and put his house for sale already in SA. In that case, the Spurs (as it stands) have Kawhi Leonard at 21 million, and Danny Green player option of 10 million. That's it.
5. Again, I'm confused. In 2018/2019, Paul is getting a 5 yr / 205m contract. LeBron will get that (if not more), right? Since he's not taking discounts. That would mean in this theoretical scenario where you already picked up a 3rd star before LeBron, you're going to somehow have this lineup prior to adding a 40m a year LeBron?

CP3: 41m
Harden: 30.5m
Player X (Paul George? Melo?): 30m
Ryan Anderson: 20.5m

122 million, among 4 players.

"For 2018-19, the NBA estimates a cap of $103 million with the tax line at $125 million."

Explain please?

So you a spurs "fan" or gsw "fan"? lol

1. Like I said, he has already played on teams with ball all-star guards... it explains itself... your stat of 6.1 minutes per game is useless.
2. You have no idea how the cap will shape out so enough with the "4 supermax" players - pretty sure Harden doesn't even have a supermax..
3. He wouldn't be the only player teams game planned for in the play-offs it would be totally different.
4. Do you understand how bird rights work? We already have Harden... then we sign free agents (lebron) then we sign ... CP3 using his bird rights to go over the cap... duh.

Your analysis of the cap is all wrong.

1. Pretty obvious you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to moving Anderson... the Rockets can do it if they have to. He is an accomplished player who lots of team chased last summer. You wildly underrate him.
2. You sign Lebron... and then CP3 using his bird rights ... you don't understand cap basics? You can go over the cap to resign your own players...

1. So you're going to put him on a team with two of the most ball dominant guards? He has played with Kyrie Irving, who averaged about 2 mins less per game with the ball in his hands than either of those two. This isn't the same concept as having a buncha stars like the Warriors who can maximize impact without hogging the ball.
2. LMAO so lets ignore the NBA's own projections because they aren't fact yet, but lets go with hypotheticals of you signing another max player. Aight m8.
3. Point #3 was about D'Antoni - I agree, they won't gameplan against D'Antoni. If you're referring to LeBron, he wasn't the only one game-planned for with DWade, and with Kyrie. So..........nothing new breh.
4. So you're telling me that the Rockets are going to surpass the Cavs current cap by about 50 million? Again, 31.5m, 41m, 41m+(Bron), 30m+ (depending on who other "star" is). + Ryno (21.5m). How? Ah, they're going to trade Ryno for cap space because he's so wanted everywhere, right.

I'd love to see Leslie Alexander dish out 180m a year in salary + the luxury tax + repeater tax (assuming they'd keep the core together right?).

Keep in mind, the Cavs insane payroll this year was 129m.

Not gonna happen brah.

[Fico92]

CP3 is the type of player that has great stats but pounds the ball too much and will never win a ring. Houston messed up. Should have just gave Harden better 3 and D players.

Yes, that would have done it. We totally would have been contenders by just adding better 3&D players...

Harden is in his prime and Houston is making aggressive moves to try and compete.... there is no downside.

Who is going to play off the ball? Neither player has shown any success in that area. It's a hilariously bad fit.

Ssh...let them see for themselves

Brb 2 of the highest usage PGs in the L are magically going to transform to great off-the-ball players, with one of them being past his physical prime uwotm8?

[Screwston]

Lol @ people who think this would be a bad fit

[clippertown]

Doc basically refused to trade Jamal+his SON for Melo last year. Which pissed CP3 off.

I don't buy that Doc is the reason CP3 left. He could have told Ballmer to fire Doc and Ballmer would have done it. CP3 was the one who demanded Doc in the first place, and I remember a report from earlier this season that he was still more loyal to Doc than to any of his teammates.

This. I always believed Doc was the only person with the Clippers that CP actually liked.

I think CP3 liked Doc but found his reputation to be greater than his capabilities.

The reason CP3 left was not Doc nor Doc Jr - it was because of Griffin. Ultimately, CP3 is a playmaker and reluctant shooter and I am sure he was frustrated that BG was unable to carry the bulk of the scoring load. Now CP3 can partner with a real MVP candidate - something Griffin could have been but ultimately wasn't. CP3 needs a guy like Harden to reach his potential.

Also, the Austin Rivers rumors are coming from sources like Big Baby Davis - who hates Rivers and has a big, but exceptionally stupid mouth. News generated from social media is often inaccurate and sometimes downright slanderous.

[Wonderllama]

CP3 goes where he wanted to (no state tax) and still eligible for the five year supermax. Must be nice.

[HotTubMike]

1. For starters, his 6.1 minutes per game with the ball in his hands. He is the only non-point guard who has over 5.0 minutes a game.
2. This is true. Can you keep Ariza if you have 4 supermax players? Or is LeBron, who is widely known to be unwilling to take ANY discount, going to take a discount here to play with a 34 year old Paul (he'll be 34 in that year's playoffs)?
3. How has he done in the playoffs? Regular season - great coach no doubt. Gets exposed in playoffs.
4. In this imaginary world where "max names might sign with the Rockets", the Spurs "might also get rid of Aldridge". Or, he might just decline his player option after next year since he supposedly wants out, and put his house for sale already in SA. In that case, the Spurs (as it stands) have Kawhi Leonard at 21 million, and Danny Green player option of 10 million. That's it.
5. Again, I'm confused. In 2018/2019, Paul is getting a 5 yr / 205m contract. LeBron will get that (if not more), right? Since he's not taking discounts. That would mean in this theoretical scenario where you already picked up a 3rd star before LeBron, you're going to somehow have this lineup prior to adding a 40m a year LeBron?

CP3: 41m
Harden: 30.5m
Player X (Paul George? Melo?): 30m
Ryan Anderson: 20.5m

122 million, among 4 players.

"For 2018-19, the NBA estimates a cap of $103 million with the tax line at $125 million."

Explain please?

So you a spurs "fan" or gsw "fan"? lol

1. Like I said, he has already played on teams with ball all-star guards... it explains itself... your stat of 6.1 minutes per game is useless.
2. You have no idea how the cap will shape out so enough with the "4 supermax" players - pretty sure Harden doesn't even have a supermax..
3. He wouldn't be the only player teams game planned for in the play-offs it would be totally different.
4. Do you understand how bird rights work? We already have Harden... then we sign free agents (lebron) then we sign ... CP3 using his bird rights to go over the cap... duh.

Your analysis of the cap is all wrong.

1. Pretty obvious you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to moving Anderson... the Rockets can do it if they have to. He is an accomplished player who lots of team chased last summer. You wildly underrate him.
2. You sign Lebron... and then CP3 using his bird rights ... you don't understand cap basics? You can go over the cap to resign your own players...

1. So you're going to put him on a team with two of the most ball dominant guards? He has played with Kyrie Irving, who averaged about 2 mins less per game with the ball in his hands than either of those two. This isn't the same concept as having a buncha stars like the Warriors who can maximize impact without hogging the ball.
2. LMAO so lets ignore the NBA's own projections because they aren't fact yet, but lets go with hypotheticals of you signing another max player. Aight m8.
3. Point #3 was about D'Antoni - I agree, they won't gameplan against D'Antoni. If you're referring to LeBron, he wasn't the only one game-planned for with DWade, and with Kyrie. So..........nothing new breh.
4. So you're telling me that the Rockets are going to surpass the Cavs current cap by about 50 million? Again, 31.5m, 41m, 41m+(Bron), 30m+ (depending on who other "star" is). + Ryno (21.5m). How? Ah, they're going to trade Ryno for cap space because he's so wanted everywhere, right.

I'd love to see Leslie Alexander dish out 180m a year in salary + the luxury tax + repeater tax (assuming they'd keep the core together right?).

Keep in mind, the Cavs insane payroll this year was 129m.

Not gonna happen brah.

Spurs fan or GSW fan? very confusing which bandwagon is it?

1. Yea, players who dominate the ball team up all the time and make it work... it's called sharing.. stars always have to give up possessions and touches when they team up.
2. We are totally rolling with your made up supermaxes that all players will definitely demand! and Houston will have to pay! How could Houston ever make 4 good pieces fit? Houston will never be able to mover Anderson! Right.... whatever floats your boat dude.
3. It is obvious to anyone with any knowledge that Harden was the only star on Houston and carried a heavy burden... that should be relieved with more stars.
4. I'm not telling you that. I've already told you. Is math hard for you? Because you don't do it well... 2018/2019 Houston has $66 million committed (Gordon/Anderson/Harden)... move Anderson (nobody is saying this is possible with Ryno) ... that is $44 million... Gordon is very movable too... you also have the math wrong... Harden is 30.5 not 31.5... adorable how you try and inflate it. CP3 and Lebron can take slightly less to play on a superteam... CP3 already showed he is willing to do that this year. Houston has as much flexibility as anyone with a star next summer (harden) and with the bird rights to CP3... they are as in as good a position to take a shot at Lebron as anyone.

[clippertown]

When it comes right down to it, CP3 was not worth $201M at this point in his long career. For the Clips to re-sign him, that was always going to be the price. I am sad to see him go, but our medium term chances of winning a Championship actually improved.

[Fico92]

So you a spurs "fan" or gsw "fan"? lol

1. Like I said, he has already played on teams with ball all-star guards... it explains itself... your stat of 6.1 minutes per game is useless.
2. You have no idea how the cap will shape out so enough with the "4 supermax" players - pretty sure Harden doesn't even have a supermax..
3. He wouldn't be the only player teams game planned for in the play-offs it would be totally different.
4. Do you understand how bird rights work? We already have Harden... then we sign free agents (lebron) then we sign ... CP3 using his bird rights to go over the cap... duh.

Your analysis of the cap is all wrong.

1. Pretty obvious you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to moving Anderson... the Rockets can do it if they have to. He is an accomplished player who lots of team chased last summer. You wildly underrate him.
2. You sign Lebron... and then CP3 using his bird rights ... you don't understand cap basics? You can go over the cap to resign your own players...

1. So you're going to put him on a team with two of the most ball dominant guards? He has played with Kyrie Irving, who averaged about 2 mins less per game with the ball in his hands than either of those two. This isn't the same concept as having a buncha stars like the Warriors who can maximize impact without hogging the ball.
2. LMAO so lets ignore the NBA's own projections because they aren't fact yet, but lets go with hypotheticals of you signing another max player. Aight m8.
3. Point #3 was about D'Antoni - I agree, they won't gameplan against D'Antoni. If you're referring to LeBron, he wasn't the only one game-planned for with DWade, and with Kyrie. So..........nothing new breh.
4. So you're telling me that the Rockets are going to surpass the Cavs current cap by about 50 million? Again, 31.5m, 41m, 41m+(Bron), 30m+ (depending on who other "star" is). + Ryno (21.5m). How? Ah, they're going to trade Ryno for cap space because he's so wanted everywhere, right.

I'd love to see Leslie Alexander dish out 180m a year in salary + the luxury tax + repeater tax (assuming they'd keep the core together right?).

Keep in mind, the Cavs insane payroll this year was 129m.

Not gonna happen brah.

Spurs fan or GSW fan? very confusing which bandwagon is it?

1. Yea, players who dominate the ball team up all the time and make it work... it's called sharing.. stars always have to give up possessions and touches when they team up.
2. We are totally rolling with your made up supermaxes that all players will definitely demand! and Houston will have to pay! How could Houston ever make 4 good pieces fit? Houston will never be able to mover Anderson! Right.... whatever floats your boat dude.
3. It is obvious to anyone with any knowledge that Harden was the only star on Houston and carried a heavy burden... that should be relieved with more stars.
4. I'm not telling you that. I've already told you. Is math hard for you? Because you don't do it well... 2018/2019 Houston has $66 million committed (Gordon/Anderson/Harden)... move Anderson (nobody is saying this is possible with Ryno) ... that is $44 million... Gordon is very movable too... you also have the math wrong... Harden is 30.5 not 31.5... adorable how you try and inflate it. CP3 and Lebron can take slightly less to play on a superteam... CP3 already showed he is willing to do that this year. Houston has as much flexibility as anyone with a star next summer (harden) and with the bird rights to CP3... they are as in as good a position to take a shot at Lebron as anyone.

I became a Warriors fan before the Finals as they won me a lot of $$. What does my favorite team have anything to do with this? Stop distracting from the topic at hand breh.

1. So is Harden going back to being the beta he was when he played with WB/Durant? Or do you think LeBron will sacrifice his stats?
2. Yes, CP3 and LeBron are going to take the max and not a penny less. It is widely known about LeBron that he will not be giving any more discounts like he did in Miami. But I guess in your magical world he'll give a discount, as will CP3 huh?
3. So somehow you were referring to Harden when addressing my point about D'Antoni (Point #3 was about D'Antoni), and not LeBron who we were talking about in all the other points? Why even number the arguments then...
4. I didn't intentionally inflate it - in the first post I said it correctly..in any case, that $1mill isn't going to be a sticking point, and you know this. CP3 and LeBron are not going to take less than the supermax. Only, I repeat ONLY Rockets fans think this.

I guess being championship starved for such a long time can exacerbate the wishful thinking some fans have...

[Mr. E]

I love the way Clippers handled this trade. Knew CP3 would leave anyways. Sat down with him, talked him into opting in and got good assets back.

A+

I would be surprised if that was how it actually happened. The number of moves that Houston made in order to make this happen tells me that it was something that they were planning on. I don't think that the Clippers went to Paul and said "hey, since you're taking less money why don't you let us fleece your new team?"

I seriously doubt that's what happened.

From what I've been reading this move opened up flexibility in other directions for the Rockets, including being able to have the exceptions available when operating over the cap. Houston has shown that they can find good role players, so while I don't like losing some of these guys it is not like the Rockets' cupboard is bare now.

I know that people want to see one side winning over the other, but this entire move seems like two front offices working together to reach some common goals.

[ElectricMayhem]

15 years from now we're going to look back on this and refer to it as the Darrun Hilliard trade.

[nbafan38]

Lol @ people who think this would be a bad fit

We always get this there is only one ball stuff and then the reality is I'll take the two more talented players together over the better fit anytime.

[Hobo4President]

Not sure I like this. Chris Paul was not the missing piece to make Houston contenders.

[Bruteque]

Looks like Morey structured multiple non-guaranteed contracts he traded for on the day into a single transaction to generate a $11 mil TPE in the process, then used some of those NGCs in the CP3 trade. Now it makes sense why he finalized trades for more NGCs than he needed to execute the CP3 trade before he has a deal for a 3rd in place. Now HOU still has two more NGCs left for salary matching in a trade and a $11 mil TPE. Talk about rule-lawyering.

The question is, why stop at $11 mil? Who are some of the players with contracts which just fit under that? What potential SnT FAs can he add who will settle for $11 mil? Maybe TOR can take advantage and get a pick for 2Pat? Some team with a FA they don't want to keep may just get a pick out of this.

[inquisitive]

So the Rockets have a $11mil TPE reportedly. Interesting.