Thank you Tracy, I really mean it

[Iggyemu]

I think he fits in just fine with this current team, especially without T-mac.

We are going to our hardest schedule, so we will see what Artest brings. Personally if we sweep the Jazz this season, we sign Artest for that 1 reason. lawl.

No he doesn't man. This team needs a guy that can create his own shot. I don't mean some long contested jumper. I mean get to the basket...I mean put in an ISO and really utilize a triple threat. Artest only does 1 or two dribbles and pulls up. Put in an PnR and actually be an option to pass or drive...all he does is shoot out of the PnR. Everyone knows his moves. When his jumper is on...sure it looks good. When its off...well he won't post up or go to the basket...he'll just keep shooting.

And H-Town is right. Why don't we simply get someone that doesn't do any of that stuff we complain about. And I don't understand this Rip Hamilton love. If the objective is to win a championship...then he is not gonna bring it to us. Getting Rip Hamilton assumes that Yao is the #1 option...I dunno what else some of you need to see to actually understand that Yao is not a #1 option.

I think we have a chance in 2010 to actually restructure this team and do so very quickly. The only thing we'd have to do is re-sign Yao. The rest of money could actually go to getting a top guy from that crop. If there is no McGrady or Artest next season....a high draft pick could help us even more. I would gladly take 1 year of not competing for 5 years of actually..truly...contending for a championship.

[Baller 24]

Now Artest does have bad shot selection, BUT since McLazy left:
(FG%, 3PT%, AST, REB, STL, PTS)
.583 .429 3 4 1 19
.500 .286 1 2 0 18
.375 .500 7 4 3 17
.600 .714 7 4 2 26
.385 .500 5 5 3 21
.333 .500 4 3 1 15
.542 .500 6 1 3 32
.667 .750 4 2 1 23

[smapor]

Now Artest does have bad shot selection, BUT since McLazy left:
(FG%, 3PT%, AST, REB, STL, PTS)
.583 .429 3 4 1 19
.500 .286 1 2 0 18
.375 .500 7 4 3 17
.600 .714 7 4 2 26
.385 .500 5 5 3 21
.333 .500 4 3 1 15
.542 .500 6 1 3 32
.667 .750 4 2 1 23

Exactly, you can have poor shot selection but when you are averaging almost 50% FG since T-mac left, I don't see why people are complaining.

[jzmagik]

Actually I would have taken that deal. Artest isn't going to re-sign....and please lets not forget the chucking display he put on just two nights ago. Something that he does more often than not. I am happy to have Artest but moreso b/c McGrady is hurt. If McGrady was healthy...this trade would have helped us a lot. Baron lost his desire to play when he got to the Clips and Brand wasn't there. He needs a change of scenery in the worst way. It would have worked out for both sides b/c we are team that desperately needs good PG play and Baron would provide that.

Lets not forget Barons shooting worse than Rafer Alston, and only shot over 50% one game so far this season, and that he's injury prone and has a terrible contract.. Looking back at this now, Tmac going public with his knee surgery is actually a blessing for us.

[AI2TOHOUSTON]

Your name frightens me, unless of course AI is meant to be Iggy.

Dur, I hate AI. Don't you see the 2? Do you think I mean AI squared. Heck no

[RaoulDuke79]

Your name frightens me, unless of course AI is meant to be Iggy.

Well...
I don't think he meant Iverson to the 2nd power...

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa I can't read sometimes. Say no to vodka kids.

[tisbee]

T-MacUnited,
The Lux Tax will start at @ $69mil next yr.
The Rockets have 10 players w/@ $64mil in contracts signed for next yr. That leaves only $5mil to sign 4 players.
Supposing the team traded away McGrady. The least they could take back in contract(s) would only shave @ $4mil from the payroll. That leaves the team $9mil to fill out roster. Unless the team got 4 usable players for McGrady,they'd need to split the $9mil among multiple players.

In 2010 the Rockets can go after a max player FA,so long as they don't add more than $3-4mil in additional salaries. Don't think for a second Morey and Les aren't making roster moves w/out keeping this in mind.
For the Rockets,the stretch where Artest and McGrady were out and the team was successful will be highly influential for considering next yr's roster. Unless Ron leads the Rockets to at least a hard-fought Second Rd loss,he's gone(and maybe if that,w/leaks about how he wanted too much to stay.)

We can almost predict what the Rockets will do this summer.
Offer Wafer a modest $1.5mil or so 2-3 yr deal.
Bring in Priogni(PG playing in Spain) on a $2-3mil deal.
Pick up a cheapish,young athletic SF who plays w/energy,prob using the Francis TE.(Rodney Carney for example. There are many others you could think of.)
Trade Hayes for a Second or Landry for a First.(Reduce payroll to stay away from Lux Tax and get a pick. for future cheap roster fill.)
Buy a late First and draft a project big.
Bring in a cheap big who can shoot from outside and can at least defens/rebound against another team's second unit bigs.(Possibly bring over Maarty Leunen who's shooting very well and rebounding at a nice rate.)
Pray Cook opts out.(But he won't.) If Priongi looks solid,expect Cook and either Brooks/Lowry packaged for a player,perhaps vet C,or a SF,on last yr of his deal.
Rehabilitate McGrady's reputation. Expect to see stories on how Rocket medical staff blew it by not recommending the microfracture originally along w/McGrady really wanting to play last yr,risking his career to help the Rockets win a title.(Laugh all you want,it's going to happen.) Several stories will be on how this "humbled" Mcgrady,how he's going to come back hungrier than ever,and how he'll do whatever the coach wants,he just wants to help the team win.
Play up Yao Ming and Adelman's system. It's Yao's team and everyone will play off of him,w/players who will fit Adelman's motion offense. Advertising will be on it's a team w/Yao as the star,not it's the Duo and supporting cast.

If McGrady's healthy,everything's fine. If not,they will shut him down,apply for Medical Exemption and w/an ME of over $10mil,go after a Mike Miller type of player,a good player on last yr of his contract on a struggling team which could use some financial relief. Insurance will pay well over 1/2 of McGrady's salary,and that will cover any Lux Tax hit.

[TMU]

I had a misconception that the luxury tax was 66% of BRI, and didn't realize that it was 61% until you showed me that number.

When I heard that the projected cap was at $57m, my rationale was that (with the 66% of BRI) we get a little over $10m before hitting the tax level. We give Artest $10m, and trade McGrady for a package (e.g.: a 1 for 3 deal) to fill some of the remaining roster spots. We can save up to $4.6m in cap space, if we trade McGrady.

Now I know that the luxury tax level is 61% of BRI, my proposition of getting Artest $10m makes no sense. Thanks for the clarification.

[tisbee]

I don't think the Rockets are going to do a sign-n-trade w/Ron because the Rockets don't want to take on long-term contracts and there aren't too many teams that have a player that both would want Ron and have somebody the Rockets would want.

However,there is a quirk in the CBA that could be used is a sign-n-trade. If the Rockets renounce their Bird Rights to Ron they could then sign him to a contract of no more than 120% of his last yr-say $9mil/yr-and could then trade him w/no BYC considerations.
So theoretically,the Rockets could sign Ron to a 1yr,$9mil contact and then trade him for Richard Hamilton.($9milx125%=$125,000 is an exact match.)

[2fast4u]

Change in Team Outlook: +5.3 ppg, -0.2 rpg, and +2.3 apg.

Incoming Players
Brandon Roy
6-7 SG from Washington
22.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.1 apg in 37.4 minutes

Channing Frye
6-11 PF from Arizona
3.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.4 apg in 11.6 minutes

Steve Blake
6-3 PG from Maryland
10.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.9 apg in 30.4 minutes

Raef LaFrentz
6-11 PF / C from Kansas
0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg in 0.0 minutes

Outgoing Players

Ron Artest
6-7 SF from St. John's
16.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.1 apg in 34.3 minutes

Tracy McGrady
6-8 SG / SF from Mount Zion Christian Academy (HS)
15.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.0 apg in 33.8 minutes

Congratulations on a successful trade.

Due to Houston and Portland being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Portland had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Trade ID
Trade ID #5038619

Every trade made by fans is allocated a unique Trade ID which you can share with friends and fellow basketball fans to allow them to see your trade scenario.

[moofs]

That's seriously very very funny.
One of the top 10 (roughly) players in the NBA and a contract that isn't on the books after the season ends (and it's past the trade deadline, but before it, was one of the most valuable contracts, due to being insured, in the league) with 2 quality (might be stretching it, not sure..) role players for a non-insurance-covered (yet) non-expiring contract and an 8.5m expiring (that also isn't on the books after the season's up).

If it was really a valid trade, you'd essentially be saying Blake, Frye, and Roy for a one year rental on McGrady.

(pre-repeat of tisbee's assumption below)

[tisbee]

2fast4u,
Wow!
I have to assume you are just playing around on the trade machine.

You do know Portland is building their whole team around Roy? He is their franchise player in every sense of the word. The only player they would consider trading trade Roy for is LeBron.