Houston Rockets 2015-2016 Cap Space

[Smitty731]

Updated 3/15 - signed Andrew Goudelock.

Current Cap Space: None. $18,497,979.00 over
Maximum Cap Space: None. $18,497,979.00 over (if all options/guarantees were not picked up, all FAs renounced, no Draft Picks were to be signed this season, and all Exceptions were renounced)
Luxury Tax Space: None. $3,757,979.00 over
Tax Apron Space: $242,021.00
Hard Capped due to using Non-Taxpayer MLE on Montrezl Harrell and K.J. McDaniels
2016-2017 Maximum Cap Space: $44,227,808.00

How I got there:

Guaranteed Contracts (15): Trevor Ariza, Michael Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Corey Brewer, Clint Capela, Sam Dekker, Andrew Goudelock, James Harden, Montrezl Harrell, Dwight Howard, Terrence Jones, K.J. McDaniels, Donatas Motiejunas, Josh Smith, Jason Terry

Partial/Non-Guaranteed Contracts (0): None

Free Agents (0): None

First Round Draft Pick Holds (0): None

Carried Money (3): $88,187.00 (Chuck Hayes), $12,179,495.00 (Ty Lawson), $947,276.00 (Marcus Thornton)

Unsigned Second Round Picks (8): Jon Diebler, Alessandro Gentile, Venson Hamilton, Axel Hervelle, Sergei Lishouk, Sergio Llull, Brad Newley, Marko Todorovic

Exceptions: Non-Taxpayer Exception at $1,274,206.00 (partially used on Montrezl Harrell and K.J. McDaniels). No Bi-Annual Exception due to using it last season (Josh Smith). No TPEs.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah...what's their direction this summer? Long-term answer at PF? Beverley seems like he could be the long-term PG, or at least the one for the next 3 years. Ariza is fine as the other wing. Howard is clearly entrenched at center.

[LarsV8]

I see a couple different routes:

1.) Love or LMA become available, the Rockets dump Ariza to make room and go that route, and lock up McDaneils as their long term wing stopper/Ariza replacement.
2.) They make a move for Lawson or Lowry, which will allow them to upgrade the team while keeping cap flexibility for the summer of Durant
3.) Bring what they got back and use the MLE on Sergio Llull, an intriguing overseas PG and improve through continuity.

[LarsV8]

Also, here is a more detailed one:

http://rockets.clutchfans.net/8859/hous ... offseason/

[Scoot McGroot]

I see a couple different routes:

1.) Love or LMA become available, the Rockets dump Ariza to make room and go that route, and lock up McDaneils as their long term wing stopper/Ariza replacement.
2.) They make a move for Lawson or Lowry, which will allow them to upgrade the team while keeping cap flexibility for the summer of Durant
3.) Bring what they got back and use the MLE on Sergio Llull, an intriguing overseas PG and improve through continuity.

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

[LarsV8]

I see a couple different routes:

1.) Love or LMA become available, the Rockets dump Ariza to make room and go that route, and lock up McDaneils as their long term wing stopper/Ariza replacement.
2.) They make a move for Lawson or Lowry, which will allow them to upgrade the team while keeping cap flexibility for the summer of Durant
3.) Bring what they got back and use the MLE on Sergio Llull, an intriguing overseas PG and improve through continuity.

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

I doubt anyone is offering substantial money to McDaniels. I think he will be pretty cheap.

Some moves will certainly need to be made, but we have the right pieces to be flexible in that regard.

[Austincys21]

Beverley is the perfect fit with Harden. A guard who's main focus is defense and can hit a 3. Adding love in a SnT could work

Ariza+Montejunas+Papa for Love

Bring Brewer and McDaniels back
Draft Justin Anderson

Beverley / Priginoni
Harden / Terry / Johnson
Brewer / McDaniels / Anderson
Love / Jones
Howard / Capela / Dorsey

If healthy I like this team a lot

[Trader_Joe]

I see a couple different routes:

1.) Love or LMA become available, the Rockets dump Ariza to make room and go that route, and lock up McDaneils as their long term wing stopper/Ariza replacement.
2.) They make a move for Lawson or Lowry, which will allow them to upgrade the team while keeping cap flexibility for the summer of Durant
3.) Bring what they got back and use the MLE on Sergio Llull, an intriguing overseas PG and improve through continuity.

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

[Scoot McGroot]

I see a couple different routes:

1.) Love or LMA become available, the Rockets dump Ariza to make room and go that route, and lock up McDaneils as their long term wing stopper/Ariza replacement.
2.) They make a move for Lawson or Lowry, which will allow them to upgrade the team while keeping cap flexibility for the summer of Durant
3.) Bring what they got back and use the MLE on Sergio Llull, an intriguing overseas PG and improve through continuity.

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

Brewer is already a free agent, and Kosta is non-guaranteed. Even then, they have $10.5m in cap space IF they waive all the non-guaranteed guys and renounce all their free agents, including McDaniels and Beverley, and don't sign their 1st round pick. Dumping Ariza gets them close, but to keep Beverley and KJ's bird rights, they'd need to dump Jones or Motie for nothing.

[Village Idiot]

Thanks for the summary and commentary. It solidifies my own calculations and makes this Blazer fan a lot more confident about our chances of retaining LaMarcus.

[Trader_Joe]

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

Brewer is already a free agent, and Kosta is non-guaranteed. Even then, they have $10.5m in cap space IF they waive all the non-guaranteed guys and renounce all their free agents, including McDaniels and Beverley, and don't sign their 1st round pick. Dumping Ariza gets them close, but to keep Beverley and KJ's bird rights, they'd need to dump Jones or Motie for nothing.

I'm sure they'd be able to keep Beverly and his tiny cap hold and have no problem moving Jones and or Motie for picks.

[Smitty731]

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

Brewer is already a free agent, and Kosta is non-guaranteed. Even then, they have $10.5m in cap space IF they waive all the non-guaranteed guys and renounce all their free agents, including McDaniels and Beverley, and don't sign their 1st round pick. Dumping Ariza gets them close, but to keep Beverley and KJ's bird rights, they'd need to dump Jones or Motie for nothing.

I'm sure they'd be able to keep Beverly and his tiny cap hold and have no problem moving Jones and or Motie for picks.

Beverly's Cap Hold is 2.5 million because he met Starter Criteria, which bumped his QO and Cap Hold up quite a bit. Still not massive, but enough to complicate things.

[red96]

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

Brewer is already a free agent, and Kosta is non-guaranteed. Even then, they have $10.5m in cap space IF they waive all the non-guaranteed guys and renounce all their free agents, including McDaniels and Beverley, and don't sign their 1st round pick. Dumping Ariza gets them close, but to keep Beverley and KJ's bird rights, they'd need to dump Jones or Motie for nothing.

It gets a bit tricky, but I don't doubt for a second that Morey would move Jones or DMO for a pick and space for LMA. 1 or both of them would have to go anyways. If LMA wants to be a Rocket Morey will make it happen.

[165bows]

How are you re-signing McDaniels if you're moving Ariza to clear the cap for a Love/LMA? You'd have to renounce him to clear the cap. Probably same for Beverly. Kosta, Terry, Brewer, Smith, Pablo, and the pick.

Beverly has a $1m cap hold or something tiny and I think KJ as well.

If they can come away with..

Beverly l Terry (min) l Prigioni
Harden l N.Johnson
McDaniels l RExc.
LMA l T.Jones
Howard l Motiejunas l Capella

(I think that works if they dump Ariza, Brewer, Kosta P.)
I'd say they had their best off season.

Brewer is already a free agent, and Kosta is non-guaranteed. Even then, they have $10.5m in cap space IF they waive all the non-guaranteed guys and renounce all their free agents, including McDaniels and Beverley, and don't sign their 1st round pick. Dumping Ariza gets them close, but to keep Beverley and KJ's bird rights, they'd need to dump Jones or Motie for nothing.

That was my impression as well. It's been a bit since I looked at it, but I came to the same conclusion that they would have to do some serious slash and burn to get a max offer available. Not sure that it's worth it to weaken themselves on the wing, not really a spot where you want no depth.

[rugbyrugger23]

Do Rockets have cap space to trade for Love (assuming opt-in or re-sign 1+1) while keeping Ariza and Bev cap hold (and renouncing all other FA holds)?

Package would be Pap + Prig + Jones + 18 (not sure that lands Love, but if Cavs are afraid of him leaving or ready to run with TT as starter, not bad package).

Love backed by Howard D and spotting up from 3 during his post play while serving as second scoring banana would be an ideal fit for Love.

[Scoot McGroot]

Do Rockets have cap space to trade for Love (assuming opt-in or re-sign 1+1) while keeping Ariza and Bev cap hold (and renouncing all other FA holds)?

Package would be Pap + Prig + Jones + 18 (not sure that lands Love, but if Cavs are afraid of him leaving or ready to run with TT as starter, not bad package).

Well, you'd be sending out $9m in salary, and using around the $2-3m in cap space you'd have in that scenario, no. Unless Kevin Love signed for around $12m or under, you wouldn't be able to legally do it. Dumping Beverly only gets you another $2.7m and dumping McDaniels only gets you another $1.05m there. And, in that case, you're not aggregating salary, you're trying to use cap space, meaning you'd have to dump enough salary to get Love in under the salary cap.

Really, Ariza is in the way of any 3rd max contract. In most any scenario (though admittedly, I'm not SUPER creative, so there's probably something out there), Ariza has to be dumped to add a 3rd near max contract.

[Xman]

Outgoing: (total $10.3 mil) Joey Dorsey ($1,015,421), Terrence Jones ($2.49 million), Kostas Papanikolaou ($4.8 million, non-guaranteed), Pablo Prigioni ($1.73 million, partially guaranteed for only $440,000), #18 (slot hold of $1.37 million),
Can take in outgoing plus $5mil – so $15.3 mil (could add NJohnson to make it $16 mil - or NJ and Capela1.24 to get to $17.5)

Targets: Max free agents at either $17 mil or $20.4 mil, RAnderson 8.5, ABradley 7.7, Gallinari 11.56, Lawson 12.4, Lowry 12, Batum 11.86, other?

Roster: Dwight Howard ($22.36 million),James Harden ($15.76 million), Trevor Ariza ($8.19 million), Motiejunas ($2.29 million), Clint Capela ($1.24 million); plus holds for KJ, Beverly and JSmith.

So - without dealing part of the big 4: Harden/Howard/Ariza/Motie - $17.5 is about max in a trade situation (where we get the $5 mil add on).

If dealing Ariza:
out - Ariza, TJones, Papanik ($15.5)
in - LMA or KLove (20.4)

So - if not getting LMA or KLove, I would look at something like:

Smaller packages:
#18, Papanik 4.8 and NJohnson .84 to Boston for ABradley 7.7 (need at least $5.1 from Hou)
TJones 2.49, Capela 1.24, Prigioni 1.73, Dorsey 1.02, to NO for Rhino 8.5 (need at least $5.57 from Hou)
(could switch the comp to either team with the other)

Then re-sign players on holds.

pg - ABradley, Beverly
sg - Harden, JTerry
sf - Ariza, Brewer
pf - Rhino, JSmith
c - Howard, Motie

Boston was rumored to be shopping ABradley for a #1 pick. So , either a #1 pick or, if flipped, prospects like Capela and TJones would interest him at this point in their rebuild.
New Orleans would be giving up depth and mismatch ability by trading Rhino - but getting its long term backups at pf and C that can play like Capela and TJones makes sense. These guys seem to fit NO system and round out the roster. If compensation flipped, getting their pick back opens up other trades and being able to cut Papanik saves some cash.

[Mr. E]

I no longer try to predict what the Rockets will do. I'll just see what they have when the season is ready to go.

[Warriorfan]

I think Houston. Should sign and trade with Detroit to get Monroe.

[red96]

I think Houston. Should sign and trade with Detroit to get Monroe.

Why? The Rockets have Smith, Jones, and Dmo at the 4 and I wouldn't say Monroe is way better than any of them. But next year he will cost more than those 3 plus Capela and Dorsey's contracts combined. The Rockets need another ball handler/creator 1st and foremost.