I think we all agree that the safest and easiest way to acquire our 3rd star is through a Sign and Trade. But that would also require another Team being willing to do so. If this is not going to be the case, I am looking for DM to pull a nice move for the draft. Trade Eric for draft picks, prior to or during the draft. DM trades Eric for a pick, and actually uses the pick to draft a player? We would gain salary cap relief, and add a young talent for a fraction of his contract. Here is a list of possible teams that might trade us a pick. 10th overall, 76rs. They have Cap space to absorb his contract, they are one of the teams that is trying to win, they are in need of shooters with most of their talented shooters being FAs. Eric would fit in well, he is used to playing off the ball in Houston, and is a dynamic scorer. If your the 76rs, with the 10th pick, are you really going to have a chance at someone better then EG? This is a real possibility. Slotted cap is ($2,547,700) for 10th. 13th overall, Clippers. The team that drafted him, a team that is also still trying to win without tanking. Depending on what they think will happen with DeAndre Jordan, they could make a trade for EG. Also they have two first round picks, so they would still grab a player with the 12th pick, and add EG. A nice draft night. Slotted Cap is ($2,184,400) for 13th. 17th overall, Bucks. A team that has a superstar in Gianis, is trying to win, and feels like they can compete. EG would bring a great scoring punch to a team that can go cold, it would also help space the floor for Gianis to create. Again, the Bucks probably aren't going to have a chance at someone that would be close to EG's skill. Slotted Cap is ($1,779,200) for 17th. There are a few other spots, Hornets at 11, Denver at 14, and possibly Phoenix's second pick in the first, 16th overall. Do you think his value is around this? I believe so, and I believe several of these teams would like to add him. If this happens: We stand to clear around 11 to 12 million in salary while also adding a young talent. If we can trade a future first of our own, and perhaps Zhou to unload Anderson's contract to a team, then that would clear about 22mil. If this happens we clear roughly ~33 million in cap space. We gain a top 15th or so draft pick, lose a future first of our own and we lose Gordon and Anderson. I also believe that it would be easier to trade a recently drafted player with a 2 million dollar cap hit to a team like the Cavs, then it would be to trade a 13mil cap hit player like EG. So it might also help facilitate something a long those lines. After doing this, we would need to clear the rest of our contracts with players like Black, Nene, Chinao, and renounce our other Free Agents besides CP3 and Capela. But this would clear enough cap space to sign either PG or LeBron if a SnT isnt going to be an option. We would be able to retain a young talent while adding a 3rd star. This would be depth, and a future trade asset, or maybe we get lucky and draft an all star. How does this project you guys? Unrealistic? Too Risky? Just the thing DM would do?
I think EG only gets dealt if someone else is coming in. Clearing salary does nothing for the rockets because they won't clear enough to get under the cap. Sure, there's trade exceptions, but when is the last time you saw a trade exception hit a deep three? A pick, even multiple picks, without talent in goes against what Houston has been building toward: a win now team. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Edit: also, you can't combine trade exceptions...
We can actually get under the cap, in the above scenario we would be around 21 million under. If CP3 takes a "small" cut of 5$ million, we would be around 26mil under.
To do so we renounce all rights to free agents as well. Remember, they have cap holds. Again, I don't think either is likely without someone already agreeing to come here. It's too much of a risk. Also, I highly doubt CP3 takes a pay cut either, regardless if someone agrees or not. He already left money on the table to come here.
Again, it needs to be stated, if LeBron agrees to come here prior to July 1, then surely this is a possible scenario. But correct me. If I'm wrong, LeBron is slated to make $40 M next year, so operating under the cap still wouldn't net you him.
I thought he's eligible for a pay raise of 20% Edit: is lebron coming as a FA or an opt-in and trade?
Great idea. Get rid of a solid player, guy on an affordable (sic) contract. EG only goes for a bona fide super star, bona fide.
The Rockets don't have the cap room to acquire Bron as an FA. Opt-in and trade is the only way to get him.
To me you try to keep gordon at all cost he’s a huge value and he has to be replaced regardless who we pick up With that said he think his trade value is really high spec for his contract
I think Gordon is definitely worth a lottery pick, probably even a good one for the right team. Teams in lottery that may have interest in him imo: 11th - Charlotte if they don't start a rebuild 10th - Phila if they miss on a big free agent, but the problem here is that they will likely wait to see how free agency turns out before making moves 9th - New York? Not sure here, probably wrong but who knows with the Knicks...they also wanted Gordon two years ago fwiw... 8th - Cleveland...if Lebron stays there but they can't get a top player, i wonder if they would trade the 8th pick for Gordon... Not sure what the Clippers are going to do tbh, but i don't think they would trade a lottery pick for a 29 year old player at this point, to me it seems like they're more on the rebuild process...Memphis would also be a perfect team for Gordon but the 4th pick has more value. Milwaukee (if they let Parker go though) and San Antonio are also two interesting fits and those picks are not bad but i feel like Gordon has more value.
This is just not the way we are operating or how we would get LBJ. Cap does not matter. Salary matching for trade purposes and the tax amount do. Any deal we do needs to send out 26.6M before July 1 and 28.2M after in salaries I believe. LBJ would opt-in and be traded but we would need picks and a 3rd team package to send Anderson and something else. Likely Sac is a target for that transaction.
So let me see if I've got this right: We trade Eric Gordon to a team in win-now mode and replace him with a mid-first-round rookie. I know another team in win-now mode who could use a great (if streaky) 3-point shot and who already has him under contract. So unless some really big name is guaranteed to come in, I say no way Morey does this. He's more in win-now mode that any GM in the league.
Yes this majority of the post is operating under the assumption the Cavs are unwillingly to SnT, as stated in my opening remarks
