2012 Free Agency

Assuming we miss out on the Darren Williams and Dwight Howard sweepstakes, are there any quality young players who are undervalued, yet primed for Lowryesque development, that also happen to be unrestricted free agents?

Ironically, at PG, Dragic is the best option. At SG, SF, and PF there is litterally no one who fits the above description. And at center the only option i see is Omar Asik. Am i being to harsh in my judgements? Once you get beyond the restricted free agents and team options, there just doesn't seem to be much young quality in free agency this year. It appears that it's a great year for teams looking for veterans to put them over the top, but a bad year for teams in Houston's situation, that need to build through free agency. All the more reason for the Rockets to concentrate on the upcoming draft. See below 2012 free agency options:

Point Guard (name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets – $16.4 million – Player Option ($17.8 million)
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder – $5.1 million – Restricted ($6.7 million Qualifying Offer)
Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers – $1.7 million – Team Option ($2.7 million)
Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns – $11.7 million – Unrestricted
Raymond Felton, Portland Trail Blazers – $7.6 million – Unrestricted
Kirk Hinrich, Atlanta Hawks – $8.0 million – Unrestricted
Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks – $8.6 million – Unrestricted
Andre Miller, Denver Nuggets – $7.8 million – Unrestricted
Chauncey Billups, L.A. Clippers – $2.0 million – Unrestricted
Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic – $7.8 million – Player Option ($7.8 million)
Toney Douglas, New York Knicks – $1.1 million – Team Option ($2.1 million)
D.J. Augustin, Charlotte Bobcats – $3.2 million – Restricted ($4.4 million Qualifying Offer)
Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks – $10.7 million – Unrestricted
George Hill, Indiana Pacers – $2.1 million – Restricted ($3.1 million Qualifying Offer)
Jordan Farmar, New Jersey Nets – $4.0 million – Player Option ($4.3 million)
Leandro Barbosa, Toronto Raptors – $7.6 million – Unrestricted
Beno Udrih, Milwaukee Bucks – $7.0 million – Player Option ($7.4 million)
Goran Dragic, Houston Rockets – $2.1 million – Unrestricted*
Jerryd Bayless, Toronto Raptors – $3.0 million – Restricted ($4.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers – $3.4 million – Player Option ($3.4 million)
Randy Foye, L.A. Clippers – $4.3 million – Unrestricted
Mo Williams, L.A. Clippers – $8.5 million – Player Option ($8.5 million)
Jonny Flynn, Houston Rockets – $3.4 million – Team Option ($4.3 million)
Keyon Dooling, Boston Celtics – $2.2 million – Unrestricted
Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets – $1.1 million – Team Option ($1.2 million)
Ishmael Smith, Golden State Warriors – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Ramon Sessions, Cleveland Cavaliers – $4.3 million – Player Option ($4.6 million)
Armon Johnson, Portland Trail Blazers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Sundiata Gaines, New Jersey Nets – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
A.J. Price, Indiana Pacers – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Baron Davis, New York Knicks – $1.4 million – Unrestricted
Royal Ivey, Oklahoma City Thunder – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
John Lucas, Chicago Bulls – $0.9 million – Unrestricted

Shooting Guard(name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets – $3.8 million – Restricted ($5.1 million Qualifying Offer)
O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies – $5.6 million – Restricted ($7.4 million Qualifying Offer)
Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers – $5.0 million – Team Option ($5.3 million)
Gerald Henderson, Charlotte Bobcats – $2.3 million – Team Option ($3.1 million)
Ray Allen, Boston Celtics – $10.0 million – Unrestricted
Landry Fields, New York Knicks – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee Bucks – $3.5 million – Unrestricted
Louis Williams, Philadelphia 76ers – $5.2 million – Early Termination Option ($5.4 million)
Mickael Pietrus, Boston Celtics – $1.2 million – Unrestricted
Courtney Lee, Houston Rockets – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Rudy Fernandez, Denver Nuggets – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Xavier Henry, Memphis Grizzlies – $2.2 million – Team Option ($2.3 million)
Damion James, New Jersey Nets – $1.2 million – Team Option ($1.3 million)
C.J. Miles, Utah Jazz – $3.7 million – Unrestricted
Terrence Williams, Houston Rockets – $2.4 million – Team Option ($3.1 million)
Jodie Meeks, Philadelphia 76ers – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
James Anderson, San Antonio Spurs – $1.5 million – Team Option ($1.6 million)
Matt Carroll, Charlotte Bobcats – $3.9 million – Early Termination Option ($3.5 million)
Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors – $3.0 million – Restricted ($4.1 million Qualifying Offer)
Jannero Pargo, Atlanta Hawks – $1.1 million – Unrestricted
Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*

Small Forward(name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets – $4.2 million – Restricted ($5.6 million Qualifying Offer)
Gerald Wallace, Portland Trail Blazers – $10.5 million – Player Option ($10.5 million)
Nic Batum, Portland Trail Blazers – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Chase Budinger, Houston Rockets – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Sam Young, Memphis Grizzlies – $0.9 million – Unrestricted*
Matt Barnes, L.A. Lakers – $1.9 million – Unrestricted
Andres Nocioni, Philadelphia 76ers – $6.7 million – Team Option ($7.5 million)
Anthony Tolliver, Minnesota Timberwolves – $2.1 million – Unrestricted
Donte’ Greene, Sacramento Kings – $2.0 million – Restricted ($3.0 million Qualifying Offer)
Bill Walker, New York Knicks – $0.9 million – Unrestricted
Devin Ebanks, L.A. Lakers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Dahntay Jones, Indiana Pacers – $2.7 million – Player Option ($2.9 million)
Jeremy Evans, Utah Jazz – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*

Power Forward(name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves – $4.6 million – Restricted ($6.1 million Qualifying Offer)
Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics – $21.2 million – Unrestricted
Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs – $21.2 million – Unrestricted
Michael Beasley, Minnesota Timberwolves – $6.3 million – Restricted ($8.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics – $4.3 million – Player Option ($4.3 million)
J.J. Hickson, Sacramento Kings – $2.4 million – Restricted ($3.4 million Qualifying Offer)
Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers – $17.1 million – Early Termination Option ($18.2 million)
Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers – $15.1 million – Unrestricted
Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings – $3.0 million – Restricted ($4.1 million Qualifying Offer)
Marreese Speights, Philadelphia 76ers – $2.8 million – Restricted ($3.8 million Qualifying Offer)
Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
D.J. White, Charlotte Bobcats – $2.0 million – Restricted ($3.0 million Qualifying Offer)
Patrick Patterson, Houston Rockets – $2.0 million – Team Option ($2.1 million)
Anthony Randolph, Minnesota Timberwolves – $2.9 million – Restricted ($4.0 million Qualifying Offer)
Ronny Turiaf, Washington Wizards – $4.4 million – Unrestricted
Boris Diaw, Charlotte Bobcats – $9.0 million – Unrestricted
Ersan Ilyasova, Milwaukee Bucks – $2.5 million – Unrestricted
Darrell Arthur, Memphis Grizzlies – $2.0 million – Restricted ($3.0 million Qualifying Offer)
Louis Amundson, Indiana Pacers – $2.4 million – Unrestricted
Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons – $5.0 million – Player Option ($5.0 million)
Jordan Hill, Houston Rockets – $2.9 million – Team Option ($3.6 million)
Craig Brackins, Phildelphia 76ers – $1.4 million – Team Option ($1.5 million)
Chris Johnson, Portland Trail Blazers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Derrick Caracter, L.A. Lakers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Austin Daye, Detroit Pistons – $1.9 million – Team Option ($3.0 million)
Brian Cook, L.A. Clippers – $1.3 million – Unrestricted
Ian Mahinmi, Dallas Mavericks – $0.9 million – Unrestricted
Luke Harangody, Cleveland Cavaliers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*

Center (name, team – 2011-12 salary – status)

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic – $18.1 million – Early Termination Option ($19.5 million)
Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers – $2.6 million – Restricted ($3.7 million Qualifying Offer)
Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers – $14.9 million – Team Option ($16.1 million)
Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets – $3.1 million – Restricted ($4.2 million Qualifying Offer)
Chris Kaman, New Orleans Hornets – $12.7 million – Unrestricted
Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons – $3.0 million – Team Option ($3.2 million)
JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards – $2.5 million – Restricted ($3.5 million Qualifying Offer)
Marcus Camby, Portland Trail Blazers – $12.9 million – Unrestricted
Robin Lopez, Phoenix Suns – $2.8 million – Restricted ($4.0 million Qualifying Offer)
Jermaine O’Neal, Boston Celtics – $6.2 million – Unrestricted
Nazr Mohammed, Oklahoma City Thunder – $3.8 million – Unrestricted
Omer Asik, Chicago Bulls – $1.9 million – Unrestricted*
Semih Erden, Cleveland Cavaliers – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons – $2.2 million – Unrestricted
Mehmet Okur, New Jersey Nets – $10.9 million – Unrestricted
Daniel Orton, Orlando Magic – $1.1 million – Team Option ($1.2 million)
Solomon Alabi, Toronto Raptors – $0.8 million – Team Option ($0.9 million)
Hasheem Thabeet, Houston Rockets – $5.1 million – Team Option ($6.5 million)
Kosta Koufos, Denver Nuggets – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
DeSagana Diop, Charlotte Bobcats – $6.9 million – Player Option ($7.4 million)
Ryan Hollins, Cleveland Cavaliers – $2.5 million – Unrestricted

 

so bascially we have to build through trade and through the draft. I wonder, to the extent that we believe our chances of getting a DWill or Howard are virtually nil, whether that allows us to take back a bloated contract through the 2012/2013 season, and improve our chances of getting an impact player from a team in need of salary relief. We certainly aren't going to use our cap in this year's free agency.

 

but they're all restricted free agents. I just assume write them off because all their teams are sure to match any offers. Sure, we could make a absurdly ridiculious offer, but how would that help Houston? Basically those guys are not real options for us.