What is your Realistic Target for a taxpayer MLE free agent this offseason.

and my reply was directed to you, currently apparently lost in a cloud of obliviousness, unable to register that the MLE is our best chance at obtaining a roster upgrade so if we can't even sign small fries like randle or reddick then our front office has no fuking business shouting fireworks & 3rd star

 

i wouldnt waste my money on neither one of them

 

Because we cant sign good players to a $5.7m salary slot, that means that we cant acquire upgrades by other means?

That makes no sense.

Upgrading the roster is possible but thinking you're
going to get guys coming off good seasons at a fraction of their market value isnt realistic.

 

"best chance at obtaining a roster upgrade"

that doesn't mean it's not possible via the make-believe trades you keep referencing, just not very likely. additionally, most of these pie-in-the-sky trade scenario's have us sending out a key piece, which would simultaneously deplete part of our rotation. ergo, again, our best chance of a roster upgrade is via the MLE

 

What specific trades have I referenced ? I dont believe that I have suggested any specific trades.

If you believe that the non taxpayer MLE is the best chance to improve the roster, then fine. They can still use it but it isnt realistic to think that they are going to get an 18 to 20 ppg guy for that little money.

The Rockets said that they were going to try and acquire another star. I expect that they will try to do that too and it will be based on a trade...it has to be.

Will the be successful? I have no idea but the MLE will have absolutely nothing to do with the success or failure of those efforts.

Theres nothing wrong with saying that you are going to try and substantially upgrade the team. As a fan, that's what I want them to do. Dont you?

Bottom line is that it's hard to acquire star players. I'd still rather that they try to upgrade even if they fail. What's the alternative? To just give up and say that theres nothing we can do?

 

my good man you are remarkably like osmium personified. 1) i never stated it was realistic to think that they are going to get an 18 to 20 ppg guy for the MLE. on the contrary i believe that is impossible. 2) the rockets said that they were going to try and acquire another star but too bad that is near impossible and so they should not have screamed fireworks and 3rd star on national media with pom-poms flying high, which has already been my point here

 

I agree with the basic point @pippendagimp is making.

The Rockets need to chill with the hype for the offseason. It sets unrealistic expectations for fans and leads to a lot of angst.

 

I get what you're saying, although it's also on us keeping expectations in check. If we expect trades no matter what or to sign Randle with the tax MLE eh, we'll end up disappointed no matter what.

 

folks is so down on the squad they can’t even see how the blandest offseason is almost assuredly an upgrade.

Keeping Shumpert on bird rights, having him as an asset
MLE brings in a rotation level forward
Clark, Hartenstein with another year under their belt
Maybe House comes back, available for the whole year.

Paul, Harden, let’s say Garrett Temple, Tucker, Capela
Gordon, Shumpert, House, Clark, Hartenstein

That’s a better 10 than last year, after totally striking out in free agency, having coaching staff in upheaval, Nene couldn’t play, CP was suspended and watching his friend figure out he was done, Melo being done, iirc Harden had a slow start before going god-mode....and that team, who also dealt with injuries all year long won 53 games.

The starting 5 is legit. Too legit to quit.
Shumpert and MLE are most definitely NBA rotation players.
Maybe we get a veteran on minimum who comes in and plays well. Maybe a young guy or two steps up.

 

Stating facts here, I don’t get what’s to disagree with. Too often the realistic POV gets misconstrued because it’s not the pie in the sky people want to believe in

 

“Fireworks” “3rd star”..I get they have to keep season ticket holders interested but man, it’s annoying as hell...coupled with the koolaiders on here

 

I would argue only the casual, know nothing types of fans are the only ones REALLY expecting big things when they say fireworks.

If you follow the team at the level most here do, you understand our cap situation and our asset situation and realize fireworks would be a surprise. Not impossible, but a surprise. And would come at a certain cost.

I think a large chunk of the people who spend their money on this team are your know nothing, casual types and that’s who the “fireworks” type of talk is for.

Why the people who understand our situation get so worked up over the fireworks talk, that isn’t meant for them, is weird to me.

 

Ellington is not a bad player. He's a good 8 to 12 mins off the bench so I believe with that limited time, I think he can be of value. Besides, the Rockets switch everything. With his frame, he will be an adaptable player for the Rox.

 

Morey was pretty specific saying they think they have a shot at a third star and if that doesn't happen the "worst case scenario" is that they'll get a starting caliber player with the MLE.

Those are big expectations.

It follows an offseason in which he said "we'll have our pick of the free agents."

 

Obviously we are not favorites with this strategy, but I like this post because it's true. We are still contenders and in better shape than last year's beginning of the season.

 

What he says shouldn’t really matter all that much.

Again, it’s for the know nothing spenders.

Does him saying we would have our pick of the free agents make you believe he is no longer good at his job? Or not as good as you thought he was? Nothing has really changed there for me. Still think he knows what he’s doing and he’s in a tough spot. If things don’t go as the stated plan is layed out, I don’t believe it’s for lack of trying.

Personally I think public GM talk like this is mostly just noise. I don’t care about it. It’s always gonna have a positive spin. No one should expect differently.

 

Yeah, but the MLE is our only resource, using it for a 10/12 minutes guy seems like a waste to me.

 

Yea.. for other Teams.

 

Actually I have done it. I did it to be in a better situation. Even took a step back from executive chef to sous just so I could be happier. Of course now I am back to making the money I am used to but for a time yes I did take a paycut. My checks were also not in the millions.

 

Ok so we got 2 options this summer

A. Jimmy Butler Rockets Roster


B. Current Rockets Roster plus MLE


A.

Paul/ Ponds
Harden/Crabbe
Butler/Gordon/ House
Tucker/Bjelica
Deandre Jordan-MLE/Hartenstein/Robin Lopez

This is assuming Ponds was taken Bc Morey knows he will not be able to pay Austin’s rivers

Atlanta Hawks buy out crabbe. With the addition of Reddish, hunter, Huerter, Bazemore, Bembry. Hawks might have to buy out Crabbe to allow the young guns to play. Crabbe In Houston is a perfect fit, coming off a 18M/ Y contract I’m sure he wouldn’t mind taking a vets min.

Shumpert/ Nene is sign and traded for opt in Butler

Capela is traded to Sacramento for 2020 first and Bjelica

Deandre and Lopez sign for vets minimum

House returns via matching from restricted free agency


Rockets will have 2 2020 picks going into the season for any big time mid season addition.


B. No butler

Paul/ Ponds
Harden/Crabbe
Gordon/ House/ Shumpert
Tucker/ Mirotic?
Capela/ Deandre

Crabbe, Deandre- vets minimum

Shumpert player option is picked up for a trade in the future. (Mid season?)


MLE targets? : ROndae Hollis Jefferson, Wilson Chandler, Beverley, JaMychael Green, Mirotic, Markeiff/Marcus Morris, Terrence Ross,JJ Reddick, Jabari Parker,