Rockets likely to sign Lucas next week By FRAN BLINEBURY Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Having reached out thousands of miles to put some size in their backcourt with Vasillis Spanoulis from Greece earlier this week, the Rockets will be staying close to home to add a small guard to their roster. ADVERTISEMENT Click to learn more... John Lucas III, who played 13 games for the team last season, likely will be signed to a three-year contract by early next week. "We like him. We've had preliminary talks, and we'll just try to get together on the terms," said Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson. Lucas, who starred at Bellaire High School, is coming off a stellar performance in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he led the Rockets' team to a 5-0 record. He averaged 23.4 points and 7.6 assists, playing with poise and confidence. "There were definitely five or six teams that offered him contracts after that," said his father, John Lucas Jr. "But John definitely has developed a closeness with the Rockets. They gave him a chance last season, and he wasn't really close then. "I think he can be a solid third guard in the league and the situation with the Rockets is a perfect fit. He can bring a dimension that they really don't have — a young, fast guard who can come in and change the tempo and make things happen." The Rockets originally signed Lucas to a contract last December, then waived him and resigned him to 10-day contract in January. Though he finished the season on the Rockets' bench and played briefly in 13 games — averaging 8.2 minutes, 2.3 points and 0.9 assists — he was never on the court at the same time with the injury-plagued Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. Lucas (5-11) struggled to make shots from the perimeter with the Rockets and worked to improve dramatically in that area. "My dad told me I had the ability to play and to just go out there and perform and enjoy myself," Lucas said last week in Las Vegas. "I tried to have fun out there, but I wanted to win, too." Lucas was quite effective running the pick-and-roll, getting all the way to the basket or kicking the ball out to rookie shooters Steve Novak and Pat Carroll or making his own jumpers. "The experience of being with the Rockets for that bit of time last year helped him a lot," said the elder Lucas. "I've always told every kid that I ever coached that the game will slow down for you when you get it. "Well, when John was with the Rockets in the regular season, he looked like he was trying to do everything at warp speed. In the summer league, it all slowed down. He was under control." The Rockets' staff was equally impressed. "I know it's the summer league, and you factor that in," Dawson said. "But there were NBA coaches on the sidelines and a lot of those guys were trying every way in the world to guard him on the pick-and-roll. Nobody could do it. "I told (head coach) Jeff (Van Gundy) that I think Luke has improved tremendously. Confidence-wise, he was supreme." Since they see him as project, the Rockets would like to use some of the money they have from their mid-level exception to get a third year onto a contract. "I think that's all they're waiting on, to get that straightened out," Lucas Jr. said. "He's been offered two-year deals. And I know there are probably other teams that would fit his style more. A team like Denver runs more than the Rockets. But this is where John feels comfortable. And hey, let's face it, the kid grew up always wanting to be a Rocket." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4061844.html
Wow! the team is really getting younger compare to last season. I wonder what is the average now(excluding Deke age )?
So.. he's not getting the minimum deal (I think a minimum deal for him can only be 2 years), but instead is getting a 3 year deal with a part of the MLE. Looks like they determined no one left on the market was even worth more than the 3.4-3.6 mil leftover from the MLE. This probably takes the leftover amount from the MLE to maybe 2.5-2.8 mil or so.. In the mean time, the team still needs a backup C/PF type at least. I wonder if this means they have a trade in a fairly advanced stage pending so that they know they wont' be needing taht extra MLE room.l
Whoa. I smelled something interesting when they said 3 year deal. Minimum deals can only be a max of two years in length. So if they want to do three years, they do have to break into the MLE again. Reading between the lines it looks as if the Rockets really believe in Lucas and want to add that third year to prevent him from getting a big raise after year two. Lucas will be restricted after 2 years, and the Rockets will have his early bird rights, as well as a new "Gilbert Arenas" provision that will allow them to match any amount as long as they hold his early bird rights. But if he hits it big in the next two years, he could be up for a raise to about the 3-5 million range (or even more if he really turns into something special). So apparently the Rox would rather lock him up that extra year and delay a big money contract. Lucas gets more money up front, while the Rockets potentially save more on the back end. Interesting. It shows a lot of faith by Rox management. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if this is Morey's risk management skills coming to the forefront.
As long as he can make shots I don't see how a guy with such quickness and sound pg fundamentals can fail to be an NBA player. 5-11 isn't exactly a dwarf among pgs. Damon Stoudamire is about the same. Nash and Parker is only one or two inches taller. I like this prospect.
So there goes another chunk of the MLE. With what we have left we'll be lucky to afford Jannero Pargo. On the bright side the Rockets are looking ahead. Signing him to a 3 year deal gives the Rockets his Bird rights so in 3 years from now they can pretty much out bid anyone if they so choose. A 2 year contract would mean they would have to use MLE money to keep him.
I was thinking about that Gilbert Arenas provision, too... but does it apply to him? JL played 13 games last year, so this isn't his rookie contract, right? So, there's no restricted free agency or matching rights or anything.. if he blows up and turns up worth more than the MLE, the Rocket would probably be out of luck in trying to make a competitive offer. Even if he gets offers for only 3-5 mil a year, the Rockets would have to burn part of the MLE then to keep him. This way, he gets the full Bird right and the Rockets can always make a competitive bid for him without burning the MLE> On interesting aspect of this... Chuck Hayes will be a FA next year with early Bird rights only... they might have to burn part or all of the MLE to get him back. Interesting.
Will have the LLE next year so we can use that on Chucky. Which should be more than enough unless he blows up big. Then we have a dilemna,
A great story. I hate it when Fran writes a good column. Clearly, he impressed the Rocks more than we thought. Three years... who would have thunk it. I would imagine the 3rd is a team option, but still. He gets part of the MLE, and that says a lot. It tickles me to read his Dad's line, "I think he can be a solid third guard in the league and the situation with the Rockets is a perfect fit. He can bring a dimension that they really don't have — a young, fast guard who can come in and change the tempo and make things happen." He's challenging him still! Of course, he may be right, and a 3rd guard is the best the kid will be, but I see pure motivation. JL will work that much harder to prove Dad wrong. What longtime Rockets fan can't love a story like this one?
Oh you're right. The Gilbert Arenas rule only applies to players that have one or two years experience in the league. So I guess that's another reason why they'd want that extra year, to get full Bird Rights. As for Hayes, the Early Bird and the MLE have the same max value so we wouldn't have to burn the MLE to keep Hayes. Also, he would be subject to the Gilbert Arenas rule because he'd have two years under his belt next summer. So we'd be able to keep him if we really want to regardless. Here's the info link to the Gilbert Arenas rule: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#37
if theyre going to use some of the MLE on JL3, then what else are we going to do with the MLE, becuase I don't see anyone else we could use it for, unless we do with Novak.
ohh okay my fault, so we're going to have around 2-3 million left on our MLE, we should try to pick up a bigman or swingman.
Yes. And we have the TE, still. Plenty of chips for some moves. We also have Head, who may end up in a deal, yet. (I think he'll be moved, because he didn't play in the summer league... just my opinion)
They could also want to lock him up for more than 2 years and claim his full Bird right. You know... just in case Novak's +/- shoots through the charts.
That's the ticket... we have to lock up Novak! "Novak for three! Yes!!!!!! The Rockets win! The Rockets win! Finals baby!!!"
