He absolutely was failing to attempt to block shots for the most part yesterday. I think he was rebound fishing. I really didn't like his lack of activeness on defense around the basket yesterday.
I wouldn't say that. He only has to hit 71% of his FTs (at same rate) for 19 more games to get the FT% incentive. He's 72.3% over his last 15 games.
Is that you, Tilman? Spoiler I assume you just subtract $500k from Nahmad's number for each incentive he makes. Note: that number assumes we make the WCF $1m incentive. So, if we fail to make the WCF, that will offset making both individual incentives. But Nahmad, Bima nor anyone else is including the WCF incentive in any numbers you will find on the internet, because Morey will need to assume that's paid, if he intends to stay under the tax.
He seems to consistently have bad positioning and timing on defense, which means he fails to block or even affect a lot of shots in the paint and guys are blowing past him for lay-ups a lot. I feel like he's gotten worse because I remember he used to be great at keeping in front of guys - I still remember when he got some time in the WCF as a rookie and Warriors fans were freaking out because Curry couldn't even get past him on the perimeter.
He's easily 20lbs heavier since then. Which means yes we give up a bit more on the perimeter, but then he's a stronger rebounder, doesn't get pushed around easily and pushes some people around too. Can't have everything. I think we overbulked him up a little bit given where the NBA is headed, but it's easier to shed than to build. Remember there was a time people were not sure if he would be able to put on enough bulk to be effective. Right now he's clearly rusty too. He's better than this in general. Should be in peak shape when we enter the playoffs.
If the Rockets had a real owner, fans would not be discussing small incentives money on Clutchfans. The smallness of Tilman has made us into a fanbase of ants!
Capela's FT percentage is at .631, but still below the .650 threshold for his bonus. Clint averages 4 FTs / game x 6 games left...so expect 24 FTs, give or take, yet to shoot. 20-24 gets Clint in at .6498 (but would the Rockets round up to give him his bonus)? 21-24 gets Clint in at .6537 and puts the Rockets into luxury tax. Not likely, but could get interesting if Clint goes on a 'hot streak' from the charity stripe in an effort to earn another $500K.
A few questions, then: 1) Does the $500,000 affect the luxury tax? I could swear somebody told me a while back that whether or not Clint hit the incentives did not affect how they were calculated (at the outset of the season) by the NBA. 2) I thought when the Rockets brought House back from the G League, the explanation was that it was the first day on which they could do it, and not pay luxury tax, even if Clint reached his incentives? Is that correct? (And this is moot if the answer to #1 is no.) 3) Are the Rockets at liberty to pay Clint the money even if he only gets to 64% or 63%? 4) If there's no effect on the luxury tax, and if they're free to pay him for getting that close, shouldn't they do so?
1). Yes, it does. And with the Rockets signing Chiozza to a ROS deal, the incentive being triggered would now send them into the tax. 2). It was true at the time. But the Chiozza signing changed things. 3) and 4). I don’t think they are allowed to just give Capela that money if he didn’t earn it.
Bima what's your guess about the Chiozza signing? Why even sign him if they already had the necessary number of players on the roster and if he adds the risk to fall into luxury territory? I just gave a look out of curiosity and his agent (Robert Fayne) only has Chiozza as a nba player :/
This isn’t really accurate though, because we would be making assumptions about him getting the WCF incentive. In fact, if I’m understanding the Spotrac tax situation correctly, we are $456,930 under, but that number is currently counting both Likely Incentives totaling $1.5m, neither of which has been met. Could you please clear this up. Is that Spotrac number *currently* including Likely Incentives into the salary calculation How much below the tax will we be if Capela gets $0 of his incentives and if we add no more salary?
I don't go by spotrac. I periodically check basketballinsiders (Eric Pincus's site) but mostly maintain my own internal spreadsheet. I currently have the Rockets as being about $32k over the tax, with Capela's WCF and DReb% incentives included (since they were listed as "likely" entering the 2018-19 season). However, it is likely--but not yet CERTAIN--that Capela will miss both the DReb% and the FT% incentives, meaning that the Rockets would likely avoid the tax. But to risk it at all for the sake of Chris Chiozza seemed very curious to me. Yes, TECHNICALLY, the Rockets would avoid the tax if the team failed to make the Western Conference Finals. But come on, dude. They are not going to make their luxury tax plans dependent on failing in the playoffs.
