Sources: Butler still Moreys MAIN target this summer/MDAs seat getting hot

It hasn’t been that long.

He left us with a bad taste in our mouths and his career has since spiraled so it’s easy to forget but he was still a legit Superstar at the time and it was a HUGE ****ing deal when he decided to come here. We were all beyond excited when he announced his decision and the whole city of LA was salty AF. If you say otherwise you’d be lying.

https://syndication.bleacherreport....-houston-rockets-as-next-destination.amp.html

Biggest FA signing in our history and will remain so for a while. You don’t like it, I don’t like it, none of us like it and we don’t have to but it’s the truth.

 

First of all cyberx is not dumb and not a liar. He keeps telling us this because he knows. He was right before last summer and the only reason we didn't get Butler is because Thibs did not want us having him. Wolves management said so in not wanting to create a super team. Thibs knew Butler wanted out before the summer and tried to stall Butler, forcing him to go public. It doesn't mean it happens but the Rockets have fairly clear guidance from Butler via Harden and CP3 that there is interest. Butler wasn't a free agent last summer. Understand, I am someone that thought we had ZERO chance of getting him because Toronto, Miami, or anyone else had much better assets than we did but Morey went hard after him and the other teams got pissed off at Thibs.

After the draft, the Rockets can offer the same amount of 1sts they offered before, 4. Because of the expiring CBA that may be 3. It's won't take that much. You really don't understand the concept of FREE AGENT. Butler is LEAVING NOW, NOT NEXT YEAR. Philly has no say. This was all predicated on an IF. The Rockets are likely NOT Butler's first choice but it looks like he might get shut out of where he wants to go. IF, Butler wants to come here he controls what Philly does or he just goes somewhere else for nothing. Philly will try to lowball Butler but will likely relent on the max on 4 vs 5 years. The problem is Butler doesn't like the fit there (anti-pick and roll). They knew this and made the trade for Harris who is taking the max. Again, this comes back to you not understanding the CBA. It is not about wanting to add Shumpert, it is about an expiring contract big enough to get something for Philly later or in a 3-way. Philly lost their assets and this helps get those back for them versus losing Butler and having no options to replace him other than vet min. With a FA, what the team wants and other teams can offer doesn't matter. This is not AD under contract next year. New Orleans has until next trade deadline to figure something out and really this summer. Philly has about a month.

 

Harden was getting criticized for being passive in the 4th quarter of game 5, but other than that, I really liked the type of game that he had. It’s the sort of game I wish we could get from him far more often. He scored an efficient 31 points on just 16 shots, and had 8 assists to only 2 turnovers. He wasn’t jacking up all these horrible threes. He was more judicious with his shot selection. If we can get another star, then hopefully Harden can go back to the 17-18 shots a game and 30% usage guy as opposed to the 24-25 shots a game and 40% usage guy. It would prolong his career. The burden is too much.

 

With the way Harris has been playing there is zero chance that Philly will prioritise paying him over Butler. In fact he has been so bad and passive that they may just let him go.
Also Philly leaked that unless they make the finals coach Brown is gone. A good way to help persuade Butler to stay since he has had problems with the style of play in this team.

 

I am well aware of Brown but firing the coach on a team you don't want to stay on doesn't change your mind if there are other good reasons for leaving. It has never been about prioritizing, they are offering the max to both and said so previously. Who is going to be the next coach? Butler's problem is not just Brown but mainly Simmons and Embiid. He likes Embiid but feels he is out way too much and doesn't P&R. He feels that Simmons gets in his way and does the same things he does so there is friction between the two. Once they got Harris they scaled back Butler's role. In the playoffs you are right that Butler has played better and that has reversed. I think these issues are baked in the cake at the point. All the disappointment of the playoffs showed is that it doesn't work whether it doesn't work one way or another. He already wanted to leave and now he is magically going to want to stay because they will make changes that are more unknowns. He didn't pick Philly and he likely won't when he gets a chance.

 

Logic? Party before playoff games, blocked by a semi-retired Ginobili, one shot at final minutes in game 5 this year after KD went out, walking down the court even the team is down, reckless pass/TO in the final positions of elimination game, and his inability to take over in the most critical moments in general? I hope I am wrong but I don’t remember seeing Jordan/Kobe/Lebron like that. He wants to be one of the greats and he has to show up in those moments. Otherwise - he’s just a glorified TMac

 

Sign and trade Butler for Gordon, Tucker and picks

 

It won't be enough.

 

i'm not sure Jimmy Butler = that, and how is swapping Tucker and Gordon for Butler a net positive for our championship chances? Those two = a lot of production. It's a wash at best, no?

 

C'mon man NBA is overflowing with talented coaches. Coaches can coach till they're past 80, thats why there're so many great coaches now but there are only 30 teams. So every year the supply of great coaches around the world increases but the demand is always capped at 30.

There's even a theory NBA is overflowing with so many great coaches they don't have any impact because they are all great.

I honestly dont know any good coaches but then again I dont work in the NBA. I'm sure if Morey does his work he will discover somebody good.

 

Gordon and Tucker for Butler is too much, if the Sixers lose Jimmy they won't find a player as good as Gordon in free agancy unless they sign Kawhi or Middleton, and they won't. Gordon, Nene (who can retire and Phila can clean his salary for free) and a pick is what we would trade at best, wouldn't be shocked if we would just swap Butler for Gordon and second rounder/cash either.

I was looking at the Sixers cap situation and, if they let Butler go, max Harris and resign Redick around 8/10M, they'll still have around 30M in cap space, but just 5/6 guys on the roster, McConnell is probably getting paid too, i don't know how much, but i feel like at least around 5/6M, and i don't really see a top free agent go there for different reasons:

Kawhi is probably going to the Clippers or staying in Toronto
Durant -> New York
Klay is staying or going to the Clippers
Irving -> New York
Kemba makes no sense in Phila
Cousins makes no sense
Middleton is staying or going to the Clippers

Now that i'm writing this i actually think that the main reason why they did overpay for Harris is that they knew they were likely not going to get a top free agent this summer so, why not trade for one and be in the position to offer him more money? Harris should not be a priority over Butler for Phila, i agree with @malakas here, cause Jimmy is much better than Harris, but if Butler wants to go, they should really prioritize Harris like @luckyman76 says, especially after what they paid to get him, afterall he fits better with Embiid and Simmons, not only on the court, but also in terms of age and personality, and i have no doubt he's getting a max from some other desperate teams (Utah, Memphis, Dallas to name a few).

At that point i can really see why they would be ok with getting Gordon, that would leave them enough money (around 15M) to go after a solid 3&D player like Ariza or Danny Green, and complete the bench with one/two decent signings instead of being forced to play McConell and a couple of scrubs.

 

I’ll take TJ

 

The white Beverley i like him too but i'm pretty sure he's restricted and they love him in Phila so, unless you overpay you won't get him, and for as good as he is there's not way you pay him in double digits.

EDIT: just saw he's actually unrestricted, which is interesting cause the Sixers could be in a position where they're forced to resign him quickly if they want to keep him.

 

But Philadelphia isn't having a disappointing playoffs of their own. If anything Butler has reclaimed the primary ballhandler role and has become their leader and hero. The crowd even who has been booing any moment they see something they don't like, have been supporting him. And firing the coach who is inept is a very good reason to get him to resign especially if he gets involved in the next coach hiring.

Anyway the best for the Rockets is for Philly to lose tonight because if they deeper they go into the POs the less chances that Butler will want to leave.
Remember that THIS is Butler's biggest playoff success so far. It isn't like he has been to multiple finals and it is hard to impress him.

 

If the Rockets “plan” is to get Butler... then they need a new front office because it is extremely remote. The Rockets has their chance to get Butler already.

 

There are many talented coaches but they aren't good enough to lead a team that wants to contend. Are you going to hire a rookie coach for that?
We see it now with Nick Nurse. He has been an utter dissapointent in this playoffs.
Also coaches who are like 70+ y.o, we shouldn't pursue because except for Popovich it is certain, they have fallen very far behind the modern game.

Anyway I'm looking at the field of available assistants and unemployed and there's no option available that interests me.

 

What's Shane Battier up to? He's a smart guy who commands respect. Wasn't he trying to get in to coaching?

If I could pick, I would hire Sampson though. I don't think Tilman would do it because it would hurt UH but the Rockets are more important so he might. Maybe he could do a coach swap with Sampson and MDA. Haha!!!

 

Kelvin Sampson has been a very successful NBA assistant coach and has been hugely successful at the college level, both with Indiana and Houston. I would love to hand him the reigns. He's ready. The players love him. Our defense will be tip-top.

 

For the Sixers, if the choice is between trading Butler for Eric Gordon and a pick versus just letting him leave for LA, that's a pretty easy choice.

 

Butler could leave Philly with nothing. Also Gordon can replace Redick in their starting lineup. I like Tucker but he's old. Butler would give us another defender and a much better scorer than either.