UNDER CONTRACT: G Kevin Martin, G Jeremy Lin, C Omer Asik, G Shaun Livingston, F Patrick Patterson, F Marcus Morris, G Toney Douglas, G Carlos Delfino, G Gary Forbes, F Jon Brockman, F Chandler Parsons, F JaJuan Johnson, G Scott Machado
DRAFT PICKS: F-C Donatas Motiejunas (2011), G Jeremy Lamb, F Royce White, F Terrence Jones
FREE AGENTS: G Earl Boykins, F Sean Williams
MOVES: Virtually every move made this offseason by GM Daryl Morey was geared toward putting together a package of young players and draft picks that he hoped would be enough to acquire Dwight Howard from Orlando. It didn’t work. The “poison pill” signings of RFAs Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik to similar backloaded three-year, $25 million deals – both will be making nearly $15 million in 2014-15 – now will have to be the foundation of a young team rather than the acquisition of trade assets. Before the draft, Morey dealt Samuel Dalembert to Milwaukee for a swap of first-round picks and three dumpable players (he already has waived Jon Leuer). Unable to package his three first-round picks for a higher pick to dangle for Howard, he now has three rookies on his roster. Houston dealt Kyle Lowry to Toronto for Gary Forbes and a limited-protection first-round pick. It also traded aging Marcus Camby to New York in a sign-and-trade that netted two second-round picks, $2 million and young players Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson and Jerome Jordan – the latter two who were waived. In another sign-and-trade, the Rockets sent Courtney Lee to Boston, getting back a 2013 second-round pick and youngsters JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore and Sean Williams, the latter two who were released. For now, the point belongs to Lin, with Lowry gone and free agent Goran Dragic signing with Phoenix. And the post belongs to Asik, with the amnesty clause being used on Luis Scola to remove $9.4 million from the payroll. Morey also signed Carlos Delfino to a one-year deal with a player option. Late in the offseason, the Rockets made the long-rumored move of signing undrafted rookie Scott Machado, who led the NCAA in assists last season.
TO-DO LIST: All that wheeling and dealing has a price. Kevin Martin is Houston’s only player making more than $5 million next season; he also is the only Rocket who has averaged double figures for his career. Houston still has a buffet line of young players and future draft picks to package for another star, perhaps at the trading deadline. Right now, the most attractive pieces are Johnson, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lamb and the 2013 first-rounder from Toronto. In January, Lin and Asik become desirable chips. Before then, however, Morey has another issue: His team payroll is hovering around the mandatory floor of 85 percent of the salary cap, and he has the offseason maximum of 20 players on his roster.
PROJECTION: Morey outsmarted the Knicks on Lin and the Bulls on Asik but may have outsmarted himself in his pursuit of Howard. The GM tried to keep his team as a viable trade partner for the Magic. But now that Howard has landed in LA, Houston’s current roster of untested kids with no proven leader will easily lose 60-plus games.
(RELATED: What grade did the Rockets get?)
For offseason analysis of every team, click here.
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I watched the Rockets summer league games and thought Dragics brother was not only the best player on the Rockets, but the best player on the floor. What’s his story?
I still think the Rockets have met the salary floor or are 1-2 million away. Scola’s contract counts about 5 million towards the floor. If you add up the 8 from Lin and Asik along with the 12 from Martin. that’s already roughly 35 million. Deflino signed for 3 and the Rockets have plenty of guys making about 2 million or less. Depending on which ones they keep, they have met the salary floor.
Chris, as of now, Morey is eyeing two players: Carlos Delfino and Eduardo Najera. This is a GM trying to add two more players without having trimmed the roster down. Do you know why? It’s because this is still the offseason. Morey doesn’t have to move/cut players until Preseason. The way you seem to be saying is that, as of now, we are over the cap and about to be hit with the luxury tax and that’s far from the truth.
This Chris guy obviously don’t know what he’s talking about. Probably some Northerner hating the fact we stole Lin from N.Y. so, he write a hit-piece and disguise it as “question marks” about Morey’ offseason moves.
Number one, Scola being amnestied allowed the Rockets to pay off his salary but it DOES NOT count against the cap —– what you think amnestied is??
Two, they are NOT at 85% of their cap. Prove it…point out whose salaries are on the book and whose not? You obviously don’t know. You making it up. Most of the players that came over in trades are either cut or will be cut. Therefore, their salaries will not count against the cap.
This season, our biggest payroll will be at 28 millions (K.Mart’s 12 mil. and Asik/Lin at 16 millions). Hardly a dent at our cap space. Our recent draftees are on their rookie contracts. All of our guys are 3rd year players or less, except Martin.
And our “attractive pieces” are not limited to just Johnson, Chandler and Lamb. You forget Lin, Terrence Jones (averaged 18 ppg in the Summer League), Royce White, Motiejunas and Scott Machado (if we sign him). The Celtics hoping we cut Machado to make him a backup to Rajon. And Machado last Summer League game, he scored 20 points, dropped 9 dimes. You are clueless, dude.
And we will not be shopping these guys since they had a strong Summer League performance, finishing with a 5-1 record and 3 of rookies ranked in the top 5 in the Summer League. We creating a Lamb/Lin duo with Asik as a defensive force in the middle and Jones, White, Chandler and Motiejunas as complimentary pieces to be fun to watch and just might surprise the doubters.
A 60 loss team? You delusional.
You are certainly entitled to your opinions of Houston’s young players and what you may think they will bring to the table. But you need to read more carefully. Morey’s financial issue right now is that he has more than 15 players and is not at the mandatory salary floor, which is 85 percent of the cap. Yes he does have cap room – almost too much. By cutting the players I assume you are talking about (Livingston, Greg Smith, Brockman, Sean Williams) he creates more cap space and moves his payroll further from the floor. If Houston’s salaries don’t equal at least $49 million or so (the floor, which is 85 percent of the cap), he has to cut a check to the Players Association. Not that big a deal, but until he cuts these guys he can’t add a player to get to the floor because he has too many players on his roster right now.
Motiejunas?
2011 first-round pick. Played in summer league. Was signed 7/6, according to Chronicle’s Feigen.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Rockets have met the salary floor. They have 44 million in guaranteed contracts. A player that gets the amnesty can still count towards the salary floor, and Scola was making around 9 million I think.
Will look into this but 85 percent of 58 million (roughly) is 49 million (roughly). And not 100 percent sure all of Scola counts toward cap. But will check it out. Also need to cut at least one player although that guy can count against cap if guaranteed number.
…which means the Rockets will have the #1 or #2 pick in 2013 and plenty of cap space to acquire star free agents. Morey is taking a high risk/ high reward approach and the franchise will be better off either way. Props to Morey and Alexander for the strategy taken and the allowance of such strategy. No more #14 picks straight to no man’s land in Houston.
You are kidding right? Morey is not to be commended for his risk, Houston basically does not have direction or any combination of players to get them there. “Linsanity,” is nice for SportsCenter but at the end of the day fans wants deep playoff runs and championship contenders. Morey gave away the farm for a pipe dream, D12 was never going to resign there! 95′ was the last ring, after the T-Mac/Yao era Houston fans should be fed up. 60+ losses is crazy… Only sell-outs this year are Heat/Lakers, and maybe the Clippers lol…
I agree with you. I don’t see where I “commended” Morey for what he did. I used less harsh words than you did, but it was a pipe dream. I said he outsmarted himself. Many times through the process, I asked myself what he was doing. He does still have a “tank” plan in place – an approach I find thoroughly disgusting. Thanks for reading.
Chris, I think he may have been responding to Travs Badger, who was giving props to Morey for ensuring Houston will be one of the two worst teams next season. Which is obviously nothing to be commended on. It’s not like there’s anything difficult or smart about trading away/amnestying your best players and making your team suck.