Should be interesting with the Rockets all but certain to make a move... who do you think goes where?

I think the Rockets absolutely nab a center from somewhere. Unfortunately I think we'll deal with our comfort food trade partners and get Dalembert and his bloated contract from Sacramento.

[This message has been edited by HotardAg07 (edited 2/14/2011 4:51p).]

Al I know is Morey better **** or get of the pot. Those Knicks picks are forevering losing value and AB needs to be shown the door. We have a team full of complimentary players.....thus frustrating Aldeman and I think gonna force him out.

The Nuggets have already said that the Rockets have the best trade package for Melo, but that doesn't mean he will want to sign a trade extension here. That's the problem with the Rockets and any trade-eligible "stars". There's a lot more to landing stars than having good assets or cap room. More than ever, it seems like the stars want to buddy up and start dynamisties in cool cities where they can party with their buddies. What can the Rockets do about that? I still think if the Rockets had a real center like Marcus Camby they could make the playoffs, but they'll have to act soon.

I live in and love Houston. In saying that we are NOT a sexy city. Big time free agents have NEVER come to H town w/o having some ties here ala Clemens/Andy P. They want the Chicago, LA, NY, Mia and even Dallas (hurts to say) destinations. We need a center badly I agree I just don't see it happening. I'm sick of all the Houston people talking about Morey as if he was a god and amazing GM. His trades look decent on paper But honestly what the hell has he done that's produced anything on the court?

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Big time free agents have NEVER come to H town w/o having some ties here ala Clemens/Andy P.

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Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen I think qualify for stars that have come to Houston without having ties here. They obvious came to play with other stars and get rings.

If I'm not mistaken they were both traded here.....

Woops

Barkley was traded and Houston paid by far more than anybody else would for Pippen at that point in his career.

I predict Battier, Hill, probably Brooks, and possibly Lee are gone by the deadline. I don't think Dalembert fits at all with the long-term plans of the team and at this deadline, unless it's Carmelo, I doubt Morey trades for anyone not fitting into longer term plans. He'll go after a center but it'll be a younger more inexperienced guy. Only exception is if Morey actually trades for Carmelo, Nene will come with him.

IF melo came it would be a spring rental. Barring a lockout he is headed to NY via nets or knicks bcuz that's where his woman wants to be......and like all men we do what the poon tang says to do.

i had not heard that denver thinks houston has the best trade package for melo so far. if that were the case, melo would be in houston right now. i don't think morey is worried about melo signing the extension right away...i think morey believes he (and $65mil) can convince melo to stay.

i hope melo gets traded somewhere because that will increase the likelihood that denver would trade nene. i think he'd be a nice fit in houston.

I don't think Dallas has signed a lot of high-profile free agents, either.

Tyson Chandler: traded for Dampier
Dirk: Drafted
Stevenson, Butler, Haywood: Traded for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden
Josh Howard: Drafted
Kidd: Drafted, traded away then traded for
Marion: received in trade for AW and Stackhouse
Stackhouse: Received in trade for Jamison
Devin Harris: Drafted
Antawn Jamison: received for Nick the Quick
Jason Terry: received for Antoine Walker
Antoine Walker: received for Raef LaFrenz
Raef LaFrenz: received for Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway: received for 2nd rounder
JJ BAREA Signed as undrafted free agent!!
Drew Gooden: Signed as free agent!!!
RoddyB: Drafted for a trade
Tim ThomasSigned league minimum free agent!
DeSagana Diop: Signed as a free agent TWICE!
Brandon Bass Signed league minimum free agent!
Ericka Dampier: Traded for 2 firsts and Eduardo Najera
Austin Croshere: Traded for Marquis Daniels
Marquis Daniels: drafted
Finley: Received for Kidd
Nash: received for Pat Garrity and 1st rounder (Shawn Marion)


Dallas hasn't made very big splashes in free agency.

From a basketball perspective maybe not but Dallas is a very attractive city to any sports FA IMO. Deion Sanders just one small example. Celebs love the free state income tax and love how Dallas tries to be a mini LA.

Deion Sanders signed with a football team that had won two of the last three Super Bowls. That was 16 years ago.

The no income tax has not been a big selling point for free agents here. Despite many good teams, the three Texas cities have never been big FA destinations.

A-Rod? ^^^^ I think no state income was a huge factor
IMO.

It's not as big of a deal as you think. They still have to pay state income tax whenever they play games in states that do have it.

I kind of agree w/ what ATM9000 said...I'm not a Rockets fan so I don't really follow them much and don't know how the salaries and players would work out, but I think the best case scenario would be to see Melo go somewhere before the trade deadline, then the Nuggets start rebuilding.

Then, you can swing a trade and nab Nene...he's a good C, and I think if the Nuggets dump Melo you could get Nene...hell, maybe they'll even try to ship out Billups and you can get rid of Brooks...who knows.

But to me, the best case scenario for the Rockets is if Melo goes elsewhere and they use their trade assets to get Nene and whatever else they want from the Nuggets once they go into rebuilding mode.

The really high property taxes in Texas relative to other states makes up for no income taxes in state. Florida, on the other hand, has no state income tax and extemely low property taxes. That's why athletes actually LOVE Florida and they really do attract big name free agents often.

Dallas has whiffed on every name free agent in the Cuban era. From Rashard Lewis to Udonis Haslem.

Cuban did get Gortet to sign.

To be fair, san Antonio is cap conscious and Houston and Dallas never have more than the MLE to offer.

San Antonio won't spend like wild like Cuban did, but they have always been over the cap. The Spurs are 11th in the NBA in payroll right now, and have been top ten for pretty much every year since I can remember. And they tried hard to go after big name free agents and always struck out. Jason Kidd stands out in my mind in 2003. The lure of NYC was to much, especially for his skanky wife.

There are always a few big name MLE guys. None of the Texas teams sign them. Unless you count Diop.

The closest thing to signing a big time free agent by one of the Texas teams was Erik Dampier's S&T. But no one else was offering him 5y50mm, with good reason. So overpay=sign them. For the past decade or so, all three Texas NBA teams have been pretty good. All have had stars. But none can sign the big names.

Texas is not an attractive free agent destination for NBA players.

[This message has been edited by Guitarsoup (edited 2/15/2011 7:59a).]

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The Spurs are 11th in the NBA in payroll right now, and have been top ten for pretty much every year since I can remember.

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You sure about that Soup? If I remember correctly, the Spurs were always ranked in the high teens low twenties before they signed Jefferson.

Big time free agents really aren't that common, and Houston is still a more attractive FA destination than half the league.

I'm not sure the Rockets want to take on more salary as they probably have over $30 mil coming off the books next year.

The biggest name I can remember SA signing is Derek Anderson. Rasho might be the second biggest... that's just sad. Bonner has turned out to be a productive player but Udoke wasn't.

On the other hand, they've done a great job of signing big FAs that are already here. Timmy, Tony and Manu all could have left. RJ may not be the biggest name ever but he could have left last summer as well.

Honestly, the only important player I can remember leaving in the last 15 years that really hurt was SJax. It will be interesting to see what happens with Gary Neal this summer. I think that guy has earned some cash.

Brent barry took less to sign with us than seattle offered him.

Spurs rotational free agent signings in the Robinson/Duncan era:
(Bold are players pursued by other teams, italics are good players at the end of their career)
Derek Anderson
Gary Neal
Antonio McDyess
Roger Mason
Keith Bogans
Bruce Bowen
Fabri Oberto
Jacque Vaughn
Ime Udoka
Brent Barry
Francisco Elson
Robert Horry
Michael Finley
Rasho Nesterovic
Devin Brown
Malik Rose
Stephen Jackson
Chuck Person
Terry Porter
Danny Ferry
Avery Johnson
Jaren Jackson
Mario Elie
Kevin Willis
Vinny Del Negro
Carl Herrera
Dominique Wilkins
Vernon Maxwell
Doc Rivers
Sleepy Floyd
Vinnie Johnson
Moses Malone
Lloyd Daniels

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Big time free agents really aren't that common, and Houston is still a more attractive FA destination than half the league.

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What big time free agents has Houston signed?

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You sure about that Soup? If I remember correctly, the Spurs were always ranked in the high teens low twenties before they signed Jefferson.

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Yep. Duncan/Manu/Parker have been a huge chunk for a long time. Spurs have always positioned themselves to be just shy of the luxury tax line. There are usually only 5-6 teams over the lux tax line (Dallas, Portland and NYK the most notable.)

A little birdie told me that the Rockets might be closing in on a trade that would send Steve Nash to Houston...

Only if Robin Lopez or Marcin Gortat comes with him...

[This message has been edited by HotardAg07 (edited 2/15/2011 4:56p).]

If this was 2002 id take that trade in a heartbeat. But an aging Steve Nash isn't going to make this team any better.

If you dump nash's salary and keep gortat or lopez for say Yao and Aaron Brooks, we would be better off.

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The Rockets remain on the fringes of the Western Conference playoff chase, but their interest in Anthony is for the long term. As a result, his reluctance to ink an extension has to weight heavily on any potential offer they would make.

If Houston really wants to, it could bowl Denver over with a great offer -- centered, ironically, on a draft pick they're owed by the Knicks. Yao Ming's insured, expiring contract would also be in the deal, as would a couple of younger assets (likely Budinger and impressive rookie Patrick Patterson). But that's a hefty price to pay if Anthony will leave anyway after the season, and it's likely given the Rockets enough pause to move on to other alternatives.

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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-110216

How about Butler's contract, Haywood, Dominique Jones, 2011 1st round pick and a bit of cash for Kevin Martin, Brad Miller, Chuck Hayes (works via RealGM Trade Checker).

Come onnnnnn. It'll be fun.

lol at funky. Why dont the Rockets just throw in the Knicks picks, too?