Faustus said:
Guitarsoup said:
Head Ninja In Charge said:
Who would be moved in this scenario? Tari? Capela is now a must-keep because of Adams.
DFS and a pick
https://www.si.com/nba/rockets/onsi/news/bulls-have-floated-tari-eason-reed-sheppard-from-rockets-in-coby-white-trade-talks
DFS and a pick does sound better than what the Bulls are floating, and I think Reed is a negative as much as he is a positive on any given night.
I think the Rockets have to keep the window open and their time with Durant is limited. With Adams out for the season, Rockets need a PG and a center, because you can't count on just Alpy and Capela as your only bigs for the playoffs when you will have to play at least one of Joker/Jonas/Gordon, Wemby/Kornet, Gobert/Randle/Naz, Hartenstein/Chet, etc. And in the playoffs you can't count on Amen/Reed bringing the ball up every possession.
Non-Tradable:
FVV - No trade clause
Durant
Jabari - Poison Pill (his new contract extension comes in next year at much higher rate than current contract, makes trading him harder if not impossible)
Amen
Tradable:
Min Contracts - Unc, Tate, Okogie, Holiday
Eason - 5.6M ending contract (RFA) Turned down 20M/year extension
Capela 6.7M - but trading him means needing to add two centers. Has two guaranteed years left that other teams may not want
Sheppard 10.6M
DFS 12.7M - one year guaranteed left, two unguaranteed years left after that. But he's washed
Aquaman 14.1M, two years left declining
Teams may want Adams, especially if they aren't contending this year (Dallas for Gafford?) but including this year where he is out for the season, he has played just 132 out of 328 possible games in the last 4 seasons. Gafford is going to be way more expensive next year, which is as problem because of the 2nd Apron. But if Houston uses Eason to get a PG, that may not matter. The problem with Adams for Gafford is Dallas wants and probably deserves a pick there. Gafford also really needs a PG that can get him some lobs, which Houston doesn't have.
Then the PGs available: Sexton is just a small off guard. I think White is as well, and his defense is generally worse than Sheppard, but he is at least bigger and won't get bullied. Lonzo Ball, Tre Mann, Tyus Jones have been awful. I think without being able to use FVV's contract to get a bigger salaried guard (Quickley?) the Rockets probably have to hold their nose and get White or just roll with it and hope they can make things work with Amen and Reed.
The other complication is the Rockets are hard capped at the 1st Apron and only have 1.2M in space there. So even DFS for White straight up isn't possible because the Rockets would be 200k over the Apron. DFS for Tre Jones does work, but even though Jones isn't as good as White, I think the Bulls have Jones in their long term plans. Jones would also be a perfect guy for next year when/if FVV is back. But I bet Chicago makes you include a pick for him as well, especially if they have to eat DFS.
If the Rockets want to compete this year, I think they have to make two moves.
Maybe DFS+Holiday+Pick for Tre Jones+Jevon Carter (ending contract, solid backup PG shooting 40%) and then Adams+Pick for Gafford. Next year, Gafford+Tre Jones is about 1M cheaper than Adams+DFS, which helps because Eason is probably moving the Rockets up to the 2nd apron.
Sengun/Gafford/Capela
Bari/Eason
Durant/Okogie
Amen/Sheppard
Tre Jones/Jevon Carter
Then next year you are locked in to run it back with FVV starting and Tre Jones backing him up and resigning Eason. I think Okogie walks in free agency because Houston may not have enough to pay him - or he gets all or part of the TPMLE.
