:Francis: Houston Rockets 2017 Offseason Thread

[Primetime]

Teams Were Seeking Two First Rounders From Rockets For Ryan Anderson - RealGM Wiretap

The Houston Rockets would have had to trade Ryan Anderson if they would have signed Chris Paul outright in free agency instead of trading for him.

The market for Anderson, who has three years and $60 million remaining on his deal was incredibly soft.

At least two teams were demanding two first round picks from the Rockets in exchange for taking on Anderson and his contract.

While Anderson has been injury prone, he's a productive floor spacer at the power forward position.

Gone be hard to move him

 

[who_better_than_me]

its not worth it to give up Anderson with two first rounders. Just deal with him.

 

[Tha_Mac]

its not worth it to give up Anderson with two first rounders. Just deal with him.

Yea becuz with Harden, CP3 and Gordon Anderson won't have as much attention on him which means he is gonna get even more open looks. I expect him to play better which I thought he played okay this past season just had some shooting woes in Toyota Center.

 

[who_better_than_me]

Yea becuz with Harden, CP3 and Gordon Anderson won't have as much attention on him which means he is gonna get even more open looks. I expect him to play better which I thought he played okay this past season just had some shooting woes in Toyota Center.

He was a very polarizing player. I liked him in his role off the bench during the playoffs. I would say if he stays put him off the bench with Gordon.

 

[hashmander]

i wanted to like anderson, but during the regular season i just kept looking at his past playoffs performances and just knew he would let us down so even when he was playing well during the regular season it was like "yeah, but ..."

 

[Primetime]

Don't get it twisted, I'm not a fan of giving up 2 picks just to dump Anderson. Which is why i say it's going to be hard to move him. i.e. hard to get that next quality piece.

Which pretty much puts us back to trying to outscore teams with volume 3pt shooting but with better ball control (CP3) at the sacrifice of some perimeter depth and defense (Pat, Lou). Hopefully with CP3 being a strong personality, nothing blows up but instead there is some give and take with having some midrange stuff implemented.

 

[Styles]

Still missing a piece. We need an elite 3 or 4 if we even want to be competitive against GSW. I don't mind Anderson because he does space the floor. But with the 3 being home to the three best players in the league I think we have to upgrade there. I don't think ariza will get us much tho and I want to keep him but just as a bench player.

I think CP3 was really to just get us past the spurs.

Come on Morey pull off a miracle

 

[Primetime]

Still missing a piece. We need an elite 3 or 4 if we even want to be competitive against GSW. I don't mind Anderson because he does space the floor. But with the 3 being home to the three best players in the league I think we have to upgrade there. I don't think ariza will get us much tho and I want to keep him but just as a bench player.

I think CP3 was really to just get us past the spurs.

Come on Morey pull off a miracle

Exactly, but how are we getting that piece if we don't dump Anderson's contract?

 

[Styles]

Exactly, but how are we getting that piece if we don't dump Anderson's contract?

I think the only way at this point is if Melo gets bought out. If not I don't see how we get another star without really gutting our three point shooting which is what made us good this year. I think at this point you role with this team and use that $12mil mid exception to get another good role player and Nene with the minimum.

fukk I had hopes for Dekker man. Now I hope he doesn't live up to em

 

[Primetime]

Grading The Deal: Rockets Trade For Chris Paul - RealGM Analysis

As a pure free agent, Chris Paul didn’t like his options and that was understandable. Paul could take the five years to commit to a Los Angeles Clippers’ team that had plateaued and lacked the means to get meaningfully better, or he could sign a four-year deal with a stripped down version of the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs.

In a completely shocking and impressively creative move, Paul instead opted in to the final year of his contract to orchestrate a trade to the Rockets. Paul gets to join a team that is only losing Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell and a 2018 first round pick while also essentially agreeing upon a six-year, $233 million contract. Paul gets $661,000 of his $3.6 million trade bonus along with his $24.27 million for 17-18 and could sign a five-year, $205 million deal in 2018 with the Rockets.

Paul feels like an all or nothing type of player in terms of projecting the remaining seasons of his prime. If Paul is healthy enough to play, he’ll remain one of the game’s best point guards and one of the best players. Paul may become a parody of himself in the final season or two of this contract on some back-to-backs, but he’s an all-time great and those level of players still find their shine.

Paul has been underrated as an athlete at various points of his career, but he is too much of a savant to not figure it out in those first few years when his body begins to slip away from his mind.

Paul ranked second in the entire NBA in Real Plus Minus this past season behind only LeBron James and ahead of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kawhi Leonard. Excluding any Warriors, Paul ranked first in the NBA in Net Rating. Paul was an early MVP candidate last November and would have made that foursome of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Leonard and James a fivesome if he would have stayed healthy.

The fit feels awkward in some ways with how fast Mike D’Antoni wants to play and how methodical Paul prefers the tempo. The mid-range aspect of Paul’s game, as well as sharing possessions with James Harden, is potentially problematic but could counterintuitively work really well. Harden has consistently worn out in the playoffs and Paul will save him both in regular season and more importantly in the playoffs. Opposing defenses will have to defend the entire halfcourt with Paul coming off pick and rolls instead of simply hedging all the way out to the three-point line or at the rim.

D’Antoni will stagger their minutes to make sure both Paul and Harden have plenty of time to dominate the ball. Houston gets 48 minutes of D’Antoni figuring out how to use two of the best offensive players in the game. The Rockets were already a historically great offense and will be even better in 17-18 while also maintaining themselves defensively with Paul replacing Beverley. With Paul and Harden dictating play, Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson will be even more valuable.

Dating all the way back to Speedy Claxton in those early New Orleans years, Paul has always paired well playing with another point guard. Harden isn't a traditional point guard but he's at the point in his career, in the middle of his prime, where he's ready to sacrifice to win. Paul could also hold Harden accountable on defense in a way we haven't seen before. Harden has the physical capacity to be a good defensive player, but his problems have been due to a lack of focus and the amount of energy he expends on offense. Paul helps tremendously in both ways.

The Warriors still appear to be an immovable, unbreakable force, but the Rockets have taken their high variance three-pointers and layup strategy and plunked Chris Paul down right in the middle of it. Golden State may still sweep them but the Rockets will make this very interesting.

Grade for Rockets: A

 

[Primetime]

Paul Millsap Has Discussed Sign-And-Trade With Hawks - RealGM Wiretap

Paul Millsap is unlikely to return to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason as they pivot towards a rebuild with Travis Schlenk as general manager. Schlenk has suggested multiple times in the media that they may not be able to offer a contract to Millsap that beats a rival team.

The Hawks and Millsap have mutual interest in a sign-and-trade scenario.

"I know sign-and-trade discussions have already happened involving Millsap and the Hawks," said Brian Windhorst on The Basketball Analogy podcast.

The Houston Rockets have interest in signing Millsap and a sign-and-trade deal would help facilitate a move since they are short on cap space at present. The Rockets have been searching for a Ryan Anderson trade, but teams are requesting two first round picks to take on his salary.

Millsap could still sign outright with a team such as the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves.

 

[King Jove]

Not a huge Milsap fan but he still gives way more than Anderson.

 

[who_better_than_me]

Would y'all do Aldridge for Anderson? Both have disappointed this team and fan base.

 

[who_better_than_me]

I think the only way at this point is if Melo gets bought out. If not I don't see how we get another star without really gutting our three point shooting which is what made us good this year. I think at this point you role with this team and use that $12mil mid exception to get another good role player and Nene with the minimum.

fukk I had hopes for Dekker man. Now I hope he doesn't live up to em

Why? He wasn't even better than a chase budinger. I would never understand the Dekker hype. He was never goin out it altogether here in Houston. He barely showed flashes. He had that one great game against Memphis and that was it

 

[who_better_than_me]

Milsap is a baller. I like his mentality. We. Red strong personally and characters in this squad. Especially after game 6 and losing Beverley who was the heart and soul of this squads.