The Rockets are no threat in FA. Even if they waive their rights to Ariza and to Chris Paul, they're at roughly 86 million in cap space already. That leaves them with only 16 million to spend without Chris Paul. If they keep Chris Paul, he has to either sign an extension for well below his cap hold or they sign him to a max deal with his cap hold at nearly 37 million. To be an actual player in FA, someone would have to eat all three of Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, and PJ Tucker, Chris Paul would have to take a discount, AND someone would have to wait to bid on Capela who will be an RFA. If Capela signs an offer sheet in the middle of negotiations, they're in big trouble with their cap.
they weren't a player this year...until they landed chris paul. lebron has the same kind of clause in his contract.
I'm saying there's no financial way to make it work unless someone takes literally all of their bad contracts. LeBron may want to be there, but he'd have to go there in a trade of some sort and as we just saw with New York, it's not easy to convince someone to take on **** contracts so that you can have a great player.
they can sweeten it with future 1sts, and anderson's contract is less bad next summer than it is now. i think it's certainly possible, and i think it's morey's master plan. he's failed at many of those, but man, that paul acquisition was a heist. i don't see why he couldn't pull it off again.
I just don't see it working out for them. Morey can scheme and plan all he wants, but there's an easier path to the same end in LA for LeBron or maybe even Miami. No team was willing to help them get Carmelo, I doubt anyone is going to be excited to help them get LeBron. Keep in mind, if Ryan Anderson can be attached to a 1st and moved, Deng should move easily too. That doesn't include other guys they'd have to get rid of though and even in the end, someone is taking a major pay cut. It could be Morey's plan, but it won't work.
sure, if anderson can be moved, deng can (though let's be clear: anderson can at least qualify as a rotation player, thus is easier to move). but then it's: lonzo/ingram vs. harden/paul this isn't a painstaking decision for a 32 year old player.
Compensation is still going to be different. Houston will find no path to a max contract. It simply won't happen with harden and Paul on the roster. The two of them are responsible for nearly 70% of the cap. I know you've got a strong hatred of the Rockets and Morey, but they won't find a way around this unless they dump everyone and Paul leaves.
