Interesting video of Rockets' GM Daryl Morey discussing Free Agency

[Kai]

http://www.nba.com/rockets/video/201...599/index.html

He talks about Yao at the beginning and you should be able to skip ahead if you don't care about him.

Morey makes a few good points about how 90% of the guys will go through sign & trade, players want to get paid as much as they possibly can and they won't just leave $30 million on the table. The reason all of the free agents are setting up meetings with all the teams with extra cap space is to create the leverage to go the s&t route.

He says at the end of the day, players will look at all their options and could come to the conclusion that they would want to play for a team like the Rockets (or Mavericks or any winning team without cap space) that will operate with $20+ million more than the teams with space and already have a winning roster in hand.

Miami and other "cap-clearing" teams will use up all of their remaining cap room on the big names and will go into the season with around 6 to 10 "minimum contract" guys. He says that he's never seen a team with that many minimum contract players compete for a championship.

I probably left some things out. It's worth a watch to see how the mind of an NBA GM works and sort of gives you hope for your team, even if you don't have cap space.

[Mel_13]

Morey just putting the best face on his own situation, as he should. No amount of salesmanship, however, can change two realities

First, among the capped out teams, Dallas will always be able to do a S&T and retain more winning pieces than Houston because of Dampier's contract.

Second, notice how there isn't much talk about FAs going to Sacramento, Minnesota, or OKC, despite their available cap space? It's not just about winning or just about money. For young, professional athletes about to sign 100M+ dollar contracts, it's about lifestyle. So all the speculation is focused on teams in New York, Chicago, Miami, and LA. As a destination, Houston can't compete with those four cities.

[Findog]

Second, notice how there isn't much talk about FAs going to Sacramento, Minnesota, or OKC, despite their available cap space? It's not just about winning or just about money. For young, professional athletes about to sign 100M+ dollar contracts, it's about lifestyle. So all the speculation is focused on teams in New York, Chicago, Miami, and LA. As a destination, Houston can't compete with those four cities.

Sacramento and Minnesota have a history of being terrible and mismanaged. It's too bad the ex-Sonics aren't still in Seattle, because spending 8-9 months out of the year in Oklahoma City is a hard sell. While there are many places I would choose to live before Houston, from the perspective of your average NBA player, there are far worse places to be. I would choose Vancouver over Houston 10 times out of 10, but Steve Francis didn't see it that way.

[Tmac&Luther]

Sacramento and Minnesota have a history of being terrible and mismanaged. It's too bad the ex-Sonics aren't still in Seattle, because spending 8-9 months out of the year in Oklahoma City is a hard sell. While there are many places I would choose to live before Houston, from the perspective of your average NBA player, there are far worse places to be. I would choose Vancouver over Houston 10 times out of 10, but Steve Francis didn't see it that way.

You do realize alot of NBA ballers call Houston their home during the offseason. Vancouver..

[Goran Dragic]

Sacramento and Minnesota have a history of being terrible and mismanaged. It's too bad the ex-Sonics aren't still in Seattle, because spending 8-9 months out of the year in Oklahoma City is a hard sell. While there are many places I would choose to live before Houston, from the perspective of your average NBA player, there are far worse places to be. I would choose Vancouver over Houston 10 times out of 10, but Steve Francis didn't see it that way.

Yeah no kidding, if they were still the Seattle Sonics they'd be a possible free agent destination as much as Miami or Chicago. Not only is Seattle better than OKC it's a good city on its own. OKC has a need for an inside scorer like Amare or Bosh (even though he's not really an inside scorer), and they have expendable pieces for a sign and trade. Sucks for them they're in Oklahoma City

[Indazone]

Yao just posted on Facebook.

Yao Ming Hey Chris Bosh, hopefully you'll play with us (Rockets) next season. I'll be healthy and I'd really look forward to playing together

[Findog]

You do realize alot of NBA ballers call Houston their home during the offseason. Vancouver..

Vancouver has hash shops and is physically gorgeous. Houston is mainly ass. The only thing it has going for it from the perspective of an NBA player is it has the requisite night life you find in a metropolitan area of its size.

[Goran Dragic]

Vancouver has hash shops and is physically gorgeous. Houston is mainly ass. The only thing it has going for it from the perspective of an NBA player is it has the requisite night life you find in a metropolitan area of its size.

Plus it's the city of syrup. Something tells me Stevie Franchise loved himself some purple drank.

[BullsDynasty]

http://www.nba.com/rockets/video/201...599/index.html

He talks about Yao at the beginning and you should be able to skip ahead if you don't care about him.

Morey makes a few good points about how 90% of the guys will go through sign & trade, players want to get paid as much as they possibly can and they won't just leave $30 million on the table. The reason all of the free agents are setting up meetings with all the teams with extra cap space is to create the leverage to go the s&t route.

He says at the end of the day, players will look at all their options and could come to the conclusion that they would want to play for a team like the Rockets (or Mavericks or any winning team without cap space) that will operate with $20+ million more than the teams with space and already have a winning roster in hand.

Miami and other "cap-clearing" teams will use up all of their remaining cap room on the big names and will go into the season with around 6 to 10 "minimum contract" guys. He says that he's never seen a team with that many minimum contract players compete for a championship.

I probably left some things out. It's worth a watch to see how the mind of an NBA GM works and sort of gives you hope for your team, even if you don't have cap space.

This is what I've been barking on the forums all along. Thats why their best option would be to sign with the Bulls because the Bulls were already a "winning roster" prior to Free Agency. They had cap space during the season and when they got into the playoffs so anything they add is basically a HUGE BONUS. They kept their core intact. The Heat however gave up some of their core to acquire the F.A so they don't have the same team they had during the season.

[The Franchise]

I agree with the man. When a free agent actually looks at what kind of talent will be left on the team after they come aboard, a S&T team like Houston (enough young prospects, draft picks and expirings to leave the core players intact without decimating the bench) will actually look pretty attractive.

Yao/FA
Bosh/Scola/PP
Ariza/Budinger
Martin/Taylor
Brooks/Lowry

Find a servicable backup center (Brad Miller) and it looks like a very dangerous team to me. This team would be a matchup nightmare for everybody.

[The Franchise]

dmorey

Just finished meeting with @chrisbosh - great player & person. He is about winning so I focused on how w/Houston he can win a championship.

They talked for a full 1 1/2 hours?!

[GuerillaBlack]

Vancouver has hash shops and is physically gorgeous. Houston is mainly ass. The only thing it has going for it from the perspective of an NBA player is it has the requisite night life you find in a metropolitan area of its size.

Yet, many NBA players call Houston home in the offseason. To say Houston isn't an attractive place for an NBA player is false, and this is without Yao. With Yao, and the money you'll get from being on his team (Chuck freaking Hayes has a shoe deal out there...Luis Scola has his own commercials out there), Houston would be a good pick.

Do agree on the Seattle thing though. If that team was still there, they would be one of the better destinations for free agents. Seattle is a great city. Seriously, I don't know how the OKC franchise can survive in the future, especially if Durant leaves. OKC is in podunk.

[Kai]

This is what I've been barking on the forums all along. Thats why their best option would be to sign with the Bulls because the Bulls were already a "winning roster" prior to Free Agency. They had cap space during the season and when they got into the playoffs so anything they add is basically a HUGE BONUS. They kept their core intact. The Heat however gave up some of their core to acquire the F.A so they don't have the same team they had during the season.

This is true. I'd pick Chicago before any other team with cap space. LeBron + Amar'e on the Bulls would be deadly. Idk if they'd have enough money to sign Bosh instead of Amar'e, but either way, that looks like a championship roster.