Are the Rockets now a more attractive destination for FA

[MagicBucsSox]

Harden hasn't even signed, ppl need to relax. He can still get his max thru S&T

[astrosmaniac]

Or matched. He's a RFA. And everyone is reporting its practically a done deal anyway. Hardens here for the next 5 years at a minimum

[MagicBucsSox]

Oh he's RFA? My bad . Hope he like tex mex. wish they didn't waste on Asik n Lin

[rlundi86]

^^ By what you said previously, "winning makes any market more desirable" which would've thus result to an increase in OKC's profit or potential to increase which would've been able to cover Harden's money demands or convinced their team management to further invest in him.

Not at all. Desirability has NOTHING to do with a team's finances. Just because a city is desirable to free agents doesn't mean the team is automatically flush with cash. Miami is very desirable, but if they have no money, they have no money, what does desire have to do with that?

It's very simple stuff: winning teams are more attractive than losing ones. I don't think this is a novel concept.

[kblo247]

^^ Boston may not be included in the first tier of big market teams but is still a notch above Houston. And I disagree with the bolded part 'cause if it's true then OKC may still have Harden.

Houston is far more attractive to black athletes than Boston because of stories of racial discrimination there. Is one of the reasons Boston trades for and doesn't sign anyone of substance out right that often. In fact their biggest signings have probably been Terry, Sheed and old Shaq. They trade for and draft talent cause of the city as even KG didn't want to go there until they added Allen. It's just one of those things where you don't hear good things from non Celtics about how they were treated visiting the city and slurs directed at them, same with Utah.

[b@llhog24]

^^ Still doesn't compare to the "NBA's" big markets: Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and New York.

^^ Boston may not be included in the first tier of big market teams but is still a notch above Houston. And I disagree with the bolded part 'cause if it's true then OKC may still have Harden.

^^ By what you said previously, "winning makes any market more desirable" which would've thus result to an increase in OKC's profit or potential to increase which would've been able to cover Harden's money demands or convinced their team management to further invest in him.

^^ Having a competent FO helps too, you know.

Why do you "^^" when you're directly quoting the person?

[Chavacano]

Not at all. Desirability has NOTHING to do with a team's finances.

^^ Market desirability affects a team's finances both directly and indirectly.

Just because a city is desirable to free agents doesn't mean the team is automatically flush with cash. Miami is very desirable, but if they have no money, they have no money, what does desire have to do with that?

^^ Which is why I said "or potential to increase."

It's very simple stuff: winning teams are more attractive than losing ones. I don't think this is a novel concept.

^^ Not all the time.

Houston is far more attractive to black athletes than Boston because of stories of racial discrimination there. Is one of the reasons Boston trades for and doesn't sign anyone of substance out right that often. In fact their biggest signings have probably been Terry, Sheed and old Shaq. They trade for and draft talent cause of the city as even KG didn't want to go there until they added Allen. It's just one of those things where you don't hear good things from non Celtics about how they were treated visiting the city and slurs directed at them, same with Utah.

^^ Damn!

Why do you "^^" when you're directly quoting the person?

^^ Habit I got from another forum.

[rockbottom2010]

kevin love might be next if t-wolves don't make the playoffs

[jam]

kevin love might be next if t-wolves don't make the playoffs

I just peed my pants.

[Jahari Kavi]

This team is not small-market at all; Houston is the 5th or 6th biggest market in the U.S.

Lol, exactly....we aren't NY, LA, or Chicago...but after that we are just as "big" as anyone else......I say if we were to finish between the 6-8 seed, while Lin and Harden play well, then we can attract that big name FA....I look at the Dwight situation as the Lakers have a one year window...if they don't win the ring this year, then why in the hell would you stay if you're Dwight???....You'd be wasting your prime on an aging team who already had their window closed........Rockets positioned themselves nicely with this move...

[Jahari Kavi]

al jefferson could be a good fit

I used to be a fan of his, but I'm not too sure about Jefferson anymore...I think I'd pass.........

[rlundi86]

^^ Market desirability affects a team's finances both directly and indirectly.



^^ Which is why I said "or potential to increase."



^^ Not all the time.



^^ Damn!



^^ Habit I got from another forum.

I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem like you have any idea what you're talking about. You're talking in generalities and in circles. Desirability in itself has nothing to do with finances, period. The owner and the market size/revenue dictate that, NOT desirability.

And logically and typically-speaking, winning situations are more attractive than losing ones, again, not a novel concept. This is why veterans like Grant Hill will take less money to go to contending teams- the possibility of winning a ring. Don't see how you can argue this.

[Chavacano]

I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem like you have any idea what you're talking about. You're talking in generalities and in circles. Desirability in itself has nothing to do with finances, period. The owner and the market size/revenue dictate that, NOT desirability.

^^ Which are part of a market's desirability. Like the fans, the arena, the area, the team's track record, cap space, etc which may affect revenue directly or indirectly otherwise we wouldn't be having "big" and "small" market teams.

And logically and typically-speaking, winning situations are more attractive than losing ones, again, not a novel concept. This is why veterans like Grant Hill will take less money to go to contending teams- the possibility of winning a ring. Don't see how you can argue this.

^^ I didn't say that winning situations aren't attractive to players. I said "not all the time."

[JasonJohnHorn]

Are you sure they will have enough cap space to sign a max contract? Lin, Asik and Harden are going to be making a boat load of money (though I do realize that the Lin and Asik contracts are back loaded). I know they got rid of a lot of contracts( Flynn, Dalembert, Scola, Lowry, Flynn, Thabeet), but I don't know exactly what their rooki contracts look like and how long the rest of the roster is signed for. I know Lin is making almost 9 million this year, as is Asik, and I expect that Harden will be signing for 15 mil.... that puts the team at 33 million with just those three players.... the cap is at 58 million, so if there is nobody on the books other than those three that will give them 25 million to work with, but I'm sure there are a few contracts that will eat up some...

Well... we'll have to wait until the summer to fnd out what they do with that cap space... it'll be interesting.

[torocan]

Are you sure they will have enough cap space to sign a max contract? Lin, Asik and Harden are going to be making a boat load of money (though I do realize that the Lin and Asik contracts are back loaded). I know they got rid of a lot of contracts( Flynn, Dalembert, Scola, Lowry, Flynn, Thabeet), but I don't know exactly what their rooki contracts look like and how long the rest of the roster is signed for. I know Lin is making almost 9 million this year, as is Asik, and I expect that Harden will be signing for 15 mil.... that puts the team at 33 million with just those three players.... the cap is at 58 million, so if there is nobody on the books other than those three that will give them 25 million to work with, but I'm sure there are a few contracts that will eat up some...

Well... we'll have to wait until the summer to fnd out what they do with that cap space... it'll be interesting.

Lin AND Asik's contract are treated as $8.37M per year for 3 years in terms of cap hit.

SO...

Harden - $15m
Lin - $8.37M
Asik - $8.37M

Total Cap hit - $31.7M

The backload of the contract is only how much they take home on their paycheck, for Houston it's not the amount that gets counted against their cap.

They also have a number of expirings and non-guaranteed contracts that they can dump, trade, waive, etc.

They have enough room to get a Max player if they want one.