And, like those Timberpups, they have to put a team on the floor for 82 games.
Add this to the discussion: the closer the Rockets get to scrambling toward a PLAN B, the closer they get to reaching out to players they have some familiarity with.
And headed for the lottery anyway, why would they want a guy with a biog expiring contract who isn't likely to re-sign with them. I could maybe see it IF they really liked AL and IF he had a few years left on his contract.
Al will have value only to a contender, in which case we'd get a late first and have to take back some contracts, or to a team wanting to dump salary (like the Harris for Marvin Williams deal). In the latter scenario, KOC would need to ask himself if the player(s) coming back to us is/are better than what he could get in the FA market next summer. Taking back longer-term salaries for Al means we can't be big players next summer...not if we also extend Paul and Marvin Williams opts in.
This team is only a couple players away from having the core we need for a legit run in 2-3 years.
1) Bigs are Favors, Millsap and Kanter. Need 1 more to either assume Kanter's 15 min/per role or perhaps you slide Favors over to the 5 and bring in a big 4. Depends on Enes' development.
2) Wings are set with Hayward and Burks. If MArvin works out, you re-sign him. If not, trade his expiring next season for a replacement or get one in the draft
3) PG - need a young PG to develop, with Mo mentoring and then assuming the Watson role.
Not including Evans or Murphy here. I think they're decent guys to have, but they're both outside the "Core-8" that a team needs to compete. Both can play 10 mins/per and serve as injury replacements.
One Big, a PG and a SF (if Marvin isn't the answer). And we'll likely have two firsts and some cap space next season to sign a couple of very good FA's. KOC has put this team in a very solid position, in great financial shape, with some assets to use going forward.
