What to do about the salary cap albatross known as "Brian Cook"?
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 2:17 PM CDT
in Random Commentary
28 comments
As of this morning, the Houston Rockets roster looks like this:
Going line-by-line, we can see that one of these things is not like the other. David Andersen is new and our "center" for next season (miss ya already, Yao). Trevor Ariza is not going anywhere after being the big splash signing in our offseason (miss ya already, Crazy Pills). Brent Barry may or may not be going to the Clippers or some other potential playoff team (miss ya already, Von) - but at least teams are interested in his services.
Shane Battier is our glue guy, and if a trade involving him hasn't happened yet, it probably won't happen this year. This is a good thing. We kinda like Shane here. Even if he is a Dukie.
Aaron Brooks was mentioned in a lot of trade rumors in June/July, but he remains our starting point guard. This is a good thing. Since Ricky Rubio can't be acquired from Barney Fife for a couple years, I'm content to let Aaron continue to develop under the watchful eyes of Daryl Morey and Rick Adelman. He may be our leading scorer this year, after all.
Chase Budinger is a rookie. He also likes to party. Joey Dorsey may have a friend... Chase is also inexpensive and can actually contribute. In kinda the way we wanted Steve Novak to contribute.
Joey Dorsey better not be going anywhere. I need the material.
Chuck Hayes has many fans in his corner. Most importantly Adelman and Morey. He may be the shortest starting center in the history of the NBA, but he's amazingly solid for his limited athletic abilities. He's even slightly improved his awful free throw shooting stroke.
Carl Landry is good enough for me to have bought his jersey. While I recognize that he's been a rumor of many trades - that just means that other people respect his game, too. Plus, he is one tough S.O.B.
Kyle Lowry is one hell of a good backup point guard. He's a freakin' bulldog on defense and he has a knack for getting to the free throw line. I know I'm not the only person who has at times advocated for him to be the starting point guard for this team. He could be that important to our roster. Thanks, Memphis!
Tracy McGrady. Uhhh, yeah, I'll just leave this one to Tom. But I don't expect McGrady to go anywhere until this summer when he can go be some other team's "LeBron backup plan."
Pops Mensah-Bonsu just signed last week. So it would be highly unlikely that he is just some pawn in Daryl Morey's plan to trade half the team to clear cap space. I'm not sure Pops is as good as Carl Landry, but he is another big body we can use for defense and rebounding next year. With the shortage of tall people on the roster, Pops must feel like a giant for the first time since college.
Yao Ming. F--k. Let's just move on.
Luis Scola. Luis Scola is a badass. He's going to be a 20/10 guy this year and no one outside of Houston will even notice it. That's how awesome he is. I also have his jersey and wear it to damn near every game. If we trade him, I will be rioting. Consider yourselves warned.
Jermaine Taylor. Not the boxer, though I do hope our version has "bad intentions" when he takes the ball to the basket. Another rookie who signed a multi-year deal. He isn't going anywhere.
James White has a contract, but it is not guaranteed, so there is an ever-increasing chance that he gets released before the season starts. This will save the Rockets about $1 million and change if they make this decision. It's not much, but in a luxury tax world, it's money Les Alexander would rather not spend since it looks like White just isn't going to develop into a legit NBA player anytime soon. Which is sad, because he had many chances.
Who does that leave?
This guy:
I don't even want to show a picture of him in a Rockets jersey. That's how much of an albatross to our salary cap he is. Now, granted, there is some part of me that is happy we have Brian Cook on our roster. I mean, without his contract and hollow shell talent -- Rafer freakin' Alston might still be a Rocket. Perish the thought.
That said: Brian Cook is more worthless than Alec Baldwin. He had the chance to do the honorable thing, fall on his sword and not pick up his player option for 2010. But nooooooo.... he had to go and pick up the option that will force us to pay him an insane $3.5M ths year. Do you realize that makes Brian Cook the fifthhighest paid Rocket this year? And since McGrady and Yao don't really count - Cook is our third highest paid "active" player. He's making more money than Luis Scola!!! How messed up is that?!?
The worst part? I have no idea what to do about this.
No one (not even Memphis) is dumb enough to trade for Cook and his contract. On the flip side, because Brian Cook is afraid to step inside the three point line - on offense or defense - the fact that he's 6'10" is completely negated. Hell, Aaron Brooks plays more above the rim than Brian Cook. That's just sad. Worst of all, Cook is taking up a roster spot that could belong to Robert Horry. This fact just pisses me off. Brian Cook is still in the NBA while Robert Horry is reduced to being on lame reality TV shows with Terrell Owens and Joanna Krupa. That's just wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.
Then again, with Rafer Alston exiled, Tracy McGrady still hanging out in the trainer's room and Luther Head gone and never to be heard from again....... at least Brian Cook gives me a target to pick on on all season. So I have that going for me, which is nice.
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Not really sure what you mean, Dave.
The Rockets wouldn’t be able to sign anybody else if Cook were gone, and his contract is up at the end of the year. And it doesn’t seem like Les Alexander really cares too much about the luxury tax right now. At worst, the Rockets just waive him at the end of camp.
No one (not even Memphis) is dumb enough to trade for Cook and his contract.
He’s $3 million that somebody doesn’t have to pay next year. It’s unlikely that any team is going to trade for just Brian Cook, but he might be a part of something larger.
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by Only_A_Lad on Sep 9, 2009 11:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
that's the problem
$3.5M is a lot for Les Alexander to pay (actually $7M given the luxury tax potential impliications). And yet $3.5M is not enough for another team to get all excited about clearing off their cap next year.
it’s a testament to Morey that a $3.5M salary is the biggest albatross we have, and yet…… it’s truly dead money just sitting at the end of the bench.
Normally we’d be able to package Mr. Cook with someone else just to clear a roster space, but no one is going to take his salary unless we want to dump Carl Landry for some other mediocre player. Not going to happen.
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, I guess that's what's weird about this.
The largest problem the Rockets have is that they’ve got almost $40 million currently in a walking boot / attempting to make a comeback. Compared to that, the salary of a player who is only on the Rockets because the Magic didn’t want him and the Grizzlies are stupid is nothing. This is tiny. And it’s basically a sunk cost, anyways, so why worry about it?
(Yeah, I know the answer – there’s nothing else to write about right now; stupid offseason)
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by Only_A_Lad on Sep 9, 2009 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
that and...
I’ve got to properly build up my hate for someone. I mean, Rafer, T-Mac and Luther are all gone, and I like all the other guys on the team.
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you could try
not hating anyone on the Rockets.
And it’s going to be hilarious around here if/when the Rockets re-sign McGrady next July.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 9, 2009 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
If that happens it will mean he played like a golden god
So I’m guessing all will have been forgiven by then ;-)
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by UofTOrange on Sep 9, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not hating someone?
But this is the Internet – how would I get an audience on the Internet unless I was saying that someone sucks! Brian Cook is the default winner there. Because he sucks a lot. And he’s making more than my man Scola.
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
maybe hes still a rockets
bcz he agreed to make a deal bcz morey said hed ship him off to the Clippers or Grizzlies but he didnt want to so he agreed to give scola 3.51 Million of his salary (which mean he adds another 10 thousand too for sucking so much!)
by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Sep 9, 2009 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sometimes I wonder
If the Rockets take a pass on Scola next season, re-up T-Mac and Brian Cook, and trade Kyle Lowry and Joey Dorsey for Eric Dampier, would Dave spontaneously combust?
I would.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
by ak2themax on Sep 9, 2009 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd kill a lot of people
Then I would combust.
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 4:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're welcome.
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by Ben Q Rock on Sep 9, 2009 11:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Cook's job is to be a practice body til...
just before trade deadline when over half his salary has been paid by Rockets. Then he gets “traded” to OKC,Clips,somebody w/cap room/TPE who wants to pick up a few hundred thou from Les.
I have my doubts about Scola getting 20/10. First,he’d have to get @ 18-20 shots a night and the Rockets had trouble getting Yao that many shots. More realistic will be 36min,18pts,9 rebounds a game.
by Tisbee on Sep 9, 2009 7:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
who else?
Who else is going to shoot for the Rockets?
It won’t be Battier.
It probably won’t be Ariza as much as you think.
It won’t be Andersen, Chuck Hayes or Joey Dorsey.
Brooks will probably get 17-20 shots a game.
Luis will get his 15-17 shots a game… which should get him to 20 ppg easy.
by grungedave on Sep 9, 2009 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you missed the golden part of the post, though
I have my doubts about Scola getting 20/10 …More realistic will be 36min,18pts,9 rebounds a game.
I doubt Andre Johnson will catch 100 receptions this season. More realistic will be 98.
I doubt Prince Fielder will hit 50 homers next season. More realistic will be 49.
Seriously, dude, at least make your argument substantially different from whatever you’re arguing against.
And, as it is, Scola averages about 9 rebounds per 36 minutes. With the increased tempo, I imagine that will go up a little.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 9, 2009 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
you forgot
By the divide by 2 rule, he’ll also average 4.5 assists, 2.25 blocks, and 1.125 steals, which will go quite nicely with his 0.5625 three point attempts/game. Hopefully with 0.28125 fouls/game. Heck, make it fouls/quarter.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
by ak2themax on Sep 9, 2009 10:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Glad I could amuse you,but
In Yao’s first yr in Adelman’s system he ave’d 18 shots playing 37.2min/game. Last yr he ave’d 15.7 shots in 33.6min/game. I seriously doubt Scola is going to get more shots than Yao. Esp since Adelman plans to run his offense this yr. The offense is going to spread out the shots.
As a rookie Scola scored .4184 points for every minute he played. Last yr he improved his shooting % from .515 to .531,increased his FT % from .668 to .760,saw his playing time go from 2024 minutes(24.7min/game) to 2488 minutes(30.3min/game). The improvement in his game resulted in scoring .4196 pts per minute. That would work out to @ 15ppg if he gets 36min/game. I think a 20% increase in his scoring rate is more likely than a 33% increase. His being more of a focus will be balanced by the defense focusing on him.
While he should get more boards,I believe that the other team will key on keeping Scola off the boards,plus I imagine the Rockets will make a more concentrated team effort on the glass.
Personally,Scola is a player I really like and I hope he will get 20+ppg,I just don’t see it happening unless McGrady comes back strong and opens up the court for Scola.
And if Scola got 2.25 blocks per game the Earth might wobble off it’s axis in shock :)
by Tisbee on Sep 10, 2009 12:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
things that make no sense
McGrady “coming back strong” would be exactly the thing that keeps Scola from a 20ppg mark. It’s purely about opportunity. With no Yao, no T-Mac and no Artest… Scola is going to get more shots by default. Same for rebounds with Yao not taking up all that surface area. You can’t compare his statistical efficiency from 2007 to predict what will happen now because the identity of the team has changed so dramatically.
by grungedave on Sep 10, 2009 12:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or
Having McGrady didn’t prevent Yao from getting 20ppg,so if Scola is going to get Yao’s shots it makes no sense to claim that McGrady will prevent him from getting Yao’s numbers.(And we’ll ignore last yr w/limited McGrady Yao didn’t quite get 20ppg-I know other issues and all,still…)
McGrady has missed most of 2 seasons w/the Rockets. In both of those seasons the Rockets ave’d 2 shots FEWER a game than the prior season.
If McGrady is able to get past his man again the defenses will focus on him,leaving Rockets open in order to help. W/the accurate jumper Luis showed last yr he should feast on open looks.(As an aside,at least a couple of times a game last yr Luis would be open near basket and Ron never saw him.)
While I believe the rest of the Rockets will be more focused on running the offense,McGrady is a little old-school in that he believes he should feed the big man and reward him for working hard elsewhere.
Yes it is silly to argue about imaginary numbers before camp has even started,but that’s why we’re fans. And it’s far better than the one zillionth what’s the cap space in 2010 gonna be,or how about this ridiculous trade?
This is the one yr that we have no idea what the Rockets will do-they could go anywhere from 25 wins to 55 wins. It’s going to be one heck of a ride and I can’t wait.
by Tisbee on Sep 10, 2009 9:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yao stuff
What you’re ignoring here is why Yao got fewer shots under Adelman. There are a few possible explanations, and each is at least a little true:
- Under JVG, the offense was basically just Yao and T-Mac. JVG had a simple pick-and-roll system, and so that emphasized Yao more.
- Even under Adelman, Tracy and Yao pretty much did the same thing. McGrady wasn’t on the court a lot with Yao, so that also contributed to his lessened shots.
- (And this probably the biggest reason) Scola’s presence totally changed the Rockets’ options on offense. Scola gave the Rockets a legit third option, and as Yao’s shots went down, Scola’s went up. Simply put, there’s a great deal of difference between a Yao-Scola frontcourt and a Yao-Chuck frontcourt.
So, yeah, it’s entirely possible that, coupled with increased playing time, increased tempo, and increased focus, Scola gets more shots. Really, I don’t see why this is any sort of question.
As for “defensive focus” and all that jazz, I’d say that is a question that is statistically unanswerable, and it’s pretty unclear what kind of effect it will have. Scola got plenty of focus during the regular season. He was the Rockets’ best rebounder last season and he did very well down the stretch in 2008 without Yao.
In any case, this is a bit of a silly discussion to have. “Will Luis Scola reach an arbitrary point and rebound threshold?” Look, he’ll be great. He was great last year, and he’ll be great this year, regardless of whether he gets 20/10 or 14/14 or whatever.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 10, 2009 1:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
can't really disagree with everyone wanting cook gone.
possibly the worst defender I’ve ever seen in the history of the game. just dump him asap and we can bring up a will conroy possibly (though likely he isn’t on our team anymore or it’s just too late, OR we already have 2 PG’s). only reason i brought him up is because that guy was a stud in summer league. that deserves a roster spot over a guy who is too pussy to step inside the 3-pt line. and he isn’t even a good 3-pt shooter. what a complete waste of money. at least next year we will have an extra 3.5 million to spend on the 2010 free agent frenzy. also i wasn’t on sportsnation when luther head was a rocket. anyone care to explain to me why that guy was rafer alston bad? he seemed decent enough to keep on the roster.
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by Rockets 4 Life on Sep 9, 2009 11:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
that's the problem
We can’t just cut him. His contract is guaranteed and there is zero chance he would agree to a buyout for less than the full amount. So we are stuck with him.
by grungedave on Sep 10, 2009 12:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why can't we "just cut him"?
If it comes down to cutting him or cutting another, potentially useful player, then the Rockets should cut Cook from the team.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 10, 2009 12:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he's not cheap, but also not stupid
Les Alexander is not just going to give a guy $3.5M to walk away. Unless Daryl Morey begs and pleads to cut the carcass loose (which is possible I guess)… I just don’t see Alexander rewarding Cook by cutting him loose and not making him at least show up for 7 months.
by grungedave on Sep 10, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But that would be the stupid thing to do.
Alexander is going to pay Cook unless either:
a) A buyout gets worked out (unlikely; one would think that Cook would have agreed to one if he wanted one)
b) A trade gets done (something you think isn’t going to happen).
So he’s going to get paid regardless. Just cut him so there’s roster space.
Your friendly neighborhood Dream Shake mod.
by Only_A_Lad on Sep 10, 2009 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rafer Alston was bad because, among other things, he had one of the worst shots in the league, yet still insisted on taking a ton of shots. Also, instead of cutting to the basket he cuts people. Not cool.
by seanbergmanrules on Sep 10, 2009 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually Robert Horry is in Manila, Philippines right now
to play tomorrow with 4 other NBA legends Dominique Wilkins, Tim Hardaway, (sorry I forgot the two other names) and to be coached by Kareem Abdul Jabbar. This is part of the NBA Asia tour, and they will be playing a Philippine legends selection also.
Frankly I’m not sure I want to see them play, why not have them talk about their experiences or have them conduct a clinic? I didn’t know that Robert Horry has won NBA 7 championships while Michael Jordan only won 6. Amazing!
by RoxBeliever on Sep 10, 2009 3:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
wait... what?
You read this blog and you didn’t know that Horry has 7 rings? Really?
Wow. Just for emphasis:
by grungedave on Sep 10, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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