# I am 80% sure, Mike James is a Rocket



## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

It seems to me that nobody gave him "crazy contract", so ...........

Crazy contract = Mavs gave him $45M contract via Raptors


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

Ballscientist is crazily active recently on the Rockets board :banana:


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

^Yup seems the Rockets are his fav team.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

Houston is probably the leader in the Mike James sweepstakes, but the Mavericks moved one BIG step closer by trading Daniels for Croshere. By getting rid of Daniels' salary and freeing up more room in the backcourt, Dallas makes things look even more attractive as far as getting James to play for the Mavs.


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## TracywtFacy (Mar 29, 2005)

well, time to find out if MJ really isn't interested in the money, and just wants to come home...


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

TracywtFacy said:


> well, time to find out if MJ really isn't interested in the money, and just wants to come home...


Come home to Texas... if Dallas offers him more money.. its what an hour and a half drive to Houston from Dallas? I practically commute that far.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

Umm, Dallas is about 2 1/2 hours away and thats if you maintain speeds of 80+ to 90+ mph. I think the question really is whether or not he wants to be "Home" or somewhere in Texas.

If Houston committed to 4 years I think he would take it. The real question is, do we want to do that? If Houston stands pat at 3 years and Dallas comes in with the 5 years he wants then he probably goes to Dallas.

TMac said he would be pushing mgmt to bring Mike back. Does anyone know if he has done this?


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

HayesFan said:


> Come home to Texas... if Dallas offers him more money.. its what an hour and a half drive to Houston from Dallas? I practically commute that far.


more like 4 hours and NBA players dont drive home. they fly.


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

I'm pretty sure he'll be a Mav.

We just traded Quis which makes him know he will get time.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

sherwin said:


> more like 4 hours and NBA players dont drive home. they fly.



Sorry, my bad.. only been to Dallas once (I keep forgetting your state is freakishly large)


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

HayesFan said:


> Sorry, my bad.. only been to Dallas once (I keep forgetting your state is freakishly large)


Careful what you are calling "freakish." :biggrin: 

"Don't mess with Texas."


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

RealGM sources
It says Mike James has came close to agree a deal with the Rockets. 
Good news right?


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

My only problem with MJames and Shane Battier is the fact that Shane will be 28 and Mike James will be 31 next season. That, along with Juwan and Rafer (30), we are an ancient team. We were supposed to get younger and more athletic during the offseason, but we took a step backwards. Though JVG always complains about small, old perimeter players, he gets rid of Rudy Gay for Battier and is close to picking up Mike James.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

We're not getting any younger or more athletic, but neither did Miami last offseason when the Heat brought in Walker, JWill, Payton, and Posey.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Toronto paper's reporting MJ's coming back to Houston as well! Welcome back MJ!!!

I'm not too concerned about the age thing anymore. If they can still play, then it don't matter how old they are. Cassell's like 37 this year??


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

Yao Mania said:


> Toronto paper's reporting MJ's coming back to Houston as well! Welcome back MJ!!!
> 
> I'm not too concerned about the age thing anymore. If they can still play, then it don't matter how old they are. Cassell's like 37 this year??


 Exactly, and it's not like Battier and James are guys that jump out of the gym. They're both smart, hardnosed players, (and good shooters), and those types of guys get invaluable the older they get. The quintessential veterans a winner needs.


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## TracywtFacy (Mar 29, 2005)

bronx43 said:


> My only problem with MJames and Shane Battier is the fact that Shane will be 28 and Mike James will be 31 next season. That, along with Juwan and Rafer (30), we are an ancient team. We were supposed to get younger and more athletic during the offseason, but we took a step backwards. Though JVG always complains about small, old perimeter players, he gets rid of Rudy Gay for Battier and is close to picking up Mike James.



that's one way to look at it, but remember the focus of our team is yao and tmac. and we are a team ready to compete in a tough division and go deep into the playoffs. this means we need experience and toughness, which can only come through veterans. there's no such thing as a young and wildly talented team winning a championship, it is a group of veterans who've been there and experienced it all - look how long it took hakeem and his team to finally get that ring for example, and the way miami won it this year. that's why it's inevitable that after winning a championship or two, the team declines dramatically because of aging players. i think rockets management are sensing we are ready for a deep run, which is why we need those older players...


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## Team Mao (Dec 17, 2005)

Judging by the Rockets draft day deal, it would seem as if the team is desperate to win next season. It also appears that the Rockets are very interested in Mike James, there are a few ways to go about it:

1) Sign Mike James using the MLE, leaving you with Mike James.
2) A deal using the trade exception, then having the MLE left over to spend elsewhere. Perfect, but why would Toronto want to do this? For Toronto to want to do this, there would have to be incentive, specifically a future 1st or Luther Head. For those who think a future second will do it, shake your heads, you gave up a top 10 pick and Swift for Shane F'in Battier. A Mike James-TE+2nd deal is basically Mike James for a 2nd round pick, Toronto would tell you to forget about it, they're not going to go around helping other teams.

What I would propose are the following two deals:
Deal A: Mike James for TE and 2007 1st top 12 protected.
You get Mike James and can still use the MLE for immediate help this season

Deal B: Trade 1: Mike James for TE and a future 2nd
Trade 2: Future 2nd for Luther Head
The deal is basically Mike James for Luther Head, again leaving the Rockets with the MLE to spend on a player who can offer the team more help next season than Head likely will.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

bronx43 said:


> My only problem with MJames and Shane Battier is the fact that Shane will be 28 and Mike James will be 31 next season. That, along with Juwan and Rafer (30), we are an ancient team. We were supposed to get younger and more athletic during the offseason, but we took a step backwards. Though JVG always complains about small, old perimeter players, he gets rid of Rudy Gay for Battier and is close to picking up Mike James.


Excellent point. Gay trade was terrible. You could get a younger one. but you forgot the most important thing - bill.

reasonable contracts: Alston, James, Battier, Howard .......

It is time to trade Howard!

My inside stuff: Mike James will sign with xxxx tonight.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Is Mike James out of reach for the Rockets?
TwinCities.com
If we can't get him, who are we getting?
We need a solid PF, should we trade Howard and TE for Al Harrigton?


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

Dean the Master said:


> Is Mike James out of reach for the Rockets?
> TwinCities.com
> If we can't get him, who are we getting?
> We need a solid PF, should we trade Howard and TE for Al Harrigton?


Everyone knows the wife wears the pants in any household. Mrs. James wants to be in Houston where she's comfortable in calling home. I think any chance James gets to scare the Rockets into paying more, he'll take.

It seems very opportuned for James to be in Vegas, in the presence of team execs for Houston, Minny, and Dallas... I think he wants the Rockets to sweat a bit to squeeze as much money as he can. 

Im not worried about James going elsewhere.


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## Team Mao (Dec 17, 2005)

Just an added note to my previous post about why a sign and trade with James would be a better option than using the MLE.
I watched about 60 Rockets games last season (in China, if you want to watch NBA, you watch the Rockets), and the one thing that stands out is the lack of depth, especially down low. With Swift being traded, the Rockets are going into this season with Dikembe, Chuck Hayes and Ryan Bowen as their frontcourt depth.
If the Rockets use their MLE on James, there goes an opportunity to improve the teams depth up front. If you can manage a sign and trade with James, then you could bring in some players using the MLE, one player in particular who would look good is Melvin Ely who seems to be having a quiet offseason this year. But he could bring youth and athleticism to the Rockets bench, along with the ability to play both frontcourt positions.
Another thought, how to sign Novak if the MLE is gone?


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

> how to sign Novak if the MLE is gone?


We don't have to use the MLE to sign him, he was our 2nd rnd pick.


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## Team Mao (Dec 17, 2005)

cornholio said:


> We don't have to use the MLE to sign him, he was our 2nd rnd pick.


Pretty sure that you can't go over cap to sign 2nd rounders, that only applies to first round picks and guaranteed salaries.


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## Pain5155 (May 28, 2006)

This gives the mavs a proven triple threat with Mj, T-mac, and Yao.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

Team Mao said:


> Pretty sure that you can't go over cap to sign 2nd rounders, that only applies to first round picks and guaranteed salaries.


Not at all, if that were the case why would any team over the cap bother keeping their 2nd round picks?


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## Team Mao (Dec 17, 2005)

Team Mao said:


> Pretty sure that you can't go over cap to sign 2nd rounders, that only applies to first round picks and guaranteed salaries.


Edit: can go over cap, but need to use part of MLE.
larry **** #19 
Scroll down to rookie exception, see that 1st round picks are mentioned but no mention of second round picks. 
Teams are increasingly using their second rounders on Euro stash projects for a reason.


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