# Rockets to Decline Option on Parsons



## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Yahoo Sports and the Houston Chronicle both report that the Rockets will likely decline the fourth-year option on Parsons’ rookie contract, making him a restricted free agent this summer. Houston will therefore have the ability to retain Parsons by matching any offers made to him. Had the Rockets picked up Parsons’s option for 2014-15, worth $964,750, he would have become an unrestricted free agent in 2015.

http://nba.si.com/2014/06/04/chandler-parsons-free-agent-houston-rockets-restricted/

Im surprised by this move actually. I thought they would take him for the low next season to keep their flexibility open for a big move but I guess not. So what kind of contract do you see dude getting? 4 years/40 million??


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

This is surprising to me. Off the top of my head, I don't think they'd be able to both retain Parsons and ink one of the big-name free agents outright now. I was convinced they were going to attempt to use the Harden/Dwight/Parsons group as a lure for Carmelo or Bosh (or maybe even Lebron). Guess not. 

As far as Parsons goes, if he gets the type of huge offer I think he will, I have a feeling a lot of the "Chandler Parsons is AWESOME!" rhetoric is going to die down. He's fantastic as a starter making low money and giving you contributions everywhere on offense. Making $13-$14 million a year and officially becoming Houston's "third star"? Then I think you start being bothered by the fact that he doesn't defend much and isn't really a go-to offensive player. 

With Utah and Charlotte (among others) both having a ton of cap space and a definite need for a perimeter player who can shoot, I expect Chandler to get a very generous offer sheet this summer. Good for him.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Maybe they are planning to trade Parsons in a deal for Love or Melo. This makes that option more likely because his contract won't just be a throw-in number anymore.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

RollWithEm said:


> Maybe they are planning to trade Parsons in a deal for Love or Melo. This makes that option more likely because his contract won't just be a throw-in number anymore.


I think that really only makes sense if they're specifically going after both. If Parsons' cap hold is as small as I think it is, they could theoretically dump Lin and Asik, sign Carmelo outright, and then build a sign-and-trade around Parsons (now making eight figures) and all of the draft picks Houston could offer plus the rights to whatever foreign guys they have for Kevin Love. Admittedly, I hadn't thought of this until just now, and I think Minnesota will get a better offer, and I'm not sure why Parsons would go out of his way to help Morey exile him to basketball purgatory when he could probably get similar money from a playoff team, but it's an interesting exercise.

Unless, of course, I've forgotten about some provision of the new CBA that prevents this from happening.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Bogg said:


> I think that really only makes sense if they're specifically going after both. If Parsons' cap hold is as small as I think it is, they could theoretically dump Lin and Asik, sign Carmelo outright, and then build a sign-and-trade around Parsons (now making eight figures) and all of the draft picks Houston could offer plus the rights to whatever foreign guys they have for Kevin Love. Admittedly, I hadn't thought of this until just now, and I think Minnesota will get a better offer, and I'm not sure why Parsons would go out of his way to help Morey exile him to basketball purgatory when he could probably get similar money from a playoff team, but it's an interesting exercise.
> 
> Unless, of course, I've forgotten about some provision of the new CBA that prevents this from happening.


I don't agree that it only makes sense if they are going after both. Love >>> Parsons. They can find another wing who can give them 80% of what Parsons gives on offense and more than what Parsons gives them on defense for cheaper. If they need to move him for Love, they should do it without thinking twice.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

RollWithEm said:


> I don't agree that it only makes sense if they are going after both. Love >>> Parsons. They can find another wing who can give them 80% of what Parsons gives on offense and more than what Parsons gives them on defense for cheaper. If they need to move him for Love, they should do it without thinking twice.


Yes, but now they need Parsons to agree to a sign-and-trade to a lottery team in a cold-weather city with poor management. When he was under contract he had no say. Why would he chose to go to Minnesota when teams like the Lakers, Orlando, or even Charlotte have plenty of cap space and a need at his position? All he has to do is sign an offer sheet with someone else to blow up any sign-and-trade to a location he doesn't like.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

My personal opinion:

This is an undertable deal. He is worth $10 mil a year. Rockets will pay him $8 mil a year.

Rockets may plan to sign an all-star.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

The story says that they are trying to clear space to sign a Max guy, then you can apparently still match any offers that Parsons gets as he becomes an RFA. Of course he could get the sort of poison pill offer that Morey gave to Asik and Lin.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> The story says that they are trying to clear space to sign a Max guy, then you can apparently still match any offers that Parsons gets as he becomes an RFA. Of course he could get the sort of poison pill offer that Morey gave to Asik and Lin.


I imagine he'll get a high enough yearly salary that any balloon payment wouldn't be particularly balloon-y.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

So basically the Rockets are banking on clearing Lin/Asik and signing Melo before anyone signs Parsons?

Seems foolish. Should have just kept him at the lower salary and used his Bird Rights to outbid everyone next year.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Be hilarious when this blows up in their face.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Pretty sure this is being done to sign and trade him. 

If you're trading a star for Parsons as the principal of your deal, do you want him on the last year of his rookie deal, or locked into a nice long term contract?

Sign and trade.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

R-Star said:


> Pretty sure this is being done to sign and trade him.
> 
> If you're trading a star for Parsons as the principal of your deal, do you want him on the last year of his rookie deal, or locked into a nice long term contract?
> 
> Sign and trade.


To where? I doubt Parsons wants to go to Minnesota, and are the Knicks really planning on starting over with Parsons? 

And would Melo want to go to the Rockets if it is Dwight/Harden and nobody else?


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> To where? I doubt Parsons wants to go to Minnesota, and are the Knicks really planning on starting over with Parsons?
> 
> And would Melo want to go to the Rockets if it is Dwight/Harden and nobody else?


Its Chandler Parsons. Who cares where he wants to go?

Everyone keeps acting like the ball is in the players court. Its not. 

If Parsons signs the contract he wants and is traded to Minnesota and he decides he doesn't want to be there, too bad. Just ask Eric Gordon how making superstar demands when you're a fringe allstar pans out.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

R-Star said:


> Its Chandler Parsons. Who cares where he wants to go?
> 
> Everyone keeps acting like the ball is in the players court. Its not.
> 
> If Parsons signs the contract he wants and is traded to Minnesota and he decides he doesn't want to be there, too bad. Just ask Eric Gordon how making superstar demands when you're a fringe allstar pans out.


That only works if they sign him and wait until mid-season to trade him, which isn't what people mean when they say "sign and trade."

If you want to sign and trade him to Minnesota in the off season he is going to know about it, and he won't sign.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> That only works if they sign him and wait until mid-season to trade him, which isn't what people mean when they say "sign and trade."
> 
> If you want to sign and trade him to Minnesota in the off season he is going to know about it, *and he won't sign.*


Really? What's he going to do then? Hes a restricted free agent. He can't do a god damn thing. Again, just ask Eric Gordon how trying to force your way out works.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

R-Star said:


> Really? What's he going to do then? Hes a restricted free agent. He can't do a god damn thing. Again, just ask Eric Gordon how trying to force your way out works.


Sign with a team that has cap space and that he actually wants to play for? 

If the Rockets match, so be it. But then they can't trade him for a year without his consent.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> Sign with a team that has cap space and that he actually wants to play for?
> 
> If the Rockets match, so be it. I'm guessing he would rather be in Houston than Minnesota.


That's exactly what Eric Gordon did. And when the Rockets match? They turn around and trade him to Minnesota. He has absolutely no say in the matter other than voicing his personal opinion.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

R-Star said:


> Really? What's he going to do then? Hes a restricted free agent. He can't do a god damn thing. Again, just ask Eric Gordon how trying to force your way out works.


All he has to do is sign an offer sheet with any other team and it's blown up. The difference between Gordon and Parsons is that Gordon wanted to leave the team he was with, but Parsons very much wants to stay with Houston (or so he's been saying). 

If Parsons signs an offer sheet with someone else, like Charlotte or the Lakers, Houston's options would be lose him for nothing or keep him, but restricted free agents who get their offer sheet matched have a one-year no-trade clause. Parsons actually has _all_ the leverage if his only goal is to stay out of Minnesota.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

R-Star said:


> That's exactly what Eric Gordon did. And when the Rockets match? They turn around and trade him to Minnesota. He has absolutely no say in the matter other than voicing his personal opinion.


I edited my post in hopes that it would be caught in time. 

But if you match an offer to your RFA you can't trade him for a year unless he gives his consent. And he is not consenting to go to Minnesota.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wasn't aware of the one year NTC. That does muddy up the trade option. 

The whole idea on that is that Parsons would refuse to go to Minnesota and force another team to sign an offer sheet. But how does he know if he'll like who's giving the offers? Maybe Milwaukee is the highest bidder? There's a lot of if's in the idea that Parsons can force the outcome.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

That's why Rockets want to finagle it by trying to dump contracts, MAX someone and then go over to bring back Parsons..


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Dissonance said:


> That's why Rockets want to finagle it by trying to dump contracts, MAX someone and then go over to bring back Parsons..


Would be a sexy outcome.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

R-Star said:


> Wasn't aware of the one year NTC. That does muddy up the trade option.
> 
> The whole idea on that is that Parsons would refuse to go to Minnesota and force another team to sign an offer sheet. But how does he know if he'll like who's giving the offers? Maybe Milwaukee is the highest bidder? There's a lot of if's in the idea that Parsons can force the outcome.


There are plenty of teams with cap space that need a wing. Charlotte, Dallas, LA, Washington, etc..Somebody is going to sign him to an offer sheet. But even if it was a bad team, is Houston really going to let him walk for nothing? 

Worst case is that he stays in Houston.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Dissonance said:


> That's why Rockets want to finagle it by trying to dump contracts, MAX someone and then go over to bring back Parsons..


They have less money to offer now because Parsons' qualifying offer cuts into their cap.

It would have been much wiser to keep him on a cheap contract and then sign him next year. They have his Bird Rights so they can offer more than anybody else.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> There are plenty of teams with cap space that need a wing. Charlotte, Dallas, LA, Washington, etc..Somebody is going to sign him to an offer sheet. But even if it was a bad team, is Houston really going to let him walk for nothing?
> 
> Worst case is that he stays in Houston.


Worst case for Houston. 

And honestly, people just assume players won't want to go to teams like Minny. They're a franchise that's clearly dumb enough to max out Parsons, and basically give him the keys to the franchise. Unless hes a guy who demands to play for a winner, going to Minny could be his best move monetarily.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> They have less money to offer now because Parsons' qualifying offer cuts into their cap.
> 
> It would have been much wiser to keep him on a cheap contract and then sign him next year. They have his Bird Rights so they can offer more than anybody else.


Exactly. They're banking on dumping Asik, Lin right to restore it and then some? May out maneuver themselves. But if not, worst thing they do is keep him by matching.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

I am pretty sure that declining the QO takes away the cap hold, which is what this is all about. It does not make any sense other wise. As a Hornets fan we should definitely be putting together an offer sheet. I don't really like him as a defensive player, but we need a scoring wing badly.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Diable said:


> I am pretty sure that declining the QO takes away the cap hold, which is what this is all about. It does not make any sense other wise. As a Hornets fan we should definitely be putting together an offer sheet. I don't really like him as a defensive player, but we need a scoring wing badly.


No. His qualifying offer cuts into the amount of cap space they have.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Diable said:


> I am pretty sure that declining the QO takes away the cap hold, which is what this is all about. It does not make any sense other wise. As a Hornets fan we should definitely be putting together an offer sheet. I don't really like him as a defensive player, but we need a scoring wing badly.


They didn't decline a qualifying offer, he was drafted in the second round and signed a four-year minimum contract with team options, so there never was a QO at the end of the contract anyway. Houston declined the final team option on that contract in order to let him hit the market as a restricted free agent this summer instead of allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and risk losing him (and probably to build up some goodwill with his camp by getting him his big payday a year earlier). However, looking over Larry ****'s CBA FAQ, it looks like Parsons' cap hold, as a player coming off the third year of his rookie contract with full Bird Rights, is actually for the maximum they're allowed to pay him, which makes it all the more peculiar to me.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q90

According to new cba rules, Rockets can NOT do Sign and Trade Parsons.

Rockets can trade Asik/2015 first rounder to Jazz for someone.


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