Like most hoops fans I’m caught up in LeBron James “Decision Pt. 2.” Will he re-sign with the Miami Heat or will he head back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers? I didn’t care how long it took him to make the choice…..until now because they longer he drags this out it will make it improbable for the Houston Rockets to keep budding superstar SF Chandler Parsons.
The Rockets are ready to offer Heat PF Chris Bosh a max contract (4 years $88M) if/when Lebron decides to take his talents back to Ohio.
Which is going to cause Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey to do some hardcore wheeling and dealing in order to free up some cap space. Trading PG Jeremy Lin will be the first order of business with PG Patrick Beverly & PF Terrance Jones not to far behind.
Making matters worse the Dallas Mavericks have offered restricted free agent Parsons a 4 year $45M deal that the Rockets have 72 hours to match. Here he is shown partying with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban last night.
Pay The Guy!!! @mcuban @ChandlerParsons @WojYahooNBA @SpearsNBAYahoo @ESPNSteinLine @GoodmanESPN pic.twitter.com/K0kLUfuPPl
— Daniel Morgan (@DmoSwag) July 10, 2014
NBC Sports breaks it down like this.
Obviously, Houston wants to delay (matching the Mavericks offer sheet) as long as possible. Signing Bosh first with cap space first and then exceeding the cap to re-sign Parsons – something possible only as long as his cap hold remains on the books – is the Rockets’ ideal plan.
However, even if the roster is stripped to just Dwight Howard, James Harden and Parsons’ cap hold, Houston still couldn’t offer Bosh a max contract.
The Rockets could come close, offering $83,088,781 over four years. Bosh’s max with Houston is $88,151,588 over four years.
Maybe Bosh doesn’t care about that $5,062,807 difference. If so, more power to him.
However, he was reportedly dismayed by Miami lowballing him. I’m not sure he’s running to Houston on a discount.
But all of this is contingent on King James making a move out of Miami. He’s got all the cards and has to make the first move. Until then the fan bases of Houston, Miami, Cleveland and Dallas are on hold.
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