Houston Rockets: Ryan Anderson should still be traded for cap flexibility

The Houston Rockets are edging closer to the date that they’ll be able to ink Carmelo Anthony to the veteran’s minimum deal. But with he taking less money, Ryan Anderson should still be traded to maintain cap flexibility. Here’s why.

The Houston Rockets have gone through this off season with mostly less than eye-opening moves. Yes, Chris Paul has been re-signed — which was expected — but I honestly don’t think he had any other suitors that were willing to pay him the maximum contract that he received from the Houston Rockets in the way of a four-year, $160 million deal.

I feel that the amount of money committed to the 34-year-old was a bit of a risky move but it was one that had to be made. We all saw for our own eyes last season that the rapport between he and James Harden worked as I expected it to. Harden never had a guy to challenge his motives out on the court, to get in face and yell at him which is something he’s needed for quite some time.

Harden would be channeling himself instead of seeking a heady voice of reason which has become CP3. For that, I’m grateful because Harden has a ton of respect for Paul and he’ll listen to what he has to say. He may not agree with Paul all the time — we saw some of that rifts of emotion on the sidelines this season — but ultimately they know what’s best in terms of being the two pivotal players to lead this team to some success.

But now that’s settled — the Houston Rockets have signed Gerald Green, Michael Carter-Williams, James Ennis and last year’s draftee Isaiah Hartenstein to deals. Unless you’ve been under a rock, the Houston Rockets are expected to sign Carmelo Anthony to the veteran’s minimum of $2.4 million.

This is plenty surprising of a move because I thought he was going to want to get paid the same amount as he would be making this season — a $27.9 million player option that he exercised — but things worked out. How so? The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to execute a trade with Melo involved to the Atlanta Hawks and they quickly waived him as they have no need for presence or inflated salary.

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Melo’s buyout should be complete soon and his 2018-19 salary would be paid over time with the stretch provision so it minimizes the amount of cap usage for the Hawks. They’re not looking to contend any time soon so it’s not wise for them to increase any time of spending.

The Hawks will receive Justin Anderson from the Philadelphia 76ers and a 2022 first-round pick from the Thunder in a multi-team deal that just finalized today. The Hawks will ship Dennis Schroeder, Mike Muscala and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot will also be jettisoned from the Sixers to complete the deal. That’s a lot of return and a pact that will keep the Hawks on a straight and narrow rebuilding trajectory.

But as for the Rockets, even though Melo is going to be on the books for a minuscule amount, it still would be prudent for Daryl Morey to try to move Ryan Anderson‘s contract to a taker for some assets.

I wrote about the Rockets possibly having a trade partner for Anderson last week and that notion

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should still be moved on. I’d rather have cap space than to be handcuffed with the guys we currently have at this time.

And don’t worry about Clint Capela‘s salary if he re-signs — whatever deal that he agrees to will not be hard-capped because the Rockets will be bringing back their own free agent. It’s nice how the CBA works in the Rockets’ favor right?

Don’t get me wrong, Anderson is an exceptional human being but in a league what is measured much on the old adage of “what have you done for me lately?” he has been mostly one-dimensional with his stellar three-pointer marksmanship, decent rebounding and poor defensive play.

The team could acquire several players to make up for all what he’s deficient in place of the $40 million that he’s owed over the next two seasons. So it’s definitely time to make the move and should be Priority No.1 after the ink has dried on Melo’s one-year deal with the Rockets.

We’ll have to see but I’m hopeful the aforementioned happens as quickly as possible.

Next. Four reasons why Moreyball works. dark

Anderson, 30, averaged 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds with a shooting line of .431/.386/.774 through 66 games — 50 starts — in 2017-18.

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