Sources: Rockets will decline Chandler Parsons' option, making him a restricted free agent

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--rockets-will-decline-chandler-parsons--option-making-him-a-restricted-free-agent-022721563-nba.html


Sources: Rockets will decline Chandler Parsons' option, making him a restricted free agent

By Adrian Wojnarowski
12 minutes ago


The Houston Rockets plan to decline the fourth-year option on forward Chandler Parsons' contract, freeing him to become a restricted free agent this summer, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Rockets hold a $960,000 option on the fourth and final year of Parsons' contract for the 2014-'15 season, but want to avoid letting Parsons, 25, become an unrestricted free agent next summer. As a restricted free agent in July, the Rockets can match an offer sheet and retain Parsons on a long-term contract.

The Rockets have until June 30 to formally decline the option.

For the Rockets, there are two distinct advantages to letting Parsons into restricted free agency now. First, Houston is determined to clear the necessary salary cap space this summer to chase a third maximum contract free agent to join Dwight Howard and James Harden, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Houston plans to pursue the major stars who could be available upon opting out of deals, including Miami's LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and New York's Carmelo Anthony, league sources said. Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki is expected to be a target too.

The Rockets are pursuing Minnesota's Kevin Love in trade talks too, and Parsons could hold sign-and-trade possibilities.

In one scenario, Houston could secure three max-out players – including Howard, Harden and a potential star free agent – and then re-sign Parsons to an extension below the max-level range. Parsons could command in the $12 million to $13 million annual range, league executives tell Yahoo Sports.

For Houston too, there's little motivation to let agent Dan Fegan get Parsons into the summer of 2015 as an unrestricted free agent. Rockets officials fear Fegan's ability to score Parsons a monster contract on the open market. This way, Houston declines the team option now, clearing the way for Parsons to get a bigger payday a year sooner than scheduled. Ultimately, this could be a better climate for Houston to negotiate an extension with Parsons.

Parsons has been one of the NBA's most underpaid players in his current deal, which was signed after Houston drafted him in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft. Parsons averaged 16.6 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Rockets this past season.

He played a significant part in the recruitment of Howard to the Rockets and has expressed a strong desire to remain with the franchise.

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I like Parsons. Could he be a potential target?

The Rockets basically have this guy on the cheap, and he's a very good player. I wonder what motivations they have for this. Perhaps they are looking at another small forward?



KJ

They just want the market to set a salary that they'll match.

Sam

well, IF parsons is worth a $12M deal, than every player except Wallace under contract here is UNDER PAID!

including Green at less than $10M.

sorry, but Jeff Green is a better player than Parsons.

who wrote this..Parsons agent?

kdp,

Statistically, Parsons has better stats than Green. Though, those stats aren't significantly better.

I think Parsons is worth $10M, as is.


KJ

I don't think they're looking to part ways, just negotiate.

That being said, he's a versatile player and can really board. For us, however, he's not a significant enough upgrade at any forward spot, especially for the price, to consider anything.

Houston's GM, Daryl Morey, worked for Danny before going to Houston. He is just doing what Danny did with Big Baby and is currently doing with Avery Bradley, he's letting the market do his work for him. Smart.


bob


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Unless I am reading this wrong, the only reason why Houston would decline Parsons $960,000 is because he might be traded and they need to dramatically increase his salary in a sign and trade to help the numbers work in a trade.

By picking up his $960,000 option, Houston is still letting the market set Parsons value because he is a restricted free agent.

I could see Parsons and other assets going to Minnesota for Love.
Then Houston trading Asik to Boston in a package for Jeff Green.
Harden, Green, Love, Dwight and whoever is pg is quite a formidable team.

tjmakz wrote:Unless I am reading this wrong, the only reason why Houston would decline Parsons $960,000 is because he might be traded and they need to dramatically increase his salary in a sign and trade to help the numbers work in a trade.

By picking up his $960,000 option, Houston is still letting the market set Parsons value because he is a restricted free agent.

I could see Parsons and other assets going to Minnesota for Love.
Then Houston trading Asik to Boston in a package for Jeff Green.
Harden, Green, Love, Dwight and whoever is pg is quite a formidable team.

TJ,

You're right about a sign-and-trade, but there's also this reason, from the article:

For Houston too, there's little motivation to let agent Dan Fegan get Parsons into the summer of 2015 as an unrestricted free agent. Rockets officials fear Fegan's ability to score Parsons a monster contract on the open market. This way, Houston declines the team option now, clearing the way for Parsons to get a bigger payday a year sooner than scheduled. Ultimately, this could be a better climate for Houston to negotiate an extension with Parsons.

Even if they fully intend to keep Parsons this is a path to get there with less risk because he'll never be unrestricted.



bob



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Houston probably does not have the assets to go after Love.

Dboss

dboss wrote:Houston probably does not have the assets to go after Love.

Dboss

At least not without giving up some major pieces in the process. In the end, it's not a win for them.


KJ

dboss wrote:Houston probably does not have the assets to go after Love.

Dboss

dboss,

As has been suggested, there are two reasons for Morey not picking up Chandler's option. One is to give him a bigger payday a year early (and keep him off the market, so maybe short money in the bigger picture) OR to do a sign-and-trade so that Parsons can be part of a package where the numbers fit.

If Chandler is included in a package for Love, then they do have assets to go after Love. On the other hand, one of the attractive aspects to Chandler Parsons is that he is a very good player and makes less than $1M/year. If you do a sign-and-trade where he gets bumped up to Jeff Green numbers ($9M/year) then he might be right-priced, but he's not as attractive as he is right now.

Can Danny worm his way into the middle of this? Could he take some of the sting of absorbing Parson's salary by offering the TPE to Minny in exchange for getting Asik from Houston (and Houston gets Love) and maybe we throw a draft pick in? We're facilitating the trade for Houston, so they should be a bit more amenable to lowering their price for Asik (I hope).


bob


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Dboss,

I assume you're speaking of draft slot assets, which are supposedly a primary focus of Minny. And I agree with you.

Sam