With the Rockets hoping to sell Jimmy Butler and the Sixers on agreeing to a sign-and-trade scenario that would send the standout wing to Houston, the Rockets are offering Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, and P.J. Tucker to teams with cap room, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
As Wojnarowski explains, Capela, Gordon, and Tucker are being offered individually to potential trade partners, as the Rockets search for the best first-round pick they can get for one of those players. The idea would be to redirect that pick to Philadelphia in a potential sign-and-trade for Butler, Woj adds.
Despite the Rockets’ efforts, the Sixers have privately been expressing confidence that they’ll be able to re-sign both Butler and Tobias Harris in free agency, Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). Philadelphia holds both players’ Bird rights, giving the club the ability to offer more years and more money to each player than any other team will be able to.
While losing Butler won’t be the Sixers’ first choice, there’s reason to believe they might be amenable to working out a sign-and-trade if he decides to leave. If the Rockets were to offer, say, Gordon or Tucker along with a first-round pick, the Sixers could acquire a potential starter on an affordable contract along with another asset for a future deal, and would still have cap room left over. That might be preferable to losing Butler for nothing, especially if the 76ers don’t have other specific free agent targets lined up for their cap space.
The Rockets will face many obstacles en route to acquiring Butler though. They’d almost certainly to have to bring in a third team in order to meet salary-matching requirements, and would risk losing all three of Capela, Gordon, and Tucker to make a deal happen (due in part to a subsequent hard cap).
When are teams gonna learn that just 3 star players and min. players isn’t gonna cut it? This isn’t 10 years ago you need depth. Gordon, Capela, and Tucker > Butler
Exactly. We saw a bit of the changing of the guard this year with the Raptors winning the championship with one superstars surrounded by star role players. That is the formula to win in this day in age of NBA basketball, with the positionless lineups, switching on defense, and emphasis on stretching the floor.
They only won because Durant was injured. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even Klay Thompson was red hot in game 6 till he went down. He was locking up Kawhi Leonard as well. Series could have gone either way.. but as I’ve been saying, the best team won.
@ GARY seems to me the Healthiest team won.
Just like the 2015 finals when the warriors won…
Your point?
Stop discrediting champions because of injuries.
Raptors are the champs. Get over it.
Oh come on. Golden State v. Toronto would have been The Mon-stars v. The Looney Tunes if KD, Klay, and Boogie were healthy. The Raptors didn’t beat the Warriors. They beat Steph while Drake distracted Draymond. That title is tainted and everyone knows it
I wouldn’t say tainted but I mean it is what it is .. the raps were healthier so they came out on top … I don’t know if DMC would have made a difference but loosing KD for sure DID.
I know you’re tainted, and I am not claiming 2015 for the Cavs and tainting GSW.
You’re wrong. Could be tainted in some people’s eyes and they will argue back and forth.
Look it up, it says 2019 Champions Toronto Raptors. No dispute.
My Warriors have benefited from untimely injuries for the opponents so what are you going to do.
Best team won.
Actually that’s what you need to win Championships. 3 star players or 4 or bettter yet 5 All Star Starters (Well … healthy All Star Starters)
We all know if it’s just Curry and Thompson (let’s add Green there too), sure they can win A Championship but definitely not a Repeat Championship or 3peat
Those 3 sure looked good this year. Klay Thompson was kicking arse in game 6 till he went down. I think they had a chance to win game 6.
Agreed. Got to love how sports writers (or reporters in general) can say anything they say and just say “my sources” and provide no real evidence.
Capela and Tucker to the Cavs for JR and either Delly or Henson and releasing JR would free up 12M in cap room
Ouch. As much as the rockets want to shake up their roster and get Jimmy, trading Capela for that package can’t be the best way to do it. And if the rockets get Jimmy but loss Clint in the process, they are not a better team.
You don’t think they are gonna lose Capela one way or another? Sorry but if they are going for Butler then Capela won’t be on that roster next year
Houston could make more than that by stretching the acquired players. But trading Tucker makes Harris more valuable.
I don’t think the sixers resign either of them. It’s interesting to me that the east will be wide open, while all the stars wanna go out west and beat up on each other for 1 spot in the finals. Yet the bucks, sixers, raptors seem to have such easy paths.
Your screen name is a classic!
I think the ROX were unwilling to include Tucker in the JB trade before but now realize they must include him … his production in 18 was much better then 19 and he for sure lost a step and seems to be playing at a heavier weight so although he is still a plus defender he is not the same guy who was grabbing 18 rebs in the playoffs in 18
If they get rid of Tucker they will regret it.
Same thing with capela. You can guard Harden differently without the threat of a lob to Capella in the key area.
It’s not that hard to find another lob threat. It will be very hard to find another player that defends 1-5, rebounds well, hustles all the time, spaces the floor and can be your small ball five like Draymond. Tucker would be a gigantic loss.
Philly were fools in those trades. Brand will
Be fired in the middle of next season. It must suck being a 76’s fan. I look forward to the day Fultz is an All-Star in maybe only once. Holliday is awesome in NO. Noel Okafor. Simmons and Embrid have flaws of are injury prone. You will Always have 2019 Semis to remember. Ha!
What really sucks is been a Celtic fan, that man is the worst curse in the world. As I said repeatedly Celtics haven’t had a player like Embiid since the days of Larry Bird… THAT is real sad! & without Kyrie & big Al their future looks real bleak!
Butler in Houston will turn into Butler choking the beard of Harden coz Butler hates teammates who are soft and are lazy on defense.
I can already see the epic practices that pits butler and the back ups against cp3 chins and harden
Philly shouldn’t take a single player back in a deal w the Rockets + the 2 other teams they’ll need to dump Capela and Gordon on.
Cap flex will be of the utmost importance once they have to shift off Jimmy. Strikeout on Kawhi… Do dare max Kemba? Middletons not worth it. Horford wants 4 yrs.
Or fill out your roster with 2 vs 1… Russell, Randle, Keep Harris? Retain JJ. MLE Ross/Ariza/Green, Biannual Chandler/Davis.
tucker and Gordon to the pacers for sabonis and a first?
I don’t think the Rockets trade Capella. Gordon, Tucker, and a 1st would get it done. The only way this makes sense is to keep Capella with CP3, Harden, Butler, and a Midlevel stretch 4. Then Vet min the rest and have House on the bench. Gordon and Tucker sting but they can’t take over a game like Jimmy Buckets