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Houston Rockets

2020-21
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Which players deserved investigation for the Houston Rockets’ problems in 2020-21?

Nov 22, 2020Nov 27, 2020Dec 2, 2020Jan 16, 2021Mar 25, 2021

Dec 2, 2020 — Rafael Stone

The decision this board surrounds ultimately brought in John Wall. Later outcomes never rewrite the board.

HOU on 2020-12-02: the listed basketball needs were interior finishing, rim protection, rebounding. 1 candidate(s) had a source directly linking them to the team. 0 open-market candidate(s) matched at least one listed need. Market access, basketball fit, price, salary route, and legality remain separate.

Team-linked targets availablelisted needs: interior finishing · rim protection · rebounding3 candidates — ordered by team link, then need match, then evidence. No target score.
John WallAcquired in the completed transactioncap charge $41.3M
Market route
A source directly linked this player to the team
Need addressed
Withheld Candidate function evidence unavailable
Observed functions
Not established
Strength overlap
No major overlap with an identified team strength
Availability history
No pre-decision availability reports in the governed source
Acquisition price
Completed package observed: 1 player(s) + $41.4M
Contract & salary
Salary screen available; contract-control evidence unavailable
Exact legality
Withheld A salary screen is not a full transaction-legality determination.
Why is he here?

John Wall: a source directly linked John Wall to HOU. The candidate function comparison was not supported. The salary screen was available, but contract-control evidence was unavailable. Exact transaction legality remains withheld without a complete package and exception ledger.

Minimum-outgoing salary screen (2017 CBA rules)
Incoming salary: $41.3MTeam position proxy: Over cap below or at tax proxyRoom plus 100k: minimum outgoing $41.2MNon taxpayer expanded 175 100 plus5m or 125 100: minimum outgoing $32.9MTaxpayer lane (125% + $100K): minimum outgoing $32.9M

minimum outgoing salary screen only; post-trade team salary, guarantees, bonuses, aggregation timing, exceptions and complete package remain required for legality

prior-season impact context: -0.2 per 100 (O 0.0 / D -0.2) — Prior impact context is separate from team fit, price, and transaction value.

Russell Westbrookcap charge $41.4M
Market route
Linked only to another team
Need addressed
Does not address a listed top need
Observed functions
creation · passing · event creation
Strength overlap
No major overlap with an identified team strength
Availability history
No pre-decision availability reports in the governed source
Acquisition price
Public offer-shape evidence available
Contract & salary
Salary screen available; contract-control evidence unavailable
Exact legality
Withheld A salary screen is not a full transaction-legality determination.
Why is he here?

Russell Westbrook: sources linked Russell Westbrook to another team, not HOU. His strongest observed functions did not match the listed top needs. The salary screen was available, but contract-control evidence was unavailable. Exact transaction legality remains withheld without a complete package and exception ledger.

Minimum-outgoing salary screen (2017 CBA rules)
Incoming salary: $41.4MTeam position proxy: Over cap below or at tax proxyRoom plus 100k: minimum outgoing $41.3MNon taxpayer expanded 175 100 plus5m or 125 100: minimum outgoing $33.0MTaxpayer lane (125% + $100K): minimum outgoing $33.0M

minimum outgoing salary screen only; post-trade team salary, guarantees, bonuses, aggregation timing, exceptions and complete package remain required for legality

prior-season impact context: 0.7 per 100 (O 0.4 / D 0.3) — Prior impact context is separate from team fit, price, and transaction value.

James Hardencap charge $41.3M
Market route
Linked only to another team
Need addressed
Does not address a listed top need
Observed functions
creation · passing · event creation
Strength overlap
No major overlap with an identified team strength
Availability history
No pre-decision availability reports in the governed source
Acquisition price
Withheld No public price evidence before the decision
Contract & salary
Salary screen available; contract-control evidence unavailable
Exact legality
Withheld A salary screen is not a full transaction-legality determination.
Why is he here?

James Harden: sources linked James Harden to another team, not HOU. His strongest observed functions did not match the listed top needs. The salary screen was available, but contract-control evidence was unavailable. Exact transaction legality remains withheld without a complete package and exception ledger.

Minimum-outgoing salary screen (2017 CBA rules)
Incoming salary: $41.3MTeam position proxy: Over cap below or at tax proxyRoom plus 100k: minimum outgoing $41.2MNon taxpayer expanded 175 100 plus5m or 125 100: minimum outgoing $32.9MTaxpayer lane (125% + $100K): minimum outgoing $32.9M

minimum outgoing salary screen only; post-trade team salary, guarantees, bonuses, aggregation timing, exceptions and complete package remain required for legality

prior-season impact context: 2.6 per 100 (O 1.8 / D 0.8) — Prior impact context is separate from team fit, price, and transaction value.

Historical decision board. A public-market player is not presented as a team target without a named team link. Minimum outgoing salary is not exact legality. Missing asking price is not a zero price. Later outcomes do not alter the decision-date board.