If LeBron James' goal this offseason is to join the team that gives him the best chance of knocking off Golden State after back-to-back losses to the Warriors in the NBA Finals, his best hope may be joining the Houston Rockets — who took the Warriors the distance in this year's conference finals.
总决赛连续两年被勇士双杀,休赛季老詹若想转投他队,以便来年复仇勇士,目前最佳选择就是火箭了。火箭队是最近几个赛季里与勇士鏖战最久的。
Is such a scenario possible? Let's look at how it might happen.
这样的愿景可能实现吗?我们来分析分析。
James opts in for 2018-19
詹姆斯19-19赛季选择加盟火箭
LeBron James alongside James Harden and Chris Paul could wreak havoc on the West.
詹皇配灯泡在西区将摧枯拉朽。
If LeBron wants to play for the Rockets, it would probably be necessary for him to go the same route Paul did a year ago: passing on free agency to set up a trade to Houston.
如果要加入火箭,詹皇最有可能按去年保罗的方式:通过自由市场,交易至火箭。
Why? Because even if the Rockets were to pull off a sign-and-trade deal for James as a maximum-salary free agent, doing so would hard-cap them at the luxury-tax apron, estimated at $128 million for next season.
为什么?因为即便火箭给詹姆斯顶薪合同,这样火箭得交奢侈税,预计下赛季1.28亿。
unless James or Paul is willing to take a massive pay cut — unlikely given their leadership roles in the National Basketball Players Association (Paul is president, James is first vice president) — LeBron opting in is the way to go.
除非詹姆斯或保罗愿意大幅降薪,考虑到他们在联盟球员工会都是领导者(保罗是主席,而詹姆斯是副主席)不大可能发生,这样就需要詹姆斯选择加盟火箭。
A trade would allow the Rockets to re-sign any of their free agents, including Capela, Paul and also starting small forward Trevor Ariza, with new owner Tilman Fertitta's willingness to pay a giant luxury-tax bill the main issue from Houston's standpoint.
这样的选择,火箭就可以重新签下所有自由球员卡佩拉,保罗和首发小前锋铁扎,同时还需要老板愿意负担火箭方面的巨额奢侈税。
The trick here would be finding a workable trade between the Rockets and Cavaliers.
关键是骑士和火箭要达成可操作的交易。
Searching for an Anderson taker
寻找安德森的接盘侠
One key to a LeBron-to-Houston deal is finding a suitor for Ryan Anderson and his $20.4 million salary in 2018-19.
勒布朗前往休斯顿的一个关键就是找到一个替代者,能匹配安德森18-19赛季2040万的薪酬。
Ideally, Houston would match James' salary in large part with the $20.4 million owed Ryan Anderson in 2018-19. However, with two years left on Anderson's contract (he'll make $21.3 million in 2019-20) and with him falling largely out of the Rockets' playoff rotation, that's a tough sell.
理想的话,安德森18-19赛季2040万的薪资空间能最大程度匹配詹姆斯的薪酬。然而,安德森还有两年合同(19-20赛季2130万),火箭季后赛期间,他也大多数时间不在轮转阵容中,这样他很难出售。
Dealing James for a package centered on Anderson would likely push Cleveland deep into the luxury tax next season, so that idea is probably a nonstarter. Any trade involving Anderson would require a third team with cap space to take on his contract in exchange for future picks, allowing the Cavaliers to cut their payroll.
以安德森为中心实现詹姆斯的打包交易,只会将下赛季的骑士进一步推向奢侈税深渊,这个交易基本无从谈起。任何涉及安德森的交易必须有第三支球队参与,用工资帽空间接下安德森的合同来交换未来的选秀权,这样才能使骑士降低工资开支。
Instead, the Rockets may have to live with Anderson on their books and find another trade package for James.
否则,火箭把安德森留在账面上,谋求他法换取詹姆斯。
Building a LBJ trade without Anderson
寻找方案,在无法交易安德森的情况下追求詹姆斯
Matching James' salary without involving Anderson is possible but more painful for Houston, which would have to give up key parts in return.
不用安德森换取詹姆斯是有可能的,只是这令火箭更加痛苦,他们必须放弃一些关键球员。
Assuming the Rockets are limited to players currently under contract — sign-and-trade rules would also be challenging on the Cavs' end of the deal — Houston would have to trade basically everyone besides Harden and Anderson.
若火箭只能选现有合同球员匹配詹姆斯-按照先签再换的规则,骑士也捉襟见肘-火箭基本除了哈登和安德森,其他人都得用以交换。
Of course, there are many important variables before the two teams could even begin talking trade. First and most critically, LeBron has to decide Houston is the next place he's taking his talents, and to do so before the June 29 deadline to pick up his player option.
当然,两队谈判前有很多变数。首先也是最关键的,詹皇必须自己决定下赛季去火箭施展他的天赋,而且必须在7月29日前做出此决定,执行他的球员选项。
If that happens, however, there appears to be a path for James to join the Rockets.
如果那样的话,不管怎样,才有可能找到一种方式能使詹皇加盟火箭。
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