The Rockets, according to a report, are trying to dodge the luxury tax before Thursday’s trade deadline.
CNBC’s Jabari Young, who wrote the previous report on Houston’s tax avoidance:
And despite what some #NBA execs believe, I’m told #Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has given GM Daryl Morey full rights to improve team at deadline with no financial restrictions. Feritta not happy with team’s current standing and wants to win now. #NBATradeDeadline
— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) February 4, 2020
The proof will almost certainly be in the pudding. It’s nearly impossible to envision the Rockets optimizing their winning without paying the luxury tax this year. They could make trades that help on the court save and money, but Houston’s assets would go further toward winning if trimming costs isn’t also a priority.
The luxury tax isn’t assessed until the final day of the regular season, so there’s a little more room for buyouts and waiver additions/subtractions. But we’ll have a much better idea of the truth by Thursday afternoon.
And if the Rockets somehow get under the tax line, well, that’d be a total fluke.