Houston could have paid Ariza - it owned his full Bird rights, meaning it could match any offer, despite being well over the salary cap. But with Paul's deal costing Houston roughly $40 million per year the next four years, and with Clint Capela still on the market awaiting a big payday himself as a restricted free agent, the Rockets clearly couldn't stomach the thought of soaring past a $250 million payroll to match the money Ariza got from Phoenix, which is the stratosphere Houston would be in had it done so.