Free Agency 2011

[Matt52]

And if he does show and becomes a cancer in the locker room? I think Denver might put in a bid and he'll be happy to go back there.

Do a Jamal Tinsley.

[Apollo]

Maybe but I don't think anyone below cap in the east are in a position to be concerned with what the Heat are doing. They'll most likely be playing golf before it becomes a real factor.

[Matt52]

Maybe but I don't think anyone below cap in the east are in a position to be concerned with what the Heat are doing. They'll most likely be playing golf before it becomes a real factor.

Dan Gilbert might disagree - lol

[planetmars]

That would be hilarious. Cavs drafted Irving #1. They have Davis who they'll probably amnesty only to get Chauncey to come play on the bench. I'm sure Chauncey would love that situation.

But if Chauncey really loves Denver so much, I could see them taking him back. They will have the cap space as well for him.

[Apollo]

Dan Gilbert might disagree - lol

Maybe but a man complaining he can't pay the bills and was pushing for a long lockout to dominate the players isn't helping his public image with the Players if he then turns around and is willing to toss out a $1M to spite LeBron James.

That would be hilarious. Cavs drafted Irving #1. They have Davis who they'll probably amnesty only to get Chauncey to come play on the bench. I'm sure Chauncey would love that situation.

But if Chauncey really loves Denver so much, I could see them taking him back. They will have the cap space as well for him.

He's from there and he keeps a home there. In fact he didn't buy a home in NYC and instead elected to live out of a hotel.

[Matt52]

For anyone dizzy by all the tweets and rumors, SheridanHoops.com breaks down the flurry activity before the storm tomorrow at 2pm.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2011/12...ws-and-rumors/

[Apollo]

Phoenix is going to be a great platform for Shannon Brown to market his talents to the buyers in the summer of 2012.

[slaw]

For anyone dizzy by all the tweets and rumors, SheridanHoops.com breaks down the flurry activity before the storm tomorrow at 2pm.

_ Tayshaun Prince is staying with the Detroit Pistons for four years and $27 million, and Jonas Jerebko is getting four years and $16 million to remain in Detroit.

_ Greg Oden is signing the Trail Blazers’ one-year $8.9 million qualifying offer.

_ Shane Battier is signing with the Miami Heat for $9 million over three years under the so-called mini-midlevel exception.

_ Caron Butler is getting a three-year, $24 million deal from the Los Angeles Clippers.

_ The Milwaukee Bucks are signing Mike Dunleavy for two years and $7.5 million

But remember, the owners are all broke and can't make money.... too funny. Actually, the funny thing is that the only team signing a deal that makes any sense at all is Miami. Let the silly season begin.

[Matt52]

But remember, the owners are all broke and can't make money.... too funny. Actually, the funny thing is that the only team signing a deal that makes any sense at all is Miami. Let the silly season begin.

Mike Dunleavy is a good deal in my opinion, $3.5M per season for a reserve with his talent. The key for him is to stay healthy.

Butler is a joke.

Prince is a joke.

Jerebko is sketchy considering he tore his Achilles last year.

Oden is..... well, Oden.

[slaw]

Mike Dunleavy is a good deal in my opinion, $3.5M per season for a reserve with his talent. The key for him is to stay healthy.

Yep, fair enough. I read that as $7.5mm for one year... my bad.

[heinz57]

Phoenix is going to be a great platform for Shannon Brown to market his talents to the buyers in the summer of 2012.

as soon as i heard about brown, my first thought was "wow, nash is going to make him look like Joe Johnson version 2"

[GarbageTime]

as soon as i heard about brown, my first thought was "wow, nash is going to make him look like Joe Johnson version 2"

where do we sign up for 6 years at 20 mil a year?


Thought it was a very good move by Brown though.... will likely start, play beside Nash (who makes everyone... aside from Vince Carter.... look good and get a pay raise), and then can decide what he wants to do next year. Doubt too many were willing to take a risk on another back-up Laker perimeter player.

Shane Battier.... real good signing for the Heat. Thought it was a good deal to....

Doubt they'll do it liek this, but start Lebron at point, wade at the 2 and Battier at the 3.... then bring Miller off the bench.... not to shabby. If they get a real C... call this season over.

[slaw]

Doubt they'll do it liek this, but start Lebron at point, wade at the 2 and Battier at the 3.... then bring Miller off the bench.... not to shabby. If they get a real C... call this season over.

Why? Chicago is an excellent team. Boston is still going to be tough if they're healthy. The Lakers are going to be good. SA, Dallas, OKC. There's teams that can beat Miami. Plus, you can add all the ancillary pieces you want, Lebron still needs to overcome his gag reflex in the Finals. You should remember buddy on the podcast, phdsteve or whatever, with his 7 championships in a row nonsense. Who knows, Miami may not get out of the East.

[NoPropsneeded]

only solid teams with players that compliment eachother will win championships. you could have 10 all stars on your team but if they don't compliment eachother the team will suck when it comes playoff time. Miami got destroyed by dallas cause of good defense and playing together as a team, miami is just "the big 3" no one else really contributes. The entire series was Lebron and Wade vs the entire Dallas Mavs sqaud, basically 3 on 15.

[Tim W.]

only solid teams with players that compliment eachother will win championships. you could have 10 all stars on your team but if they don't compliment eachother the team will suck when it comes playoff time. Miami got destroyed by dallas cause of good defense and playing together as a team, miami is just "the big 3" no one else really contributes. The entire series was Lebron and Wade vs the entire Dallas Mavs sqaud, basically 3 on 15.

Well, they got the Finals, which was better than any other East team. And now they have Batter, plus a healthy Udonis Haslem. I certainly wouldn't count them out.

[Mess]

Miami got destroyed? Really?

Anyway, glad to see nothing has changed here.

[Mapko]

This is HUGE news! And it completely opens the floodgates on what Colangelo can do to improve the roster now...rather than waiting another season.

Maybe silly maybe not.
Most people seem to feel we have to go through a patient, long rebuild. Do we?
I agree, I would not give T Chandler 10,12 mil & then what?
But, remember Celtics a few years back? 3rd overall pick (for a reason), a couple of trades & a few lucky bounces (Rondo & Perkins) & they win it all.
So how is this (since reality for a Raptor fan this year is poor, lets dream):
-Trade Kleiza for Biedrins & a first round draft choice;
-Trade Amir J & above 1st rounder for Josh Smith (This might be a bit of a stretch);
-Once waived (?) bid $5-6 mil for B Haywood;
-Trade Barbosa for OJ Mayo or M Beasley (maybe even keep Barbosa);
RESULT: A Playoff team:
Starters: Calderon
DeRosean
J Smith
A Bargnani
B Haywood
-With much improved D at 3 & 5 I believe Bargnani might explode offensively (since less pressure);
Subs: Bayless
OJ (Or Beasley, or even keep Barbosa)
J Johnson
E Davis
A Biedrins
Bring back Reggie for 2-3 mil if possible;
The above team would be around 65 mil.
The major assets: -Ed Davis, JV, DD, next years 1st I have not touched.
Also we still have TPE from last year.
Lets not forget: top 2 or 3 pick next year is not a guarantee of a great NBA player (remember M Olokwandi, Sam Bowie, Marvin Williams, Morrison…)

[Matt52]

SpearsNBAYahoo Marc J. Spears
Thunder to re-sign sharpshooter Daequan Cook to a two-year, $7.5 million deal, source tells @YahooSports.

My dream ends.

Ha, not really but I do like Cook.

[Tim W.]

Maybe silly maybe not.
Most people seem to feel we have to go through a patient, long rebuild. Do we?
I agree, I would not give T Chandler 10,12 mil & then what?
But, remember Celtics a few years back? 3rd overall pick (for a reason), a couple of trades & a few lucky bounces (Rondo & Perkins) & they win it all.
So how is this (since reality for a Raptor fan this year is poor, lets dream):
-Trade Kleiza for Biedrins & a first round draft choice;
-Trade Amir J & above 1st rounder for Josh Smith (This might be a bit of a stretch);
-Once waived (?) bid $5-6 mil for B Haywood;
-Trade Barbosa for OJ Mayo or M Beasley (maybe even keep Barbosa);
RESULT: A Playoff team:
Starters: Calderon
DeRosean
J Smith
A Bargnani
B Haywood
-With much improved D at 3 & 5 I believe Bargnani might explode offensively (since less pressure);
Subs: Bayless
OJ (Or Beasley, or even keep Barbosa)
J Johnson
E Davis
A Biedrins
Bring back Reggie for 2-3 mil if possible;
The above team would be around 65 mil.
The major assets: -Ed Davis, JV, DD, next years 1st I have not touched.
Also we still have TPE from last year.
Lets not forget: top 2 or 3 pick next year is not a guarantee of a great NBA player (remember M Olokwandi, Sam Bowie, Marvin Williams, Morrison…)

THose trades are incredibly lopsided. And the team you constructed is barely a playoff team. And if it does make the playoffs, it's most likely out in the first round. So, in other words, you've constructed a mediocre team that is not better than the mediocre teams the Raptors have trotted out over the last 16 years.

Even IF you could somehow make those deals, that team is going nowhere. So no thanks.

[Matt52]

The first 24 hours of free agency are in the books and a number of players have already signed new deals. Now, the second day of free agency is here and plenty of players are still available. Here is a list of who is available position-by-position.

Point Guards: Rodney Stuckey (Restricted), J.J. Barea (Unrestricted), Delonte West (Unrestricted), Ronnie Price (Unrestricted), Sundiata Gaines (Unrestricted), Earl Boykins (Unrestricted), Anthony Carter (Unrestricted), Ben Uzoh (Unrestricted), Marcus Banks (Unrestricted), Royal Ivey (Unrestricted)

There are still a number of talented point guards available. Stuckey is obviously the biggest name due to his restricted tag, but Barea, West and Price were serviceable back-up options last season. This was an extremely weak position entering free agency and teams searching for a point guard may be better off bidding on an amnestied player such as Gilbert Arenas or Chauncey Billups.

Shooting Guards: Jamal Crawford (Unrestricted), Jason Richardson (Unrestricted), Arron Afflalo (Restricted), Nick Young (Restricted), Mo Evans (Unrestricted), DeShawn Stevenson (Unrestricted), Michael Redd (Unrestricted), Willie Green (Unrestricted), Daequan Cook (Restricted), Anthony Parker (Unrestricted), Marco Belinelli (Restricted), Alonzo Gee (Unrestricted), Dominic McGuire (Unrestricted)

There haven’t been many deals involving shooting guards. Many of these restricted free agents will sign later in the week once teams aren’t afraid to lock their money up for three days. Crawford, Richardson and Afflalo have received interest from a number of teams, but the drama surrounding Dwight Howard and Chris Paul has affected them. New Orleans and New Jersey are among the teams expressing interest so they must wait for those situations to be resolved before they can sign.

Small Forwards: Reggie Williams (Restricted), Josh Howard (Unrestricted), Earl Clark (Unrestricted), Al Thornton (Unrestricted), Jeremy Evans (Unrestricted), Jason Kapono (Unrestricted), Jamario Moon (Unrestricted), Rasual Butler (Unrestricted), Peja Stojakovic (Unrestricted), Shawne Williams (Unrestricted), Ime Udoka (Unrestricted), Rodney Carney (Unrestricted), DaJuan Summers (Unrestricted), Quinton Ross (Unrestricted)

More small forwards were signed in the first day of free agency than any other position. Caron Butler, Thaddeus Young, Tayshaun Prince, Grant Hill, Shane Battier and Jason Kapono have already signed deals. However, there is still some talent left at the positions. Veterans like Josh Howard and Shawne Williams have received interest from contenders while up-and-coming teams are tossing money at Reggie Williams and Earl Clark.

Power Forwards: David West (Unrestricted), Carl Landry (Unrestricted), Andrei Kirilenko (Unrestricted), Troy Murphy (Unrestricted), Kris Humphries (Unrestricted), Reggie Evans (Unrestricted), Luc Mbah a Moute (Restricted), Josh McRoberts (Unrestricted, Dante Cunningham (Restricted), Leon Powe (Unrestricted), Craig Smith (Unrestricted), Jason Smith (Restricted), Joe Smith (Unrestricted), Chris Wilcox (Unrestricted), Josh Powell (Unrestricted), DJ Mbenga (Unrestricted), Brian Cardinal (Unrestricted), Melvin Ely (Unrestricted)

Yesterday, rumors surfaced that David West was going to sign with the Boston Celtics. That has now cooled off and West remains available. Power forwards haven’t received much attention throughout this process, but there are plenty of teams interested in West, Carl Landry and Kris Humphries among others.

Centers: Marc Gasol (Restricted), Nene (Unrestricted), Samuel Dalembert (Unrestricted), DeAndre Jordan (Restricted), Joel Przybilla (Unrestricted), Spencer Hawes (Restricted), Nenad Krstic (Unrestricted), Brian Skinner (Unrestricted), Kyrylo Fesenko (Unrestricted), Erick Dampier (Unrestricted), Kurt Thomas (Unrestricted), Francisco Elson (Unrestricted), Aaron Gray (Unrestricted), Kwame Brown (Unrestricted), Theo Ratliff (Unrestricted), Etan Thomas (Unrestricted), Alexis Ajinca (Unrestricted), Hamed Haddadi (Restricted)

Outside of Tyson Chandler, many of the top centers remain available. Marc Gasol is searching for the best offer sheet, Nene is waiting on the Nets and Samuel Dalembert continues to weigh his options. There are also plenty of back-up centers that will need to find homes over the next few days.

Source: HoopsWorld.com