Free Agency 2012

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Gordon just declined the extension (sources say) presented to him by the Hornets.

Should BC throw max money at him? Is he worth it?

[Nilanka]

Gordon just declined the extension (sources say) presented to him by the Hornets.

Should BC throw max money at him? Is he worth it?

If he wasn't made out of glass, he may be worth pursuing. But I don't see him as a max player.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

If he wasn't made out of glass, he may be worth pursuing. But I don't see him as a max player.

Just checked his stats, and yeah, definitely not a max player

Dismal 112 def rating last year, misses around 20 games per season due to injuries

[Nilanka]

Just checked his stats, and yeah, definitely not a max player

Dismal 112 def rating last year, misses around 20 games per season due to injuries

I've had him on my "keeper league" roster for the past 3 seasons, and I'm just about fed up with him, lol.

[saints91]

I think we should sign Chandler regardless if we draft a 3 or not. It takes time for guys to develop and I think with a few additions this team is ready to make a playoff appearance and work towards a championship. By signing Chandler we can take best player available, and there are a lot of SF's, and PF's in this draft, as well as 2 good SG's in the top ten. I don't think we should overlook any of those positions.

If we draft a PF. In a few years we can have Bargs come off the bench for the 5 and 4 positions. He would still get 30mins and he can play both.

If we draft a SF we could have Chandler be a 6th man substituting the 2 and 3 positions.

If we draft a SG we could have DeMar playing the 6th man for the 2 and 3.

As long as the as the player we draft is All-star caliber within a couple years we can make those moves. If we pick a dud, which can happen, and happens often, we have a solid team because we didn't invest everything in on e player.

[Apollo]

Gordon just declined the extension (sources say) presented to him by the Hornets.

Should BC throw max money at him? Is he worth it?

The Pacers will be taking a run at him from what I'm reading.

[Nilanka]

The Pacers will be taking a run at him from what I'm reading.

Would that make Paul George expendable? If so, me likey.

[Apollo]

I would think George is a core piece that's not going anywhere. It's more likely that West or Granger would be on the block.

[Matt52]

The Pacers will be taking a run at him from what I'm reading.

I think any move to get Gordon will be via a sign and trade. I can't see NO letting Gordon walk for nothing considering he is restricted and a very good talent (when healthy). Luckily Indiana does have pieces to make it happen - most notably Granger.

[Apollo]

If Gordon were to say he wants nothing to do with Indiana and is interested in Toronto I'm sure the Hornets would accept DeRozan and Davis or something of that nature. How likely is it that Gordon would pick Toronto over Indiana? Who knows, Casey brings a new level of respect to the Raptors.

[Maleko]

Chandler and Batum would be two very nice pieces to add. I'm all for it but only after the draft. Lets see where we are on draft night and who's still on board. If we have a shot at Barnes, MKG or Miller I think you have to force feed them minutes so I'm not sure Chandler or Batum make sense. Who we draft dictates who we target via trade and free agency IMO.

Chandler could also spend time at the 2, as could Barnes, so it would not be a huge issue, and in the end would also be a trade piece.

[Lark Benson]

Just wanted to chime in here since I'm surprised nobody's really done a Chandler vs Batum comparison. Gonna draw on ESPNs Hollinger profiles and stats from basketball-reference.com and a few other places. Personally I'd prefer Batum, and here's why:

First up, offence. To me Batum is a better fit as a guy who's mostly a catch and shoot player, can hit the 3 and finishes well when given the lane/on the break. Chandler is somewhat the opposite: he creates shots for himself but doesn't hit them. Chandler's career highs in TS% and 3pt% are essentially at or lower than Batum's career lows in those categories. Their per36 offensive rebounding and assist numbers are pretty similar, and Batum turns the ball over just a bit less. Chandler however has a much higher useage rate, which is a bit of an issue on a team with high useage players in Calderon and Bargs. Batum is a bit better free throw shooter but half a free throw less per 36 minutes, and in general has a higher FG%. So really it comes down to a contrast in styles.

We can't know what the draft will bring, but given a starting lineup that features Bargs, one of Val/Gray/Amir, DeRozan and Calderon, a wing that can stretch the D would complement the team a lot more and open things up for DeRozan. Chandler and DeRozan on the wings would be a bad pairing in my opinion.

Now defence. Hollinger mentions that Batum's defensive numbers from Synergy were awful, but that on the other hand the Blazers used him to guard whoever Andre Miller couldn't. It's also worth considering that on a team that featured Camby, Aldridge and Wes Matthews, attacking Batum kind of makes sense. A quick look at defensive win shares and defensive rating has Batum killing Chandler, but then again Chandler was playing on the Knicks and Nuggets, so you have to take those with a grain of salt. Chandler is a bit better defensive rebounder, but Batum played with superior rebounders around him so was unlikely to haul many in. Both get the standard roughly 1 block and 1 steal per game And in terms of their physical abilities, Batum is the longer quicker type while Chandler has a bit more bulk. But both have good size and would likely be defensive assets in Casey's system.

Finally, Batum beats Chandler in PER and kills him in win shares/48. In fact Batum's current .182 ws/48 is better than anyone on the Raptors this year, and even if he falls back to the .126 he posted last year, would still place him 3rd. Chandler on the other hand has never topped .100 (while Batum has never been under it), though his ws/48 has improved every year in the league, as has his PER.

In short, I don't think you can really go wrong with either player. I'd much prefer Batum given that he would fit better with the existing team on the offensive end. Is he worth 9-10/mil per year for 4 years? I say yes, but only because it would fit well with the club's salary structure. That deal would expire the same year you would have to give Val and this year's pick extensions. This is especially true if Barnes and MKG are both off the board when the Raps pick, but even if they aren't, Batum, DeRozan and one of those two would make a phenomenal wing trio for the next 4 years. The deal also wouldn't be so large that the Raps couldn't pursue an expensive point guard once Jose's deal expires. So to me, if Batum keeps up this year's production and stays healthy, then he'd be worth overspending on.

[Nilanka]

Wasn't there some talk about Batum being offended by Toronto's actions? Something to do with Raptors brass assuming Batum had a heart condition (going back to pre-draft workouts)? If this is true, my guess is that Batum wouldn't care to play for the Raptors.

[Maleko]

If Gordon were to say he wants nothing to do with Indiana and is interested in Toronto I'm sure the Hornets would accept DeRozan and Davis or something of that nature. How likely is it that Gordon would pick Toronto over Indiana? Who knows, Casey brings a new level of respect to the Raptors.

He is from Indianapolis.

[Apollo]

There goes that slim hope.

[Matt52]

First of all, I am not a Doug Smith fan - far from it actually. However, one thing I do give him credit for is his discretion when talking about 'things he has heard' around the ACC and from Raptor people. Basically, his credibility is almost as good as Woj at Yahoo! if only because he never takes a chance on gossip or someone slipping him something who has a different agenda or alterior motive or not having approval from Raptors brass to run the story. So with that back handed compliment in Googling 'Wilson Chandler Raptors' I came across this from 2 weekends ago.

Q: Hi Doug, I know you are loathe to speculate on potential acquisitions, but I wonder if you have an opinion on Wilson Chandler. The Nuggets will have the first crack to sign him once the Chinese season is over, but after dishing out big money to Afflalo and Nene, I wonder if they have the cash to sign him. I also read the the Nugs are in talks with Gallinari to extend him as well, further reducing the chances that Chandler will be back in Denver.

The Raps could certainly use help at the 3 and Chandler is a solid 2 way player and still relatively young. If you were Mr. Colangelo would you make him an offer?

Also, was there a uniform rule change since the lockout? What's with all the players wearing tights under their unis? I watched a Knicks game the other day, it looked like Melo had a unitard on under his jersey. I thought this was more tightly regulated in the past?

Thanks

Xander C, Toronto

A: Chandler’s name was one I heard kicked around briefly before the season started – there was some thought about making him an offer and seeing what Denver would do even if they couldn’t get him until March – and I would suspect he’s a guy who’d be on a list of possibilities when the summer rolls around.

I agree it’s going to be financially difficult for Denver to keep him and I wonder if he and Gallinari aren’t too much the same guy for both of them to play there.

And there has been no change in the uniform rule, teams still have to get an okay from the league for such things as leggings but that permission is quite readily granted, it seems.

Source: thestar.com


I hope there is truth to this.

Maybe do a sign and trade, Chandler for Alabi?

[Balls of Steel]

Wasn't there some talk about Batum being offended by Toronto's actions? Something to do with Raptors brass assuming Batum had a heart condition (going back to pre-draft workouts)? If this is true, my guess is that Batum wouldn't care to play for the Raptors.

I think 9 mil per year will help ease his anger. Let's make this happen!!!

[Balls of Steel]

Just wanted to chime in here since I'm surprised nobody's really done a Chandler vs Batum comparison. Gonna draw on ESPNs Hollinger profiles and stats from basketball-reference.com and a few other places. Personally I'd prefer Batum, and here's why:

First up, offence. To me Batum is a better fit as a guy who's mostly a catch and shoot player, can hit the 3 and finishes well when given the lane/on the break. Chandler is somewhat the opposite: he creates shots for himself but doesn't hit them. Chandler's career highs in TS% and 3pt% are essentially at or lower than Batum's career lows in those categories. Their per36 offensive rebounding and assist numbers are pretty similar, and Batum turns the ball over just a bit less. Chandler however has a much higher useage rate, which is a bit of an issue on a team with high useage players in Calderon and Bargs. Batum is a bit better free throw shooter but half a free throw less per 36 minutes, and in general has a higher FG%. So really it comes down to a contrast in styles.

We can't know what the draft will bring, but given a starting lineup that features Bargs, one of Val/Gray/Amir, DeRozan and Calderon, a wing that can stretch the D would complement the team a lot more and open things up for DeRozan. Chandler and DeRozan on the wings would be a bad pairing in my opinion.

Now defence. Hollinger mentions that Batum's defensive numbers from Synergy were awful, but that on the other hand the Blazers used him to guard whoever Andre Miller couldn't. It's also worth considering that on a team that featured Camby, Aldridge and Wes Matthews, attacking Batum kind of makes sense. A quick look at defensive win shares and defensive rating has Batum killing Chandler, but then again Chandler was playing on the Knicks and Nuggets, so you have to take those with a grain of salt. Chandler is a bit better defensive rebounder, but Batum played with superior rebounders around him so was unlikely to haul many in. Both get the standard roughly 1 block and 1 steal per game And in terms of their physical abilities, Batum is the longer quicker type while Chandler has a bit more bulk. But both have good size and would likely be defensive assets in Casey's system.

Finally, Batum beats Chandler in PER and kills him in win shares/48. In fact Batum's current .182 ws/48 is better than anyone on the Raptors this year, and even if he falls back to the .126 he posted last year, would still place him 3rd. Chandler on the other hand has never topped .100 (while Batum has never been under it), though his ws/48 has improved every year in the league, as has his PER.

In short, I don't think you can really go wrong with either player. I'd much prefer Batum given that he would fit better with the existing team on the offensive end. Is he worth 9-10/mil per year for 4 years? I say yes, but only because it would fit well with the club's salary structure. That deal would expire the same year you would have to give Val and this year's pick extensions. This is especially true if Barnes and MKG are both off the board when the Raps pick, but even if they aren't, Batum, DeRozan and one of those two would make a phenomenal wing trio for the next 4 years. The deal also wouldn't be so large that the Raps couldn't pursue an expensive point guard once Jose's deal expires. So to me, if Batum keeps up this year's production and stays healthy, then he'd be worth overspending on.

Thank you for this. It makes soooo much sense it's not even funny.

[Miekenstien]

Just wanted to chime in here since I'm surprised nobody's really done a Chandler vs Batum comparison. Gonna draw on ESPNs Hollinger profiles and stats from basketball-reference.com and a few other places. Personally I'd prefer Batum, and here's why:

First up, offence. To me Batum is a better fit as a guy who's mostly a catch and shoot player, can hit the 3 and finishes well when given the lane/on the break. Chandler is somewhat the opposite: he creates shots for himself but doesn't hit them. Chandler's career highs in TS% and 3pt% are essentially at or lower than Batum's career lows in those categories. Their per36 offensive rebounding and assist numbers are pretty similar, and Batum turns the ball over just a bit less. Chandler however has a much higher useage rate, which is a bit of an issue on a team with high useage players in Calderon and Bargs. Batum is a bit better free throw shooter but half a free throw less per 36 minutes, and in general has a higher FG%. So really it comes down to a contrast in styles.

We can't know what the draft will bring, but given a starting lineup that features Bargs, one of Val/Gray/Amir, DeRozan and Calderon, a wing that can stretch the D would complement the team a lot more and open things up for DeRozan. Chandler and DeRozan on the wings would be a bad pairing in my opinion.

Now defence. Hollinger mentions that Batum's defensive numbers from Synergy were awful, but that on the other hand the Blazers used him to guard whoever Andre Miller couldn't. It's also worth considering that on a team that featured Camby, Aldridge and Wes Matthews, attacking Batum kind of makes sense. A quick look at defensive win shares and defensive rating has Batum killing Chandler, but then again Chandler was playing on the Knicks and Nuggets, so you have to take those with a grain of salt. Chandler is a bit better defensive rebounder, but Batum played with superior rebounders around him so was unlikely to haul many in. Both get the standard roughly 1 block and 1 steal per game And in terms of their physical abilities, Batum is the longer quicker type while Chandler has a bit more bulk. But both have good size and would likely be defensive assets in Casey's system.

Finally, Batum beats Chandler in PER and kills him in win shares/48. In fact Batum's current .182 ws/48 is better than anyone on the Raptors this year, and even if he falls back to the .126 he posted last year, would still place him 3rd. Chandler on the other hand has never topped .100 (while Batum has never been under it), though his ws/48 has improved every year in the league, as has his PER.

In short, I don't think you can really go wrong with either player. I'd much prefer Batum given that he would fit better with the existing team on the offensive end. Is he worth 9-10/mil per year for 4 years? I say yes, but only because it would fit well with the club's salary structure. That deal would expire the same year you would have to give Val and this year's pick extensions. This is especially true if Barnes and MKG are both off the board when the Raps pick, but even if they aren't, Batum, DeRozan and one of those two would make a phenomenal wing trio for the next 4 years. The deal also wouldn't be so large that the Raps couldn't pursue an expensive point guard once Jose's deal expires. So to me, if Batum keeps up this year's production and stays healthy, then he'd be worth overspending on.

thanks for the hard work. i would still like to have chandler on the team. i think he might be a bit cheaper and i dont really understand hollingers numbers. do they take into account how strong the portland team is as a whole? (looking for reasons now)

[ceez]

Ok so it's settled, Gordon and Chandler as the wings next year. Good work boys.