2011 NBA free agents: HoopsWorld.com ranks top 30 (post 129)

[Raptors_]

I tiered them. Plus, Cardinal and Scallibrine are the heart and soul of their respective teams. We need them!

hell no i hate those guys. I feel like punching the TV screen when i see those 2.

[Apollo]

Players I would like to hear that the Raptors are talking to:

T.J. Ford, Indiana Pacers - $8.5 million – Unrestricted

Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets - $0.8 million – Unrestricted

DeShawn Stevenson, Dallas Mavericks - $4.2 million – Unrestricted

Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers - $2.9 million – Restricted

Julian Wright, Toronto Raptors - $2.9 million – Restricted

Earl Clark, Phoenix Suns - $1.9 million – Unrestricted

Kelenna Azubuike, New York Knicks - $3.3 million - Unrestricted

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies - $3.6 million – Unrestricted

Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers - $6.8 million – Restricted

Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers - $3.0 million – Restricted

And I realize that there is no chance in hell that TJ is playing here next season as is. I think the Grizz will match any offer for Gasol.

[Tim W.]

I tiered them. Plus, Cardinal and Scallibrine are the heart and soul of their respective teams. We need them!

The Raptors already have a heart and sole that isn't playing and is not very talented. His name is Reggie Evans. They don't need anymore.

And if you tiered them, were drinking heavily at the time?

[Tim W.]

Players I would like to hear that the Raptors are talking to:

T.J. Ford, Indiana Pacers - $8.5 million – Unrestricted
Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets - $0.8 million – Unrestricted
DeShawn Stevenson, Dallas Mavericks - $4.2 million – Unrestricted
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers - $2.9 million – Restricted
Julian Wright, Toronto Raptors - $2.9 million – Restricted
Earl Clark, Phoenix Suns - $1.9 million – Unrestricted
Kelenna Azubuike, New York Knicks - $3.3 million - Unrestricted
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies - $3.6 million – Unrestricted
Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers - $6.8 million – Restricted
Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers - $3.0 million – Restricted

And I realize that there is no chance in hell that TJ is playing here next season as is. I think the Grizz will match any offer for Gasol.

Ford can't seem to fit in in Indiana, no matter who the coach is. No thanks.

Thornton doesn't play a lick of defense, which is why he couldn't get off the bench in New Orleans. No thanks.

Stevenson is a pretty good defensive player, but do the Raptors really need another mediocre swingman? Don't they have enough of those?

Young I like.

Wright can't get playing time now. Maybe he deserves it, but he's really not that good, anyway.

Clark was a guy I wanted to stay away from in the draft because he is one of those guys who relies more on his talent than hard work. No thanks.

Azubuike barely played last year, hasn't played at all this year. Apart from possibly never being healthy again, he's 27.

Gasol I would agree on.

Oden will never be healthy. I just don't think his body is built right. I don't think I want to continually wait around on the off chance he might one day be able to play more than 50 games.

Hawes is a die hard Republican and really isn't that talented. The combination of which would make me not want him.

[Apollo]

Good thing you and I aren't the guys who decide or there might be a meltdown I guess. haha

Have you made a list?

[Tim W.]

Good thing you and I aren't the guys who decide or there might be a meltdown I guess. haha

Have you made a list?

Hey, we agreed on two of them!

And my list is a lot shorter.

Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets
Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets
Nick Young, Washington Wizards
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers
Jeff Green, Boston Celtics
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

There are a lot of mediocre players available, but the Raptors have plenty of mediocre talent. What they really need is starting calibre talent. And those are the only guys who are good enough, young enough and have games I like.

[mcHAPPY]

Hey, we agreed on two of them!

And my list is a lot shorter.

Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets
Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets
Nick Young, Washington Wizards
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers
Jeff Green, Boston Celtics
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

There are a lot of mediocre players available, but the Raptors have plenty of mediocre talent. What they really need is starting calibre talent. And those are the only guys who are good enough, young enough and have games I like.

I really like your list minus Nick Young. He is ridiculous on O when he gets hot but I question his shot selection and he plays little D. He is another Sonny Weems albeit a much better version with long range shooting ability. DD is the starting 2 moving forward. The Raps, in my opinion, need a 3 and D wing off the bench (Afflalo would be my ideal).

[Tim W.]

I really like your list minus Nick Young. He is ridiculous on O when he gets hot but I question his shot selection and he plays little D. He is another Sonny Weems albeit a much better version with long range shooting ability. DD is the starting 2 moving forward. The Raps, in my opinion, need a 3 and D wing off the bench (Afflalo would be my ideal).

Ya. Not sure why I threw Nick Young in there. He really doesn't play much D. Scratch him.

[mcHAPPY]

Ya. Not sure why I threw Nick Young in there. He really doesn't play much D. Scratch him.

Not a free agent, but I wonder if MEM would give up Xavier Henry on the cheap? INjured all year, rookie contract squabbles last year, a lot of SG's and SF's currently ahead of him on the depth chart.

[JoePanini]

Hey, we agreed on two of them!

And my list is a lot shorter.

Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets
Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets
Nick Young, Washington Wizards
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers
Jeff Green, Boston Celtics
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

There are a lot of mediocre players available, but the Raptors have plenty of mediocre talent. What they really need is starting calibre talent. And those are the only guys who are good enough, young enough and have games I like.

My list is exactly the same, aside from Nick Young. I'd like to sign a combo of Afflalo and Young, or Chandler and Young.

[Apollo]

Wait a second...

A lot of the names I mentioned were cheap players. The Raptors would be extremely fortunate to get one of the five big names on that list of six but they then would still need to fill 5-6 roster slots... Guys like Earl Clark, Julian Wright, Marcus Thornton, etc. are going to come cheap and they have much room to grow.

I mentioned Stevenson because he's going to be inexpensive and is a very strong defender. The Raptors are one of the youngest teams in the league and will need some veteran leadership in the years to come. I would prefer that leadership to be in the form of defensive minded players who don't need the ball because there isn't going to be many shots to go around.

My list consisted of a bunch of young prospects, some cheap seasoned vets who could fill a hole here or there, a few up and coming young guns and a few young but very imposing centers... One of which would be a gamble for sure.

I could have easily just highlighted all the best young players who will be on the market but I wanted to look into it deeper than that...

[JoePanini]

A lot of the names I mentioned were cheap players. The Raptors would be extremely fortunate to get one of the five big names on that list of six but they then would still need to fill 5-6 roster slots... Guys like Earl Clark, Julian Wright, Marcus Thornton, etc. are going to come cheap and they have much room to grow.

I mentioned Stevenson because he's going to be inexpensive and is a very strong defender. The Raptors are one of the youngest teams in the league and will need some veteran leadership in the years to come. I would prefer that leadership to be in the form of defensive minded players who don't need the ball because there isn't going to be many shots to go around.

My list consisted of a bunch of young prospects, some cheap seasoned vets who could fill a hole here or there, a few up and coming young guns and a few young but very imposing centers... One of which would be a gamble for sure.

I could have easily just highlighted all the best young players who will be on the market but I wanted to look into it deeper than that...

Afflalo shouldn't be too expensive. I'd say around 4-5 million maybe. Depends how much Karl wants him. Afflalo is my favorite player in this years FA class.

[hateslosing]

Oden will never be healthy. I just don't think his body is built right. I don't think I want to continually wait around on the off chance he might one day be able to play more than 50 games.

I think if you can sign a guy like Oden at reasonable price, you always do it. He may never play a full season and his athleticism may have taken a licking from the knee injuries, but the guy is still a monster. Basically it comes down to this with Oden in my opinion: you take a gamble and pay him for two years with a team option in the third and if he is healthy and plays to his potential you have a top 3 center. If not, you used some cap up and that's about it. Risk vs. Reward.

[Tim W.]

A lot of the names I mentioned were cheap players. The Raptors would be extremely fortunate to get one of the five big names on that list of six but they then would still need to fill 5-6 roster slots... Guys like Earl Clark, Julian Wright, Marcus Thornton, etc. are going to come cheap and they have much room to grow.

I mentioned Stevenson because he's going to be inexpensive and is a very strong defender. The Raptors are one of the youngest teams in the league and will need some veteran leadership in the years to come. I would prefer that leadership to be in the form of defensive minded players who don't need the ball because there isn't going to be many shots to go around.

My list consisted of a bunch of young prospects, some cheap seasoned vets who could fill a hole here or there, a few up and coming young guns and a few young but very imposing centers... One of which would be a gamble for sure.

I could have easily just highlighted all the best young players who will be on the market but I wanted to look into it deeper than that...

Fair enough. My feeling with the Raptors is they've got a lot of bench talent, but but very little starting talent. Unfortunately some of that bench talent is starting. By acquiring real starter talent, you automatically fill out the bench by moving current starters to the bench.

[Apollo]

Afflalo shouldn't be too expensive. I'd say around 4-5 million maybe. Depends how much Karl wants him. Afflalo is my favorite player in this years FA class.

Yeah. That's why I mentioned five big names on a list of six players. I was referring to Afflalo not being a big name.