NBA Free Agency

[burk48237]

Well, the Lebron watch begins tomorrow.

1) Lebrons a goner, will he go for the money? or the best team?If he had any class he'd stay with his home team, it's not like they haven't tried to win.

2) I'm surprised Pierce and Nowitzki opted out. Neither are worth the max anywhere else

3) Bosh will probably end up in a package with either Wade or Lebron

4) I hope the big three don't end up in one place (Miami-the rumor). That would be bad for the league if a team was able to just buy a title IMO

5) The team that is in the best position to improve is the Bulls. They have Rose, Noah, and Deng locked up. That's a good young core to add a couple of stars too.

[suckybassplaya]

I agree with all of your points.

As for number 2, what I have been hearing is that a lot of agents are telling their clients to get contracts/extensions this year under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will expire after this year. I guess most people believe that the owners/NBA will be able to get less player-friendly rules into the new CBA.

Whether that is really true or not, I have no idea. But that is what I have been hearing.

[elgecko]

Originally Posted by burk48237

4) I hope the big three don't end up in one place (Miami-the rumor). That would be bad for the league if a team was able to just buy a title IMO

The 2004 Lakers (Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone, Gary Payton) showed that a "future hall of fame" team doesn't automatically equate a title.

[jp58]

Originally Posted by burk48237

Well, the Lebron watch begins tomorrow.

1) Lebrons a goner, will he go for the money? or the best team?If he had any class he'd stay with his home team, it's not like they haven't tried to win.

2) I'm surprised Pierce and Nowitzki opted out. Neither are worth the max anywhere else

3) Bosh will probably end up in a package with either Wade or Lebron

4) I hope the big three don't end up in one place (Miami-the rumor). That would be bad for the league if a team was able to just buy a title IMO

5) The team that is in the best position to improve is the Bulls. They have Rose, Noah, and Deng locked up. That's a good young core to add a couple of stars too.

I feel like LeBron, Dirk, D-Wade, and Pierce will end up staying put, even if they all sign short contracts.

Stodamire will be either a Knick or he will join D-Wade in Miami.

Joe Johnson will be a Knick.

Lee heads to OKC, Shaq is headed back to Miami, and Boozer goes to the Nets.

Bosh is the big ? for me. He seems to fit in Chi-town, but I have the sneaking feeling he's headed to another team to join one of the above.

[ryano]

Originally Posted by suckybassplaya

As for number 2, what I have been hearing is that a lot of agents are telling their clients to get contracts/extensions this year under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will expire after this year. I guess most people believe that the owners/NBA will be able to get less player-friendly rules into the new CBA.

Whether that is really true or not, I have no idea. But that is what I have been hearing.

I think you're spot on here. Doc Rivers has announced he is coming back next year. He basically said he'd like one more crack at winning a title with this team. So my assumption, like yours, is that Pierce is looking to sign one more long term contract under the current CBA.

The only way this could fall apart is if the Clippers make Pierce an offer he can't refuse which seems to be the topic on many of the sports radio shows.

I hope he stays and retires a Celtic but one never knows... I assume they'll have to get Ray a reasonable one year deal as well.

[jp58]

Originally Posted by ryano

I think you're spot on here. Doc Rivers has announced he is coming back next year. He basically said he'd like one more crack at winning a title with this team. So my assumption, like yours, is that Pierce is looking to sign one more long term contract under the current CBA.

The only way this could fall apart is if the Clippers make Pierce an offer he can't refuse which seems to be the topic on many of the sports radio shows.

I hope he stays and retires a Celtic but one never knows... I assume they'll have to get Ray a reasonable one year deal as well.

The same goes for Dirk, he opted out just to get more money from the Mavs long term.

[burk48237]

Great article by Michael Rosenberg on James on SI dot com.

There has been talk, for several weeks, about a King-DWade-CB4 troika in Miami. (That's LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh to their mothers.) They can do this. They have a right to do it. Miami has the salary-cap space --assuming Wade re-signs -- to get LeBron and Bosh if one agrees to accept less or work out a complicated sign-and-trade. The trio could create the greatest team of all time -- probably not next year, but three years from now, after Miami uses its draft picks and various cap exceptions to fill in the rest of the picture.
They could dominate the league. And that would be awful. It would be like choosing sides on the playground and giving one team the first three picks. It would be like giving your cousin every pick in the first round of your fantasy league.
This is not how sports are supposed to work, and it is really not how the NBA is supposed to work. The league is set up so its best players play against each other, not with each other, every spring.
Arranging a superteam would be the easiest path to a championship for LeBron, but it would not be the best path. In fact, it would backfire on him.

If James leaves Cleveland, he'll lose fans he can never get back. He will forever be the guy who ditched his long-suffering hometown to chase easier championships, money or fame. And that's a pretty good way for him to ensure that he won't get as much money or fame as he'd like.
James leaving would be unlike anything we've seen in sports. Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando for Los Angeles, but a) Orlando was not Shaq's hometown; b) Orlando was not the longest-suffering big sports city in America, like Cleveland is; and c) Shaq was not yet the dominant force in his sport. (Jordan was.)

If James goes to Miami, he risks always being A-Rod to Dwyane Wade's Jeter. Wade, like Derek Jeter, is a likable, future Hall of Famer who brought his fans a championship. James is more talented than Wade, just as Alex Rodriguez is more talented than Jeter. But James, like A-Rod, could be viewed as the cold, corporate mercenary who is simply using his employer to advance his own interests.

If James goes to Chicago, he'd surely win multiple championships: A core of James, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and either Carlos Boozer or Bosh would be the best in the league. But he would never be better than the second-most popular player in franchise history. And since the Bulls have tortured Cleveland fans as much as any team in sports, except maybe the Steelers, James would look like he doesn't care at all about his hometown sports fans. Cleveland would instantly loathe him. And by extension, much of America would lose respect for him.

The Cavaliers have done a lousy job building around James for the past seven years. They have not acquired one credible sidekick for him -- no Scottie Pippen, no Pau Gasol, no Manu Ginobili. If James leaves, I won't have much sympathy for the Cavs.
But I'd have plenty of sympathy for Cleveland fans. And I suspect most of the country would, too. LeBron James would be an enemy in his hometown and viewed suspiciously everywhere else. He has been pointing to this summer for at least two years. But James should remember this about free agency: As soon as he signs a contract, he signs over a good chunk of his power. People will look at where he goes and make judgments on who he is. He should think long and hard about what he wants them to see.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...html?eref=sihp

[jp58]

I went to go to espn and check on this, and ESPN is down. Grr. Off to yahoo (shudders)

[ubado]

Originally Posted by burk48237

That would be bad for the league if a team was able to just buy a title IMO

It has seemed to do pretty well for the Yankees and MLB.

I'm not falling for the Miami Power Trio ... don't think Wade is willing to give up "his" team for a championship, he already has. It's fun to think Riley will return. just for LeBron though.

I'm going out on a limb here ... LeBron is staying in Cleveland.
I kinda feel bad for the Bulls ... putting all their hopes into signing LeBron.

Honeslty, I'm already ready for this to be over. The LeBron thing is being drawn out, way too long.
He couldn't get it done with the good team Cleveland had ... who's to say a bit better of a line up will help.

[jaywa]

I saw that Joe Johnson is being offered a six-year deal for $119 million.

Think about that. $20 mil a year to bounce a ball up and down.

Hell, just the agent's cut of that deal alone is enough for the average American to live on for years.

[ryano]

Looks like the Celts are trying to sign Ray and have already reached an agreement with Pierce. Looks like they are busy trying to sign David Lee or Brad Miller as well.

Lee would add some much needed rebounding and a bit of offense, although his offensive numbers will likely go way down with the Celts as he'd be the 4th or 5th option. Miller, eh. Not a fan but that may be because he always gets into it with the Celts. He may be the kind of guy you love when he's on your team else not so much. Kinda like Noah.

If the Celts sign Lee and Allen, and Perk comes back healthy by the end of the year, I like their chances.

Edit: Provided a super team doesn't assemble in Miami :-).

[ryano]

Originally Posted by jaywa

I saw that Joe Johnson is being offered a six-year deal for $119 million.

I like Joe Johnson but this may go down as one of the worst contracts ever. I hope not but...

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by ryano

Looks like the Celts are trying to sign Ray and have already reached an agreement with Pierce. Looks like they are busy trying to sign David Lee or Brad Miller as well.

Lee would add some much needed rebounding and a bit of offense, although his offensive numbers will likely go way down with the Celts as he'd be the 4th or 5th option. Miller, eh. Not a fan but that may be because he always gets into it with the Celts. He may be the kind of guy you love when he's on your team else not so much. Kinda like Noah.

If the Celts sign Lee and Allen, and Perk comes back healthy by the end of the year, I like their chances.

Edit: Provided a super team doesn't assemble in Miami :-).

Lee, would be a big pickup for them with the Wallace retirement. But if I'm a Celts fans there are three things I'm concerned about, Ray Allens decline, and the lack of a viable backup on the bench for him. The second is the lack of a solid post defender. Garnett, just doesn't have the strength or ups he use to have to defend in the post, and Gasol exposed Perkins. Wallace was their only viable stand up post defender last year. Remember they are in the same division as Howard. The third is Rondo's shooting, it's a flaw that doesn't show up as much in the playoffs, but when your point guard is not a reasonable outside threat, and can't hit a free throw, he can be minimized in the playoffs. Rondo's weaknesses are BIG weaknesses for a championship team, you'd better hope he spends the entire off season with a shooting coach.

[Deluge Of Sound]

On a related note-rumor is Iverson's coming back.

If that's true, I'm excited. He's always been one of my favorite players to watch.

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by jaywa

I saw that Joe Johnson is being offered a six-year deal for $119 million.

Think about that. $20 mil a year to bounce a ball up and down.

Hell, just the agent's cut of that deal alone is enough for the average American to live on for years.

This is one of the big problems in the NBA, it's not the Kobe and Lebrons getting max contracts. It's the talent level of the guys who get CLOSE to max contracts. I remember a few years ago when Ben Wallace got just under max with the Bulls. He was perhaps the best defensive player ever, but he was never an offensive threat and his skills were obviously in decline. While I appreciate Ben Wallace a lot for being a "max effort" guy, players like that don't have the skills for max contracts. And once they get them they tie up the rest of the teams cap for years. He cost the Bulls probably four years to get back to the level they were at BEFORE they signed him, all for the semi-finals.

The same thing was true of Chauncy Billups, I actually thought he should have been the MVP in 05. But his individual skills just didn't make him a max contract player. Teams need players like Chauncy and Ben, but it's getting harder and harder to afford them. That's why we see so many mediocre teams that still compete, and no real great teams anymore.

The NBA cap also has some real issues, the league should not penalize teams for drafting well in the second round. If you draft a surprise in the second round, and he takes two years to develop. He can jump to a team for big money and you have no draft retention rights to go over the cap to resign him.

[ryano]

Originally Posted by burk48237

Lee, would be a big pickup for them with the Wallace retirement. But if I'm a Celts fans there are three things I'm concerned about, Ray Allens decline, and the lack of a viable backup on the bench for him. The second is the lack of a solid post defender. Garnett, just doesn't have the strength or ups he use to have to defend in the post, and Gasol exposed Perkins. Wallace was their only viable stand up post defender last year. Remember they are in the same division as Howard. The third is Rondo's shooting, it's a flaw that doesn't show up as much in the playoffs, but when your point guard is not a reasonable outside threat, and can't hit a free throw, he can be minimized in the playoffs. Rondo's weaknesses are BIG weaknesses for a championship team, you'd better hope he spends the entire off season with a shooting coach.

Agreed Ray Allen is declining. But when he's hot, he's unstoppable. And yes his hot streaks come further apart now. If you really watch a Celts game and watch Ray, he is in constant motion running off screens. Even on plays where he doesn't touch the ball he has an effect on the D. His defense is also rock solid. I'm hoping he's got one more year in him.

I'm actually a little more worried about KG's decline. As you mentioned his leaping ability and strength seem to be less than they used to be. He missed lots and lots of Ally Oops this year, very un-KG like. I hope he is a bit more hurt than he or the Celts let on and he fully recovers in the off season as well.

The window for this team is closing fast but I think they may have one more run in em.

Not sure I agree on Perkins. Many centers, including Gasol, cite Perkins as their toughest matchup and a he's solid post defender. Gasol definitely had some nice games against Perk but I'll take Perk going forward for his D and physical nature. I just hope he recovers quickly and completely.

Rondo's free throw shooting was awful in the playoffs, no doubt. But he can and does pick his spots to hit his outside shot. Is he an outside threat, no, but can he hit an open jumper, yes. Will he work at it the office season, dear God I hope so. He has been working with Mark Price on his shooting touch. Hopefully it pays bigger benefits next year.

Gonna be an interesting coupla days to see how the free agent market shakes out. Crazy times in the NBA.

[jazzy grille]

Boozer to O-town!

[dangnewt]

I like the proposed Paul Pierce signing. Paul gives up one big year at 20, for 4 at 15ish. An extra 40 million over the life of the contract, he retires a Celtic and their is 1 or 2 legit shots at a title. And provides a little cap space that can get them some help.

Rondo's outside shooting is getting better, clearly he needs (and I suspect will) get better at free throws - for the money the Celts are throwing around, how much would it cost to get Rajon lessons with Rick Barry? If they go in, I wouldn't mind looking at a season of underhanded free throws.

Similarly with Perk and Davis - they are on the upswing and will add some sort of improvement/refinement to their games.

Celts are in an interesting situation. The Big 3 are on the decline - the hope is that their declines will be more gradual than the standard NBA player and given their fitness, competitiveness, and mental toughness, I am willing to take my chances with them.

As for LBJ - I used to live in Brooklyn, so I'd like to see him go the Nets. Jay-Z, the Russian Mark Cuban and LBJ - what a combo.

[MakiSupaStar]

I predict he comes to LA and plays for the Clippers. They have a ton of money, and they could offer LeBron the opportunity to build the team much like Kobe did for the Lakers. But who knows. LeBron is impulsive, he could just make some weird rash decision.

[TOOL460002]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

I predict he comes to LA and plays for the Clippers. They have a ton of money, and they could offer LeBron the opportunity to build the team much like Kobe did for the Lakers. But who knows. LeBron is impulsive, he could just make some weird rash decision.

espn had some lebron quote on yesterday where he said his goal was to become a billionaire so his family would be fine for generations and generations. i wonder if the clippers are willing to dump more money than the nets.