Free Agency

[pistons4ever]

First player off the Board.


Grayson Allen signs extension. .

I had him as a priority...

[LaSheed]

Yeah he was one on my wish list. Damn.

[bstein14]

I would have rather given Grayson 3 years $55 million than Tobias 3 years $75 million.

[MortSahlfan]

He's the guy I wanted. I don't think Tobias is a good fit, but he might be the best we could get.. I rather trade for a guy with 3-4 years left on his contract on a bad team who might wanna remain young. Mikal Bridges, a proven player who plays both sides. I'm not sure if Dejounte Murray plays great off the ball, but he does a lot of other things well. I'm hoping the Suns lose in the 1st round, and they blow it up. Booker might wanna play in his hometown, but probably not after the worst season in franchise history.

[MotownMadness]

Nooooo

[zeebneeb]

Claxton and Monk 100% I am bummed about Grayson, but that milk is spilled. Damn. Also, Aaron Wiggins, and Jalen Smith to fill out the roster.

[aad]

Monk and Kcp still free agents

[theBigLip]

On Allen, Suns are going to pay dearly:

Allen's $15.6 million salary in the first year of the deal will cost the Suns $79 million in payroll and tax -- running Ishbia's projected 2024-25 payroll to $206 million with an additional $104 million in luxury tax. That will be the highest in the league.

Not sure how sustainable that is and how they will feel if they get knocked out in the first round. I hope they don’t - I like watching KD play.

[LaSheed]

I like Caleb Martin.

[Crymson]

I like Caleb Martin.

Martin has shot 34% on C&S three across the last two seasons. If there's one thing this roster cannot handle, it's more shaky shooters.

He's also a Heat role player, and they often don't perform as well away from Spoelstra.

[Invictus88]

Is there anything wrong with Jalen Smith?

24 years old
6-10 F/C
This season: 9.9 PPG, 5.5 Reb in 17.2 MP in 61 games
59% FG
42.4 % 3P on 2.4 attempts

Player option in 2024 for 5.4 million
The Pacers have 10 quadrillion forwards on their roster. Siakam and Turner are their starting 4 and 5.

Does this guy play defense at all?

[bstein14]

Is there anything wrong with Jalen Smith?

24 years old
6-10 F/C
This season: 9.9 PPG, 5.5 Reb in 17.2 MP in 61 games
59% FG
42.4 % 3P on 2.4 attempts

Player option in 2024 for 5.4 million
The Pacers have 10 quadrillion forwards on their roster.

Does this guy play defense at all?

Smith or Obi Toppin seems like one of them should be gone if they are going to MAX Pascal. Both can shoot the three and neither are good defensively but we need shooters real bad I feel like Smith would give us better backup minutes at C than Wiseman and he also fits better in a bench unit when paired with Ausar. I'm still on board with the idea that only Duren and Ausar can be sub 33% shooters in our rotation next year (unless perhaps you add a top 5 pick that also needs to work on shooting a bit). Wiseman should get the axe in part because we just desperately need more guys who can shoot the ball and space the floor.

[LaSheed]

I like Caleb Martin.

Martin has shot 34% on C&S three across the last two seasons. If there's one thing this roster cannot handle, it's more shaky shooters.

He's also a Heat role player, and they often don't perform as well away from Spoelstra.

Fair

[Snakebites]

Allen would have been nice, and as I said in the other thread it’s a canary in the coal mine of how much these guys are gonna fetch. Grayson got 17.5 million from a playoff team. Suddenly our cap space doesn’t feel like it goes quite as far.

Malik Monk feels like a guy we’ll end up with. He’s not a particularly consistent shooter though.

[Pandev]

The young free agent with most upside potential is Malik Monk. Also makes Ivey trade bait for a good wing/forward if you sign him and know how to play off-ball with Cade considering he did great alongside D.Fox.

Monk is still only 26.

Would you offer him $25-30m over 3 years?

[bstein14]

The young free agent with most upside potential is Malik Monk. Also makes Ivey trade bait for a good wing/forward if you sign him and know how to play off-ball with Cade considering he did great alongside D.Fox.

Monk is still only 26.

Would you offer him $25-30m over 3 years?

If he shot 40% from three I would likely consider 4 years $100 million (with the 4th year being a team option) but he's been less efficient than that an I think 4 years $80 million (with the 4th year being a team option) is more in the correct ballpark for him.

[Canadafan]

The young free agent with most upside potential is Malik Monk. Also makes Ivey trade bait for a good wing/forward if you sign him and know how to play off-ball with Cade considering he did great alongside D.Fox.

Monk is still only 26.

Would you offer him $25-30m over 3 years?

If he shot 40% from three I would likely consider 4 years $100 million (with the 4th year being a team option) but he's been less efficient than that an I think 4 years $80 million (with the 4th year being a team option) is more in the correct ballpark for him.

So then, for him to consider our lowly franchise it sounds like we would have to offer the former(4-$100). And likely closer to $30million per year(4-$120)
I like Monk but hopefully we can poach some already long term signed players from teams like Atlanta and others that will be running into cap/luxury tax problems.
Those types of players will likely be cheaper for us and lets our money go further.
It would be glorious if we could acquire 3 certified rotational players/vets with our cap space. 3 guys that could basically start or play big roles off bench. Three $20million type guys basically.
I like Duren Stew as our centers.
I like Fontecchio and Ausar as our forwards. We need 2 other forwards to make us 2 deep upfront.
I like Cade and Ivey and potentially Grimes and to a lesser extent Sasser. So adding a 3rd guard for me is key and then let Sasser Grimes battle to be the 10th man.
C-Duren Stew Wiseman Vet minimum mentor(to placate Weavers obsession with bigs)
PF+SF 2new additions Ausar Fontecchio
Our top5 pick(hopefully our last swing at the draft)
PG+SG-Cade Ivey new addition Sasser Grimes vet minimum mentor

[theBigLip]

The young free agent with most upside potential is Malik Monk. Also makes Ivey trade bait for a good wing/forward if you sign him and know how to play off-ball with Cade considering he did great alongside D.Fox.

Monk is still only 26.

Would you offer him $25-30m over 3 years?

If he shot 40% from three I would likely consider 4 years $100 million (with the 4th year being a team option) but he's been less efficient than that an I think 4 years $80 million (with the 4th year being a team option) is more in the correct ballpark for him.

So then, for him to consider our lowly franchise it sounds like we would have to offer the former(4-$100). And likely closer to $30million per year(4-$120)
I like Monk but hopefully we can poach some already long term signed players from teams like Atlanta and others that will be running into cap/luxury tax problems.
Those types of players will likely be cheaper for us and lets our money go further.
It would be glorious if we could acquire 3 certified rotational players/vets with our cap space. 3 guys that could basically start or play big roles off bench. Three $20million type guys basically.
I like Duren Stew as our centers.
I like Fontecchio and Ausar as our forwards. We need 2 other forwards to make us 2 deep upfront.
I like Cade and Ivey and potentially Grimes and to a lesser extent Sasser. So adding a 3rd guard for me is key and then let Sasser Grimes battle to be the 10th man.
C-Duren Stew Wiseman Vet minimum mentor(to placate Weavers obsession with bigs)
PF+SF 2new additions Ausar Fontecchio
Our top5 pick(hopefully our last swing at the draft)
PG+SG-Cade Ivey new addition Sasser Grimes vet minimum mentor

Pretty good summary. Big question is who specifically do we get for those forward openings?

[vege]

The young free agent with most upside potential is Malik Monk. Also makes Ivey trade bait for a good wing/forward if you sign him and know how to play off-ball with Cade considering he did great alongside D.Fox.

Monk is still only 26.

Would you offer him $25-30m over 3 years?

If he shot 40% from three I would likely consider 4 years $100 million (with the 4th year being a team option) but he's been less efficient than that an I think 4 years $80 million (with the 4th year being a team option) is more in the correct ballpark for him.

So then, for him to consider our lowly franchise it sounds like we would have to offer the former(4-$100). And likely closer to $30million per year(4-$120)
I like Monk but hopefully we can poach some already long term signed players from teams like Atlanta and others that will be running into cap/luxury tax problems.
Those types of players will likely be cheaper for us and lets our money go further.
It would be glorious if we could acquire 3 certified rotational players/vets with our cap space. 3 guys that could basically start or play big roles off bench. Three $20million type guys basically.
I like Duren Stew as our centers.
I like Fontecchio and Ausar as our forwards. We need 2 other forwards to make us 2 deep upfront.
I like Cade and Ivey and potentially Grimes and to a lesser extent Sasser. So adding a 3rd guard for me is key and then let Sasser Grimes battle to be the 10th man.
C-Duren Stew Wiseman Vet minimum mentor(to placate Weavers obsession with bigs)
PF+SF 2new additions Ausar Fontecchio
Our top5 pick(hopefully our last swing at the draft)
PG+SG-Cade Ivey new addition Sasser Grimes vet minimum mentor

I disagree with you about the center rotation and Ivey. I want all 3 gone and Sasser is a 3rd stringer at best (kinda in line with what you said about Sasser).

Isaiah Hartenstein - my #1 target

Nicolas Claxton - probably too expensive but he is better than Duren and is a lesser option if Hartenstein is not viable

Goga Bitadze - Cheap alternative but a very good one

De'Anthony Melton - Underrated and very good SG. Play both sides of the ball.

Malik Monk - Alternative to Melton. More shooting/creation, no defense

Isaac Okoro - Good starter, probably getable because of Cleveland financial situation
Tobias Harris - Meh but fill our needs

Obi Toppin/Derrick Jones Jr - Bench depth
Robert Covington/Nicolas Batum - Are probably going to a contender but they would do wonders for our defense
Royce O'Neale - too old and too undersized but he is good

Monte Morris/Delon Wright - Backup veteran PG (Morris is not coming back)
Gary Harris - We alread have Quentin Grimes but I like him, he doesn't make sense tho because of Grimes.

[JennetteMcCurdy]

Isaiah Hartenstein - my #1 target

Nicolas Claxton - probably too expensive but he is better than Duren and is a lesser option if Hartenstein is not viable

Goga Bitadze - Cheap alternative but a very good one

De'Anthony Melton - Underrated and very good SG. Play both sides of the ball.

Malik Monk - Alternative to Melton. More shooting/creation, no defense

Isaac Okoro - Good starter, probably getable because of Cleveland financial situation
Tobias Harris - Meh but fill our needs

Obi Toppin/Derrick Jones Jr - Bench depth
Robert Covington/Nicolas Batum - Are probably going to a contender but they would do wonders for our defense
Royce O'Neale - too old and too undersized but he is good

Monte Morris/Delon Wright - Backup veteran PG (Morris is not coming back)
Gary Harris - We alread have Quentin Grimes but I like him, he doesn't make sense tho because of Grimes.

All those names are fine, but here’s what we should do.


Wait a week.


Let all the ridiculous overpaid three and four year deals soak up all the money and see who’s left.

Then, offer slight overpays for two years with a buyout in year two.

Example: let’s say Melton isn’t taken after a week. Offer two years, $30 million with a $3 million buyout for year two.

So…..

If he plays well, we keep him, or trade to a contender for assets.

If he plays poorly, his contract is still very tradeable to someone who needs to cut salary the following year. Again, we get assets. Oh, and Melton gets $18 million for one year of basketball.

When you’re as bad as we are, there’s no need to tie anyone up for four years. If we go giving Harris at age 33 a four year, $140 million deal, we’ll hate it as much as we hated Blake’s contract.

Let the better teams give out the stupid contracts and wait our turn. Again, it’s about asset management - something Weaver knows little about. Hopefully the new President of Something knows more……