Free Agents Intrigued by Hawks Roster?!?

[Jamaaliver]

Well a number of you guys called it. If we played well, made the playoffs, improved the culture and made a good showing this year, we might be able to turn some heads making it easier for us to attract free agents.

Sounds like that scenario may indeed be paying dividends:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/status/465170605705539584[/tweet]

What a wonderful turn of events.

Any ideas on who these interested parties might be?
Does this make missing out on a lottery pick and a potential top 3 selection more worth it?
Is this due largely to the playoff series?
Do we still look as appealing if we win 37 regular season games and miss the playoffs altogether?

[Jamaaliver]

A number of teams could have significant cap room this summer although the list of free agents isn’t nearly as strong as it projects to be in 2015. Interesting spenders could include the Atlanta Hawks...Here are some free agency predictions:

Luol Deng leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Atlanta Hawks
While the Hawks didn’t finish the season above .500 (38-44), they gave the Indiana Pacers a scare in the first round, despite playing without Al Horford (torn pectoral).
Deng didn’t mesh in Cleveland. He’d be a nice addition to the Hawks, both as a scorer and defender.
A three- or four-year deal ($37.6-$51.2 million) starting at almost $12 million might be enough to sway Deng, who doesn’t appear likely to re-sign with Cleveland regardless.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/projecting-nba-free-agent-prices/Yj49vmFFKSOQOm6m.99

i enjoy a good rumor as much as anybody. But this one seems a bit far fetched. It cuts into our bottom line and doesn't, IMO, make us a top team. I like Deng, just not for $12 million per season anymore....Unless we get Monroe that is. In which case going all-in for a run at a title might actually be worth it.

[theatlfan]

1st, nice find...

Any ideas on who these interested parties might be?

I've always been somewhat surprised by how tight knit the professional athlete ranks actually are. I always assume that since they are technically a part of separate corporations in different cities, then they wouldn't have much interaction, but that's a false assumption. Hence, if there's a buzz, then I don't think that it'd be something that would help with just 1 or 2 FAs but with all of them. Now, it may be nothing more than a visit or a sitdown, but still, it's a numbers game. If you're in the door with a Dwight level FA 10 times and only sign 1, then you still have a Dwight level FA playing on the team.

Does this make missing out on a lottery pick and a potential top 3 selection more worth it?

We'll see here. I was always a proponent of going for it with the most notable point being the one that I saw from you in that it would give Coach Bud some playoff experience. Still, no matter what some will say here, if the NYK pick lands in the top 3, there will be a lot of people railing about the 2 Ws against IND and MIA in the final week or so... probably even me.

Is this sue largely to the playoff series?

I think the playoff series has something to do with it, but I also think that the comment we saw from the players coming out of the exit interviews speak much more loudly. Sorry, I'm too lazy and/or tired to find the link right now, but there was some rather effusive praise from the players toward Coach Bud and the coaching staff in general - including some interesting quotes from Korver in calling them the most prepared staff he's played for. Combine that with a FO structure that seems ready to pounce if a star level player becomes available and there's a recipe for players to look twice.

Do we still look as appealing if we win 37 regular season games and miss the playoffs altogether?

I think the answer here is "no". Lots of reasons for this, but the two that I'd highlight would be a) timing (there weren't a lot of teams that had the same buzz as us and ended the season at the same time) and b) I think the individual players would have been disappointed in losing the playoff berth so the soundbites from the exit interviews wouldn't have been as positive.

The only thing I would caution here is that timing is everything and I really hope this doesn't mean that we go through the next few years barely missing out. If we had this buzz last year going into the off-season, would Paul & Dwight given us more serious consideration? Can we keep this momentum for an entire year and have similar momentum going into the '15 FA class? Or will we be a team that will peak in "buzz" for an FA class that won't have any stars that both a) seriously consider moving teams and b) could actually do it? Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have the challenge of keeping the buzz over creating it, but still, there are as many challenges now in ensuring that buzz turns into a tidal wave for the '15 class than there were in creating it in the 1st place.

[azuresou1]

I think we'll keep the buzz as long as we improve in the W/L column next year and we continue to play team basketball. My hope is that one day when people say 'Hawks basketball,' people will associate us with the type of precision and execution that people automatically associate with the Spurs. We should be equipped to be their spiritual successors when Duncan, Manu, and Pops retire in a couple of seasons.

More on topic for FAs - might we be a potential outside target for Melo now? At a $63M cap we'll have about $15M in cap space without moving anyone. If we can move Lou Will ($5.5M), that number jumps to $20.5M. While it wouldn't be a true max for Melo, I think he's matured in his perspective and would be willing to give up some money to greatly increase his chances of winning.

Our roster would be:

Teague/Schroeder
Korver/Jenkins
Melo/Carroll
Millsap
Horford/Bebe/Antic

plus our draft pick and whatever veterans are willing to sign cheaply. I know some people are leery of Melo - but I think he's turned it around in terms of his maturity, leadership and willingness to play team ball.

As for Deng - I think he's a low impact player. You'll note that after he was traded, Chicago hummed right along, and arguably got better. Cleveland didn't. He's also old for a FA (29), injury prone, and can't shoot from deep. No, his plus defense doesn't make up for all that. He's an EASY pass.

[PandaKidd]

If NYK get Kerr, Melo is going nowhere.

He wont leave PJ IMO for less money and less years. He will take a paycut to stay in NY why would he take a paycut AND less years ?

I dont think he goes anywhere.

On topic, this is good news, but lets see what they do with it. Im not a fan of Deng at all.

[dms269]

I don't see Melo as being a good fit with Bud. A very iso-oriented player with a very anti-Iso coach.

[D21]

I don't see Melo as being a good fit with Bud. A very iso-oriented player with a very anti-Iso coach.

Exactly what I thought.
He would kill the offense we saw, and at a very high price.

Regarding Deng, he can forget the 12M, unless Ferry stop trying to build a team like SAS
The question is simple : would SAS pays him 12/yr for 3 or 4 years ?
I think they wouldn't, so the answer is No

Horford at 12M
Millsap at 9.5M
Teague at 8M
...
we need to stay on this mark.
Deng is good player, but no way he deserves more than Millsap. Lots of people, and his agent, think he should, but it's all because of All-Star selections he got and that he didn't deserved.

And last point : CHI was offering him a 8M/yr extension to play with a very good team.

[azuresou1]

Melo might be iso-oriented, but he hasn't exactly played in many team-oriented offenses. He's played besides JR for how many seasons now?

Maybe I'm drinking my own Kool-Aid, but I think he's proven that he can play team offense when surrounded with talent (Beijing), and also that he's matured tremendously as a MAN over the past two seasons. When you put those two together and consider our undeniable need for an elite offensive talent, particularly at the wing, I think he's the perfect FA acquisition (besides obviously LeBron which isn't happening).

[ATLHawksfan21]

Melo might be iso-oriented, but he hasn't exactly played in many team-oriented offenses. He's played besides JR for how many seasons now?

Maybe I'm drinking my own Kool-Aid, but I think he's proven that he can play team offense when surrounded with talent (Beijing), and also that he's matured tremendously as a MAN over the past two seasons. When you put those two together and consider our undeniable need for an elite offensive talent, particularly at the wing, I think he's the perfect FA acquisition (besides obviously LeBron which isn't happening).

I agree with this completely. Melo has never had the fortune of playing on a well-rounded offensive team. He's always had to carry the burden of being the main scorer and especially in New York. Throw Mike Woodson (the creator of Iso-Joe) in to the picture and it gets worse.

I think Melo would be the perfect fit for us but I don't want to pay him more than 20 million and I highly doubt that he would take that big of a paycut to play for the Hawks. He would be the perfect player to put us in legit contender status.

[Rip2137]

Um...hate Mike D'antoni all you want, but Iso play destroys his offense and it is built around ball movement with the pick and roll being the basis.

I'm sorry, but Melo is what Melo is. I think he could be dangerous in the playoffs for a good team though, when the game slows down. But I just don't believe in paying that much money to a guy that is only dynamic on one end of the court anymore.

[PandaKidd]

I think Melo is going through a humbling right now. Without a ring, he will never be in any conversation of being talked about 20 years from now.

I think hes willing to learn more , but lets look at what he dealt with. Dantoni and Woodson? Not really geniuses on the offensive side of the ball IMO. D'Antoni caught lightning in a bottle with Nash and Amare 7 years ago? What has he done since then?

I am a pretty big "melo" hater, but after watching him this year, I can honestly say hes changed. He HUSTLED his ass off EVERY game. I saw other Knicks players take games off and loaf but he didnt. That has to be seen.

I think Melo has to do some soul searching. Houston on paper makes sense, but does he want to go to 2 other ball dominant black holes on offense? Houston was too talented to get bounced in the 1st round IMO. And they would have to ship Parsons out.

Chicago? Amare 2.0 with D Rose knees.

The LOGICAL thing for him to do is stay in NY if PJ Coaches, or go to a team that NEEDS a SF and has a SYSTEM he can thrive in. Spurs cant afford him. Hawks can somewhat. Ive heard clipper rumblings but they would have to ship out someone to get him.

[Jamaaliver]

1. I do like Melo on our team. If he buys into the system (and he wouldn't sign here otherwise) he could still avg 25+ ppg. (Would Horford be the best all-around player Carmelo has ever played next to?)

2. I do NOT like Melo and Millsap playing next to each other. I actually think Carmelo could produce as an undersized PF, but provide an improvement on the production we saw from Millsap last year. (Melo + Millsap would cause the same issues Melo had playing next to Amare.)

3. Millsap could be trade bait to acquire another young Big. This team...after all these years...is still in need of an active, productive, young Center to backup (or play beside) Horford. Maybe Monroe, maybe Asik.

Either way: Horford, Melo, Carroll, Korver & Teague is indeed an improvement over Horford, MILLSAP, Carroll, Korver & Teague

[ATLHawksfan21]

1. I do like Melo on our team. If he buys into the system (and he wouldn't sign here otherwise) he could still avg 25+ ppg. (Would Horford be the best all-around player Carmelo has ever played next to?)

2. I do NOT like Melo and Millsap playing next to each other. I actually think Carmelo could produce as an undersized PF, but provide an improvement on the production we saw from Millsap last year. (Melo + Millsap would cause the same issues Melo had playing next to Amare.)

3. Millsap could be trade bait to acquire another young Big. This team...after all these years...is still in need of an active, productive, young Center to backup (or play beside) Horford. Maybe Monroe, maybe Asik.

Either way: Horford, Melo, Carroll, Korver & Teague is indeed an improvement over Horford, MILLSAP, Carroll, Korver & Teague

I agree with this for the most part but I think a Milsap/Melo combo could work as both are versatile and can play on the wing or in the post. We could also have it rotate to where Melo would see solid minutes at PF while Milsap is on the bench. I'm just reluctant to let go of Milsap because it would be tough to match his production when only spending 9.5 million. We would probably have to dump him in order to have enough cap space to sign melo anyway, but I think a front court tandem of Melo/Milsap/Horford would be amazing.

Milsap shot 36% from 3 this season and this was the first year that he has ever attempted to regularly shoot the 3. Melo shot 40% from 3.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Sap in a 3 way for Afflalo, plus Melo taking a pay cut would turn us into a scary team. Maybe then we can focus on Aaron Gordon or Dario Saric at the 4 or go after Nurkic and bring Bebe over and have a monster front court.

[HMFFL]

I have no idea if any borderline stars have genuine interest, but it's nice to see us getting some positive news, and not negative like the past off seasons. Keep in mind many players may decide to use us like we have experienced for years already.

[Jamaaliver]

Ferry comments on this new trend, sounding as if it was indeed all part of his master plan:

I think that foundation has been laid this year. We were one of the leaders of assists the whole year. I think if you watched our team play there was a substance our guys played with. They competed night in and night out in a system-based way of playing.

"I do think players outside, agents outside did notice how we played, and I think it's a positive for us. The ball's going to move. We're going to be able to play a certain way. They saw Bud operate for the first time and I think he gained respect throughout the league. That helps as we try to sign a minimum player or try to sign a more than minimum player. So, again, I go back to it was a year of success, in a lot of ways I believe it can be seen that way.

http://msn.foxsports.com/south/story/hawks-gm-ferry-likes-team-s-foundation-as-quieter-offseason-approaches-050714

[SBM]

Afflalo does seem like a player that is and should be available because of Oladipo but still I think people around here are overrating him. No way you trade Sap for Afflalo. That would be a horrible trade for us. Sap has so much value as an expiring and a guy coming off a all-star appearance.

[ATLHawksfan21]

Afflalo does seem like a player that is and should be available because of Oladipo but still I think people around here are overrating him. No way you trade Sap for Afflalo. That would be a horrible trade for us. Sap has so much value as an expiring and a guy coming off a all-star appearance.

I agree. I don't want to trade Sap unless it's part of a deal for a high-end all-star or superstar. I still want to see how a Milsap/Horford frontcourt would work for a full season. I think they could end up having a special season next year if Horford can stay on the court.

[hawkschop1]

The Wizards have a large number of free agents this summer most notably marcin gortat, trevor booker, garrett temple, chris singleton, al harrington and kevin seraphin...

My point being do the Wiz re-sign trevor ariza?? they already have otto porter...his probable replacement. also, beal and wall will want more $$ soon

should the hawks grab ariza from a rival? not sure...maybe not but i'm pleased to say he probably won't contribute to the wizards, who i see has a threat, anymore!

[Jamaaliver]

My point being do the Wiz re-sign trevor ariza?? they already have otto porter...his probable replacement. also, beal and wall will want more $$ soon

should the hawks grab ariza from a rival? not sure...maybe not but i'm pleased to say he probably won't contribute to the wizards, who i see has a threat, anymore!

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Seems like Ferry has interest in Ariza. But it might not be in the cards...

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