RealGM

Today there was a short discussion on ESPN about 2009 free agents. The article circulated as to how the abundance of players hitting free agency would almost all have to take paycuts in 2009 for a variety of reasons:

1. Economy is going down. This includes the rumors of teams losing money and the salary cap decreasing for the first time.

2. 2010 free agency. No one wants to spend in 2009 if they are going to have the opportunity to get the mass free agents in 2010. This includes teams that dont want to match restricted free agents.

3. Too many players and not enough cap.

So with that said someone stated they wouldnt be surprised to see Allen Iverson go from 21mil a year to the vet minimum of less than 2 mil a year. Also they stated a lot of teams dont want to use their MLE which would mean even less money on the table.

So after all that. We have a couple options:
1. We can offer a restricted free agents a deal that starts at the MLE and extends past 2010 and dare their team to match it: David Lee, Nate Robinson, Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye, Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, Chris Wilcox, Josh Childress(bring him back)etc

2. We can offer a 1-year deal to a player who may just want to play the one season for a championship and then try to cash in during the 2010 free agency when more money is on the table: Rasheed Wallace, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest, Shawn Marion, Lamar Odom,Jason Kidd,Andre Miller, Ben Gordon, Carlos Boozer(Dont think he will opt out), Hedo Turkoglu(Another one with an option)

3. We can wait til all the money has been used and like Ferry has done the last two years is get big time discounts for players that want to win but still get the most money for what is left. We may not get the piece that we target but we get good pieces below value.

Situations to look at:
Knicks- Will only keep one of David Lee, Nate Robinson, and Chris Wilcox. Rumor is Lee is their choice but the Thunder and Memphis have been rumored to like Nate. But Wilcox will be free.

Bucks- Did not clear enough cap to resign both Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva so one of them can be obtained.

Sacremento- Not sure if they really want to keep McCants who I am not sure signed a long term deal

Just wanted to see who people would like to target: Another superstar, Youth in the frontcourt, positions of need(Backup PG,backup wing, frontcourt youth).

I don't know if we'd use it, but if we did, I could see us getting a guy to replace Wally's role- Childress (Alt has to worry about re-signing Marvin) or Kleiza (Weren't there problems with him getting a contract extension with Denver before? He might come cheap and can play the 2-4.). I don't think there are any bigs out there to really sign. Lee will get matched at the MLE. Sheed or Wilcox wouldn't be bad for one year, though, but I could see them both looking for longer deals, especially Sheed. I don't have an interest in bringing in another guard like Nate or McCants..

I want Lamar Odom. I know the odds of us getting him aren't great, but he would be perfect as the starting PF here. He has done a good job for LA over the last few years. He is a very good rebounder and he can defend most of the 4's in the NBA. Maybe we could sell him on being the starting PF for a title team instead of being a backup in LA.

If we can go for Boozer. I hate him to but he has Championship written all over him. If not Odom for sure. No Rasheed. Then to replace Wally, I want Ben Gordon. Maybe Charlie V. from Mil. Spend some money this year with what we are freeing up from Wally and Snow and Joe Smith now and spend it. Do not wait until 2010 to try to sign a big name next to LeBron to get him to come back. Do not give him only a few days to think give him the guys today so he has a whole year to realize staying here is his best idea. Then if you still have money sign someone else in 2010. Amare would look nice in Wine and Gold.

I wouldnt be suprised if we used our MLE on wally.

Roger Murdock wrote:I wouldnt be suprised if we used our MLE on wally.

Wally is not an MLE player at this stage in his career. He'd probably take the VetMin.

Out of that list, Odom, Gordon or Turkoglu interests me.

none of those players^^^^^ are going to be obtained with an mle

Odom might be if he decides he doesn't want to be a backup in LA. Turkoglu won't because his team will offer him far more than the MLE. Gordon...who knows with him but if it comes down to it I am sure Chicago will offer him more than the MLE.

cavshats wrote:none of those players^^^^^ are going to be obtained with an mle

Never said that they could be signed for the MLE. I said that I would be interested in them.

There are ~15 players who should earn the MLE or more than the MLE: Lamar Odom, Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Ron Artest, Hedo Turkoglu, Jamal Crawford, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller, Ben Gordon, Carlos Boozer, Shawn Marion, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox, Ramon Sessions, Raymond Felton, Channing Frye, etc.

There are around 5-7 teams with cap who may spend it in 2009 if they dont try and hold it off til 2010.

There are around 5 teams over the cap that will spend their MLE to make their team better and offer a long term deal: Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, Utah, and a possibility between Spurs(Have a lot of cap in 2010 with only Parker and Tim on the books) or Orlando( Rumored to have borrowed 20mil).

How will people make the money they deserve? I think this summer will be great, especially if we can buy another pick or two.

I think Charlie Villanueva would be good as a PF and backup SF. Raymond Felton as a PG off the bench. Or even Nate Robinson off the bench.

I highly doubt Crawford opts out.

Nate Robinson is looking like a beast. i wonder if his defense would translate to Browns system.

Anybody mind looking at Troy Murphy stats. I am all for a Ben Walace for Troy Murphy deal at some point in the offseason.

^^Are you actually serious about trading Big Ben for Murphy?

I would love to have CV on our team. Lets hope we can sign him for not that much in the offseason.

Bison11 wrote:I would love to have CV on our team. Lets hope we can sign him for not that much in the offseason.

I would think the Bucks would match an offer of the MLE to CV.

The offer only has to start at MLE and with max raises it may be hefty enough that the bucks wont want to match.

And yes I was talking about Ben for Murphy only if we have no shot on landing Bosh or a major free agent in the offseason. I think after next season Murphy and Varajao in the frontcourt with Hickson off the bench would be great if we cant get a big free agent.

While I'm clinging to hope that we sign away your freak of nature, I think you guys should be looking to land our freak of nature. Nate would be real nice alongside LBJ and the full MLE might be too much for Dolan to match..

if we got nate we would have the smallest backcourt in the league. williams,robinson,gibson,west.......then pavs hes like 6'6 but how would we find time for him? i know gibson isnt playing well but hes the backup pg west is the 2 and would nate come of the bench?? its 2 confusing i dont want that to happen. i like nate but i want lamar!

I would love to have Lamar but I LA matches that offer.

And I was thinking about Nate but I think we may have to move Boobie. Nate wouldnt mind coming off the bench and being a Manu type player. A 3 guard rotation with Mo and Delonte and if Pavs is finally taking his head out his a$$(since he has been peaking as of late) then he can back up the 2 and 3.

But truely I think we have to get a big more. Whether we get one in the draft or not, I think we still need a proven player. ie Wilcox,Frye, etc unless Rasheed plays for the MLE.