Free Agent Signings

greenway84 · Post #1 » by **greenway84** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 5:50 pm

Assuming we make a lot of cap room trading Foster Tinsley JO. Could or would we sign anyone big? Heres a few upcoming free agents I like.
Emeka Okafor
Daniel Gibson
Elton Brand
Gerald Green
Nenad Krstic
Fred Jones
Beno Udrih
Delonte West
Paul Millsap

Post #2 » by **count55** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 6:11 pm

We are years away from being a serious Free Agent player, and not a single one of those players is a difference maker...we should get used to the idea of acquiring people through trades and the draft, and hoping that we get lucky on fringe free agents, sort of like we have on Rush and Diener (for the price).

Post #3 » by **PR07** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 9:12 pm

I disagree about none being difference makers. I think Brand, Okafor, Daniel Gibson, are all really good players (a star in the case of Brand). Kristic could be too, but he hasn't been the same since his injury, and I think Millsap is a Jeff Foster type player. I will agree though that we are going to have to turn this thing around mainly through the draft and maybe a few trades.

greenway84 · Post #4 » by **greenway84** » Sat Feb 9, 2008 10:31 pm

count55 wrote:We are years away from being a serious Free Agent player, and not a single one of those players is a difference maker...we should get used to the idea of acquiring people through trades and the draft, and hoping that we get lucky on fringe free agents, sort of like we have on Rush and Diener (for the price).

so are you saying you wouldnt sign any of these players. Or are you saying we cant. Or both?

Archi-stu@BSU · Post #5 » by **Archi-stu@BSU** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:56 am

No Agent 0?

Post #6 » by **count55** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:20 am

PacersRule07 wrote:I disagree about none being difference makers. I think Brand, Okafor, Daniel Gibson, are all really good players (a star in the case of Brand). Kristic could be too, but he hasn't been the same since his injury, and I think Millsap is a Jeff Foster type player. I will agree though that we are going to have to turn this thing around mainly through the draft and maybe a few trades.

Let me clarify...not a single one of these players are difference makers on a team that's basically dumped JO, Tinsley, and Foster...

They could be solid players in the right situation, and Brand is very good, but are the Pacers going to be any better (or good at all) if they substitute a Brand, Gibson, or Okafor (a combo of their salaries and skills) for JO/Tinsley/Foster. To me it just seems to be going in circles.

If you're going to dump salaries, then I would commit to building the team through the draft and trades rather than chasing my payroll up on the free market. We've never been major free agent players, and I tend to view those as finishing pieces rather than rebuild pieces. I don't think we're there yet, so...

I don't see a reason, given both our financial and talent situation, for us to be looking at high-priced free agents...even if there are players on this list that I would like to have on the Pacers.

TSC25 · Post #7 » by **TSC25** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:02 am

Emeka Okafor-Dont see the Bobcats letting him get away.
Daniel Gibson-The Cavs big need is a PG,and he's played well so I'm sure they will keep him.
Elton Brand-He's want big money so it would have to be a trade to get him.
Gerald Green-I could see us maybe getting him.
Nenad Krstic-Not the same player after injuries.
Fred Jones-He had his chance here and was never more than a flash here and there so I like what we already have.
Beno Udrih-Would be a nice pick up,but Im sure he'll be looking for money we dont have to give.
Delonte West-I guess he's ok.
Paul Millsap-Not sure how much the Jazz like his game,so not sure if they'll let him get away.

TSC25 · Post #8 » by **TSC25** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:03 am

I think Artest is free to go after this season,I would like to have him back!

glasket · Post #9 » by **glasket** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:28 am

Artest is a good player, I like him when he was here but he is a nut case and no way do I want him here.

Post #10 » by **Grang33r** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:00 am

TSC25 wrote:I think Artest is free to go after this season,I would like to have him back!

Riiiiiiiight.... could you imagine the PR nightmare if we signed Artest again?

Post #11 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:46 pm

I think Udrih, Jones, Green, and Brand are the only unrestricted free agents there, and it's not even a guarantee that Brand will opt out this year with his recent knee injury.

None of those 3 that are possible are difference makers.

Post #12 » by **PR07** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:07 pm

They are difference makers, but would they make that much of a difference for us? No, and even so, we don't have the cap room to sign them and aren't an attractive FA destination. Brand and JO are probably a wash. Foster and Millsap probably are too. Udrih might be slightly better than Tinsley at some aspects of the game, but nothing significant. We're going to have to change this thing through the draft and maybe a few trades.

Post #13 » by **Grang33r** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:08 pm

Building via free agency means we are a peice or a little bit of depth away from competing. And that is far from the truth. We are 2-3 years of rebuilding away before we can say with a stright face we can make the playoffs and actually make a difference.

Look at Portland. Been rebuilding for years. They got the fans back and they are exciting again but they still have their own problems. And they might not even make the playoffs this year, granted they didn't know they wouldn't have Greg Oden but how many top picks do they have?