RealGM

In the Pacers insider blog, Mike Wells pointed out that Larry Bird tying to make defense a priority:
http://blogs.indystar.com/pacersinsider/archives/2009/07/the_pacers_are.html
After signing Dantay Jones and Earl Watson, could Ime Udoka be the next target?
http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/60702/20090721/udoka_is_still_waiting_for_contract_offer/
His agent is also Mark Bartelstein. If the Pacers don't get Bill Walker or Tony Allen during the S&T Maquis deal with Boston, I think Udoka may be a choice.

Maybe. He'd be a good acquisition, but it would be a few days before we could do anything. Earl Watson has to sign, and if we have a sign & trade with Boston will be the biggest determining factors in pursuing Udoka. Well, maybe one more, let's see if they (Pacers) want to save the remaining money, if there is any remaining....

We'll only have roughly $900 grand left from the MLE, and the $1.9 million Bi-Annual Exception left to spend after signing Watson. We also will have very little room under the luxury tax to spend on Udoka.

Scoot McGroot wrote:We'll only have roughly $900 grand left from the MLE, and the $1.9 million Bi-Annual Exception left to spend after signing Watson. We also will have very little room under the luxury tax to spend on Udoka.

Where did you get the number for Watson?

count55 wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:We'll only have roughly $900 grand left from the MLE, and the $1.9 million Bi-Annual Exception left to spend after signing Watson. We also will have very little room under the luxury tax to spend on Udoka.

Where did you get the number for Watson?

The rumor was a $2 million/1 year deal. I can't remember where. I haven't been up on anything for about a week though, so I may be sorely off.

$2mm would leave about $1.4mm in the MLE, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was lower than that...perhaps even vet min, or perhaps the LLE, which would leave a full $3.4mm in the MLE.

I suspect we're going to fill out our roster in the Daniels S&T...

count55 wrote:$2mm would leave about $1.4mm in the MLE, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was lower than that...perhaps even vet min, or perhaps the LLE, which would leave a full $3.4mm in the MLE.

I suspect we're going to fill out our roster in the Daniels S&T...

Ah, I just realized why the half a million difference. I was thinking that Jones' 1st year was $2.9 million, but it's really $2.4 million, isn't it?


Yeah, we're either going to fill out the roster in the Daniels S&T, or we're going to just go to training camp and give a couple guys a chance to make the roster on minimum deals, a la Andre Owens and Stephen Graham.

I don't really know what price Udoka will command, but he'd be a good plan B. I'm hoping for Bill Walker though.

I'm not putting much credence in the Boston sign and trade rumor. it sounds more and more like something floated by Quis' agent over the weekend. Quis is the one who would benefit most by converting to a sign and trade so his agent would be a likely source of the idea. we haven't heard a thing out of local sources suggesting that we're really interested in any of the Boston bench players.

I think all parties would benefit. Boston would save some money and get rid of some of their abundance of young, inexperienced wings...which they were probably going to have to cut some of these guys anyways. We get cheap, young swingman depth. Marquis gets more money.

Wizop wrote:I'm not putting much credence in the Boston sign and trade rumor. it sounds more and more like something floated by Quis' agent over the weekend. Quis is the one who would benefit most by converting to a sign and trade so his agent would be a likely source of the idea. we haven't heard a thing out of local sources suggesting that we're really interested in any of the Boston bench players.

actually i just listened to a radio interview with larry. he did say they were discussing options i with boston in regards to daniels. he said they are waiting on watson to sign before anything serious is discussed though.

Wizop wrote:I'm not putting much credence in the Boston sign and trade rumor. it sounds more and more like something floated by Quis' agent over the weekend. Quis is the one who would benefit most by converting to a sign and trade so his agent would be a likely source of the idea. we haven't heard a thing out of local sources suggesting that we're really interested in any of the Boston bench players.

count55 can best explain it....but if the Cs do a S&T while moving some Salaries...they can then use the Bi-Annual Exception ( instead of on Marquis ) to get another Player while remaining under the Luxury Tax.

It has been reported and discussed on the Boston board that Ainge would prefer the sign & trade as a way to keep his LLE and perhaps clear out TA, who would become redundant with Daniels.

Until it actually happens, there's the possibility that nothing will come of it, but it's pretty solidly acknowledged (from both sides) that these discussions are real.

count55 wrote:It has been reported and discussed on the Boston board that Ainge would prefer the sign & trade as a way to keep his LLE and perhaps clear out TA, who would become redundant with Daniels.

Until it actually happens, there's the possibility that nothing will come of it, but it's pretty solidly acknowledged (from both sides) that these discussions are real.

At the least, it's just Boston not wanting to add so much redundant salary, as much as swap salary on guys like Tony Allen for a guy they like better in Marquis Daniels.

Makes sense. Most teams don't want to add salary as much as spend salary on guys they like instead of guys they have but don't like.