Summer 2019 Free Agency Thread

[Kobblehead]

While Sixers are at it, let's also extend $10 million a year contract to Mike Scott and extend James Ennis for the $8 million. Can't risk losing them

Then you're fine replacing them with whoever will sign for the minimum? Cause something tells me you will be whining up a storm next season when our bench is a collective of JAGS

That's exactly what I feel our bench is right now. Including guys like Ennis and Scott.

I don't think there was a single productive scorer coming off the bench in our rotation last year. We had 10-15th roster spot guys as 6th, 7th and 8th men. So my interest in bringing anyone back from it is nonexistent.

[BullyKing]

While Sixers are at it, let's also extend $10 million a year contract to Mike Scott and extend James Ennis for the $8 million. Can't risk losing them

Then you're fine replacing them with whoever will sign for the minimum? Cause something tells me you will be whining up a storm next season when our bench is a collective of JAGS

That's exactly what I feel our bench is right now. Including guys like Ennis and Scott.

I don't think there was a single productive scorer coming off the bench in our rotation last year. We had 10-15th roster spot guys as 6th, 7th and 8th men. So my interest in bringing anyone back from it is nonexistent.

I think you're getting too fixated on everyone being a three-level scorer. A guy like Scott is definitely a rotation player in the league. And if nothing else he serves the Wilson Chandler tradeable salary role for a few months.

That said, I'm more than open to ideas about how to build a better rotation. But if we're not going to use all of over available assets (and that includes bird rights), I'm not sure how we're going to do that. The Sixers are not going to field a team that includes 7 UDFAs.

[youngcrev]

While Sixers are at it, let's also extend $10 million a year contract to Mike Scott and extend James Ennis for the $8 million. Can't risk losing them

Then you're fine replacing them with whoever will sign for the minimum? Cause something tells me you will be whining up a storm next season when our bench is a collective of JAGS

That's exactly what I feel our bench is right now. Including guys like Ennis and Scott.

I don't think there was a single productive scorer coming off the bench in our rotation last year. We had 10-15th roster spot guys as 6th, 7th and 8th men. So my interest in bringing anyone back from it is nonexistent.

I don't think very highly of Ennis or Scott, and agree that they are better suited as deeper rotation guys, but they're at least playable bodies. We'll have the means to add maybe 2 decent guys to the bench using exceptions if they bring the starters back, but beyond that you'll be looking at minimum guys and your rookie and sophemore draft classes. I think either of those guys would be positives off the bench as proven commodities, even if they're proven to be marginal pieces. Particularly coming off a year where our 8th player and beyond were flat out unplayable when things actually mattered.

[BullyKing]

Then you're fine replacing them with whoever will sign for the minimum? Cause something tells me you will be whining up a storm next season when our bench is a collective of JAGS

That's exactly what I feel our bench is right now. Including guys like Ennis and Scott.

I don't think there was a single productive scorer coming off the bench in our rotation last year. We had 10-15th roster spot guys as 6th, 7th and 8th men. So my interest in bringing anyone back from it is nonexistent.

I don't think very highly of Ennis or Scott, and agree that they are better suited as deeper rotation guys, but they're at least playable bodies. We'll have the means to add maybe 2 decent guys to the bench using exceptions if they bring the starters back, but beyond that you'll be looking at minimum guys and your rookie and sophemore draft classes. I think either of those guys would be positives off the bench as proven commodities, even if they're proven to be marginal pieces. Particularly coming off a year where our 8th player and beyond were flat out unplayable when things actually mattered.

This is pretty much where I come out. The issue with guys like Ennis ans Scott are not that they aren't rotation players. It's that they were the 6th and 7th members of our rotation when ideally they'd be 9th and 10th.

[Kobblehead]

I think you're getting too fixated on everyone being a three-level scorer. A guy like Scott is definitely a rotation player in the league. And if nothing else he serves the Wilson Chandler tradeable salary role for a few months.

That said, I'm more than open to ideas about how to build a better rotation. But if we're not going to use all of over available assets (and that includes bird rights), I'm not sure how we're going to do that. The Sixers are not going to field a team that includes 7 UDFAs.

While it's true that I'm looking at ball handlers that can score, above all else, I also think you need to be able to produce a certain amount of points per-36 minutes (assisted or not) while you're on the court to actually have an impact and be a worthy bench piece.

A good baseline is a 14 ppg per-36 player.

James Ennis:
- 12.2 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 12.9 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Mike Scott:
- 11.7 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 10.4 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Now compare that to the 2 bench players we lost from last year's playoff team.

Marco Belinelli:
- 18.6 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 17 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Ersan Ilyasova:
- 16.2 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 14.4 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

I just don't think Mike Scott or James Ennis warrant bringing back. We got no boost from them, whatsoever. We need scoring production in the 6th and 7th man roles.

[Kobblehead]

This is pretty much where I come out. The issue with guys like Ennis ans Scott are not that they aren't rotation players. It's that they were the 6th and 7th members of our rotation when ideally they'd be 9th and 10th.

When I say they're not rotation-worthy, I'm referring to a playoff rotation where your 9th and 10th guys aren't really seeing the court all that much.

[BullyKing]

I think you're getting too fixated on everyone being a three-level scorer. A guy like Scott is definitely a rotation player in the league. And if nothing else he serves the Wilson Chandler tradeable salary role for a few months.

That said, I'm more than open to ideas about how to build a better rotation. But if we're not going to use all of over available assets (and that includes bird rights), I'm not sure how we're going to do that. The Sixers are not going to field a team that includes 7 UDFAs.

While it's true that I'm looking at ball handlers that can score, above all else, I also think you need to be able to produce a certain amount of points per-36 minutes (assisted or not) while you're on the court to actually have an impact and be a worthy bench piece.

A good baseline is a 14 ppg per-36 player.

James Ennis:
- 12.2 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 12.9 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Mike Scott:
- 11.7 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 10.4 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Now compare that to the 2 bench players we lost from last year's playoff team.

Marco Belinelli:
- 18.6 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 17 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

Ersan Ilyasova:
- 16.2 ppg per-36 in the regular season
- 14.4 ppg per-36 in the playoffs

I just don't think Mike Scott or James Ennis warrant bringing back. We got no boost from them, whatsoever. We need scoring production in the 6th and 7th man roles.

But that highlights my issue. I would love to have a bench better than Ennis and Scott but there are only so many cap exceptions.
Belinelli and Ilyasova each got $7 million dollar a year contracts (or thereabout). Hopefully, we're going to get a better player than either with the MLE. So while I share your desire to upgrade the bench, which players of the Illyasova quality are we getting with the BAE and minimum contracts at our disposal?

[BullyKing]

This is pretty much where I come out. The issue with guys like Ennis ans Scott are not that they aren't rotation players. It's that they were the 6th and 7th members of our rotation when ideally they'd be 9th and 10th.

When I say they're not rotation-worthy, I'm referring to a playoff rotation where your 9th and 10th guys aren't really seeing the court all that much.

Yeah, we're on the same page. And if you can find a 5th starter for the MLE, that hopefully leaves Redick on a smaller deal as your 6th man. But we've still got to figure out who the 7th and 8th men are then and we fit them in under the apron.

Edit: I guess you can hope that Zhaire is one of those and then it's just a question of using the BAE to find the other. I really think they're going to trade the 25th pick for a future first. We could use the room under the apron and the difference between 25 and who will be available at 33/34 shouldn't be that significant unless the perfect player falls.

So maybe things are rosier than I thought. Good discussion.

[Kobblehead]

but beyond that you'll be looking at minimum guys and your rookie and sophemore draft classes.

Which I think is very doable. I thought we had two guys who met those specs (Shamet and Korkmaz) that were productive enough to be playoff rotation guys for us this year.

With three picks in the top 40 in the upcoming draft and year 2 from Milton and Smith, I think we have a real good shot at finding a pair of guys to win the 6th, 7th or 8th man roles.

[Kobblehead]

minimum contracts at our disposal?

This might sound like a reach, but I think a return of Simba for the minimum could be a sleeper addition that meets the production requirements I'm calling for.

He's completely unproven in the playoffs, but his regular season per-36 splits (15 ppg) were really good for us over his 2 years here.

He's a good teammate that everyone likes. He competes defensively. He has the bulk and strength to guard big wings. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I thinking bringing back Justin Anderson for peanuts would be a sneaky good move.

[BullyKing]

minimum contracts at our disposal?

This might sound like a reach, but I think a return of Simba for the minimum could be a sleeper addition that meets the production requirements I'm calling for.

He's completely unproven in the playoffs, but his regular season per-36 splits (15 ppg) were really good for us over his 2 years here.

He's a good teammate that everyone likes. He competes defensively. He has the bulk and strength to guard big wings. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I thinking bringing back Justin Anderson for peanuts would be a sneaky good move.

Not a reach to me and I like the suggestion. We need a wing defender with some mass until Zhaire can get himself over 112 pounds.

[Kobblehead]

I had my eyes on the postgame interactions after Hawks games this year and our guys still seem fond of him, judging by the embrace.

[youngcrev]

but beyond that you'll be looking at minimum guys and your rookie and sophemore draft classes.

Which I think is very doable. I thought we had two guys who met those specs (Shamet and Korkmaz) that were productive enough to be playoff rotation guys for us this year.

With three picks in the top 40 in the upcoming draft and year 2 from Milton and Smith, I think we have a real good shot at finding a pair of guys to win the 6th, 7th or 8th man roles.

Doable, sure (though Korkmaz most definitely did not fit that description). But why not keep around Ennis and Scott as fall back options if those players don't pan out? It's not as though you can't do both. If James Ennis is all of a sudden your Jonathon Simmons, you have a stronger bench.

It's one thing to hope you get an immediate rotation guy out of those late 1st/early 2nd slots and another to rely on it.

Though, as I've already mentioned, Ennis probably won't even be an option at what we can offer him using bird rights, so I very much like your Anderson for the minimum suggestion.

[Slacktard]

minimum contracts at our disposal?

This might sound like a reach, but I think a return of Simba for the minimum could be a sleeper addition that meets the production requirements I'm calling for.

He's completely unproven in the playoffs, but his regular season per-36 splits (15 ppg) were really good for us over his 2 years here.

He's a good teammate that everyone likes. He competes defensively. He has the bulk and strength to guard big wings. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I thinking bringing back Justin Anderson for peanuts would be a sneaky good move.

Not a reach to me and I like the suggestion. We need a wing defender with some mass until Zhaire can get himself over 112 pounds.

Hope he doesn't try to bulk up with some pb&j's

[youngcrev]

Would Korkmaz go back overseas over taking a 2-way deal? I'm not fully convinced he'll get a roster spot offered to him by anyone.

[Kobblehead]

(though Korkmaz most definitely did not fit that description).

He was productive whenever he got on the court. The front office making a knee-jerk decision to decline his option when Furkan threw a tantrum over Fultz playing over him doesn't change that. In hindsight, he was right and they were wrong (and rash).

[FlyingArrow]

With Harris, I don't see how at the end of the year, being a 4th option on a team, he is gonna produce significantly better numbers than a guy like Thad Young who will probably come at 1/2 or a 1/3 of the price.

Except you can't sign Thad Young. You can sign Tobias.

[youngcrev]

(though Korkmaz most definitely did not fit that description).

He was productive whenever he got on the court. The front office making a knee-jerk decision to decline his option when Furkan threw a tantrum over Fultz playing over him doesn't change that. In hindsight, he was right and they were wrong (and rash).

Maybe in another season or 2 he'll adjust to the NBA and become more efficient, but right now he's a shooter that doesn't shoot all that well and is a minus on the defensive end.

[Kobblehead]

Maybe in another season or 2 he'll adjust to the NBA and become more efficient, but right now he's a shooter that doesn't shoot all that well and is a minus on the defensive end.

14.8 ppg per-36 on 52.8% true shooting (32.6% from three, 81.2% from the line) from a 21 year old player. The efficiency and 3pt shooting aren't even that bad.

Let's not pretend every bench scorer on the playoff teams is an efficient, league-average three point shooter and adequate defender.

[youngcrev]

Maybe in another season or 2 he'll adjust to the NBA and become more efficient, but right now he's a shooter that doesn't shoot all that well and is a minus on the defensive end.

14.8 ppg per-36 on 52.8% true shooting (32.6% from three, 81.2% from the line) from a 21 year old player. The efficiency and 3pt shooting aren't even that bad.

Let's not pretend every bench scorer on the playoff teams is an efficient, league-average three point shooter and adequate defender.

Let's also not pretend Korkmaz is on the court to do anything but space the floor, so shooting at a below league average percentage from 3 is not a positive.

Scaling limited minute players up to their per-36 minute averages doesn't feel particularly useful.

I think he's a better shooter than his numbers show, but I just don't think he's a very useful player in general. He's not really a run off the ball, catch on the move kind of shooter that puts a lot of pressure on defenders like JJ and Shamet. He's more of a spot up guy that has some ball skills that aren't good enough to actually be utilized in an NBA game. And he's just a bad defender. Too weak, not very quick, not a high effort guy.