2018 Free Agency and Trade Discussion continued

[jcsunsfan]

Read on Twitter

Trying to think of what incentive a team would have to make a trade like this. Or how it'd even work.

A team that is way into the lux tax or has a really bad long-term deal might do it. Maybe for Batum or something. But OKC's tax issues are as bad as anybody.

[Sunsdeuce]

All Rookie Second team after a bad 2017.... averaged 17+ points a game and played defense in 2018, second only to Mitchell..

And that was BAD??


ridiculous.


To me its clear... not a great shooter = bad in the eyes of some Suns fans here. If Westbrook was a rookie or 2nd year player on the Suns, even players like Butler and Durant who shot low 40% early in his rookie year.... some of you guys would want them lynched. Basically Suns should just field a bunch of Bookers and Currys it seems.


Ridiculous.


Funny, Draymond Green shot poorly the 3pt line last season and is not known as a "good" shooter but he is a max player and an all-star.

Josh Jackson has shown many things outside of Booker-like shooting that is common with other elite players and Suns fans hate him...


The team needs defense, all round ability and athletecism as much as shooting.... Jackson ticks all the boxes outside of being a 3pt sharp shooter... Its baffling really.

Draymond deficiencies have been hidden since day one. Klay and Curry make him more than he really is. Kinda like when MJ made Luc Longley into a high paid center. Draymond is not an all-star on any other team not named Warriors.

I have been watching the NBA since 1988, and there probably isn’t a more overrated basketball player I have witnessed other than Draymond Green.

Non Suns topic that I needed to address..

I can get behind disagreeing about how someone is worth, and there is truth behind players 'worth' being inflated, but this was crazy to read. Saying he is the most over rated player since 1988 is insane, because what makes him great isn't helped AT ALL by what Klay and Steph do. He has heart, and wears his hat on the defensive end. And to tout that you know he is because you've watched basketball for a somewhat long time as evidence to your unfounded statement is pretty pretentious.

He lead the NBA in defensive Win Shares in the 16-17 season and was 3rd in the 15-16 season. Last year he dipped to top 30 is all. But to say that he's overrated because his offensive game is masked by Steph and Klay is EXTREMELY superficial. Whatever the dude makes on the offensive end is gravy. He's a firey, full of heart defensive specialist and a winner.

Thanks for your opinion. I said he is the most overrated player “I have witnessed”. I’m sure Bill Cartwright has a great win share, doesn’t mean he was a good player. Win shares is a fabricated stat. Analytics as a whole is not a perfect system because you can twist a stat to support pretty much any argument you want.

Again, it’s my opinion of Draymond. It’s my opinion he would ride the bench if he played in the 90s.

But, I’ll make sure to get your input before I give my opinion next time.

[bwgood77]

You're right. He probably shouldn't even be in the league. Worst offensive PG in 30 years. Re-read that. He is that bad. There is nothing he does at a good level on that end of the court. He is a walking turnover who can't shoot and still takes a boatload of shots.
Then when you combine his horrid offense with his good defense, he still grades out as a VORP neutral player with negative ORtg-DRtg.

If he's the worst offensive PG in 30 years, it makes it real scary to realize he has the same TS% as JJ in the regular season...actually had a slightly better one at the same age. Better ast/to ratio...actually not bad there at 2/1.

JJ isn't a PG, and he isn't playing for Brad Stevens. What PG has looked bad offensively playing for him in Boston aside from Smart? On the other side, what players have made bad decisions and shot poorly playing for our coaches and with our supporting cast?

Rozier has shot mostly pretty poorly as well....TS% of 32.6% as a rookie, then 46.6%, then finally up to just a slightly dreadful 52% this year. Career TS% a 48.8% compared to Smart's 48%.

I'd actually expect Josh to have a much better TS% than guys like that because he likes to take it and finish at the rim. Those guys launch 4-5 3s a game and have never been good shooters until Rozier was finally pretty good from 3 this year.

[TOO]

If Draymond Green was the Suns starting PF, we'd be a much better team. Period.

[bwgood77]

Don’t underestimate the impact Booker. Warren, Ariza, a ‘play according to system’ leash will have on Jackson’s shot selection and impact. He is clearly the alph dog in summer league and feels he is the man. His light will never be as green as it is in these semi meaningless games.

I’m not worried as JJ will find his place when surrounded by better players.

I hope so. He should, or at least Kokoskov will give him every opportunity to have a clear role to utilize his strengths.

But he played his worst when playing with better players last year and played his best when the better players were resting and he was surrounded by the G leaguers getting the green light.

[King4Day]

Read on Twitter

Apparently the tweet about the Kings preparing an offer sheet for Smart was false

[AtheJ415]

It's pretty stupid to pay Smart more than the minimum

[bwgood77]

Re 2019 Free Agency (we can had around $9 million to our projected space by stretching Knight next summer):

Spoiler:

This 2019 free-agent crop is loaded:

Kevin Durant (player option)

Kawhi Leonard (PO)

Kyrie Irving (PO)

Klay Thompson

Al Horford (PO)

Jimmy Butler (PO)

Marc Gasol (PO)

Goran Dragic (PO)

DeAndre Jordan

DeMarcus Cousins

Kristaps Porzingis (restricted)

Karl-Anthony Towns (R)

Kemba Walker

Kevin Love (PO)

Out in Los Angeles, LeBron James will likely have his pick of new All-Star teammates to recruit -- a rare occurrence, since his contending Miami and Cleveland teams were strapped deep into the luxury tax each offseason. Plus, there will be good (and mediocre) teams with money ready to pay the big names.

So it's a good time to be an All-Star ... or a rookie, since the salary scale for first-round picks increased significantly in the latest collective bargaining agreement (CBA). But everyone else -- the 170-plus players making up the middle class of the market, and especially non-max restricted free agents -- could be squeezed out once again.

The quiet July for Marcus Smart and Jabari Parker this year could continue with Terry Rozier, D'Angelo Russell and Kelly Oubre.

This list of teams with cap space is dominated by big-market franchises who will be chasing stars or rebuilding teams likely looking to stay the conservative course.

Who will have cap space?

Note: Cap space does not factor in 2019 first-round picks

The big markets

Los Angeles Lakers

Projected room: $25 million

Help is on the way for the Lakers. After landing LeBron this summer, L.A. will be in position to add a second All-NBA free agent. As evident by the one-year contracts of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee, the Lakers are positioning themselves to go big-game hunting.

Getting to the max salary slot will come at the expense of Luol Deng, either by trading his then-expiring deal or stretching his $18.8 million contract over three years (starting in 2019-20). Expect the Lakers to have anywhere from $36 million (Deng stretched) to $43 million (Deng traded) next summer.

Philadelphia 76ers

Projected room: $37 million

The window for Philadelphia to use cap space is closing. After going the one-year route once again this offseason and missing on their top target in LeBron James, the Sixers will be in the same position next July.

However, they won't be able to count on rolling over cap space anymore with Ben Simmons and Dario Saric set to hit restricted free agency in 2020. Their $11.5 million in combined 2019-20 salary will be replaced with $35 million in free-agent holds in July 2020, shrinking Philly's cap space to $15 million without factoring in other potential moves.

LA Clippers

Projected room: $29 million

LA is using this season as a bridge to next summer after years in cap purgatory.

With only four guaranteed contracts -- including $30 million combined in Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams -- the Clips will be in position to add a max player. Their room can increase to $63 million if Tobias Harris does not return and the $12.5 million non-guaranteed contract of Avery Bradley is waived.

Key free-agent holds: Tobias Harris ($22 million)

New York Knicks

Projected room: $26.5 million

If New York wants to be in a position to sign an All-Star in 2019, franchise cornerstone Kristap Porzingis will need to wait a year for a new contract.

If Porzingis doesn't extend early, the Knicks project to have $26.5 million in room if the rights to Enes Kanter and Mario Hezonja are renounced and Lance Thomas's non-guaranteed $7 million contract is waived. Signing Porzingis to a $158 million rookie extension before November will shrink New York's space to $17 million.

Even waiting on Porzingis' new deal doesn't get the Knicks all the way to max room for Kyrie Irving or Jimmy Butler, though. New York needs to waive Joakim Noah and stretch his $19.3 million contract over three seasons to hit $40 million. (In the unlikely scenario that Noah is traded, cap space jumps to $46 million.) And if the Knicks want to land two max players, they'll need to move the expiring contracts of Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Brooklyn Nets

Projected room: $36 million

Restricted free agency will dictate Brooklyn's cap flexibility.

Removing the cap holds of all their free agents except for D'Angelo Russell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Spencer Dinwiddie leaves Brooklyn with $36 million in room -- a figure that could shrink if Dinwiddie signs an extension in December when he is eligible. Getting to space for two max salaries is doable but would require trading the $18.5 million Allen Crabbe contract and signing Russell to an annual salary in the $12 million range.

Key free-agent holds: D'Angelo Russell ($21 million), Spencer Dinwiddie ($1.6 million) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($7.4 million)

Chicago Bulls

Projected room: $35 million

The $78 million Zach LaVine contract put a small dent in the Bulls' flexibility next summer.

Despite the $19.5 million cap hit, Chicago is still operating from a position of strength with a projected $35 million in room, including five players on first-round rookie contracts. Renouncing Bobby Portis and Cameron Payne would see cap space increase to $53 million.

Key free-agent holds: Cameron Payne ($9.8 million), Bobby Portis ($7.5 million)

In the mix
New Orleans Pelicans

Projected room: $27 million

This will be the most important summer in franchise history. Anthony Davis is eligible to sign a $235 million super-max extension that would make him the highest-paid player in the NBA and keep him in a Pelicans uniform for the next six seasons.

And after missing out on an opportunity to surround Davis and Jrue Holiday with help in 2016, New Orleans could get close to max space if Julius Randle opts out and the team doesn't bring back Nikola Mirotic.

The Pelicans do have the luxury of using the stretch provision on the $12.8 million expiring contract of Solomon Hill. Waiving Hill would leave New Orleans with $35 million in room.

Dallas Mavericks

Projected room: $55 million

Consider DeAndre Jordan's one-year, $22.9 million contract a placeholder for next summer.

With a projected $55 million in cap space and a foundation of Luka Doncic, Dennis Smith Jr. and Harrison Barnes (if he picks up his option) in place, the Mavericks are expected to take an aggressive approach when it comes to free agency.

If they miss out? Only Doncic and Smith will be under contract in 2020, giving Dallas another chance to surround its promising backcourt with star talent.

Indiana Pacers

Projected room: $56 million

The one-year contracts of Tyreke Evans and Kyle O'Quinn strengthened a bench that now ranks among the league's best and allowed Indiana to keep flexibility for 2019.

Now the Pacers need to decide what to do in rookie extension talks with Myles Turner. Hold off until next summer and Indiana could be working with $56 million in room, including Turner's free-agent hold.

Key free-agent holds: Myles Turner ($10.2 million)

Wild cards
Atlanta Hawks

Projected room: $35 million

Will Atlanta be a willing participant in free agency after taking the past two summers off?

The likely scenario is that the Hawks continue developing their young players -- including Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Omari Spellman, Taurean Prince and John Collins -- and take a conservative approach once again. The Hawks could once again have three first-round picks (their own, Cleveland's top-10-protected pick and Dallas's top-five-protected pick).

With the contracts of Kent Bazemore and Miles Plumlee set to expire after the 2019-20 season, the Hawks could play the waiting game until 2020, when they'll have $60 million in room and a more established product to sell to free agents.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Projected room: $29 million

The Cavaliers join the group of teams with cap flexibility but at the expense of seeing LeBron James in a different uniform.

How the Cavaliers approach free agency next year will impact veterans Kyle Korver, George Hill and JR Smith. The three players combine to earn $50 million but with only $8.2 million guaranteed. Despite now having a clean slate and the possibility of $29 million in room (which could reach $54 million if Kevin Love opts out), the front office in Cleveland would be best served waiting until 2020, when only Collin Sexton and Ante Zizic are under contract.

Key free-agent holds: Larry Nance Jr. ($6.8 million)

Orlando Magic

Projected room: $25 million

The Magic put themselves in play next summer by using creative math.

Instead of normal raises in Aaron Gordon's new $76 million contract, Orlando decreased the salary for the forward in years 2-4. The savings -- combined with trading Bismack Biyombo for Timofey Mozgov -- leave Orlando with a projected $25 million in cap space.

Phoenix Suns

Projected room: $20 million

Phoenix saw its cap space shrink from $37 million to $20 million when Devin Booker signed a $158 million rookie extension.

Despite the loss in room, the Suns are still in position to add veterans around their young core of Booker, Deandre Ayton, TJ Warren, Mikal Bridges and Josh Jackson.

Sacramento Kings

Projected room: $51 million

Sacramento seems to be the wild card each summer when it comes to cap space. As evident by the $78 million Zach LaVine offer sheet, the question is not if Sacramento is willing to spend money but if its focus is on the right player or position.

The Kings still have $19.5 million in room this summer. The likely scenario is that Sacramento holds off on spending that money and walks into next July with $51 million in room.

Key free-agent holds: Willie Cauley-Stein ($14.1 million)

San Antonio Spurs

Projected room: TBD

Unsurprisingly, flexibility in San Antonio all depends on Kawhi Leonard.

Moving the All-Star for a package of young players, draft assets and expiring contracts would leave the Spurs with close to $40 million in space. If both sides are able to mend fences (an unlikely scenario) and Leonard returns, San Antonio would have a projected $15 million in room.

Key free-agent holds: Kawhi Leonard ($32.7 million)

Utah Jazz

Projected room: TBD

The Jazz will be in a similar position next summer that the Pacers faced this year. They have a core group of players -- Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles -- under contract but with the flexibility to either retain the likes of Derrick Favors (non-guaranteed contract) and Ricky Rubio (free agent) or use cap space to find their replacements.

If Rubio is not brought back, Utah projects to have $26 million in room, a number that increases to $42 million without Favors.

Key free-agent holds: Ricky Rubio ($22.4 million)

Contenders with free agents
Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors

The two top teams in each conference are on the list, but not because of cap flexibility next summer.

With Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson set to be free agents, Boston and Golden State will have a say in how much money is available for the non-All-Star-level free agents.

If all four (and Celtics restricted free agent Terry Rozier) return, players like Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris could be rewarded financially by teams that had planned to target any Celtics or Warriors stars.

http://www.espn.com/nba/

[PhxLax]

Don’t underestimate the impact Booker. Warren, Ariza, a ‘play according to system’ leash will have on Jackson’s shot selection and impact. He is clearly the alph dog in summer league and feels he is the man. His light will never be as green as it is in these semi meaningless games.

I’m not worried as JJ will find his place when surrounded by better players.

Oh he sure will find his place......On the back of the bench snagging DNPs when coaches see he is the worst SF on the team that already features 18 small forwards.

[gaspar]

Read on Twitter

[bwgood77]

Apparently the tweet about the Kings preparing an offer sheet for Smart was false

Yes, now the REAL sources are giving us the facts

Read on Twitter

[JDLAW]

Josh Jackson playing himself to the NAZ Suns, yeesh he looks terrible.
Also Reed must be kept over Troy Daniels.

Nonsense

[Sunsdeuce]

If Draymond Green was the Suns starting PF, we'd be a much better team. Period.

Not a fact at all. It’s your opinion. Until he puts on a suns uniform that is just your opinion. Period.

[jcsunsfan]

Read on Twitter

Funny. His agent is the source. He might as well take out an ad that says "Boston is not offering us much, any one else make an offer please!"

[JDLAW]

Don’t underestimate the impact Booker. Warren, Ariza, a ‘play according to system’ leash will have on Jackson’s shot selection and impact. He is clearly the alph dog in summer league and feels he is the man. His light will never be as green as it is in these semi meaningless games.

I’m not worried as JJ will find his place when surrounded by better players.

Oh he sure will find his place......On the back of the bench snagging DNPs when coaches see he is the worst SF on the team that already features 18 small forwards.

An ignorant comment.

[Sreister]

Draymond deficiencies have been hidden since day one. Klay and Curry make him more than he really is. Kinda like when MJ made Luc Longley into a high paid center. Draymond is not an all-star on any other team not named Warriors.

I have been watching the NBA since 1988, and there probably isn’t a more overrated basketball player I have witnessed other than Draymond Green.

Non Suns topic that I needed to address..

I can get behind disagreeing about how someone is worth, and there is truth behind players 'worth' being inflated, but this was crazy to read. Saying he is the most over rated player since 1988 is insane, because what makes him great isn't helped AT ALL by what Klay and Steph do. He has heart, and wears his hat on the defensive end. And to tout that you know he is because you've watched basketball for a somewhat long time as evidence to your unfounded statement is pretty pretentious.

He lead the NBA in defensive Win Shares in the 16-17 season and was 3rd in the 15-16 season. Last year he dipped to top 30 is all. But to say that he's overrated because his offensive game is masked by Steph and Klay is EXTREMELY superficial. Whatever the dude makes on the offensive end is gravy. He's a firey, full of heart defensive specialist and a winner.

Thanks for your opinion. I said he is the most overrated player “I have witnessed”. I’m sure Bill Cartwright has a great win share, doesn’t mean he was a good player. Win shares is a fabricated stat. Analytics as a whole is not a perfect system because you can twist a stat to support pretty much any argument you want.

Again, it’s my opinion of Draymond. It’s my opinion he would ride the bench if he played in the 90s.

But, I’ll make sure to get your input before I give my opinion next time.

Oh, don't like analytics? How about..

1st team All defense 3 times
8th in Rebounds in 15-16
5th in Defensive Rebounds in 15-16
2nd in Total Steal and 1st in Steals/Game in 16-17
Top 10 in Assists in 3 different years (15-16, 16-17, 17-18)
Top 10 in Assists per game in 3 different years (15-16, 16-17, 17-18)

Yeah your opinion is totally cool, though. We all get one, right?

[bwgood77]

He may not have shown anything to prove he should start or get significant minutes if the team wants to be competitive and win yet, but there is still training camp to earn it, and expecting DNPs or NAZ Suns is certainly stretching it.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

[Sreister]

Read on Twitter

Any context? Is being cryptic on Twitter the new "tough guy cool" thing to do? I hate it.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

Any context? Is being cryptic on Twitter the new "tough guy cool" thing to do? I hate it.

It is all about music for him. His tweets are not usually related to basketball.