Official Free Agent Thread: What to do with our cap space

[lilfishi22]

The more I think about it, the more I am kind of baffled by the whole Knight trade. While I generally like Knight as a player, I always thought McD wanted Bledsoe as his pg and kind of wanted to move on from Dragic. I thought the two pg thing was more of a thing Hornacek decided to do because of the personnel he had and their abilities.

But then when McD finally gets rid of Dragic, he brings in Knight.

Fans here blame Hornacek for playing two point guards, but he is kind of forced to given the squad McD gives him. If McD gave up that much for him he is obviously willing to match any offer and pay him considerable money, and if he is willing to do that, it can't be to play sixth man. Sure Manu and Harden played sixth man, but they were never paid a ton of money in those roles.

Even if he could have just signed Knight outright and given up nothing it would be a head scratcher, but to give away a likely top 5-8 pick next year or the following year, and Ennis for him seems ridiculous.

Weren't you the one that argued that the top 5-8 draftee, even if they are a star would be a few years away from being a legit contributor, likewise with Ennis?

[bwgood77]

Weren't you the one that argued that the top 5-8 draftee, even if they are a star would be a few years away from being a legit contributor, likewise with Ennis?

Yes, I can see both sides, and I do believe a top 5-8 draftee, especially in next year's draft, may be a bust or likely will be several years off. That it is probably pretty rare to expect a guy to be an all star or near all star during their rookie contract, as Knight was this year. I don't remember talking much about Ennis, but I like the type of player he is, but hadn't given him too much thought with our loaded backcourt before, but would love him as the sole backup to Bledsoe now.

What I like about Knight is that he was shooting 44% from 3 before he got here and may play off guard better than pg, and also that we can always have one of him or Bledsoe on the floor. We don't need to play them together much....probably only about a third of the game, if that, so that could work fine, and then put a shooter out there with one of him and Bledsoe most other times. I really wish and hope Goodwin develops a great outside shot.

But me mentioning it being a head scratcher is just more of looking at it from what I perceived McD to want to do. Draft his guys, and make Bledsoe the point. I didn't realize he wanted a two pg attack.....I think or thought he originally probably wanted to trade Dragic until Dragic became a third all teamer last year, and then it became a bit more complicated...though I still think he kind of wanted to trade him anyway. I just would have been surprised had you told me he would be traded and we would end up with Brandon Knight in his spot. I really wouldn't have believed it. I don't really mind it nearly as much as most people do, but it still seems like a lot to give up, and it does leave you undersized and STILL having to pay a lot of money for a backcourt that is undersized.

[kennydorglas]

I used to think that we give up too much for Knight, but the more I think about that Lakers' pick, more I know that we traded it for a fair value.

Lakers will tank again if they miss on big-time FA's (very unlikely, but can happen) and stay on the bottom 3.
It's LA, guys... they wont lose that pick in the lottery
in the next year, they'll have all the cap of the world to sign whoever they want... so the history ends here (best case possible for 76ers)

Hinkie is just hoping to get real lucky now... when they got the top5 pick back, he'll trade it again (their window just closed)

[Years90Suns]

We have a PG that is just above average.
We do not know who our SG is. Is he Knight? Goodwin? Is he Tucker?
Our SF is just below average on offense. He is superb on defense.
Our PF is just average on offense and below average on defense? He is a blackhole whenever he gets the ball. he only gives passes to his brother.
Our C is just average on defense and rebound and below average on offense.
We do not have great bench players, although some og them are growing a lot: Goodwin, Warren.
Our coach is just below average. He tried to mix D'Antoni's ideas with some ideas of our last coaches, as well as some of his own, and all seemed to be a disaster. Running and gunning is not an option to win big, attrack free agents, etc.

Plan: to substitute as many starters for as many new real starters in this league as we can.
If four, then four. Better than three.
We could try the long way by giving Goodwin and Warren big minutes. Evan one of the two could start. We need one or both to develop into real good players if we want to be anybody during the next 10 years.
So the plan would be to get a real PF and a real SG, for example, so Warren can be our starter SF.
Then sign a good starter at the SG position.

Get rid of these M&Ms who will not get us anyway. Or get real starters who can play 35 minutes on both sides. M&Ms cannot be starters.
Stop this two PG system forever. It is not working.

Keep Wright as a PF. Get a decent back-up center.
I would keep Green for the right amount (may be he is not playing to decrease his value, so we can renew him).

BLEDSOE
SG (GREEN)
WARREN
PF
LEN
----------
PG
GOODWIN
TUCKER
MARKIEFF
WRIGHT
C
-----------
MARCUS

[KLEON]

We have a PG that is just above average.
We do not know who our SG is. Is he Knight? Goodwin? Is he Tucker?
Our SF is just below average on offense. He is superb on defense.
Our PF is just average on offense and below average on defense? He is a blackhole whenever he gets the ball. he only gives passes to his brother.
Our C is just average on defense and rebound and below average on offense.
We do not have great bench players, although some og them are growing a lot: Goodwin, Warren.
Our coach is just below average. He tried to mix D'Antoni's ideas with some ideas of our last coaches, as well as some of his own, and all seemed to be a disaster. Running and gunning is not an option to win big, attrack free agents, etc.

Plan: to substitute as many starters for as many new real starters in this league as we can.
If four, then four. Better than three.
We could try the long way by giving Goodwin and Warren big minutes. Evan one of the two could start. We need one or both to develop into real good players if we want to be anybody during the next 10 years.
So the plan would be to get a real PF and a real SG, for example, so Warren can be our starter SF.
Then sign a good starter at the SG position.

Get rid of these M&Ms who will not get us anyway. Or get real starters who can play 35 minutes on both sides. M&Ms cannot be starters.
Stop this two PG system forever. It is not working.

Keep Wright as a PF. Get a decent back-up center.
I would keep Green for the right amount (may be he is not playing to decrease his value, so we can renew him).

BLEDSOE
SG (GREEN)
WARREN
PF
LEN
----------
PG
GOODWIN
TUCKER
MARKIEFF
WRIGHT
C
-----------
MARCUS

He needs to go. You can't have a PG who has a low basketball I.Q and can't even shoot leading the team for the next 5 yrs at 13-15 million.

[Saberestar]

Suns sign Jerel McNeal to a 10-day contract. AJ Price's 10-day contract has come to an end.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gambo987

[JohnWall2]

what about offering Kawhi Leonard the max? Only seems to be getting better.

[DirtyDez]

what about offering Kawhi Leonard the max? Only seems to be getting better.

What's the point? It just ties our hands until the Spurs decide to match.

[kennydorglas]

what about offering Kawhi Leonard the max? Only seems to be getting better.

What's the point? It just ties our hands until the Spurs decide to match.

Yeah, dont even bother to look at SA's free agents... they retain everyone...
Who was the last big-time free agent they lost?

[bwgood77]

I used to think that we give up too much for Knight, but the more I think about that Lakers' pick, more I know that we traded it for a fair value.

Lakers will tank again if they miss on big-time FA's (very unlikely, but can happen) and stay on the bottom 3.
It's LA, guys... they wont lose that pick in the lottery
in the next year, they'll have all the cap of the world to sign whoever they want... so the history ends here (best case possible for 76ers)

Hinkie is just hoping to get real lucky now... when they got the top5 pick back, he'll trade it again (their window just closed)

That was exactly my worry when we owned the pick. Everyone said they would likely get much better next year. I seriously doubt it. Their roster will still stink next year compared to the rest of the west, and most of the east. Minnesota will likely improve more than the Lakers do. The Lakers still probably finish at the bottom of the west, and maybe at the bottom of everyone. So I thought there would be a good chance we got in in 2017 after they likely got free agents and Kobe off the books and tons of cap space. Cap going up big time AND Kobe gone. I think Kobe being gone makes it a bigger attraction for big names because they could be THE MAN for the Lakers. Plus they would have Randle in year 3, but really only year 2 for playing time, but still, there is usually a significant improvement in year 2. This year's pick also in year 2, and next year's high pick as a rookie. So likely a young team of top 5 picks plus some big time free agents that would likely attract good role players to surround them with.

[JohnWall2]

what about offering Kawhi Leonard the max? Only seems to be getting better.

What's the point? It just ties our hands until the Spurs decide to match.

Yeah, dont even bother to look at SA's free agents... they retain everyone...
Who was the last big-time free agent they lost?

Yeah good point :-/

He would be a great acquisition but it ain't happening.

[King4Day]

I was thinking we should go after guys like Leonard, Butler, Dray Green, etc with the hope the teams won't match but with the cap about to go up, there's no way any of those teams don't keep them (we'd also need to hope those players would want to play with us).
Unless we get lucky it does seem like blowing it up might be our best way to fix this. No more patchwork.

[NavLDO]

We have a PG that is just above average.
We do not know who our SG is. Is he Knight? Goodwin? Is he Tucker?
Our SF is just below average on offense. He is superb on defense.
Our PF is just average on offense and below average on defense? He is a blackhole whenever he gets the ball. he only gives passes to his brother.
Our C is just average on defense and rebound and below average on offense.
We do not have great bench players, although some og them are growing a lot: Goodwin, Warren.
Our coach is just below average. He tried to mix D'Antoni's ideas with some ideas of our last coaches, as well as some of his own, and all seemed to be a disaster. Running and gunning is not an option to win big, attrack free agents, etc.

Plan: to substitute as many starters for as many new real starters in this league as we can.
If four, then four. Better than three.
We could try the long way by giving Goodwin and Warren big minutes. Evan one of the two could start. We need one or both to develop into real good players if we want to be anybody during the next 10 years.
So the plan would be to get a real PF and a real SG, for example, so Warren can be our starter SF.
Then sign a good starter at the SG position.

Get rid of these M&Ms who will not get us anyway. Or get real starters who can play 35 minutes on both sides. M&Ms cannot be starters.
Stop this two PG system forever. It is not working.

Keep Wright as a PF. Get a decent back-up center.
I would keep Green for the right amount (may be he is not playing to decrease his value, so we can renew him).

BLEDSOE
SG (GREEN)
WARREN
PF
LEN
----------
PG
GOODWIN
TUCKER
MARKIEFF
WRIGHT
C
-----------
MARCUS

He needs to go. You can't have a PG who has a low basketball I.Q and can't even shoot leading the team for the next 5 yrs at 13-15 million.

Bledsoe is not as bad of a shooter as you are letting on. I still think we should employ him more as a SG--will lessen his TOs, he's a good defender and can handle covering the SGs of the league, for the most part and better than a lot of NBA starting SGs. Would like to see our starting 5 look like this next season--at least to start off.

Knight
Bledsoe
Warren
Rookie?? FA?? Trade acquisition??
Len

Now, when Knight needs a breather, they could slide Bledsoe over for that, if needed, but in reality, Goodwin could be that guy as well. And to test the theory, along with how Wright could work as a PF, for the remainder of the season, I think they should start:

Goodwin
Bullock
Warren
Wright
Len

To me, this is the time to figure what we have in these guys, going into the next season. Let these guys play out final, what, 7 games is it? I'm not saying we have to give everyone of these guys 35 minutes, or anything, but more than 10-15 minutes would be nice. We need to see how these guys can play together; and now is the time to find out. And if nothing else, it 'showcases' these guys some for other teams as part of trade possibilities.

[alphagorilla]

The gods has spoken to me.
I will sacrifice a cow on NBA Draft Lottery day and we will get top 3 pick. We will draft D'Angelo Russell.
Trade Bledsoe + mia pick for Jimmy Butler
Trade Knight + the Twins for Ibaka

Russell
Butler
Warren/tucker
Ibaka
Len

or not what do I know I'm just a crazy Scandinavian who has been watching to many Vikings

[KLEON]

what about offering Kawhi Leonard the max? Only seems to be getting better.

What's the point? It just ties our hands until the Spurs decide to match.

Yeah, dont even bother to look at SA's free agents... they retain everyone...
Who was the last big-time free agent they lost?

So do the Spurs have enough money to re-sign Joseph,Green,Manu, Duncan, Marco,Kahwi and I heard they want to sign another superstar

[Damkac]

Hard to imagine them not resigning last year Finals MVP. And Duncan and Manu would probably take pay cuts.

[jcsunsfan]

Hard to imagine them not resigning last year Finals MVP. And Duncan and Manu would probably take pay cuts.

So you don't make him an offer just because you know SA will match? Isn't that using the rules against him or something?

[thamadkant]

Spurs management are likely already 90% done in terms of re-signing the players they want to stay... Leonard will sign the document once Spurs sign a FA star so they can go over the cap a bit.

[JohnWall2]

The gods has spoken to me.
I will sacrifice a cow on NBA Draft Lottery day and we will get top 3 pick. We will draft D'Angelo Russell.
Trade Bledsoe + mia pick for Jimmy Butler
Trade Knight + the Twins for Ibaka

Russell
Butler
Warren/tucker
Ibaka
Len

or not what do I know I'm just a crazy Scandinavian who has been watching to many Vikings

Probably a tad too optimistic here.

[KLEON]

I don't know what the Suns are gonna do in the off season but I would seriously consider signing both Danny Green( good two way player) and Amare( he still has it) because I don't think that any of the top free agents are coming here and those two are no scrubs.
Bledsoe(unfortunately)/???
D.Green/Goodwin
Warren/???
Amare/Keiff
Len/Wright