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Addressing 2 things. David Lee on the table for picks/expiring contracts. My first though is this is great new since the Jazz have their draft pick and the Knicks are already throwing in the towel just to conserve money. Without Lee the Knicks should be that much worse on paper and all Jazz fans should be smiling with this news.

Second, anyone have any thoughts about the Jazz packaging a Matt Harping and his 6.5 million expiring contract and future picks for a David Lee. Im not sure what Lee will sign for but I think he could fit in well with the team.

Why do they need expirings? He is expired already! So they can throw away money for 1 season?

They need expiring contracts because they want to have as much $$$ to spend at the end of next season. Matt is signed through 09-10 which is the end of next season. He's due to make 6.5 million which is the highest paid expiring contract we have at the end of next year. Really NYK really wouldnt care to have him actually play for them, but they would be looking for draft picks. NYK is looking to build for the 10-11 season so Matt, their 09-10 pick back and possibly a filler and another pick might get a deal done.

They still have the room if they don't spend it next year. And if you are talking adding draft picks yeah giving back the '10 pick would get it done. That would be awful value for the Jazz.

You'll probably need a filler worth 2-4.5 million.

Honestly, Lee is gonna ask for as much money or even more than what Sap wil be asking for. I'd rather keep Sap than go for Lee. That is good news for the Jazz though.

I'd take Lee over Millsap, but they're similar players. I'd imagine Lee's contract is something Millsap's agent is going to be watching, in that they may command similar money.

Good news for Utah, but we should stay away.

Lawl. The 2010 pick for David Lee? Are you serious? The guys is a FA and could be had without compensation if you offered him 9-10m a season, and you want to give up a potential top 5 pick in a loaded draft? My brain is bleeding.

erudite23 wrote:Lawl. The 2010 pick for David Lee? Are you serious? The guys is a FA and could be had without compensation if you offered him 9-10m a season, and you want to give up a potential top 5 pick in a loaded draft? My brain is bleeding.

Lets just point out the obvious... David Lee is a RFA. This is why the NYK's are attempting to sign and trade him. Its not as simple as being able to just sign him to 9-10m a season contract this year because the Knicks can match. Second there are some variable for the Jazz, being Boozer, Korver, and Okur. If all these players decided NOT to opt out of their contracts then the Jazz team salary would be 71m for 11 players next season, not including Sap, Price, Collins, Knight, or Almond. They Jazz also have a rookie contract this year they have to add to the possible 71m. Doing a sign and trade utilizing Matt's 6.5m contract might be an option for the Jazz. Assuming Lee signs for about 9m a year then it helps the Jazz move the possible wasted 6.5m Harpring is due and they dont overpay for Sap which many people expect to sign between 8-9m a year type of deal. Now Im NOT saying Lee at 9m is a better value then Sap at 9m but losing Matts 6.5 next year help the cap space for next season.

To address your point of the NYK pick MIGHT be a top 5 pick in 2010. I agree this is certainly a great possibility. That said, a 6' 9" 240lb 16ppg/11rpg guy who continues to show good growth and a lot of upside would be an awesome top five pick. Guess what! This is what you get in David Lee. As a casual NBA fan I'm not seeing or hearing about a Lebron James version 2010 who will be in the NBA draft next season. I also dont see a Yao Ming overseas or a Tim Duncan sitting in college. John Wall and Derick Favors are two of the highly touted High School seniors this year and would be eligible next year. Wall is said to be a top 5 pick but he plays PG so we dont need him. Favors is not a guarantee to come out of college next year. Also if Sloan is still around I doubt that Favors would be a Sloan type player. Looking at the top international and college players that will likely be in the 2010 draft, Ed Davis 6' 9" PF from UNC might be a solid pick. Donatas Motiejunas the 7' from Lithuania draws comparison to Chris Bosh and might be a solid pick. Cole Aldrich out of Kansas is getting love as a top pick in 2010. One of these guys might be a great pick. I sure someone will stand out as being a clear #1 pick and there will be solid choices at picks 2 and 3. However there is NO guarentee that the Knicks pick will net a top 5 guy so thats the first gamble. The second gamble is finding the best player as the 1st, 2nd , 3rd, 4th or 5th pick. You could end up with a Michael Jordan at #3 or Jonathan Bender at #5. I looked at all the top 5 pick from 1985 through 2006. I was shocked how many busts and below avg NBA players there were drafted in the top 5 slots. Below is a list of some of the guys that either never made a impact or flat out were busts in the NBA.

To rap this up, all in all the NYK pick is an asset for the Jazz. They could end up with a top 3 pick next year and possibly draft the face of the franchise or the NBA for the next 10 years. They also could draft Jon Koncak, Marcus Fizer, or Nikoloz Tskitishvili. To me if its possible to work a deal to get a potential 18/20ppg and 10rpg type of player that would fit in a Sloan system for a gamble top 5 pick and Matt Harpirng seems like a pretty good deal.

Top 5 busts or so-so players:
Andrea Bargnani -HeI might be on my list prematurely but I dont see a double double guy.
Adam Morrison
Shelden Williams
Marvin Williams - he still has a chance of being a career 12 and 6 guy.
Shaun Livingston
Darko Milicic - I used to feel bad for Sam Bowie for being drafted before Jordan. That changed when the Pistons picked Darko before Melo, Wade, and Bosh.
Jay Williams
Drew Gooden
Nikoloz Tskitishvili - Anyone say Ryan Leaf?
Kwame Brown
Stromile Swift
Marcus Fizer - NBA D-league MVP a few years ago.
Jonathan Bender
Michael Olowokandi
Raef LaFrentz
Antonio Daniels
Tony Battie
Shawn Bradley
LaPhonso Ellis - Injuries killed his potential
Billy Owens
Pervis Ellison
Danny Ferry
Charles Smith
Chris Morris
Armon Gilliam
Dennis Hopson
Reggie Williams
Chris Washburn
Wayman Tisdale
Jon Koncak

Andrea has been averaging almost 20ppg since December--he is not going to be a bust.

no thanks

Why would we use the NY pick to secure an 18/10 pf when we have two 18/10 pf free agents of our own? Makes more sense to resign our guys and either use the pick or trade it to fill a need, yes? Besides, I don't see KOC trading it this summer before he has a chance to see how bad the Knicks are going to suck...

I don't want to do any deals with the Knicks unless it involves us sending them !@#$.

Lee doesn't make sense if we re-sign Sap.

kamazilla wrote:Why would we use the NY pick to secure an 18/10 pf when we have two 18/10 pf free agents of our own? Makes more sense to resign our guys and either use the pick or trade it to fill a need, yes? Besides, I don't see KOC trading it this summer before he has a chance to see how bad the Knicks are going to suck...

Why? You must be missing the point... Salary Cap! Without going well over the projected 70m salary cap this season the Jazz cant sign Sap, extend Boozer and Memo especially if they want to keep Korver. Again it will likely put us well over the cap if we want to keep Kyle, Booz and Memo. Based on their current salaries to resign those 3 we would be in the 72m+ dollar range. If Sap want 8m and our draft pick will get another 1m we are quickly approaching 80m. Unless we can find a way to move AK47 I dont see the Jazz paying all that luxury tax. The idea Ive thrown out allows us to move Matt and his 6.5m, get an 18/10 guy in return, extend Booz if he'll come back, extend Okur and Kyle as well. I feel Lee has as much upside as Sap with better overall size.

Lee will also cost almost as much a Boozer, it does not help our cap situation to trade for him unless AK is leaving.

I doubt Lee and Boozer will be in the same range. I would guess Lee will be closer to 9m and Boozer is looking for 12+m. Humor me and let me play this out.

Say the Jazz move Miles, Harpring, and NYK 1st rnd pick for Lee (S&T 9m per year) and a future pick.

Utah's salaries in 09-10 would look like:
AK - $16.4m
Deron - 13.8m
Lee - 9m
Brewer - 2.7m
Kosta - 1.2m
Fes - 870k
Total 44m

Assuming they can get Booz, Kover, and Memo to sign extensions, I would guess next years money would look similar to what they can opt out of on their current contracts.
Booz - 13m (Assuming he signed a 4y $55m extension)
Memo - 9m (Assuming he signs a 4y $42m extension)
Kover - 6m (Assumging he signs a 3y $18m extension)
This would total for 09-10 = $28m

$44m + 28m = $72m. The Jazz would still need to sign a 09/10 rookie, FA point guard (Price, Knight, ?), and find a backup for SG/SF.

My team would look like:
C- Memo, Kosta, Fes
PF - Booz, Lee
SF - AK, Korver, FA/Rookie
SG - Brewer, Korver, FA/Rookie
PG - Deron, FA

VERSES:

Utah keeping Matt and CJ and resigning Sap to 8m a year deal, making it questionable whether they could sign all three possible FA's (Booz, Memo, Kyle)

Utah's salaries in 09-10 would look like:
AK - $16.4m
Deron - $13.8m
Harpring - $6.5m
Miles - $3.7m
Brewer - $2.7m
Kosta - $1.2m
Fes - $870k
Total 45m

Assuming we sign Sap to $8m a year deal (4 years $32)
$45m + 8m = $53

That leaves $17m to get to the projected $70m 2009-10 salary cap.
Again assuming Booz, Memo, and Kyle are looking for similar extensions like I listed above. This leaves either the Jazz unwilling to resign one of the four FA/RFA or paying luxury tax
Booz - 13m (Assuming he signed a 4y $55m extension)
Memo - 9m (Assuming he signs a 4y $42m extension)
Kover - 6m (Assuming he signs a 3y $18m extension)
Total for 09-10 = $28m
$53m + 28m = $81m (not including needing a backup PG, and signing a 09-10 rookie)

My guess is option two leaves 1 realistic possibility... We wont see 1 or more of our top four FA/RFA's in a Jazz uni next year. Say bye to either Booz, Memo, Kyle (assuming these guys opt out), or Sap.

If this is the case hope like HELL we can move AK in a trade! But I'd rather move Miles, Harp, and the Knicks draft pick, but thats just me!