The 2013 free agency thread.

[Elden Payton]

Wiggins sweepstakes.

We're not going to be the worst team in the league next year so our chances are minuscule. It doesn't matter how much people say it Wiggins will not end up a Bobcat.

There was no way the Clippers potential lottery pick (#8) was going to be in the Kyrie sweepstakes...that's why they traded it.

[Liver_Pooty]

No thanks to dealing MKG for Kanter, and I highly doubt we will be bottom 3 next year. We will probably be in the 5-7 range as far as worst team goes, and thats just fine with me.

[Liver_Pooty]

By the way, has a team ever had the worst record in the league in back to back seasons and not received the #1 pick in either season? I can easily see that happening to us.

[HornetJail]

Minnesota two and three years ago taking Johnson and Williams 4th and 2nd maybe? Too lazy to look it up but I'm pretty sure they were the worst team in the league both years.

[MasterIchiro]

2014:

Kemba / Sessions (resigned)
Mclemore / FA SG
(Wiggins, Parker or Vonleh) / Taylor
Premier FA PF (Greg Monroe?) / Mullens
Kanter / Biyombo / Haywood

I think you meant "2015" for this roster but I love the plan. The only small tweak I would make is trading Sessions for a pick and not re-signing him. It will ensure full tankitude next season if they trade him draft day. I truly hope Utah plans to spend on Al Jefferson and listen on Kanter. Utah could go young in 2013-2014 and do their own tank job with a nice lineup of young developing players to go along with their cap space. So I feel Kanter is a reach unless you offered more than MKG.

[HornetJail]

2014:

Kemba / Sessions (resigned)
Mclemore / FA SG
(Wiggins, Parker or Vonleh) / Taylor
Premier FA PF (Greg Monroe?) / Mullens
Kanter / Biyombo / Haywood

I think you meant "2015" for this roster but I love the plan. The only small tweak I would make is trading Sessions for a pick and not re-signing him. It will ensure full tankitude next season if they trade him draft day. I truly hope Utah plans to spend on Al Jefferson and listen on Kanter. Utah could go young in 2013-2014 and do their own tank job with a nice lineup of young developing players to go along with their cap space. So I feel Kanter is a reach unless you offered more than MKG.

Say no to the MKG-Kanter swap and your starting five of Monroe/Wiggins/MKG/McLemore/Kemba looks incredible with Mully, Bismack, Taylor, and another young guy or two coming off the bench. I don't know what your issue is with MKG. We aren't trading him for an iffy (in comparison) prospect like Kanter.

[JT2006]

Wiggins sweepstakes.

We're not going to be the worst team in the league next year so our chances are minuscule. It doesn't matter how much people say it Wiggins will not end up a Bobcat.

There was no way the Clippers potential lottery pick (#8) was going to be in the Kyrie sweepstakes...that's why they traded it.

from a statistical standpoint you have to see past the gambling fallacies and realize that the chances are truly small

[Eoghan]

What crystal ball are y'all using to see Greg Monroe getting away from Detroit?

[dmutombo321]

No thanks to dealing MKG for Kanter, and I highly doubt we will be bottom 3 next year. We will probably be in the 5-7 range as far as worst team goes, and thats just fine with me.

If they get impatient and go pay big money to some vet like Al Jefferson this offseason, they definitely will be in that 5-7 range because they will have elevated themselves from bad to mediocre. Thats not a good thing. The difference in talent between 2-4 and 5-7 in this coming draft means little because its so weak. The difference between those ranges in 2014 could be tremendous.

Dont under-rate Kanter and dont let his numbers fool you. He's buried behind jefferson, millsap and Favors so he gets very few minutes. When he does see the court, he produces. As Masterlchiro points out, its entirely possible MKG alone wouldnt even be enough to entice Utah. Both young players have high potential but Kanter has demonstrated more likelihood of fulfilling his than MKG. With 36 mins per night on a team like Charlotte, Kanter would be a double-double machine.

As for Monroe in summer of 2014 - He would be a stretch. Only way we'd probably be able to lure him would be over paying with a Max deal. A cheaper alternative may be to examine Hickson this summer.

A couple videos of Kanter displaying his physical defense, rebounding and advanced low post offense. Talk about pivots, drop steps and counter moves… He's like a cross between Rony Seikaly and Karl Malone.

Kanter in Pre-season
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elwOvRdY0SU[/youtube]

Holding his own last year vs. Andrew Bynum.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ0wMlRaJRg[/youtube]

[James Gatz]

Sik you want to make a bet on whether we'll get Wiggins or not? 20 bucks and I'll give you 2:1 odds.

[Liver_Pooty]

No thanks to dealing MKG for Kanter, and I highly doubt we will be bottom 3 next year. We will probably be in the 5-7 range as far as worst team goes, and thats just fine with me.

If they get impatient and go pay big money to some vet like Al Jefferson this offseason, they definitely will be in that 5-7 range because they will have elevated themselves from bad to mediocre. Thats not a good thing. The difference in talent between 2-4 and 5-7 in this coming draft means little because its so weak. The difference between those ranges in 2014 could be tremendous.

Dont under-rate Kanter and dont let his numbers fool you. He's buried behind jefferson, millsap and Favors so he gets very few minutes. When he does see the court, he produces. As Masterlchiro points out, its entirely possible MKG alone wouldnt even be enough to entice Utah. Both young players have high potential but Kanter has demonstrated more likelihood of fulfilling his than MKG. With 36 mins per night on a team like Charlotte, Kanter would be a double-double machine.

As for Monroe in summer of 2014 - He would be a stretch. Only way we'd probably be able to lure him would be over paying with a Max deal. A cheaper alternative may be to examine Hickson this summer.

A couple videos of Kanter displaying his physical defense, rebounding and advanced low post offense. Talk about pivots, drop steps and counter moves… He's like a cross between Rony Seikaly and Karl Malone.

Kanter in Pre-season
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elwOvRdY0SU[/youtube]

Holding his own last year vs. Andrew Bynum.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ0wMlRaJRg[/youtube]

I think you are a great poster, and I rarely disagree with you, but I think that if we we re to give Utah MKG for Kanter they better chip something else valuable in. Im not a big fan of Kanter, at all.

[Elden Payton]

Sik you want to make a bet on whether we'll get Wiggins or not? 20 bucks and I'll give you 2:1 odds.

Why?

I'm not saying it's a definite but we're in the sweepstakes.

[dmutombo321]

No thanks to dealing MKG for Kanter, and I highly doubt we will be bottom 3 next year. We will probably be in the 5-7 range as far as worst team goes, and thats just fine with me.

If they get impatient and go pay big money to some vet like Al Jefferson this offseason, they definitely will be in that 5-7 range because they will have elevated themselves from bad to mediocre. Thats not a good thing. The difference in talent between 2-4 and 5-7 in this coming draft means little because its so weak. The difference between those ranges in 2014 could be tremendous.

Dont under-rate Kanter and dont let his numbers fool you. He's buried behind jefferson, millsap and Favors so he gets very few minutes. When he does see the court, he produces. As Masterlchiro points out, its entirely possible MKG alone wouldnt even be enough to entice Utah. Both young players have high potential but Kanter has demonstrated more likelihood of fulfilling his than MKG. With 36 mins per night on a team like Charlotte, Kanter would be a double-double machine.

As for Monroe in summer of 2014 - He would be a stretch. Only way we'd probably be able to lure him would be over paying with a Max deal. A cheaper alternative may be to examine Hickson this summer.

A couple videos of Kanter displaying his physical defense, rebounding and advanced low post offense. Talk about pivots, drop steps and counter moves… He's like a cross between Rony Seikaly and Karl Malone.

Kanter in Pre-season
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elwOvRdY0SU[/youtube]

Holding his own last year vs. Andrew Bynum.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ0wMlRaJRg[/youtube]

I think you are a great poster, and I rarely disagree with you, but I think that if we we re to give Utah MKG for Kanter they better chip something else valuable in. Im not a big fan of Kanter, at all.

Time will tell I suppose. Both players are still too young to even drink so its still very early.

I dont dispute that MKG will be a quality player in this league. He's such a great run and jump athlete and could eventually be a lockdown wing defender in the league. I expect he'll eventually develop into a more consistent contributor on offense as well. But his offensive contributions, as we've seen in the 2-3 breakout games he has had, will always predominately consist of hustle points (fast breaks, put backs, backdoor cuts). He's never going to be a great threat to create his own offense. His line drives to the basket that were so effective against inferior athletes in college, while still effective on the break, are no longer effective vs. bigger NBA players in set half court defenses.

His jumper is of great concern to me. As various people of pointed out, theres several players with ugly looking but effective shots (i.e. shawn marion, kevin martin). But those players shots, despite looking unorthodox due to the low release points, are still fluid motions. MKG's shot is anything but and reminds me of Charles Barkley's golf swing. Until he completely re-tools his mechanics, that jumper in its present form will never be effective.

What's puzzling is that the mechanics havent changed already. We read so much in the offseason about Gilchrist working with trainers to remove the hitch/hesitation in the shot but its still there every time he launches. I would be far more encouraged if he was shooting as poorly as he is but doing so with the proper form.

If he can correct that shot and become an outside threat in a couple years, watch out. But he's got a looong way to go. Even if he doesnt, he's still a quality player on the defensive side of the ball, a fast break terror and an amazing complementary piece for any team who has a shooting two guard and post scorer to pair with him. To his credit, he's smart enough to know his limitations so he doesnt jack alot of outside shots.

Kanter has his share of limitations too. He's a below the rim center, closer to 6'10 than 6'11 IMO, is a good but not great shot blocker and could still stand to improve his FT accuracy a little more. But the man is a Bull.

Apart from Pekovic and maybe Dwight Howard, he establishes post position on offense and maintains his post ground on defense better than anyone in the league. I guarantee everyone, once Kanter is getting 36 mins per night, be it at Utah or somewhere else, you can count on a 14-17 point and 9-11 rebound guy. Utah isnt blind to this, they just happen to be in the enviable position of having two other allstar bigs and another top 3 pick big in front of him.

If we can pry him away for anyone on the roster apart from Kemba, Charlotte would be foolish to not at least make an inquiry as he could anchor the center spot for the next decade. Hell, I'd even throw in our later first rounder if necessary.

[JT2006]

Sik you want to make a bet on whether we'll get Wiggins or not? 20 bucks and I'll give you 2:1 odds.

Why?

I'm not saying it's a definite but we're in the sweepstakes.

2 to 1 odds is totally unfair anyway. even if we're the worst team it's under 50% to get him...

[Fred Williamson]

you can cross out Smith from our free agent wishlist. he wants a max contract

[Elden Payton]

He'll get 12+ longterm which is decent but not great, I'd rather pay AlJeff that money.

Thoughts on who is going to use their E/TO?

I'm betting Monta is definitely going to, sadly he may be a target for us.

[James Gatz]

If we're going to be throwing money at a big this offseason I think we should make an offer to Pek. He's a monster and athelthic freak for his size. Would drastically improve our rebounding and post offense while not needing the ball to succeed like Jefferson.

[Elden Payton]

If we're going to be throwing money at a big this offseason I think we should make an offer to Pek. He's a monster and athelthic freak for his size. Would drastically improve our rebounding and post offense while not needing the ball to succeed like Jefferson.

The only problem with Pek is that he is a RFA and there is no way Minny lets him go.

If we use all our cap with an offer for Pek then straight away we are cap tied, Minny will match but not straight away and when they do we may have missed out on the bigger names.

[James Gatz]

If we're going to be throwing money at a big this offseason I think we should make an offer to Pek. He's a monster and athelthic freak for his size. Would drastically improve our rebounding and post offense while not needing the ball to succeed like Jefferson.

The only problem with Pek is that he is a RFA and there is no way Minny lets him go.

If we use all our cap with an offer for Pek then straight away we are cap tied, Minny will match but not straight away and when they do we may have missed out on the bigger names.

You're right. It would be a risk. But if we offered him 12M a year they have to think hard about it with Rubio coming up for an extension and Love making what he does.

[Elden Payton]

If we're going to be throwing money at a big this offseason I think we should make an offer to Pek. He's a monster and athelthic freak for his size. Would drastically improve our rebounding and post offense while not needing the ball to succeed like Jefferson.

The only problem with Pek is that he is a RFA and there is no way Minny lets him go.

If we use all our cap with an offer for Pek then straight away we are cap tied, Minny will match but not straight away and when they do we may have missed out on the bigger names.

You're right. It would be a risk. But if we offered him 12M a year they have to think hard about it with Rubio coming up for an extension and Love making what he does.

Honestly they wouldn't think that long but leave us hanging with our capspace in purgatory.

Glen Taylor has been spending on a mediocre product for years, he won't break it up the minute they're relevant.