How to keep Philly from making Smith an offer.

killbuckner · Post #1 » by **killbuckner** » Tue Jul 1, 2008 9:59 pm

Offer the Full MLE to Louis williams. (or whatever we think that the sixers would certainly match)

Right now Louis Williams only counts as 1 million against the cap- the sixers can sign FA's and then go back and give Williams a big raise. But as soon as he signs an offersheet then that becomes his new capnumber. That would take around 5 million out of Philly's caproom and pretty much eliminate their chance of getting Josh Smith. Their alternative would be to renounce Williams and they can keep all of their room, so you have to give Williams a reasonable offer.

HoopsGuru25 · Post #2 » by **HoopsGuru25** » Tue Jul 1, 2008 10:07 pm

That would work if he was willing to sign an offerhseet. Stefanski could tell Williams to just wait and he will take care of him after they sign Smith(although I'm not sure if he would care about Philly's best interests). It also doesn't help that the two are very good friends and that he would probably be excited of the idea of Smith playing with him in Philly.

killbuckner · Post #3 » by **killbuckner** » Tue Jul 1, 2008 10:12 pm

yeah- I have no idea what the sixers are planning to offer williams. I'm sure they have already exchanged numbers. But if the MLE is significantly higher than what he is likely to get from the sixers otherwise (and really- I have to think it is) then I seriously doubt that he would turn down the MLE. I don't have any good feeling for what the sixers are willing to pay him. But there must be a number above what he thinks he can get on his own but still within what the sixers will match that he would accept.

But at this point I am thinking that Golden State might be as big of a threat to sign smith...

is1531 · Post #4 » by **is1531** » Tue Jul 1, 2008 11:47 pm

killbuckner wrote:Offer the Full MLE to Louis williams. (or whatever we think that the sixers would certainly match)

Right now Louis Williams only counts as 1 million against the cap- the sixers can sign FA's and then go back and give Williams a big raise. But as soon as he signs an offersheet then that becomes his new capnumber. That would take around 5 million out of Philly's caproom and pretty much eliminate their chance of getting Josh Smith. Their alternative would be to renounce Williams and they can keep all of their room, so you have to give Williams a reasonable offer.

In that case they will let Lou Williams go. Just trade Josh for Iguodala in a sign and trade, otherwise we will lose him.

killbuckner · Post #5 » by **killbuckner** » Tue Jul 1, 2008 11:58 pm

Then if the sixers would let him go for the MLE, sign him to a 4 million dollar contract- that still kills 3 million of caproom which is enough to knock the sixers out of the running for smith. It doesn't take the whole MLE to screw up Philly's offseason. And worst case for the Hawks is that the sixers renounce williams and the Hawks just say goodbye to Childress. Not optimal but but the worst thing in the world either.

51X3RF4N · Post #6 » by **51X3RF4N** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 4:48 am

Only problem is, from all indications out of his agent's mouth, they are not signing any offer sheets NOT from Philly. WIlliams' agent said they have fielded NUMEROUS calls and turned them all down as LW WANTS to be in Philly. Period.

So, what would've turned out to screw us in the long run that any team could've pulled off, LW said to himself, "Self, I like this team and they have a good chance to build a winning team. Let's stay here and wait for their offer."

Good guy IMO.

BTW, his agent said the reason for this is because Philly gave him a chance in the 2nd round and stuck with him through his struggles, and kept telling him to work hard and he'd get his chance, even though he was behind Iverson.

76ciology · Post #7 » by **76ciology** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 8:42 am

You know what's a better offer?

Instead of Louis Williams, make it Andre Iguodala. Oh wait, you guys don't have a capspace. But seriously, if you guy do have cap space, it would be a great solution.

SendEm · Post #8 » by **SendEm** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 9:48 am

LOL this is a great idea if it is true that once a player signs an offer sheet his cap hold instantly becomes the new salary figure. That is pure genius. But this would only preclude the Sixers from acquiring Smith. GS and the Clippers are still reported to be in the mix.

Louis Williams' value is up in the air because he clearly will be the sort of player that Mo Williams is when he eventually becomes a full time starter. But he is up for free agency early in his development when so few teams have cap space. Lou is still only 21.

The only way this works is if Atlanta gets Lou to sign an offer sheet BEFORE the Sixers get Josh Smith to sign one. You will have to offer Lou like $6 million per to get him to go against his current franchise in such a way as to RUSH to sign an offer sheet while in the process preventing his current franchise from acquiring a player that they brought to town to meet the mayor and all of that other overhyped BS.

This will not work, I do not see Lou Williams and his agent cracking under any pressure that Atlanta ownership will place upon them to "SIGN IN 8 HOURS OR FORGET ABOUT THE DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!"

killbuckner · Post #9 » by **killbuckner** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 12:33 pm

If Williams was getting 20% more money to sign than he would otherwise thats an awfully large chuck of change for a second round pick to turn down.

NDaATL · Post #10 » by **NDaATL** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 2:59 pm

Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting LW. But like you said, I'm honestly more worried about GS, they seem willing to throw that money around if they offer a player who didn't play last year 90 million. I'm just hoping Brand accepts the contract, even though I'd like to see what the Clips would do with him.

evildallas · Post #11 » by **evildallas** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 3:25 pm

NDaATL wrote:Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting LW. But like you said, I'm honestly more worried about GS, they seem willing to throw that money around if they offer a player who didn't play last year 90 million. I'm just hoping Brand accepts the contract, even though I'd like to see what the Clips would do with him.

Golden State is a desperate, wounded animal. They realize that once they address their RFAs of Ellis and Biedrins that they won't have enough space to improve appreciably, which means they go from competing for the playoffs to also ran status in the tough West. They need to lock someone else first although I agree they are going overboard.

How to keep Philly from making Smith an offer? Hide their checkbook?

tbhawksfan · Post #12 » by **tbhawksfan** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 7:06 pm

Could a senario be emerging wher a Biendrins / Pietrus / POB for Smoove S&T could be the cest alternative?

GS is getting desperate, they need a big move. Smoove would fit the bill. Biendrins is goood, but we'd need more to do the trade. Is Pietrus and POB enough to off-set the difference?

Our line up would look real nice

Biendrins / Zaza / POB

Horford / Jones

Marvin / Chil

JJ / Pietrus

Bibby / Law / Speedy

Add a cheap FA to fill in at SF/PF and we're in business.

I'm still feeling like it isn't enough though. Future pick? Crochere? Can this happen? And if it did what would we need to get back for Smoove?

killbuckner · Post #13 » by **killbuckner** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 8:30 pm

TB- I think that Golden state would rather just toss max money at Smith than Give up Biedrins.

tbhawksfan · Post #14 » by **tbhawksfan** » Fri Jul 4, 2008 9:23 pm

We match, they lose Baron, add nothing. That's why I propose the S&T

killbuckner · Post #15 » by **killbuckner** » Sat Jul 5, 2008 2:50 am

There can't be a S&T if the Hawks match. Seriously- the odds of the Hawks matching a max contract with a max signing bonus are 50% at best. It would be dumb for them to give up Biedrins in a S&T.

evildallas · Post #16 » by **evildallas** » Sat Jul 5, 2008 7:43 am

If Smith signs an offer sheet, we can match and S&T him to any of the other 28 teams, but the team that made the offer is off limits or we can match and keep him. If we don't match they get him. That's why you normally have a brief period prior to the offer sheet being officially made when the two teams talk it out. This is the poker phase when the team holding the rights says we're going to match unless you offer us something good. That's the brief time when the S&T with Golden St. could occur and only if they buy what we say like BK did with Philly.

killbuckner · Post #17 » by **killbuckner** » Sat Jul 5, 2008 11:27 am

dallas-- thats not true. If the Hawks match then Smith can't be traded at all until December 15th. THEN he can't be traded back to the team that signed him to the offersheet, and Smith has the power to veto any trade. Once an offersheet is signed there is no S&T possible. With Joe the teams never actually signed the offersheet.