2011 Free Agents: Cause for Excitement?

[Crossova21]

Indiana is set up to have a tremendous amount of cap space following the 2010-11 season. Currently, they'll owe just $21 million to Danny Granger, Dahntay Jones, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough in 2011 (including team options for the latter three).

In addition to providing themselves with a chance to sign a star player or two in 2012, team president Larry Bird and general manager David Morway are setting themselves up to withstand a possible salary cap storm. All indications point to the cap decreasing once again next season.

http://pacers.realgm.com/articles/176/20090908/peers_like_what_pacers_are_doing/

I was looking at who the big name free agents would be in the summer of 2011 and no one really stood out to me except Carmelo, who I'm 90% sure will end up back with Denver. Now there are some big names, I think Duncan, Parker, Gasol, etc. but I'm wondering who on the list won't be exiting their prime and who could you actually build a team around? There are some good role players (David West, Josh Howard for example) but I really don't know if there's anyone who could change a team around.

OJ Mayo and Eric Gordon are restricted free agents but more than likely they'll go back to their teams they're on now. So I guess my question is who on the summer 2011 free agent list could actually have an impact on the Pacers? Is having a lot of money that year really worth all the hype?

[IrishLuck31]

I had similar issues when I first saw the lack of all-stars in the 2011 class, but realistically Indianapolis isnt in anyone's top 5 places to play. so we wouldnt be frontrunners for these top flight talents. Rather, we are going to have to pay big-bucks to not quite all-star players, but players that we feel can start on a championship team.

Here is a list in my opinioin of players purely based on talent. didnt think about if they would ever come/how they would fit into our system:

-Kendrick Perkins
-Al Horford
-Josh Howard
-Dirk Nowitzki
-J.R. Smith
-Shane Battier
-Aaron Brooks
-Yao Ming
-DeAndre Jordan
-Al Thornton
-Mike Conley
-Michael Redd
-Kevin Durant
-Jeff Green
-Thadeous Young
-Nick Young
-Caron Butler
-Chris Bosh (depending on what happens next summer)

-just who I saw on the list that are starter-quality players. Also, younger guys might develop into studs over the next 2 years.

-Finally, Im sure we will look into dealilng the expiring contracts in the preceding season to someone who values them more (aka a team looking to resign/sign big names), and so we can use those contracts that way. One guy Id love to go after is Rondo because I think he is a special talent, and it seems like Boston actually wants to get rid of him, so a trade is conceivable

[Wizop]

I hope we don't use the cap room to chase other team's castoff veterans. I want to pay the young guys who deserve extensions and just keep drafting.

[Miller4ever]

In any case, we have a huge amount of cap space, so if we play our cards right, we could be looking at a contender. Any of the point guards would be nice (Brooks, Conley, Parker, Rondo) but if we could attract someone like Al Horford (Granger/Horford/Hibbert frontcourt?) that'd be awesome and it's exciting already.

[spudmonkey31]

Ithink a quality big is iin dire need. miller is west available then? That guys an absolute beast and a great team player who i think would make a great duo with danny

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Most of those players with resign with their team. There really aren't going to be many players that will help us that much. I just hope we don't panic and pull a Pistons.

[SonicYouth34]

Hey Miller4ever, who's the second guy in your sig?

Anyways, Horford would make for a beastly front line and someone like Conley (if he develops more) would round out the back court nicely. My bet is that not many of those players leave their current teams though.

[fienX420]

I hope we don't use the cap room to chase other team's castoff veterans. I want to pay the young guys who deserve extensions and just keep drafting.

I hope just the opposite (well almost). Obviously, I hope we keep drafting quality players. But I hope that 2011 provides the opportunity to return our veterans on the cheap and move forward with much cleaner books. I really don't think you can substitute for continuity. I would love to return Murphy, Dunleavy, and Foster (if he's still up to it). Veteran bench players!

[Miller4ever]

Hey Miller4ever, who's the second guy in your sig?

I don't know. He looked funny with his uneven teeth and the faces he makes at Spike Lee.

[SonicYouth34]

Hey Miller4ever, who's the second guy in your sig?

I don't know. He looked funny with his uneven teeth and the faces he makes at Spike Lee.

I didn't even realize that was Reggie, its a weird picture. My bad.

[DannyGranger]

The best thing to do it trade our expirers during the Feb 2011 trade deadline and get back some stars to complement Granger

[mizzoupacers]

I haven't studied who will be available in 2011, but I wonder if the Pacers' biggest need will be a point guard. Ford and Watson's contracts will have expired, plus I'm doubtful either of them really figure into the team's long-range plans anyway.

A quality low-post guy would be very nice too.

[DougInOz]

Pg-Rush-Granger-A Horford/T Young-Hibbert

No idea on a PG though

Also, thanks M4E.

[DannyGranger]

I think Amare could be a possible FA that summer. He has an option for ETO in summer of 2010 which I dont think he'll exercise....and if Suns dont give him an extension, he will be a FA

A lot of "if's"

[jowglenn]

I love the fact that the Pacers are totally flying under the radar with our 2011 expiring contracts and 2011 cap space. Ford, Murphy, and Dunleavy will all come off the books. We can use any of them as an expiring (plus picks and other players) in a deal to make a big improvement.

What might be even more exciting is the fact that we might re-sign a few of them at bargain prices. I get the feeling that the market for these 3 guys won't be really huge in 2011. I would not be surprised to find Murphy sign up a deal w/ us at like 4yrs/28mil. I think he's the most likely to be re-signed.

But anyways, what's nice is we can package any of our young guys (Hansbrough, Hibbert, Rush) w/ a good player's expiring contract (fordmurphleavy) and picks and seriously pick up a great great player. And then we'd still have room to sign a free agent. still.

[MillerTime101]

I had similar issues when I first saw the lack of all-stars in the 2011 class, but realistically Indianapolis isnt in anyone's top 5 places to play. so we wouldnt be frontrunners for these top flight talents. Rather, we are going to have to pay big-bucks to not quite all-star players, but players that we feel can start on a championship team.

Here is a list in my opinioin of players purely based on talent. didnt think about if they would ever come/how they would fit into our system:

-Kendrick Perkins
-Al Horford
-Josh Howard
-Dirk Nowitzki
-J.R. Smith
-Shane Battier
-Aaron Brooks
-Yao Ming
-DeAndre Jordan
-Al Thornton
-Mike Conley
-Michael Redd
-Kevin Durant
-Jeff Green
-Thadeous Young
-Nick Young
-Caron Butler
-Chris Bosh (depending on what happens next summer)

-just who I saw on the list that are starter-quality players. Also, younger guys might develop into studs over the next 2 years.

-Finally, Im sure we will look into dealilng the expiring contracts in the preceding season to someone who values them more (aka a team looking to resign/sign big names), and so we can use those contracts that way. One guy Id love to go after is Rondo because I think he is a special talent, and it seems like Boston actually wants to get rid of him, so a trade is conceivable

Why did you put Bosh on there and not LBJ, Wade and Amare? They are all in the exact same situation. Just curious.

Anyways Ive got two names of players that are on the top of my list:

Rajan Rondo
AL Horford

Let us all pray.

[Gremz]

There are few on that list that will have a plausible cause for leaving their current destinations, especially for Indy. There could of course be exceptions, but they'd most likely not be top tier guys, and would be on rosters where the payroll is already large.

[8305]

I love the fact that the Pacers are totally flying under the radar with our 2011 expiring contracts and 2011 cap space. Ford, Murphy, and Dunleavy will all come off the books. We can use any of them as an expiring (plus picks and other players) in a deal to make a big improvement.

What might be even more exciting is the fact that we might re-sign a few of them at bargain prices. I get the feeling that the market for these 3 guys won't be really huge in 2011. I would not be surprised to find Murphy sign up a deal w/ us at like 4yrs/28mil. I think he's the most likely to be re-signed.

But anyways, what's nice is we can package any of our young guys (Hansbrough, Hibbert, Rush) w/ a good player's expiring contract (fordmurphleavy) and picks and seriously pick up a great great player. And then we'd still have room to sign a free agent. still.

I agree with most everything here. Add to the list of tradable young guys the 2010 and 2011 1st round picks and the rights to Lorbek. The combination of young talent and expiring contracts is what a team willing to trade a very good player is generally looking for.

I think there is potential for this to get interesting at the 2011 trade deadline. Consider the teams that could be in rebuild mode by then. Maybe Toronto (with a resigned Bosh), Utah (Deron Williams), New Orleans (Paul), Atlanta (after losing Johnson, Smith).

Something else to consider. I don't think all the teams accumulating cap space for the summer of 2010 will use it, espcially if Wade, James and Bosh resign with their current teams. We will probably not be the only team with salary flexibility in the summer of 2011.