Doug Smith: Raptors close to signing FA with MLE

[Courtside]

Childress unlikely to be matched by Atlanta now that JJ is committed
Barnes makes sense from a hard work/defense standpoint
Brewer same thing, but more athletic
Gomez great rebounder but bit of a tweener. Amir at SF would be just as good
Reddick likely to stay in Orlando, but 3pt shooting of value
Klieza likely to me matched by Denver if offer is MLE or less

I'd be OK with any of these guys if the deal is right.

*****

By signing an MLE guy, it means that no matter where Bosh goes, we're very unlikely to be taking back even half the salary back, as it would put us into the luxury tax. If we add our existing contracts + Davis + ~MLE then we're getting near $60 million. Unless BC has other moves lined up to reduce payroll with Turk, Calderon, Evans or Banks - the most we'd want to add is about $10 million which would keep us under the tax.

Maybe if we acquire a TPE of $17 million and he uses half of it this offseason, it puts the payroll in the upper 60's, maybe $70 mil. It would still leave the option of a deadline if there is a move to be made using the expirings of Evans and Banks and the remaining half of the TPE. I gotta think there will be a lot of roster re-adjustments this season with teams trying to trim payroll or balance things out after a very active (and perhaps risk taking) offseason.

[RapsFanInOhio]

Actually, it makes sense for us to sign an MLE guy this early because we can swoop in and get one of the top MLE level FA's before these teams chasing LeBron and Wade do. A guy like Shannon Brown might take a full MLE level deal right now but his price tag might go up to $7 or $8 million per next week when all these teams with capspace lose out on Wade, Bron, and Boozer.

[dawn_wan]

Since it's Doug Smith odds are nothing will happen at all

That's my guess right here.

lol... meh.. something to talk about on a hectic monday morning...
out of those names i'm leaning towards JJ Redick..

[basketball royalty]

Wow, how can people want Shannon Brown for a full MLE? May as well keep Marcus Banks.

[BDiddy1313]

I second that its jj reddick, and agree if this happens everyone on this board will lose their minds...

[EventHorizon]

I hope it isn't Ryan Gomes. I'd be okay with either Matt Barnes or Ronnie Brewer or Childress though.

Either way I don't think this is a good thing because it probably means the return for Bosh is going to be meaningless to the team. I was hoping getting a large TPE would mean we would go out and grab a quality player. Now it seems roster spots are being accounted for. It also means these deals from HOU and CLE etc. where we get multiple players is not in the works.

I mean, I would think we would have to know what is happening with Bosh before making a move, this may mean we have given up on a S&T.

Thought exactly the same thing. Why no to Gomes?

[Air Canada]

Id be happy if we get Matt Barnes or Ronnie Brewer

[mitch3844]

[quote="A_wildstabatanything"]I have no doubts... BC will overpay.[/quote]


BC has to overpay or we'd have no roster... he overpays to convince players to come... it's something that the Raps will always have to do no matter who the GM

[basketball royalty]

I hope it isn't Ryan Gomes. I'd be okay with either Matt Barnes or Ronnie Brewer or Childress though.

Either way I don't think this is a good thing because it probably means the return for Bosh is going to be meaningless to the team. I was hoping getting a large TPE would mean we would go out and grab a quality player. Now it seems roster spots are being accounted for. It also means these deals from HOU and CLE etc. where we get multiple players is not in the works.

I mean, I would think we would have to know what is happening with Bosh before making a move, this may mean we have given up on a S&T.

Thing exactly the same thing. Why no to Gomes?

He is a tweener. I don't see him as a good defensive player especially not when compared to Barnes, Brewer or Childress. He has no potential, athleticism or pedigree. I don't see why we would bother adding him on.

[RINSE]

I have no doubts... BC will overpay.

BC has to overpay or we'd have no roster... he overpays to convince players to come... it's something that the Raps will always have to do no matter who the GM

These guys make it sound like BC is gifting these players with higher-priced contracts. Like you said, it's a reality that this team will have to deal with until we become an upper-echelon team that's contending year-in and year-out.

[D-Wins-RingsIMO]

I'd be pretty upset if it's someone like Gomes or Shannon Brown for near MLE or full MLE money, those guys are barely above replacement value.

My ideal would be Childress, but I'd be fine withe Ronnie Brewer or even JJ Redick. I think there would be some backlash against JJ for the MLE given how Kapono panned out, but I'm not concerned .... he'll fit a role and the guy is a lot smarter than Kapono ..... he'll gladly shoot 3's in traffic even if it kills his %'s a bit, b/c it's still better than almost any alternative. Kapono had a phobia of shooting anything that wasn't 3 feet wide open.

[mitch3844]

exactly... us being a top flight team yearly is the only way to really get players to want to sign here...

[pspot]

I like that Brewer is coming from Sloan's system.

raps could still include or move in separate deals Jose, Turk, Banks, Evans, Beli

the wing would be pretty full if the Raps did sign someone like Brewer the only opening is really back up SF

SG: DD, Weems, Beli
SF: Turk, Brewer

but ideally we are looking at
SG: Brewer SF: DD with first wing off the bench Weems and Turk has been traded

EDIT: actually nm, Brewer's 3pt % is awful and he can't start at the 2, raps would almost have to keep Turk in order to have any range. Which i don't hate the original 5 wing rotation I had. Basically switching Wright for Brewer

Beli could be the 5th wing shooter

[gerrit4]

I'd love Childress and we may have a chance after the huge contract they just signed Johnson to.

Outlaw, Brewer and Barnes are also good. I've always liked Gomes but I don't think he's worth the full MLE.

[killerbs]

if we dont use the full MLE who could we use the rest on (1-2 mill?)

[basketball royalty]

I have no doubts... BC will overpay.

BC has to overpay or we'd have no roster... he overpays to convince players to come... it's something that the Raps will always have to do no matter who the GM

These guys make it sound like BC is gifting these players with higher-priced contracts. Like you said, it's a reality that this team will have to deal with until we become an upper-echelon team that's contending year-in and year-out.

I have no problem with overpaying the right guy. So far with Hedo and Kapono he has not overpaid the right guys. JJack was a great signing though. Get the right guy and no one should care what you paid them.

[Local_NG_Idiot]

I can't see it being Reddick as BC doesn't like to piss off other guys on the roster and signing Reddick would nail Belli's butt to the end of the bench for another season. Plus I don't think Reddick offers that much more at MLE compared to Belli at less than half that. That money can be better spent.

Brewer makes a lot of sense as he can play the 2 and 3. He fills out the guard rotation and I'd be very happy with a wing lineup of DD, Turk, Brewer, Weems, and Belli going into the season. That's a very good balance of athleticism and skill.

If Turk is gone, Barnes makes the most sense as he could step into that starting role and provide some toughness and defense. I don't think he signs here without the guarantee of a starting spot though. I don't see a guy going from a starter on a contending team to a bench player on a mediocre roster.

[rapsrealm]

How about Anthony Morrow?

[douggood]

If i am BC, and i have plans to trade Calderon then i target Randy Foye, he is too talented to pass on. And he is a tweener learning to play the PG position, i see him like a young billups who took 5-6 years to develop into a PG.

[gerrit4]

How about Anthony Morrow?

On second thought (I was hoping we'd go after Brewer or Childress), I 'll bet it's a shooter. Morrow, Reddick or Korver are my guesses. Reddick's worth more than the MLE in my opinion.