The 2013 NBA Free Agency Thread

[jivelikenice]

When do we start hearing about training camp invites? And are we really going to camp with 15 guys under contract? Just give Singleton away and be done with it!

[verbal8]

When do we start hearing about training camp invites? And are we really going to camp with 15 guys under contract? Just give Singleton away and be done with it!

But someone who have to take him. Unfortunately EG can only be the GM of one team.

[jivelikenice]

A team like Philly who is under the minimum salary floor wouldn't take him for free? Maybe Ernie is still actually trying to get something instead of cutting bait. Or maybe a buyout is in play?

[hands11]

Here is the roster and some FA that are coming free.

Wall 23/ Maynor 26 PO 2014
Beal 20
Webster 26
Trevor A 28 FA
Al Harr 33 FA
Nene 30
Okafor 30 FA

Temple 27
Booker 25

That the 10 experienced players I think they feel they can most count on.

Glen Rice 22
Otto 20
Ves 23
Kevin S 23
Singleton 23

Above is the pool from which players need to raise their value and show consistent good performance.
Below is a list of potential options for trade deadline or next off season moves. A trade might be easier given our cap situation. Not sure. Some would be better a FAs than a trade.

Dirk 2014 FA 22M 2013 will be 36 ( could sign 2 years 10/12M KG money)
Pau 2014 FA 19M 2013 will be 34 EST 15M
Bogut 2014 FA will be 29 8/10 M 2 yrs/3 option (injury concerns)
Oden 2014 FA will be 26 ?? (injury concerns)
Bosh 2014 PO will be 30 Expensive
Melo 2014 PO will be 30 Expensive
Asik 2015 FA ( but 14M next year and they have Howard) will be 28
Frye 2014 PO 6.8M will be 31 7M 2 yrs/3 option
Gortat 2014 FA will be 30 7/8M 2 yrs/3 option

Paul George 2014 RFA will be 24. They won't let him go.
Greg Monroe 2014 RFA
Patrick Patterson 2014 RFA

Love 2016 FA ( would have to get in a trade before then )
Durrant 2016 FA (earlier if he asks for a trade )

http://www.hoopsworld.com/2014-nba-free-agents

Dirk would be nice but to do it in season, they would have to give up something like Nene or Okafor, plus other player so without another move like Gortat or Asik, that doesn't move you ahead enough. But he is a FA over the summer. Dirke a UFA might be better.

Gotta see what the movable players do first I guess. Its really the only way to get a feel for what is really possible or smart.

Might be resigning AH is a good option. At his age, he shouldn't cost to much. If we end up with Dirk and Al next year, I would be happy with that. Buy us time until KD comes in 2016 when we add a player like Asik to play center. Maybe Nene and Okafor will still have something in his tank as a back ups.

So cap people. Is this even possible ?

Wall
Beal
Webster
Dirke/AH
Nene/Okafor

What would we be able to keep from the remaining pieces and what would we want to keep ? Booker or better as a PF rebounder cheap. We would need at least one big with some spring in their legs. One of Otto or Trevor A for SF. Maybe draft McDermott or Corey Jeffereson in the draft or a center. Glen Rice back up SG/SF.

Sign Dirk and Okafor and then MLE AH ? Trade Trevor A, Ves, Kevin, pick to Dallas ? Seems if we can get him UFA that would give us more options.

[dangermouse]

I dont think we would be able to sign both Dirk and Okafor. They would both have to take paycuts i imagine. Maybe they would be willing to do that just to play on that team, which looks damned good on paper.

I like the idea of signing that pair for 2 years, then we can trade them + Porter for Durant in 2016

[Ruzious]

I don't think the Wiz would retain Bird rights to Dirk if they traded for him (assuming same rules that led to them not having Bird rights to Webster - last year of contract and no options). If that's the case, there'd be pretty much zero chance the Wiz could re-sign both Okafor and Dirk - unless they do something like trade Nene.

[nate33]

When do we start hearing about training camp invites? And are we really going to camp with 15 guys under contract? Just give Singleton away and be done with it!

There will be no training camp invites of note. And EG isn't going to give away Singleton while still having to pay him $1.6M. You people have to be realistic. You don't give away $1.6M on a longshot gamble that some training camp invite is going to crack the rotation.

What you see is what you get with this roster. There will be no other changes. The only way Singleton gets cut is if we have a rash of injuries at one position and are forced to raid the D-Leagues mid-season to find a replacement.

[nate33]

I don't think the Wiz would retain Bird rights to Dirk if they traded for him (assuming same rules that led to them not having Bird rights to Webster - last year of contract and no options). If that's the case, there'd be pretty much zero chance the Wiz could re-sign both Okafor and Dirk - unless they do something like trade Nene.

If the Wizards traded for Dirk, they would absolutely retain his Bird Rights.

[doclinkin]

Why would billionaire Mark Cuban --who has paid ~$2mLarge just for the right to open his mouth from time to time-- allow his franchise keystone and championship MVP to walk away. And what do we possibly have in trade that could compensate for that loss?

Folks is smoking Nopeium
nope nope no way

[hands11]

I don't think the Wiz would retain Bird rights to Dirk if they traded for him (assuming same rules that led to them not having Bird rights to Webster - last year of contract and no options). If that's the case, there'd be pretty much zero chance the Wiz could re-sign both Okafor and Dirk - unless they do something like trade Nene.

I thought Webster was a UFA pick up after he was let go.

The idea for adding Dirk can come either by trade or UFA. So I was wondering if they got him as a UFA, could there be cap to do it, resign Okafor and get AL on an MLE once they are over the cap ? If not, you have to do it via trade. If so, could he get extended first before the trade and make it work. In doing that we would ship of Trevor A, pieces and maybe a pick. I would rather get him as a UFA.

The way I see it, he would either want to come here or not. So if you could get him in a trade, you should be able to get him as a UFA as well.

[hands11]

Why would billionaire Mark Cuban --who has paid ~$2mLarge just for the right to open his mouth from time to time-- allow his franchise keystone and championship MVP to walk away. And what do we possibly have in trade that could compensate for that loss?

Folks is smoking Nopeium
nope nope no way

Dirk is a UFA after this year. Why would he want to spend his last useful years in Dallas if they are headed in the wrong direction and in a strong conference ? Dirk can just leave next year. If Mark is smart, he will get something for him instead of having him just walk.

Monta Ellis is their SG. Marion will be 36 next year and Carter 37. They missed the playoff last year and I'm not sure they will make them this year either. Portland and Minny should be better this year.

Cuban has been playing the I have cap room game for a few years now. What has he gotten for it ? Monta Ellis, Jose Manuel Calderon, and DeJuan Blair, Samuel Dalembert ? Not terrible but he hasn't landed a star to join Dirk and that's what they need.

That team is going to have to rebuild at some point. If they were smart, they would do it this year and tank. and Dirk, like KG and PP, will be smart to get out of dodge.

Look at their roster last year.

http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/nam ... -mavericks

Again, Dirk is UFA after this year. Cuban really has no say in what he does.

[doclinkin]

My point: the Mavs are a vanity project for Cuban. He'll blow large money just to be able to talk about the game (2 million in fines and counting, plus he matches those fines and pays a like amount to charities). So how much do you think he'd spend to remain relevant in the conversation?

The "U" part of UFA works to his advantage more than ours. How much do you think he'd spend to keep his best talent, his favorite player, his friend and most irreplaceable keystone piece inked to his team ? We will not exceed the cap here. Cubes has more money than he can spend in a dozen lifetimes; in order to stay relevant, and retain a spotlight, he will spend money -- even the lux tax if he's close to a ring again. And Dirk knows that, he knows that Cuban will spend to remain in the conversation of potential finalists. That's his history. (This was the guy who had 12 coaches since there was no salary cap on your staff. And has luxury training rooms and top flight everything, including team plane).

Whereas our franchise? John Wall's a nice player (if flawed) and we might put a nice team around him to make a run, but we simply don't have the media market to make salary issues irrelevant (NYC, LA, Brooklyn), nor the track record of success at the management level, nor evidence of willing and deep pockets at the ownership level that would suggest we'd spend and sustain spending to keep up with the Cubans.

Cute idea but that boat don't float.

[Ruzious]

I don't think the Wiz would retain Bird rights to Dirk if they traded for him (assuming same rules that led to them not having Bird rights to Webster - last year of contract and no options). If that's the case, there'd be pretty much zero chance the Wiz could re-sign both Okafor and Dirk - unless they do something like trade Nene.

I thought Webster was a UFA pick up after he was let go.

The idea for adding Dirk can come either by trade or UFA. So I was wondering if they got him as a UFA, could there be cap to do it, resign Okafor and get AL on an MLE once they are over the cap ? If not, you have to do it via trade. If so, could he get extended first before the trade and make it work. In doing that we would ship of Trevor A, pieces and maybe a pick. I would rather get him as a UFA.

The way I see it, he would either want to come here or not. So if you could get him in a trade, you should be able to get him as a UFA as well.

Yeah, I think the reason they couldn't get Bird rights on Webster was that he was just on a 1 year contract on his first Wizards contract. So, I was wrong. They could trade for Dirk and re-sign both Dirk and Okafor. I don't know if that's the way I'd go, but It's something to think about.

[Ruzious]

Why would billionaire Mark Cuban --who has paid ~$2mLarge just for the right to open his mouth from time to time-- allow his franchise keystone and championship MVP to walk away. And what do we possibly have in trade that could compensate for that loss?

Folks is smoking Nopeium
nope nope no way

Cuban's in it to win championships. If they can't compete, he'll rebuild. And they can't compete with what they have now.

[doclinkin]

Why would billionaire Mark Cuban --who has paid ~$2mLarge just for the right to open his mouth from time to time-- allow his franchise keystone and championship MVP to walk away. And what do we possibly have in trade that could compensate for that loss?

Folks is smoking Nopeium
nope nope no way

Cuban's in it to win championships. If they can't compete, he'll rebuild. And they can't compete with what they have now.

He's won a championship in the recent past with Dirk as his centerpiece.
He's a lot closer to winning a ring with Dirk than without him.
And he's a wholehellalot closer to winning with Dirk than he would be with whatever he would get from the Wizards in trade.

[hands11]

Well until I see Dirk with a new contract, he is a UFA next year. He has already gotten paid. Now its about winning while you still can.

Cube needs to reload and that means adding stars and he hasn't been able to add them. Its not a matter of money if they don't come. No CP3. No Howard. No Melo.

Could he get Bosh ? Maybe. If he leaves Miami. LeBron if he leaves Miami. But why would both of them do that to come to Dallas.

Jose, Ellis, Lebron, Dirk, Bosh .... Not sure there is enough basketballs for that group. It takes time for that many chucker to gel and Dirk doesn't have the time. And why would Bosh do that. He could go from being the 3rd option to the 4th.

Maybe he can land an Asik but they have no SFs. Carter and Marion are aged and not signed next year. He would have to steal a Paul George but why would he leave Indy or Indy not bend over backward to keep him. They are a younger rebuilding team that has legs for a good while.

How does he make that all work under the cap. There are still cap rules. You can go over the cap and spend big, but you have to grow an expensive roster like that. Not so easy to do overnight. And over night is what Dirk needs. He only has a few years left.

Cube has money but he has his work cut out and he is running out of time to do it if he wants Dirk to stay. Unless Dirk is hell bent on playing out his career there because he loves the organization so much, why would he stay. KG was happy in Boston and even he was allowed to leave. Good owners set their players free when they now they have to. We shipped off CB to greener pastures when we hit the reset.

Now if he comes here, he fits perfect. Wall would be feeding him like hot cakes. Beal is a team player. So is Webster. Nene is a passer from center. Okafor would just assume rebound all day and leave the shooting to others. And AH does well off the bench. We have good players but Dirk could still be the man here. And DC is way more international than Dallas. He would like it here.

Just saying. I wouldn't discount the idea so quickly. It makes some sense. That said, of course it a long shot. Most ideas are.

[Ruzious]

Why would billionaire Mark Cuban --who has paid ~$2mLarge just for the right to open his mouth from time to time-- allow his franchise keystone and championship MVP to walk away. And what do we possibly have in trade that could compensate for that loss?

Folks is smoking Nopeium
nope nope no way

Cuban's in it to win championships. If they can't compete, he'll rebuild. And they can't compete with what they have now.

He's won a championship in the recent past with Dirk as his centerpiece.
He's a lot closer to winning a ring with Dirk than without him.
And he's a wholehellalot closer to winning with Dirk than he would be with whatever he would get from the Wizards in trade.

Look at Dallas' roster. It's nowhere near as good as the championship roster. I'm not sure how you think there's ANY chance that roster competes for a championship. If you do, enlighten us. Dirk is 35. He's the only asset they have that can get siginificant pieces to start a rebuild. If they wait, they can lose him for nothing - and their rebuild likely takes a couple years longer. Wright and Blair were nice small starts, but that's a team that probably doesn't make the playoffs and gradually continues in deterioration mode if they keep Dirk and put off rebuilding.

[payitforward]

Dirk Nowitzki? He is 35. No, great players don't stay great forever. He's been trending down overall the last few years and -- as with every single player! -- will continue to trend down. If we are looking at contending for a title, we're looking two+ years out and should acquire youth not old age. Ditto on a number of other names mentioned in this thread.

"Names" is the key word -- you don't win by collecting big "name" players at the ends of their careers. If we are going to indulge in fantasies, fine, but lets at least fantasize about guys entering the middle of their careers! Kevin Durant, etc. -- not that he's in any sense likely to come here either!

[DCZards]

I agree with payit. I don't know why the Zards would want to sign an aging star like Dirk. That money would be much better spent on a quality free agent who is younger, one with a great future, rather than a great past.

[Ruzious]

I agree with payit. I don't know why the Zards would want to sign an aging star like Dirk. That money would be much better spent on a quality free agent who is younger, one with a great future, rather than a great past.

Agreed, but that's why it'd be MUCH easier to get Dirk than a star in the making. It's something to think about near the trade deadline - not as option A or B - if the team develops quicker than expected and if Nene stays healthy.