2015 Free Agency thread

[LofJ]

Issue with Biyombo prediction - free agency happens after the draft. That deal would either have to be worked out in advance (illegal, but handshake deals like that have happened before) ... or they would have to draft someone at 16 that the Hornets really wanted.

Hendo will opt out IMHO. They've tried to replace him as a starter, and his starting gig is in danger next year too. He will make far more money as a free agent if teams think starter rather than having a year to think of him as a backup.

MKG will be interesting, no doubt.

I wouldn't see us holding on to the 16th pick unless it's someone we really like. Also, in that scenario I can guarantee you Boston would be calling us about WCS. Would be fairly straight forward to work out a deal then and there. That said if that doesn't happen I think we'd attach it to some of our guys on expiring deals to bring in someone that could contribute immediately.

I don't see any good teams thinking of Henderson as a starter. He's a first wing off the bench player on a good team, but if someone thinks differently then I agree he is definitely gone.

[yosemiteben]

For me the question is what is more valuable - drafting a center on a cheap fixed salary but having to go out into the market to try to find scoring, or resigning Biz and gambling on a scorer in the draft. I think the net cost of the second option is going to be a lot less than the first option because we are going to have to overpay for any semblance of a proven wing scorer FA in the next couple offseasons.

We should capitalize on our knowledge and familiarity with Biz unless the coaching staff and FO think that he is a lost cause, which would be unfortunate but is a call they have to make.

[LofJ]

I agree that using free agency to find a scorer will cost us much more than finding someone through the draft. The problem is we're not likely to find a player like that unless we move up in the draft. I don't think Oubre or Johnson are the answers we're looking for and trading up into the top half of the lottery is easier said than done.

[yosemiteben]

I agree that using free agency to find a scorer will cost us much more than finding someone through the draft. The problem is we're not likely to find a player like that unless we move up in the draft. I don't think Oubre or Johnson are the answers we're looking for and trading up into the top half of the lottery is easier said than done.

Perhaps, but we have a lot more flexibility in the draft than we do in FA, so I think essentially replacing Biz with WCS and then relying on trades and FA moves to improve the roster would be a mistake.

[Rusted]

I agree that using free agency to find a scorer will cost us much more than finding someone through the draft. The problem is we're not likely to find a player like that unless we move up in the draft. I don't think Oubre or Johnson are the answers we're looking for and trading up into the top half of the lottery is easier said than done.

Perhaps, but we have a lot more flexibility in the draft than we do in FA, so I think essentially replacing Biz with WCS and then relying on trades and FA moves to improve the roster would be a mistake.

I tend to agree more with Yosemetebin here, using the draft for scoring makes more sense (along with a possible Mid-level exception FA pickup).

The only way it would even come close to making sense drafting WCS, and letting Biz go, is if Henderson opts out and we let MoWilliams walk away to leave us with a little bit of cap space (we know Al is coming back). Even with those losses we would take, though, there's not likely to be enough cap room to go after one of the higher rated FAs...