The objective is to keep it as realistic as possible based on your teams actual direction and goals, not to make any unrealistic trades that could affect team chemistry. The goal you want to achieve is to do what each team will do in real life as close as possible rather than assemble the best possible roster of random players.
I will use Smitty's salary cap spread sheet to let you know how much cap space you have based on salaries, draft picks, cap holds, etc.
There will be one thread for each day that gives viewers a front stage seat to the behind the scenes that take place in terms of trades and free agency negotiations with my role being the agent for every player.
You will negotiate trades in this thread with other GM's. Once it is completed and agreed to by both sides, each side needs to send me a PM letting me know that they agreed and I will include it in my nightly re-cap of the days transactions.
The point of this is to accurately reflect based on your teams ownership style, player fit in your coaches style, team direction (tanking, going for it all, just trying to make the playoffs, keep flexibility open for next off-season, etc.) and other factors based on a realistic and consistent vision you have for your teams off-season. This is not to finish with the best 15 man roster you can create because keep in mind chemistry is an issue as well. This is to finish with the best possible outcome for your team and its fans both in the short-term and long-term of the franchise's best interests. Trading all of your young players for win now players may not be the best, tying up your long term salary options may not be the best. You will not be assessed on how good your team is at the end of this, but more so how well you maintained that teams goals in terms of youth development, cap flexibility, and other factors that may be important to your team.
Trades
You can post trade offers in each day's thread as well as who is on the trade block and receive offers. Negotiations can take place and another GM can jump in at any time as a third or fourth team to make it work, or just kick you out of the deal altogether if they have a better offer. Once it is agreed to by both sides, it isn't finalized until I receive a PM from both sides showing the same deal.
Free Agents
Free agency negotiations will take place throughout each days threads. You will make a financial offer based on your actual cap space or cap space you could create or have created via trade as well as a sales pitch as to why that free agent should take your offer over another team's offer. Not every free agent will take an offer they are given on the day they receive it so you can retract any offer until the close of the day when it will either be accepted or not. The reason strategy is placed on this is because for example, the Celtics could go all in on a Gordon Hayward pursuit, but Hayward may not make his decision until the close out of Day 2 while Blake Griffin and other free agents may make his decision at the close out of Day 1. Some one could pick up lesser free agents on Day 1 as the better free agents are pursued by other teams.
I will take reality into account, for example Dirk Nowitzki may agree to take less money if Dallas gets certain players around him or may wait to take an offer elsewhere until Dallas makes or does not make certain moves. Some players may be more loyal to their franchise than others and give this grace to their team.
In regards to restricted free agents, when they accept a deal at the close out of one day, the original team of that player has until the end of the close out of the next day to match that offer. If it isn't matched by then, he will take the offer and leave your team.
As a side note, as the agent, I will control player opt outs that are still up for grabs, No Trade Clauses, retirements, etc. on top of free agent signing decisions. I will also chime in throughout the thread in specific situations, for example the Heat want Paul Millsap, but will not clear the cap space it takes for his MAX salary without a commitment from him. I will chime in here and there with trade requests, free agent preferences, etc.
The reason I think free agent negotiations and trade negotiations should be in the thread is first and foremost for the entertainment value of viewers that are just keeping an eye on the thread, but not participating themselves. I also think see other teams offers will create bidding wars that will reflect the final realistic salaries we will see this off-season with the raised cap as well as keep trade value honest. If you say Player X is worth this much, then the other team could say, but no one else offered that much, take another teams offer if you think it's better than mine.
I will be adding the NBA Draft, team options/non-guaranteed contracts and coaching firing/hiring to this year's version. We will start the coaching hires and fires once the season ends AND I have all 30 teams filled then start the actual off-season once the draft lottery results are in.
Option A:
This is the schedule I was thinking:
Thursday, April 13th - Begin hiring/firing coaches if you felt it was warranted as well as deciding on team options/non-guaranteed contracts
Tuesday, May 16th - NBA Draft Lottery
Wednesday, May 17th - Simulate the remaining playoff results on predictionmachine.com
Thursday, May 18th - Begin NBA Draft
Day After Draft Completion - Start Day 1 out of 15 for free agency and go the next 15 days until the end of free agency
Day After Day 15 of Free Agency - Opening night roster submission
The NBA Draft will be one continuous thread where each team is on the clock once the previous team makes their selection. Trade negotiations will take place in this thread throughout the draft and all 60 picks will be made in this thread. Once the 60th pick is in, we will start free agency.
Option B:
The option I was willing to give if it's easier for every one to just get started ASAP is this:
Thursday, April 13th - Simulate the full playoff results on predictionmachine.com and simulate the draft lottery on ESPN
Friday, April 14th - Begin Coaching Firing/Hiring and deciding on teams options/non-guaranteed contracts
Saturday, April 15th - Close out remaining coaching hires and finalize team options/non-guaranteed contract decisions
Sunday, April 16th - Begin NBA Draft
Day After Draft Completion - Start Day 1 out of 15 for free agency and go the next 15 days until the end of free agency
Day After Day 15 of Free Agency - Opening night roster submission
Derrick Noah wrote:.
Diamondman07 wrote:.
Prokorov wrote:.
spankymoore7 wrote:.
aramada wrote:.
Dan Verze wrote:.
Texas Chuck wrote:.
Ayatollah wrote:.
DocRI wrote:.
Warriorfan wrote:.
wackbone wrote:.
jayjaysee wrote:.
Ballerhogger wrote:.
warren weel im wrote:.
SD2042 wrote:.
Mystical Apples wrote:.
bdpecore wrote:.
Knickfan1982 wrote:.
Mamba4Goat wrote:.
Spens1 wrote:.
spearsy23 wrote:.
spree8 wrote:.
BullyKing wrote:.
bwgood77 wrote:.
Tim Lehrbach wrote:.
kalenclayton wrote:.
Drax wrote:.
LuessiT wrote:.
bigmean wrote:.
I-Socrates wrote:.
Atlanta Hawks: DerrickNoah
Boston Celtics: Diamondman07
Brooklyn Nets: Prokorov
Charlotte Hornets: spankymoore7
Chicago Bulls: aramada
Cleveland Cavaliers: Dan Verze
Dallas Mavericks: Texas Chuck
Denver Nuggets: Ayatollah
Detroit Pistons: DocRI
Golden State Warriors: Warriorfan
Houston Rockets: wackbone
Indiana Pacers: jayjaysee
Los Angeles Clippers: Ballerhogger
Los Angeles Lakers: warren weel im
Memphis Grizzlies: SD2042
Miami Heat: Mystical Apples
Milwaukee Bucks: bdpecore
Minnesota Timberwolves: Knickfan1982
New Orleans Pelicans: Mamba4Goat
New York Knicks: Spens1
Oklahoma City Thunder: spearsy23
Orlando Magic: spree8
Philadelphia 76ers: BullyKing
Phoenix Suns: bwgood77
Portland Trail Blazers: Tim Lehrbach
Sacramento Kings: kalenclayton
San Antonio Spurs: Drax
Toronto Raptors: LuessiT
Utah Jazz: bigmean
Washington Wizards: I_Socrates