Summer 2019 Free Agency Thread

[smittybanton]

There's no chance it happens, but in the highly highly unlikely event both Butler and Harris walk, I honestly don't know how anyone here could continue to support the Sixers in any way. I mean I get it, you're Sixers fans so "Gotta support the team!" but supporting the team would only make Joshua Harris money and keep him as owner. In that scenario there needs to be a full out boycott and people either need to make that arena a ghost town all season long or when you do show up to the games, chant "SELL THE TEAM! SELL THE TEAM!" over and over for all 48 minutes until the dude just can't take it anymore. And picket around the arena on days where there are no games.

He would have lied to the fans by saying they will go over the luxury tax and would have lied to his own front office. I don't know about you, but I could not in good conscience support a team knowing that slimeball would profit from it. Sometimes if you want change, the fans have to get vocal and active. Sometimes fans can't just sit on their hands and hope change happens, they need to force it.

Screwing up this free agency would just be one too many(actually many too many) transgressions by this dude as owner. Since Hinkie, he allowed Adam Silver to enforce and bully him into forcing out Hinkie WHO HE HIRED and force Colangelo in. Then force him into hiring his son. All the crap about allowing Embiid to be playing injured and not forcing your GM to talk about it or address it publicly. Forcing the team to sell draft picks, having a sham of a GM search where he hired someone he can control, sell more draft picks, trade all your assets for two players and letting them walk would just be it for me with this owner. Too man embarrassing and shady things have happened under Harris' watch and eventually you have to draw the line in the sand as a fan.

I really don't think that's going to happen, but I really would hope in the disaster scenario fans don't just frolic on down to that arena next season tail between their legs ready to be the dutiful obedient fan, meanwhile the owner can do whatever the hell he wants to us with no repercussions. I expect the fans to step up and if you can't force him to sell the team at least making it a living nightmare and totally miserable to own it.

I said my piece. I'm done with the Sixers until the dude sells the team if that happens. You know where I stand ahead of time in the event of a disaster so you can't call "reactionary."

I hear you. I have always been uneasy about Harris. I even suspected Haris went along with firing Hinkie because Sam was going to actually spend money in '16. that said, he verbally committed to backing elton up on these deals. I'm running with that for right now.

But I love Ben and Joel since before they were born, and we will be contenders for championships so long as they commit to improving and we put the right pieces around and behind them. With 40+m in capspace, I'm hunting for young players who will sign team-friendly contracts (tradeable contracts) in order to win a chip. Guys who are almost hitting their prime. Guys who are still getting better, plus likely to perform even better given the attention Joel and Ben will command. Delon Wright, Tomas Satoransky, Terrence Ross, Thomas Bryant Jr.

Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Tomas Satoransky, Terrence Ross, Joel Embiid
Delon Wright, Zhaire Smith, Mike Scott, Wilson Chandler, Thomas Bryant Jr.
Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Marial Shayock. Jonah Bolden, Frank Kaminsky


I've survived Harold Katz. I've survived five for one Von Hayes, and trading away Ryne Sandberg and Julio Franco. I've survived Norman Braman. Chip Kelly. Eric Lindros' concussions. Was here before Josh Harris got here, will be here after he's gone.

On the other hand, if Harris backs Elton up and re-signs Butler and Harris and JJ and Scott, and if he allows EB to use the MLE and BAE, and if Zhaire Smith and Matisse Thybulle and Landry Shamet and Shake Milton and Shayock outplay their draft positions, this will be the best its ever been. A legitimate chance to be better than 1977-1983.

[Bum Adebayo]

It's pretty amazing. He just flat out refuses to take open 3's off the catch. It's not like he's a terrible shooter. If he just took those open shots he'd be way more effective and a much better fit.

So what? there are other players that refuse to take open 2's, and nobody says a think.

If you're talking about Simmons, plenty of people have been vocal about it.

Butler's refusal to shoot open 3's off the catch compromises our offensive spacing, hurting the effectiveness of Embiid and Simmons down low.

Not really about Simmons, but about players that only shoot 3's or do layups. People have zero issues with these kind of players. But Butler is baad because he doesn't shoot 3's, a shot he is not that good at.

[Negrodamus]

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Great... *wet fart noise*

[Kobblehead]

I got some hangups on Delon Wright. Production and efficiency leave a lot to be desired, and he hasn't shot well or frequently enough to properly space the floor.

I'd be more interested if we didn't have to overpay to pry him away from someone. I just don't think he's worth it.

[sixers hoops]

What free agent besides Kawhi Leonard is actually gonna be worth the contract he signs next week?

You realize how many maxes are about to be handed out?

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

You keep saying we burned up all our assets. We traded 3 role players and a future first.

The price we paid is actually shockingly low.

Shameet might be a 10 year starter in this league. If you give him and two firsts up for a few months of Tobias, that’s really sucks. And you’re someone who values those late firsts.

The Butler trade was a no-brainer, but if Jimmy walks, we miss out on those increasingly cheap Roco years for a rental. Nevertheless, Butler trade was a calculated risk to get an all-pro in here, see how he fits, and sell him on long term.

[AirP.]

JJ Redick Podcast with Zach Lowe.

No real good/solid tidbits about the 76ers.
Asked Zach what he expected the 76ers opening day lineup to be...
Zach: Embiid, Simmons, Butler, Redick and player x based off what stuff Zach has heard here and there(but really doesn't know)
Zach mentioned hearing conflicting reports who the #1 priority for the 76ers was (Tobias, Butler or Redick), Redick let it be known it wasn't him.

Redick mentioned being legally obligated to not give certain info that he currently knows.

Redick did mention for "us"(the 76ers) we'll know in around 70-76 hours how things will unfold(which is right after free agency starting). A couple of times Redick mentioned "us" in the podcast as him being a member of the team after free agency starts.

JJ did mention Butler is one of those guys that is perfect for modern playoffs.
JJ showed a lot of love towards Horford.
JJ barely talking about the Butler rumors, mentioned Houston and then Lakers (JJ said he liked that fit for them and then said obviously not for the 76ers).

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[Kobblehead]

I like all the players we sent away, but it's still a shockingly low price.

Shamet is good, but he'll likely never be a shotcreater and he'll always get cooked defensively.

Smart player and excellent shooter, but I think people overstate his abilities.

[Negrodamus]

• Sub-max offers could be determining factors elsewhere as well. Tobias Harris, league sources said, is being offered less than a max contract by the Philadelphia 76ers, giving both the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets hope they can swoop in and lure him away. The Nuggets would have to renounce the rights to re-sign veteran power forward Paul Millsap, but a rival Western Conference executive said they appear willing to do that.

• The Sixers' other key free agent, Jimmy Butler, has drawn interest from the Nets, presumably as a backup plan to pair with Kyrie Irving should Durant choose the Knicks or remain with the Warriors. But Butler, the Western Conference executive said, has interest in being the third star with the Los Angeles Lakers, even if it means accepting slightly less than a maximum salary. This is a shift by Butler and could reflect the value of the Lakers in his eyes now that they are about to pair Anthony Davis with LeBron James. When Butler originally asked the Minnesota Timberwolves for a trade last season, his preferred destinations were Los Angeles (to join the Clippers), New York or Miami, but the Lakers did not make the list.

This one is for all the Ric Bucher fans.

[BullyKing]

What free agent besides Kawhi Leonard is actually gonna be worth the contract he signs next week?

You realize how many maxes are about to be handed out?

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

Who was the last person traded that you consider a star that had multiple years left on their deal when they were traded? Blake Griffin is the only recent one that comes to mind. 9/10 out of ten, the fact that the star isn't signed long term is the only reason they're obtainable at all.

[BullyKing]

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

You keep saying we burned up all our assets. We traded 3 role players and a future first.

The price we paid is actually shockingly low.

Shameet might be a 10 year starter in this league. If you give him and two firsts up for a few months of Tobias, that’s really sucks. And you’re someone who values those late firsts.

The Butler trade was a no-brainer, but if Jimmy walks, we miss out on those increasingly cheap Roco years for a rental. Nevertheless, Butler trade was a calculated risk to get an all-pro in here, see how he fits, and sell him on long term.

I think his point is more that you can think the Harris trade was not a good one while also thinking it did not entirely deplete us of assets. It's not like we went Billy King all in on this.

[cool93]

Hope that it's true that we are not offering Harris a max. Maxing him out would be horrific.

Honestly, after all this news, I'm pretty pessimistic, cause it really makes sense for Butler to go to LAL, and I believe someone is offering Harris 4 year max.

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[BullyKing]

Hope that it's true that we are not offering Harris a max. Maxing him out would be horrific.

Honestly, after all this news, I'm pretty pessimistic, cause it really makes sense for Butler to go to LAL, and I believe someone is offering Harris 4 year max.

Sent from my G3416 using RealGM mobile app

I'm with you (though not about letting Harris walk over a few million of [checks] not my money). On the one hand, I know that no one should put too much stock in these pre-free agency rumors. On the other hand, it feels like all the rumors suck for us. Like there is not one story out there about Butler trying to recruit Kawhi here or that vets are looking at the Sixers for a ring chasing opportunity. So while the rumors might all collectively mean nothing, it still sucks that none of them get you excited in the least.

[smittybanton]

Sixers are just not a free agency destination. I’d rather keep butler at the max and let Harris walk. Even if that means jimmy is on his last legs in years 4 and 5.

Harris wasn’t that good. He’s not a good defender either. And he’s more of a 3 than a stretch 4. Frankly I’d rather sign al Horford to a 3/90 deal than Harris to a 5/190 deal. Horford would be way more valuable than Harris. Now if Horford wants 4/112 million. Well we would have to think about it. Cause al will also be on his last legs in year 4 of the contract. Maybe year 3 also.

I don’t know what Boston offer to set Horford off in a different direction. Rumors say 4/100 million. Knowing how savvy ainge is. Likely not all that money was guaranteed.

That’s the thing with aging players. The guarantee money. Did Boston guarantee the 4th year?

Tobias Harris got absolutely worked and dominated by Pascal Siakam in the Raptors series. It was embarrassing. Luckily for us we had the ability to switch Embiid onto Siakam, otherwise we would have been hammered. Harris' defense reminded me of Dario Saric who people were so desperate to get rid of.

Or how about Kawhi working from 18ft all the way to the cup and straight dunking on his head. Lol.

Except, Tobias is still better than the other options--even if only marginally so. He didn't shoot well in the Raptors series. But amongst proven shooting forwards who also rebound and dribble and pass a little bit, his defense is unremarkable. The Sixers arent negotiating against themselves on this one. We can get lesser players for less money. But then we have a less talented team. If Harris is not good enough, guys not as good as him on cheaper deals push us further away. It would be an inefficient use of "Bird Rights" as an asset, I think.

The key to the longevity of this whole scheme is not to play it cheap, but to hit on Zhaire Smith and Matiesse Thybulle as NBA starters who allow us to move either Harris or Butler or both. Avoid luxury taxes, pick up draft capital.

Until the Toronto series, Butler was who we thought he was, Tobias was who we thought he was, Boban punished small teams, Mike Scott was better than I thought. Shamet is on the USA Select Team, and Shake Milton gets a lot of praise. James Ennis was half-decent. We did not pick up TJ or Korkmaz' options. We moved on from Markelle. We moved on from Chandler and Muscala. Neither Covington nor Saric has made us regret trading them. I just dont have a reason to think Elton Brand and the crew misjudge talent.

[sixerswillrule]

What free agent besides Kawhi Leonard is actually gonna be worth the contract he signs next week?

You realize how many maxes are about to be handed out?

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

Who was the last person traded that you consider a star that had multiple years left on their deal when they were traded? Blake Griffin is the only recent one that comes to mind. 9/10 out of ten, the fact that the star isn't signed long term is the only reason they're obtainable at all.

Kyrie and Butler to Minnesota.

[BullyKing]

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

Who was the last person traded that you consider a star that had multiple years left on their deal when they were traded? Blake Griffin is the only recent one that comes to mind. 9/10 out of ten, the fact that the star isn't signed long term is the only reason they're obtainable at all.

Kyrie and Butler to Minnesota.

Yeah, those are two good ones. But here's what interesting in both examples. It would have satisfied Arsenal's desire to have traded instead for someone signed for multiple years. Yet compare the prices those teams paid vs. what we paid. Now consider that both of those dudes ended up walking away as soon as possible anyway (although at least Minny knew and extracted some value).

[smittybanton]

I like all the players we sent away, but it's still a shockingly low price.

Shamet is good, but he'll likely never be a shotcreater and he'll always get cooked defensively.

Smart player and excellent shooter, but I think people overstate his abilities.

I thought the deal for Butler was shrewd in that we didn't give up picks.

I thought the Harris deal was expensive, because I preferred Otto Porter. Felt he wouldve been cheaper to acquire, better defender, and on the books for less years an dless money. But getting Mike Scott in the deal eases my feeling about losing Shamet. Retaining Scott is a low-key must in my book.

[Arsenal]

What free agent besides Kawhi Leonard is actually gonna be worth the contract he signs next week?

You realize how many maxes are about to be handed out?

Thats great. If we were so desperate for stars, maybe we should have burned up all our assets on "stars" who were actually under long-term contract instead of 2 rentals for less than a season with resulting heavy risk of losing them.

Who was the last person traded that you consider a star that had multiple years left on their deal when they were traded? Blake Griffin is the only recent one that comes to mind. 9/10 out of ten, the fact that the star isn't signed long term is the only reason they're obtainable at all.

Kyrie Irving had 2 years left.

Otto Porter had 2+ years left, and before you say he's not a star, I say he's just as much of a star as Tobias Harris is.

DeMarcus Cousins had 1.5 years left.

Jimmy Butler was traded from the Bulls to the Wolves w/2 years left.

Eric Bledsoe was traded to the Bucks with 1.5 years left.

Meanwhile we traded for rentals of Butler with 3/4 of a season left and Harris with 1/3 of a season left going into an offseason with the most open cap room by far all over the league.

[AirP.]

A lot of the time I'm just putting up info I find, not exactly what I think is happening. Personally, I think D.Morey is just trying to please the owner who has mentioned wanting to acquire Butler last year.

From a story from Houston today.

The Rockets expect to be “in the mix” for Butler, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said, and have stepped up efforts to arrange trades necessary to offer the 76ers a variety of sign-and-trade options to make it happen if that is Butler’s choice.

That individual said the Rockets “feel good” about their chances to sign Butler, but that it is much too soon to have more of a sense about how he feels. Butler and his agent, Bernie Lee, returned this week from a trip to Brazil in time to take meetings, beginning 5 p.m. on Sunday when free agency begins.

The Rockets would have to give up both center Clint Capela and guard Eric Gordon in the deals in the works, with the Rockets hoping to offer either a direct sign-and-trade with Philadelphia or a three-team deal that would provide a sizable trade exception that Philadelphia could consider valuable to reload if Butler leaves.

Forward P.J. Tucker is not expected to be a part of those scenarios.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/Confident-Rockets-lining-up-deals-to-land-Jimmy-14057177.php

[Negrodamus]

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[Arsenal]

I like all the players we sent away, but it's still a shockingly low price.

Shamet is good, but he'll likely never be a shotcreater and he'll always get cooked defensively.

Smart player and excellent shooter, but I think people overstate his abilities.

Not sure why everyone has already decided to write off Landry Shamet coming off an excellent age 21 rookie season, except to justify the terrible Tobias trade.

Meanwhile Tobias' defense was absolute trash in the playoffs, and he's known to be mediocre at best on D. He got absolutely embarrassed by Pascal Siakam, but everyone seems to have overlooked that because we had Embiid to cover his ass.