Potential Free Agent Signings

[payitforward]

A team like the Wizards that's turning over quickly doesn't have much opportunity to build up trade value on its roster. OTOH, we will have room under the luxury tax to sign 1, maybe 2, young free agents -- guys who might be a bit older/more established than our kiddy corps & who would help fill in the age gap between those guys & our 3 veterans (or 4 assuming Bertans is retained).

If we pick up Bonga's option & sign Bertans for $15m, we'll be at 11 guys for @$117.7m. Add 2 rookies out of the draft & it's 13 at @$123m.

I hope we sign Mathews, but for the moment, let's look at what we might do if we have 2 FA spots.

Here are some UFAs who are 27 or under:

Montrezl Harrell
Christian Wood
Nerlens Noel
Ante Zizic
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Harry Giles
Glenn Robinson III
Pat Connaughton

A place to start....

IMO, Wood is the top target -- but, we really don't have a shot at him. Detroit has tons of cap room. Nerlens Noel would be a great pick up as well, but in this case as well it's easy to imagine OKC sewing him up.

Montrezl Harrell might well cost more than we can afford to pay. the rest of those guys on the list...? I don't know.

Thoughts?

[dckingsfan]

Might add Noah Vonleh and Bruno Caboclo...

[pcbothwel]

I would also add Jordan McRae to that list. Solid, cheap, vet, familiar/good relationship with org, and would fill a need.

That said, I would hone in on Noel assuming we dont draft OO in the 1st, or Tillman/Oturu in the 2nd.

[Ruzious]

I would also add Jordan McRae to that list. Solid, cheap, vet, familiar/good relationship with org, and would fill a need.

That said, I would hone in on Noel assuming we dont draft OO in the 1st, or Tillman/Oturu in the 2nd.

Count me in on Nerlens. He's very under-paid, and because he doesn't play a lot of minutes - that's probably going to continue (also because senile GM's get him mixed up with Noah). He's not just one of the best shot-blocker in the NBA, he also gets a ton of steals. Because he's so athletic, I wonder if he could play with Bryant - helping funnel in offensive players to the middle - so Bryant doesn't have to move around much. I'd actually rather sign Nerlens than Bertans, because of the difference in their defensive abilities. Nerlens will never be much of jump shooter, but he got his FT% up to 75% this season.

Connaughton's a fun player, but he'll want to stay with Milwaukee. And while he can jump out of the gym, he's not a great athlete - he's not laterally quick - though he works his arse off on d.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Quality over quantity.

I’d go with Harrell. And buy a vowel for his first name.

[nate33]

Quality over quantity.

I’d go with Harrell. And buy a vowel for his first name.

We will only be able to spend the MLE, so Harrell is out of the question. He'll be too expensive.

Christian Wood will probably also cost more than the MLE, but I'd definitely give it a shot.

I like Nerlens Noel and would happily sign him to a 2-year deal for around $5M per year.

Any thoughts on Paul Millsap? I'd like to have the Millsap of 2-years ago - a guy slightly over the hill but who could still defend and teach the youngsters a thing or two. But I think the current Millsap might be done as a useful player.

Jerami Grant is another thought. He has a player option at $9.4M. He might decline it, but would he decline it in order for us to pay him the MLE starting at $9.7M? I doubt it.

[miller31time]

As I’ve said in other threads, I think Noel should be the play this off-season. He fouls way too much but his advanced numbers are fantastic. Add to that the fact that he’s a rim-protector and would pair well with Wall and Beal in the P&R game, and you’ve got me sold.

[Ruzious]

Quality over quantity.

I’d go with Harrell. And buy a vowel for his first name.

We will only be able to spend the MLE, so Harrell is out of the question. He'll be too expensive.

Christian Wood will probably also cost more than the MLE, but I'd definitely give it a shot.

I like Nerlens Noel and would happily sign him to a 2-year deal for around $5M per year.

Any thoughts on Paul Millsap? I'd like to have the Millsap of 2-years ago - a guy slightly over the hill but who could still defend and teach the youngsters a thing or two. But I think the current Millsap might be done as a useful player.

Jerami Grant is another thought. He has a player option at $9.4M. He might decline it, but would he decline it in order for us to pay him the MLE starting at $9.7M? I doubt it.

I think Millsap is at that stage that David West was when he hopped aboard the Golden State championship train - in decline mode but still very useful in small minutes. I expect at this point in his career, he'd want to be chasing a championship and not looking at a team like the Wiz.

Grant? Maybe but only if we don't sign Bertans. Grant checks some boxes, but he doesn't rebound well, and I think he's a bit overrated as a defender (not bad - just generally overrated). I'd be hesitant to give him a multi-year deal, and that's what it'd take to get him.

Yeah, Harrell and Wood will both be too expensive. It's funny how anyone could have signed Wood for the minimum not long ago, and now he might end up being the highest paid big in free agency. We should have offered him a 3 year guaranteed deal at a little over the minimum - and that's not said in hindsight.

[nate33]

If we draft Vassell and sign Bertans, and Noel, we'd have a pretty balanced young roster with offensive and defensive options at most positions:

PG Wall/Ish
SG Beal/Brown
SF Bonga/Vassell
PF Hachimura/Bertans
C Bryant/Noel

End of Bench: Robinson/Mathews/Schofield/Wagner

It's not a great roster, but it could become pretty good over time if all of those young guard and forwards develop into the ideal versions of themselves.

[dckingsfan]

If we draft Vassell and sign Bertans, and Noel, we'd have a pretty balanced young roster with offensive and defensive options at most positions:

PG Wall/Ish
SG Beal/Brown
SF Bonga/Vassell
PF Hachimura/Bertans
C Bryant/Noel

End of Bench: Robinson/Mathews/Schofield/Wagner

It's not a great roster, but it could become pretty good over time if all of those young guard and forwards develop into the ideal versions of themselves.

Given that Wall/Beal probably won't opt out (opinion) that would give us three years with the group. I don't think you need all the youngsters to make progress (you probably didn't mean that), just a couple. If Brown, Bonga, Rui all improved fairly substantially it would be a very good team. And the if Vassell (or whomever we pick) can contribute, you would actually be pretty deep.

PG Wall/Ish
SG Beal/Brown/Robinson/Mathews
SF Bonga/Vassell/Schofield
PF Hachimura/Bertans
C Bryant/Noel/Wagner

Here is to irrational exuberance and being a fan. If they play well, I am calling this the lemonade team

[Ruzious]

I firmly believe... my opinion of whether or not I like that team will be vassellating.

Fine, I'll keep my day job.

[payitforward]

If we draft Vassell and sign Bertans, and Noel, we'd have a pretty balanced young roster with offensive and defensive options at most positions:

PG Wall/Ish
SG Beal/Brown
SF Bonga/Vassell
PF Hachimura/Bertans
C Bryant/Noel

End of Bench: Robinson/Mathews/Schofield/Wagner

It's not a great roster, but it could become pretty good over time if all of those young guard and forwards develop into the ideal versions of themselves.

This makes great sense. Plus there's room for our #37 pick as well -- & I feel confident that there will be quite good prospects in that range this year. Take the BPA, obviously, but wouldn't it be nice to have a promising young PG prospect!

That could actually be a pretty good team next year -- if Vassell were good right away & if Rui were to take a really big step. All the more if Bertans duplicates last year's shooting & also improves a bit as a rebounder.

[payitforward]

We seem pretty much agreed that Noel would be a great get. Unfortunately, it'll be hard -- OKC will definitely want to keep him, & they can afford to, easily.

nate -- your roster has us drafting Vassell & signing Noel. What if Okongwu were to fall to us, & we drafted him? If he takes the place of Noah in your picture, then maybe we are looking for a wing in free agency? I.e. someone who takes the place of Vassell in your picture.

Thoughts?

[dckingsfan]

Will Bruno Caboclo go for the MLE?

[doclinkin]

Marc Gasol to mentor Bryant or drafted bigs on how to defend despite plodding lateral speed, how to set a perfect screen, how to play the two man game in pick and roll/pick and pop etc. Then move him to the coaches bench when he phases out of playing time.

[dckingsfan]

Marc Gasol to mentor Bryant or drafted bigs on how to defend despite plodding lateral speed, how to set a perfect screen, how to play the two man game in pick and roll/pick and pop etc. Then move him to the coaches bench when he phases out of playing time.

I like this idea... MLE for Marc Gasol would fly?

[Ruzious]

Marc Gasol to mentor Bryant or drafted bigs on how to defend despite plodding lateral speed, how to set a perfect screen, how to play the two man game in pick and roll/pick and pop etc. Then move him to the coaches bench when he phases out of playing time.

I like this idea... MLE for Marc Gasol would fly?

Yeah, he won't cost much. He can barely move at this point, but I think he might make a great coach. My impression is that he's one of the most respected players in the NBA.

[dckingsfan]

Marc Gasol to mentor Bryant or drafted bigs on how to defend despite plodding lateral speed, how to set a perfect screen, how to play the two man game in pick and roll/pick and pop etc. Then move him to the coaches bench when he phases out of playing time.

I like this idea... MLE for Marc Gasol would fly?

Yeah, he won't cost much. He can barely move at this point, but I think he might make a great coach. My impression is that he's one of the most respected players in the NBA.

Maybe just hire him as a big man coach?

[nate33]

We seem pretty much agreed that Noel would be a great get. Unfortunately, it'll be hard -- OKC will definitely want to keep him, & they can afford to, easily.

nate -- your roster has us drafting Vassell & signing Noel. What if Okongwu were to fall to us, & we drafted him? If he takes the place of Noah in your picture, then maybe we are looking for a wing in free agency? I.e. someone who takes the place of Vassell in your picture.

Thoughts?

Competent defensive wings are difficult to acquire cheaply. One possibility might be Maurice Harkless. I wouldn't sign him long term though.

[bsilver]

If we don't have much money to spend, and bigger name veterans don't want to come here, I'd be happy to get Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He can't shoot the 3, but he's an excellent defender and hard-nosed player. Would be a good influence, and would be cheap.