The NBA's newest free agents: Brian Bowen (USA), Tacko Fall (Central Florida), Jaylen Hoard (Wake Forest), Louis King (Oregon), Dedric Lawson (Kansas), Zach Norvell (Gonzaga), Shamorie Ponds (St. John's), Josh Obiesie (Germany), Naz Reid (LSU), Johntay Porter (Missouri), Kris Wilkes (UCLA), Adam Mokoka (France), Austin Wiley (Auburn), Simisola Shittu (Vanderbilt), Aubrey Dawkins (Central Florida), Lamar Peters (Mississippi State), Charles Matthews (Michigan), Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State ), Borisa Simanic (Serbia)
Tacko Fall's size is intriguing but I saw enough to see he had no instinct for the game of basketball and could never be anything more than a practice player. That said, backup big guys sometimes collect a lot of checks before they go.
No one went for the Johntay Porter, guess he could still end up with the Nuggets.
Naz Reid had some major love early on in the season, enough to get a camp invite?
Austin Wiley should get a pre-season invitation for someone, he's got some skills.
No one nabbed Aubrey Dawkins?
Showing posts with label free agents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free agents. Show all posts
Friday, June 21, 2019
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
NBA Bric-a-Brac
First things first: Pero Antic to Fenerbache. Antic is the classic case of one of those dudes you root for because you want him to be good but really he's not that good. I suspect at Fenerbache he'll get more minutes, more reps and be a more integral part of the offense that he ever was with the Hawks. Antic is early 30s but I'd say still good enough to maybe be a difference maker for Fenerbache. Good luck, Pero.
Ridnour and cash considerations to Raptors; a trade exception to Thunder. Ridnour is into that portion of his career where his contract can be still useful but his game cannot. Doubt we'll see him Toronto's pre-season camps, might see his contract get moved once or twice before next summer. I suppose there's a team or two that would be willing to bring him in, but I'm telling ya, he is bad at basketball, I guarantee there are undrafted guys vastly better, cheaper, younger, more motivated than Ridnour. I doubt we'll ever see him on the court again.
Wade (Heat) opts out. I assume this opt-out is just the mechanism to get a raise from the Heat. He'll get some photo ops, try to blow up your Yahoo news for a week or so, but I don't see him playing anyway ever besides the Heat. Who wants to pay a gajillion dollars for an every once in a while Dwyane Wade? Heat will....but why would anyone else? Wade will spend his entire career with the Heat, a rarity in sports these days, he's not going anywhere, but I assume he'll get a very nice raise for 3 more years.
Lebron (Cavs) opts out. Lebron will opt out every year if need be to get exactly what he wants. Good for him, badasses like him are rare and I never failed to be impressed by the guy, I think everything he does is measured, well-considered and usually absolutely correct. Lebron wants to make sure management does exactly what he wants and management will do what he wants. And they should, he's right. Give him the roster he wants, the coach he wants, the money he wants, the influence he wants, just give it to him. Lebron is the Cavs, how could he ever leave?
Cavs pick up option on Mozgov; Miller opts in; Cavs tender offers to Shumpert, Dellevadova; rumored to be offering max deal to Love. Looks like the whole gang'll be back next year for the Cavs. And supposedly Smith wants back too. Another rumor is getting Tiago Splitter for Brendan Haywood's kooky contract (he'd give them plenty of depth). Personally I'd make Miller go away and let Smith and Dellevadova walk because I think they can do better with the MLE or BAE but if Lebron likes those guys, then go ahead and keep those guys (if he doesn't, get rid of them). That team should dominate the East for 5-6 more years. They could be more flexible, maybe even a little better, but Lebron wants what Lebron wants and that's what the Cavs need to do.
Hinrich (Bulls) opts in. Still a nice player off the bench, been with the Bulls forever, still good enough to bring back.
Magic waive Gordon; reach a deal with Barcelona for Hezonja. Last summer the Magic signed Gordon and Ridnour and I could not for the life of me figure out why they picked up either of those guys. It took one expensive year but now they're both gone. Not good signings but could've been worse, call it a sunk cost and move on. Barcelona needed a transfer fee to release Hezonja (think it was around $1.4m, seems reasonable), Magic worked it out. I think the first day they can sign him is July 10, I assume we'll see Hezonja signed sometime around then.
Ellis (Mavs) opts out. He's a for-real scorer and he'll get paid. Some buzzed about teams: Lakers (Monta and Kobe together? That sounds excruciating) and Hawks (he's not a 'team concept' guy but I think it could be a good fit). I'd suggest Sixers (they won't pay him but they could use an unconscious veteran scorer) Raptors (sign and trades Derozan for Ellis? I guess that could happen), Nuggets (hey, man, that roster could be all kinds of different by the end of the summer). Not sure where he goes, his game is his game so which team does he fit best?
Warriors pick up option on Speights. The Warriors must get rid of Lee, I thought they might let Speights go too. I like Speights, think he's a good fit for the Warriors.
Thunder hire Monty Williams, Maurice Cheeks. Hmm, did Billy Donovan hire his own staff? Plenty of NBA veteran-ness on the bench beside Donovan there, a security blanket for some guys, a built-in firing squad for others. In this case, I'd say Donovan's good in OKC for at least 3 years and Williams and Cheeks are just padding their resumes til they can get head coaching gigs somewhere else.
Deng (Heat) opts in. Early rumors were that Deng would opt in and set sail with Dwyane Wade...but why would that happen? Deng has 1 yr/$10.5m left with the Heat, he's a nice piece coming off the bench there, I'd say keep it together for one more year.
Heat declines option on Beasley. Tsk, tsk. Once upon a time Beasley was the #2 pick (by the Heat) and to my eye the most likely to be a star in the NBA. But turns out Beasley was just such a douche, he could never keep it together in any environment to contribute. Miami was the last place that would give him a shot, and he wasn't bad coming off the bench last year. No one else will want this guy, I'd say he's off to China.
And some rumors....
Gasol (Grizzlies) thought to be re-upping for max. Yeah, he's a heart on his sleeve kinda guy, everyone knows he loves the Grizzlies, loves the town, loves his crew, no one thinks he's going anywhere else. Likewise, anything short of a max deal from the Grizzlies would be a bit disappointing. Marriage made in heaven, and put Gasol right behind Wade as the next big star to spend his entire career with one team (oh, were you thinking Kobe would never play anywhere but the Lakers? I'm not so sure, I reckon we'll see Kobe for at last 2-3 more years).
Pelicans to offer max to Davis. Yup, ya damn right they will. I assume the max was offered in a gold plated dump truck surrounded by dudes in suits bowing and averting their gazes. I reckon he'll sign, don't think there's any advantage for him to take a shorter deal.
Is John Calipari leaving Kentucky for Sacramento? No. Heh, heh, Sacramento? Bwah-ha-ha! Come on, man, Cal would leave Kentucky for the perfect gig but Sacramento is not anybody's idea of the 'perfect' anything. Perfect for Cal: still a whole summer left of figuring out whether Blatt is back in Cleveland, that's a gig Cal would (should) want. Other than that, we'll see what the Lakers have going next summer but otherwise I don't see any other NBA gigs that would interest Calipari in the next year. And I don't see him being interested in Sacramento ever under any circumstances.
Lakers may make offer to Butler (Bulls). Supposedly Butler wants to leave Chicago but as a restricted free agent he's probably not going to leave (don't think the Lakers have any assets for a sign and trade), so supposedly he wants the shortest possible contract with the Bulls (which I think would be 3 years). I don't see Butler going to the Lakers any time soon but if the interest is mutual maybe somewhere down the line it could happen. I think Butler would fit nicely with the Pacers, put him next to PG, that'd be some gnarly D.
Cavs want Dunleavy (Bulls); Bulls want to re-sign Dunleavy, I thought the Bulls would let him walk but if Lebron wants him then suddenly the Bulls don't want him to go. Dunleavy is the quintessential reliable veteran right now, not gonna carry a team but gives predictably decent minutes on the court. I can see Lebron liking that guy.
Two cents: I think Aldridge goes back to Portland.
Ridnour and cash considerations to Raptors; a trade exception to Thunder. Ridnour is into that portion of his career where his contract can be still useful but his game cannot. Doubt we'll see him Toronto's pre-season camps, might see his contract get moved once or twice before next summer. I suppose there's a team or two that would be willing to bring him in, but I'm telling ya, he is bad at basketball, I guarantee there are undrafted guys vastly better, cheaper, younger, more motivated than Ridnour. I doubt we'll ever see him on the court again.
Wade (Heat) opts out. I assume this opt-out is just the mechanism to get a raise from the Heat. He'll get some photo ops, try to blow up your Yahoo news for a week or so, but I don't see him playing anyway ever besides the Heat. Who wants to pay a gajillion dollars for an every once in a while Dwyane Wade? Heat will....but why would anyone else? Wade will spend his entire career with the Heat, a rarity in sports these days, he's not going anywhere, but I assume he'll get a very nice raise for 3 more years.
Lebron (Cavs) opts out. Lebron will opt out every year if need be to get exactly what he wants. Good for him, badasses like him are rare and I never failed to be impressed by the guy, I think everything he does is measured, well-considered and usually absolutely correct. Lebron wants to make sure management does exactly what he wants and management will do what he wants. And they should, he's right. Give him the roster he wants, the coach he wants, the money he wants, the influence he wants, just give it to him. Lebron is the Cavs, how could he ever leave?
Cavs pick up option on Mozgov; Miller opts in; Cavs tender offers to Shumpert, Dellevadova; rumored to be offering max deal to Love. Looks like the whole gang'll be back next year for the Cavs. And supposedly Smith wants back too. Another rumor is getting Tiago Splitter for Brendan Haywood's kooky contract (he'd give them plenty of depth). Personally I'd make Miller go away and let Smith and Dellevadova walk because I think they can do better with the MLE or BAE but if Lebron likes those guys, then go ahead and keep those guys (if he doesn't, get rid of them). That team should dominate the East for 5-6 more years. They could be more flexible, maybe even a little better, but Lebron wants what Lebron wants and that's what the Cavs need to do.
Hinrich (Bulls) opts in. Still a nice player off the bench, been with the Bulls forever, still good enough to bring back.
Magic waive Gordon; reach a deal with Barcelona for Hezonja. Last summer the Magic signed Gordon and Ridnour and I could not for the life of me figure out why they picked up either of those guys. It took one expensive year but now they're both gone. Not good signings but could've been worse, call it a sunk cost and move on. Barcelona needed a transfer fee to release Hezonja (think it was around $1.4m, seems reasonable), Magic worked it out. I think the first day they can sign him is July 10, I assume we'll see Hezonja signed sometime around then.
Ellis (Mavs) opts out. He's a for-real scorer and he'll get paid. Some buzzed about teams: Lakers (Monta and Kobe together? That sounds excruciating) and Hawks (he's not a 'team concept' guy but I think it could be a good fit). I'd suggest Sixers (they won't pay him but they could use an unconscious veteran scorer) Raptors (sign and trades Derozan for Ellis? I guess that could happen), Nuggets (hey, man, that roster could be all kinds of different by the end of the summer). Not sure where he goes, his game is his game so which team does he fit best?
Warriors pick up option on Speights. The Warriors must get rid of Lee, I thought they might let Speights go too. I like Speights, think he's a good fit for the Warriors.
Thunder hire Monty Williams, Maurice Cheeks. Hmm, did Billy Donovan hire his own staff? Plenty of NBA veteran-ness on the bench beside Donovan there, a security blanket for some guys, a built-in firing squad for others. In this case, I'd say Donovan's good in OKC for at least 3 years and Williams and Cheeks are just padding their resumes til they can get head coaching gigs somewhere else.
Deng (Heat) opts in. Early rumors were that Deng would opt in and set sail with Dwyane Wade...but why would that happen? Deng has 1 yr/$10.5m left with the Heat, he's a nice piece coming off the bench there, I'd say keep it together for one more year.
Heat declines option on Beasley. Tsk, tsk. Once upon a time Beasley was the #2 pick (by the Heat) and to my eye the most likely to be a star in the NBA. But turns out Beasley was just such a douche, he could never keep it together in any environment to contribute. Miami was the last place that would give him a shot, and he wasn't bad coming off the bench last year. No one else will want this guy, I'd say he's off to China.
And some rumors....
Gasol (Grizzlies) thought to be re-upping for max. Yeah, he's a heart on his sleeve kinda guy, everyone knows he loves the Grizzlies, loves the town, loves his crew, no one thinks he's going anywhere else. Likewise, anything short of a max deal from the Grizzlies would be a bit disappointing. Marriage made in heaven, and put Gasol right behind Wade as the next big star to spend his entire career with one team (oh, were you thinking Kobe would never play anywhere but the Lakers? I'm not so sure, I reckon we'll see Kobe for at last 2-3 more years).
Pelicans to offer max to Davis. Yup, ya damn right they will. I assume the max was offered in a gold plated dump truck surrounded by dudes in suits bowing and averting their gazes. I reckon he'll sign, don't think there's any advantage for him to take a shorter deal.
Is John Calipari leaving Kentucky for Sacramento? No. Heh, heh, Sacramento? Bwah-ha-ha! Come on, man, Cal would leave Kentucky for the perfect gig but Sacramento is not anybody's idea of the 'perfect' anything. Perfect for Cal: still a whole summer left of figuring out whether Blatt is back in Cleveland, that's a gig Cal would (should) want. Other than that, we'll see what the Lakers have going next summer but otherwise I don't see any other NBA gigs that would interest Calipari in the next year. And I don't see him being interested in Sacramento ever under any circumstances.
Lakers may make offer to Butler (Bulls). Supposedly Butler wants to leave Chicago but as a restricted free agent he's probably not going to leave (don't think the Lakers have any assets for a sign and trade), so supposedly he wants the shortest possible contract with the Bulls (which I think would be 3 years). I don't see Butler going to the Lakers any time soon but if the interest is mutual maybe somewhere down the line it could happen. I think Butler would fit nicely with the Pacers, put him next to PG, that'd be some gnarly D.
Cavs want Dunleavy (Bulls); Bulls want to re-sign Dunleavy, I thought the Bulls would let him walk but if Lebron wants him then suddenly the Bulls don't want him to go. Dunleavy is the quintessential reliable veteran right now, not gonna carry a team but gives predictably decent minutes on the court. I can see Lebron liking that guy.
Two cents: I think Aldridge goes back to Portland.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
The Biggest Domino
Last summer, LaMarcus Aldridge chose not to sign an extension but we all went away with the feeling that re-upping with Portland this summer was pretty much a done deal. It seemed such a foregone conclusion that no one (well, I didn't anyway) really considered Aldridge to be on the market. But drop a coupla playoff games on the road, add just the slightest hint of doubt and the speculation runs rampant. Suddenly Aldridge is the biggest domino out there and where he chooses to play will affect a great many rosters. We all assumed he'd be a Blazer but almost every team in the league is now in play.
Celtics: Aldridge, one more frisky free agent, a solid supporting cast, 200 draft picks on the way, one of the best coaches in the business...the Celtics could compete in the East right away. They can afford him, they can fit him in the cap, it could happen.
Nets: If Lopez opts out suddenly the Nets have $17m to spend. But they wouldn't load in on another big money free agent after botching move after move for the last few years...you bet they would! In the world of Big Apple sports the only way out of your money problem is to spend more money. Ask the #1 Hawks how much they'd like to run into the Nets with Aldridge next year in the playoffs? (I'm betting not so much)
Knicks: You kidding? Match made in heaven: Melo, Aldridge, Okafor, Rondo, coupla more kooky free agents, you got a team that could hang in the East and even be fun to watch.
Raptors: If I'm Aldridge and I've got a hundred places to go, Toronto is #101 on my list. That said, it looks like that Raptor roster is gonna get the blow up, they'll be making moves and might could have big money to throw around. Toronto is a beautiful town, Kyle Lowry is a helluva player (when he feels like it) and depending on who survives the roster cut, there might be a nice supporting cast ready to go. Don't see it happening but its possible which could make them at least a buzzable news diversion.
Cavs: If Love splits and they let Mozgov walk, there would be money for Aldridge to join in with Lebron and Kyrie. That trio could work: just let Kyrie have his x amount of shots, feed Aldridge enough to keep him happy, Lebron could go back to leading the team in assists and trying to win Defensive Player of the Year. (And I think John Calipari runs screaming out of Lexington to coach that team)
Bucks: Think about that: Aldridge, Jabari, Antetokounpo, Middleton, MCW as your starting five. Not bad. That team would score some serious points, they could compete with the Cavs.
Pacers: If Roy Hibbert walks, there could be room on the floor and salary cap. Aldridge won 50 games a year with Lillard in the West, how could he do with Paul George in the East?
Wizards: The inside-outside combo they could build with Aldridge, Wall, Beal and Pierce (if Aldridge is there, I'd stick around if I were Pierce) would just be a gorgeous thing of beauty. The Wizards probably can't pull off a deal like that but if they sneak into the conference finals, maybe catch the Bulls sneaking in from the other side, the Wizards are actually possible contenders in the East. That's gotta look impressive to a guy looking for a place he can win right away.
Magic: Some pieces would have to get moved around but Orlando has a fine collection of young talent, one strong presence in the middle to control the offense will make them all better. That team would be better than you think.
10 out of 15 teams from the East. That's just the East! West:
Wolves, Jazz: Like the Magic they've got collections of young up and coming talent, probably not enough to lure in Aldridge but plopping him into those lineups would make them vastly better. And both could make the necessary roster adjustments.
Nuggets: Aldridge as the steady offense in the middle allows Faried and Nurkic to be the tough complementary guys, keep Ty Lawson, bring in some shooting, throw in a potato and you got yourself a stew. (Yeah, there's no reason on earth that Aldridge would leave Portland for Denver, I'm just illustrating how awesome he could be in so many different places)
Clippers: If DeAndre Jordan moves on (looking more and more like he might) then suddenly the Clippers have cap space to bring in that 3rd regular offensive option they've needed. Think about that: CP3, Blake and Aldridge together? The D wouldn't be as good but the offense wouldn't stagnate any more, they'd be better-equipped to outscore people. Two weeks ago that wouldn't have even occurred to me, now I'm curious to see it happen.
Lakers: Plenty money, plenty of scoring (with or without Kobe), plenty of hype, plenty of love, plenty of glory. What b-baller doesn't at some point dream of being the centerpiece for the LA Lakers (fast-break makers)? One more year of headache and then the Lakers should be good again, does Aldridge want to endure Kobe's last tour on the hope the Buss kids know what they're doing?
Pelicans: Aldridge and Anthony Davis surrounded by an ocean of shooting guards? Sure, sounds batter than AD and Omer Asik and an ocean of shooting guards.
Rockets, Mavs, Spurs: The teams that made all this speculation possible, apparently all three are very interested in Aldridge. Imagine the Mavs snagging Aldridge and Deande Jordan. The Spurs with Kawhi and Aldridge? Rockets with Harden and Aldridge?
Blazers: ....Uh, LaMarcus...remember us?...We had a handshake deal last summer? You didn't answer my text....just wondered if something was wrong...I made breakfast and here's a max contract...just gonna leave it over here on the desk...just sign it whenever...okay, well...cool.
Do you see what I'm saying: Aldridge can combo with so many other players, he fits so many situations! How was it that nobody saw that until the Grizzlies started laying the beatdown to the Blaze? 20 teams out there just waiting for a crack at this guy.
The 10 teams not in on Aldridge are of a few different types: Grizzlies (Gasol), Warriors (Draymond), Hawks (Millsapp), Pistons (Drummond) have to re-sign their own guys first which pretty much takes them out of the running for Aldridge. Likewise Bulls, Heat and Thunder already have the big-money part of their rosters accounted for.
The other teams not in on Aldridge are teams that really need to take a look in the mirror and think about how they're living life: Sixers (no, no, no, not ready to win games or spend money), Hornets (they best thing they got is Al Jefferson, not much for Aldridge to get excited about), Suns (doesn't fit anything in their roster or their general gameplan...that fact probably ought to be Phoenix's wakeup call), Kings (couldn't even bring myself to imagine a world where Aldridge chooses the Kings).
So where does he go? I suspect he wants to stay in Portland but how much of the supporting cast does he get to keep (and how much does he want to keep)? Aldridge is the heart and soul of the Blazers, what more does he expect to get somewhere else? A better chance to win means skipping those West teams and heading East; more money means staying in Portland; being closer to his hometown would put him in the Southwest Division. (He's been on Portlandia, for christ's sake! He can't wear a Mavs jersey, that would be so weird!)
LaMarcus Aldridge is the perfect illustration of the modern NBA: he can go anywhere and be rich and famous and really good at basketball, the stars of the league are their own individual entities above and beyond the teams they play for, and endorsement deals and media appearances can be gotten anywhere just as easily in this fiber optic age. Does he want to win games or is there some other route to his happiness? I dunno. The media has got his mind all messed up right now but in the end I'm guessing he stays in Portland.
Celtics: Aldridge, one more frisky free agent, a solid supporting cast, 200 draft picks on the way, one of the best coaches in the business...the Celtics could compete in the East right away. They can afford him, they can fit him in the cap, it could happen.
Nets: If Lopez opts out suddenly the Nets have $17m to spend. But they wouldn't load in on another big money free agent after botching move after move for the last few years...you bet they would! In the world of Big Apple sports the only way out of your money problem is to spend more money. Ask the #1 Hawks how much they'd like to run into the Nets with Aldridge next year in the playoffs? (I'm betting not so much)
Knicks: You kidding? Match made in heaven: Melo, Aldridge, Okafor, Rondo, coupla more kooky free agents, you got a team that could hang in the East and even be fun to watch.
Raptors: If I'm Aldridge and I've got a hundred places to go, Toronto is #101 on my list. That said, it looks like that Raptor roster is gonna get the blow up, they'll be making moves and might could have big money to throw around. Toronto is a beautiful town, Kyle Lowry is a helluva player (when he feels like it) and depending on who survives the roster cut, there might be a nice supporting cast ready to go. Don't see it happening but its possible which could make them at least a buzzable news diversion.
Cavs: If Love splits and they let Mozgov walk, there would be money for Aldridge to join in with Lebron and Kyrie. That trio could work: just let Kyrie have his x amount of shots, feed Aldridge enough to keep him happy, Lebron could go back to leading the team in assists and trying to win Defensive Player of the Year. (And I think John Calipari runs screaming out of Lexington to coach that team)
Bucks: Think about that: Aldridge, Jabari, Antetokounpo, Middleton, MCW as your starting five. Not bad. That team would score some serious points, they could compete with the Cavs.
Pacers: If Roy Hibbert walks, there could be room on the floor and salary cap. Aldridge won 50 games a year with Lillard in the West, how could he do with Paul George in the East?
Wizards: The inside-outside combo they could build with Aldridge, Wall, Beal and Pierce (if Aldridge is there, I'd stick around if I were Pierce) would just be a gorgeous thing of beauty. The Wizards probably can't pull off a deal like that but if they sneak into the conference finals, maybe catch the Bulls sneaking in from the other side, the Wizards are actually possible contenders in the East. That's gotta look impressive to a guy looking for a place he can win right away.
Magic: Some pieces would have to get moved around but Orlando has a fine collection of young talent, one strong presence in the middle to control the offense will make them all better. That team would be better than you think.
10 out of 15 teams from the East. That's just the East! West:
Wolves, Jazz: Like the Magic they've got collections of young up and coming talent, probably not enough to lure in Aldridge but plopping him into those lineups would make them vastly better. And both could make the necessary roster adjustments.
Nuggets: Aldridge as the steady offense in the middle allows Faried and Nurkic to be the tough complementary guys, keep Ty Lawson, bring in some shooting, throw in a potato and you got yourself a stew. (Yeah, there's no reason on earth that Aldridge would leave Portland for Denver, I'm just illustrating how awesome he could be in so many different places)
Clippers: If DeAndre Jordan moves on (looking more and more like he might) then suddenly the Clippers have cap space to bring in that 3rd regular offensive option they've needed. Think about that: CP3, Blake and Aldridge together? The D wouldn't be as good but the offense wouldn't stagnate any more, they'd be better-equipped to outscore people. Two weeks ago that wouldn't have even occurred to me, now I'm curious to see it happen.
Lakers: Plenty money, plenty of scoring (with or without Kobe), plenty of hype, plenty of love, plenty of glory. What b-baller doesn't at some point dream of being the centerpiece for the LA Lakers (fast-break makers)? One more year of headache and then the Lakers should be good again, does Aldridge want to endure Kobe's last tour on the hope the Buss kids know what they're doing?
Pelicans: Aldridge and Anthony Davis surrounded by an ocean of shooting guards? Sure, sounds batter than AD and Omer Asik and an ocean of shooting guards.
Rockets, Mavs, Spurs: The teams that made all this speculation possible, apparently all three are very interested in Aldridge. Imagine the Mavs snagging Aldridge and Deande Jordan. The Spurs with Kawhi and Aldridge? Rockets with Harden and Aldridge?
Blazers: ....Uh, LaMarcus...remember us?...We had a handshake deal last summer? You didn't answer my text....just wondered if something was wrong...I made breakfast and here's a max contract...just gonna leave it over here on the desk...just sign it whenever...okay, well...cool.
Do you see what I'm saying: Aldridge can combo with so many other players, he fits so many situations! How was it that nobody saw that until the Grizzlies started laying the beatdown to the Blaze? 20 teams out there just waiting for a crack at this guy.
The 10 teams not in on Aldridge are of a few different types: Grizzlies (Gasol), Warriors (Draymond), Hawks (Millsapp), Pistons (Drummond) have to re-sign their own guys first which pretty much takes them out of the running for Aldridge. Likewise Bulls, Heat and Thunder already have the big-money part of their rosters accounted for.
The other teams not in on Aldridge are teams that really need to take a look in the mirror and think about how they're living life: Sixers (no, no, no, not ready to win games or spend money), Hornets (they best thing they got is Al Jefferson, not much for Aldridge to get excited about), Suns (doesn't fit anything in their roster or their general gameplan...that fact probably ought to be Phoenix's wakeup call), Kings (couldn't even bring myself to imagine a world where Aldridge chooses the Kings).
So where does he go? I suspect he wants to stay in Portland but how much of the supporting cast does he get to keep (and how much does he want to keep)? Aldridge is the heart and soul of the Blazers, what more does he expect to get somewhere else? A better chance to win means skipping those West teams and heading East; more money means staying in Portland; being closer to his hometown would put him in the Southwest Division. (He's been on Portlandia, for christ's sake! He can't wear a Mavs jersey, that would be so weird!)
LaMarcus Aldridge is the perfect illustration of the modern NBA: he can go anywhere and be rich and famous and really good at basketball, the stars of the league are their own individual entities above and beyond the teams they play for, and endorsement deals and media appearances can be gotten anywhere just as easily in this fiber optic age. Does he want to win games or is there some other route to his happiness? I dunno. The media has got his mind all messed up right now but in the end I'm guessing he stays in Portland.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Available Players
These players have been waived/released since Jan. 1:
Toure' Murry (played 50 games for the Knicks last year but never could hang with the Jazz youth movement; we'll see him in Summer League I guess)
Samuel Dalembert (played a lot of games in this league, cashed a lot of checks, I suspect he retires before he signs another contract)
Patrick Christopher (bounced around a bit, made his debut with the Jazz this year, numbers are not noteworthy; he's a bit older, guessing he's done in the NBA)
Brandon Davies (was actually contributing to the Sixers when he was traded to the Nets, didn't play, eventually got cut; does he go back to the Sixers next year? Should definitely see him in Summer League)
Andre Dawkins (currently on a 10 day with the Celtics (or the Maine Red Claws to be more accurate))
Jared Cunningham (1st round pick in 2012, bounced around since then, never really gotten enough minutes to shine out; Summer League candidate)
Lou Amundson (did a 10 day with the Knicks, probably the last we'll see of Amundson)
Glen Rice (never did break into the Wizard rotation, he'll be at Summer League in a coupla months)
AJ Price (he's been back and forth btw the Pacers and Cavs all year, either one seems a reasonable fit for him)
Lance Thomas (bounced around for a coupla years now, his best numbers are this year, seems like a perfect Knick (too old for the Sixers))
Alex Kirk (looking over his stats...uh....he's tall, gotta be worth something)
Jeff Adrien (his D League stats are pretty tasty, NBA stats not so good, probably a AAA kinda player)
Nate Wolters (did a 10 day with the Pelicans, currently looking for work; couldn't hook on with the Heat and their PG needs are glaring, not a good sign for Wolters)
Tony Mitchell (didn't log a single minutes with the Suns after getting dropped by Stan Van in Detroit, young enough to show up on a Summer League team)
Nate Robinson (Mavs, Clippers, Bulls, Hawks...he'll end up somewhere by playoff time)
Jordan Farmar (played at least 1000 minutes in each of his 1st 5 seasons, only around 2200 minutes in the last 4 years; deserves better than this year's sloppy Clippers team; could see him giving a few good minutes to the Cavs or Hawks)
Austin Daye (1st round pick in 2009, even at his peak he was not noteworthy on either side of the ball; probably done in the NBA)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (over his career he yields mediocre numbers for 20mpg, don't really see a team out there that needs him)
Miroslav Raduljica (balled out at the World Cup last summer, not sure why he can't get minutes in the NBA; Dallas appears to have their sights set on Amare but they could've used a savvy man with long legs like Raduljica; done in the NBA or now may be the time to pick him up cheap)
Jannero Pargo (played almost 500 games in this league, impressive if undistinguished)
Elliot Williams (1st round pick 2010, looks like a guy that's just not gonna catch on)
Nate Robinson will absolutely be on a team soon enough. Does anyone have faith in Radulijica, Douglas-Roberts or Farmar? If you got some minutes to fill and low expectations, Lance Thomas is your guy.
Toure' Murry (played 50 games for the Knicks last year but never could hang with the Jazz youth movement; we'll see him in Summer League I guess)
Samuel Dalembert (played a lot of games in this league, cashed a lot of checks, I suspect he retires before he signs another contract)
Patrick Christopher (bounced around a bit, made his debut with the Jazz this year, numbers are not noteworthy; he's a bit older, guessing he's done in the NBA)
Brandon Davies (was actually contributing to the Sixers when he was traded to the Nets, didn't play, eventually got cut; does he go back to the Sixers next year? Should definitely see him in Summer League)
Andre Dawkins (currently on a 10 day with the Celtics (or the Maine Red Claws to be more accurate))
Jared Cunningham (1st round pick in 2012, bounced around since then, never really gotten enough minutes to shine out; Summer League candidate)
Lou Amundson (did a 10 day with the Knicks, probably the last we'll see of Amundson)
Glen Rice (never did break into the Wizard rotation, he'll be at Summer League in a coupla months)
AJ Price (he's been back and forth btw the Pacers and Cavs all year, either one seems a reasonable fit for him)
Lance Thomas (bounced around for a coupla years now, his best numbers are this year, seems like a perfect Knick (too old for the Sixers))
Alex Kirk (looking over his stats...uh....he's tall, gotta be worth something)
Jeff Adrien (his D League stats are pretty tasty, NBA stats not so good, probably a AAA kinda player)
Nate Wolters (did a 10 day with the Pelicans, currently looking for work; couldn't hook on with the Heat and their PG needs are glaring, not a good sign for Wolters)
Tony Mitchell (didn't log a single minutes with the Suns after getting dropped by Stan Van in Detroit, young enough to show up on a Summer League team)
Nate Robinson (Mavs, Clippers, Bulls, Hawks...he'll end up somewhere by playoff time)
Jordan Farmar (played at least 1000 minutes in each of his 1st 5 seasons, only around 2200 minutes in the last 4 years; deserves better than this year's sloppy Clippers team; could see him giving a few good minutes to the Cavs or Hawks)
Austin Daye (1st round pick in 2009, even at his peak he was not noteworthy on either side of the ball; probably done in the NBA)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (over his career he yields mediocre numbers for 20mpg, don't really see a team out there that needs him)
Miroslav Raduljica (balled out at the World Cup last summer, not sure why he can't get minutes in the NBA; Dallas appears to have their sights set on Amare but they could've used a savvy man with long legs like Raduljica; done in the NBA or now may be the time to pick him up cheap)
Jannero Pargo (played almost 500 games in this league, impressive if undistinguished)
Elliot Williams (1st round pick 2010, looks like a guy that's just not gonna catch on)
Nate Robinson will absolutely be on a team soon enough. Does anyone have faith in Radulijica, Douglas-Roberts or Farmar? If you got some minutes to fill and low expectations, Lance Thomas is your guy.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Eric Bledsoe saga (conclusion?)
Apparently the Suns are close to announcing that they've signed Bledsoe to 5 yrs/$70m. Higher than I thought they'd go, but I think they did the right thing in signing him. As I detailed earlier, it took a 3rd party to step in and make the deal possible and the Minnesota Timberwolves stepped up last week to be that third party (though I'm not sure why); the T-Wolves would have been unable to sign him straight out, they would've had to make a trade offer to the Suns, but as I detailed earlier the Suns weren't going to fall for that. The Suns wanted Eric Bledsoe not a pile of trade bait, they just wanted him as cheaply as they could get him. Apparently, $14m is the cheapest.
I understand the trepidation, Bledsoe's time in the NBA has been brief and injury-plagued. But I am convinced that he will be the breakout star of 2014-15 and the Suns were right to lock him up. The only reason this didn't happen sooner was the lack of 3rd party interest, it only took a hint of that to get the Suns and Bledsoe to trade ink. Not a lot of FA's moves out there left to make, getting closer to pre-season.
I understand the trepidation, Bledsoe's time in the NBA has been brief and injury-plagued. But I am convinced that he will be the breakout star of 2014-15 and the Suns were right to lock him up. The only reason this didn't happen sooner was the lack of 3rd party interest, it only took a hint of that to get the Suns and Bledsoe to trade ink. Not a lot of FA's moves out there left to make, getting closer to pre-season.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
NBA Draft Recap: Phoenix Suns
The Suns used their three 1st round picks on TJ Warren, Tyler Ennis and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The Suns roster is already a list of trade bait and I'm guessing these guys are just to add to the list. Ennis in particular was a player a lot of teams were interested in and considering the Suns have Goran Dragic, are about to re-sign Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin in waiting and Ish Smith on a favorable contract, I'm not sure what they need Ennis for; I think interest in him is too high to simply bring him off the bench. Warren, too, is a nice prospect but behind the PJ Tucker, Miles Plumlee and the Morris twins I don't see where Warren's playing time comes from. Bogdanovich, too, is a prospect others might want but in Phoenix he'll be stuck behind Gerald Green and the free-shooting of Bledsoe and Dragic. So let the Suns trade rumors swirl!
I'm guessing the Suns will definitely start next season with Eric Bledsoe. After that I'm not sure. Green and both Morris twins are set to expire next summer and Dragic has a player option, so I guess those guys are potentially trade-able; Alex Len never really got going last year, Miles Plumlee is perhaps at the peak of his value, the mercurial Gerald Green is a roll of the dice for anybody, add in Warren, Ennis and Bogdanovich and it seems certain the Suns will be busy this summer. The Morris twins are a conundrum: they play better together and a platoon of the two of them is intriguing but going forward they'd have to take low-level deals to stay together; if they're willing to do that, I reckon a number of teams would be interested in the tandem. The Pacers apparently want Dragic but unless they lure in a third team (Boston Celtics?), I don't see what they have to offer for him.
In short, beyond re-signing Bledsoe (the one untouchable on this roster), I have no idea what the Suns are going to do in the next few weeks. They've got enough cap space to think they could get a meeting with Lebron or Melo but I don't see either of those deals coming together; they were rumored to have interest in Pau Gasol last year, does that continue? Beyond those guys its hard to see who the Suns would want, they've got talent and depth at every position, what they need is a big time veteran to swagger around. Perhaps the upcoming summer league will give an indication of the Suns' plans: how Ennis, Warren, Goodwin, Bogdanovich and Len play could determine how much interest they get from the league...and their own team!
I'm guessing the Suns will definitely start next season with Eric Bledsoe. After that I'm not sure. Green and both Morris twins are set to expire next summer and Dragic has a player option, so I guess those guys are potentially trade-able; Alex Len never really got going last year, Miles Plumlee is perhaps at the peak of his value, the mercurial Gerald Green is a roll of the dice for anybody, add in Warren, Ennis and Bogdanovich and it seems certain the Suns will be busy this summer. The Morris twins are a conundrum: they play better together and a platoon of the two of them is intriguing but going forward they'd have to take low-level deals to stay together; if they're willing to do that, I reckon a number of teams would be interested in the tandem. The Pacers apparently want Dragic but unless they lure in a third team (Boston Celtics?), I don't see what they have to offer for him.
In short, beyond re-signing Bledsoe (the one untouchable on this roster), I have no idea what the Suns are going to do in the next few weeks. They've got enough cap space to think they could get a meeting with Lebron or Melo but I don't see either of those deals coming together; they were rumored to have interest in Pau Gasol last year, does that continue? Beyond those guys its hard to see who the Suns would want, they've got talent and depth at every position, what they need is a big time veteran to swagger around. Perhaps the upcoming summer league will give an indication of the Suns' plans: how Ennis, Warren, Goodwin, Bogdanovich and Len play could determine how much interest they get from the league...and their own team!
Saturday, June 28, 2014
NBA Draft recap: Utah Jazz
I suspect I'll do a ton of these over the next few days, just wanted to pick out which teams I thought did the best.
Utah has a lovely collection of young talent and I guess the hope is to replicate the amazing growth of the Suns last season. If every guy on that roster is just a little better than last year, with Exum and Hood giving above average rookie efforts, then they'd be fighting for 8th spot at least, wouldn't you say? But in the NBA you need a star, a horse, a guy that's going to answer all the questions at the press conference, a guy that takes the big shots and attracts the ire of the sports talk crowd. A team with a lot of nice young players just becomes a feeder for the next free agent class.
Put Lebron on that team and they'd battle with OKC and San Antonio, don't ya think? Well, Utah could re-sign Gordon Hayward, bring in Dante Exum and Rodney Hood and still have $15m or so for Lebron. Haven't heard any 'Lebron to SLC' rumors but it is intriguing. From Lebron's POV the Jazz roster must look pretty good compared to the Heat: Exum is an upgrade over Chalmers, Burke is an upgrade over Cole, Hayward is an upgrade over Wade, Favors is an upgrade over Anderson, Burks and Hood are an upgrade over Allen and Lewis; Kanter is not an upgrade over Bosh but with all the extra productivity, Kanter doesn't seem like a substantial step down. At the moment Utah's entire roster is trade bait, if they could turn that nice looking nine into a dangerous seven then they got something. With Lebron I'd keep the supporting cast as it is, let Lebron decide which positions need to evolve, let the play on the court determine which improvements need to be explored.
I know, I know that's not gonna happen. Lebron won't leave Miami (at all, IMO) for a middle of nowhere team with a bunch of unproven pups. Utah needs some veteran presence but unless they sign-and-trade Hayward (50/50 possibility, I'd say) for a big name (Jeff Green, maybe?)*, then its only the locker room that needs the leadership, not really the court. They've got good talent and decent depth at every position, they don't need a player to remake the team concept (oh god, not Evan Turner!), they need a veteran that will guide them, show them, someone the youngsters look up to and root for. My suggestion: Danny Granger. I wouldn't give him Lebron money but for 2 years you can afford to give him an opportunity to have one last shot of awesomeness or become a cautionary tale. Either way, it should have a bracing effect on a young team like Utah. Its early, free agents have even begun to fly, but I'm already looking forward for the 2015 Jazz to be like the 2014 Suns: exciting, unpredictable with a whole raft of guys improving at the same time.
Still, though....Lebron.
(* A minimal trade idea: sign-and-trade Gordon Hayward to Charlotte straight up for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Hayward gives the Hornets another scoring option on the wing and MKG gives the Jazz a defensive stopper in an otherwise defense-less lineup. That's not really the big trade the Jazz are looking for, indeed its just re-shuffling the youth. But the Jazz would get 2 affordable years of MKG to see if he can truly do the defensive stopper thing and the Hornets would have a decent offensive upgrade that doesn't break the bank. Ehh, this is one of those deals that's so innocuous it'll never happen, but...just a thought)
Utah has a lovely collection of young talent and I guess the hope is to replicate the amazing growth of the Suns last season. If every guy on that roster is just a little better than last year, with Exum and Hood giving above average rookie efforts, then they'd be fighting for 8th spot at least, wouldn't you say? But in the NBA you need a star, a horse, a guy that's going to answer all the questions at the press conference, a guy that takes the big shots and attracts the ire of the sports talk crowd. A team with a lot of nice young players just becomes a feeder for the next free agent class.
Put Lebron on that team and they'd battle with OKC and San Antonio, don't ya think? Well, Utah could re-sign Gordon Hayward, bring in Dante Exum and Rodney Hood and still have $15m or so for Lebron. Haven't heard any 'Lebron to SLC' rumors but it is intriguing. From Lebron's POV the Jazz roster must look pretty good compared to the Heat: Exum is an upgrade over Chalmers, Burke is an upgrade over Cole, Hayward is an upgrade over Wade, Favors is an upgrade over Anderson, Burks and Hood are an upgrade over Allen and Lewis; Kanter is not an upgrade over Bosh but with all the extra productivity, Kanter doesn't seem like a substantial step down. At the moment Utah's entire roster is trade bait, if they could turn that nice looking nine into a dangerous seven then they got something. With Lebron I'd keep the supporting cast as it is, let Lebron decide which positions need to evolve, let the play on the court determine which improvements need to be explored.
I know, I know that's not gonna happen. Lebron won't leave Miami (at all, IMO) for a middle of nowhere team with a bunch of unproven pups. Utah needs some veteran presence but unless they sign-and-trade Hayward (50/50 possibility, I'd say) for a big name (Jeff Green, maybe?)*, then its only the locker room that needs the leadership, not really the court. They've got good talent and decent depth at every position, they don't need a player to remake the team concept (oh god, not Evan Turner!), they need a veteran that will guide them, show them, someone the youngsters look up to and root for. My suggestion: Danny Granger. I wouldn't give him Lebron money but for 2 years you can afford to give him an opportunity to have one last shot of awesomeness or become a cautionary tale. Either way, it should have a bracing effect on a young team like Utah. Its early, free agents have even begun to fly, but I'm already looking forward for the 2015 Jazz to be like the 2014 Suns: exciting, unpredictable with a whole raft of guys improving at the same time.
Still, though....Lebron.
(* A minimal trade idea: sign-and-trade Gordon Hayward to Charlotte straight up for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Hayward gives the Hornets another scoring option on the wing and MKG gives the Jazz a defensive stopper in an otherwise defense-less lineup. That's not really the big trade the Jazz are looking for, indeed its just re-shuffling the youth. But the Jazz would get 2 affordable years of MKG to see if he can truly do the defensive stopper thing and the Hornets would have a decent offensive upgrade that doesn't break the bank. Ehh, this is one of those deals that's so innocuous it'll never happen, but...just a thought)
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