Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[TheGuiltyParty]

It's sort of weird to see some of these lesser name FAs signing before the big fish.

[jemagee]

Kings are really stupid aren't they?  Don't they realize HOW BAD they really are and how good the west really is?  It's like the late iverson years in philadelphia with BK, you arent one piece away from contending.  Stop over paying mediocre guys

[jemagee]

It's sort of weird to see some of these lesser name FAs signing before the big fish.

Clearing the decks to see who has the money left, plus there's this whole cat and mouse thing...my prediction is that the sixers will get shut out - they'll offer smith, the hawks will take a week, and match, and in that time brand will sign

[TheGuiltyParty]

I wouldn't call that a shut out since I've been thinking all along that Smith is returning to Atlanta and Brand isn't coming here. My question is, what is Stefanski's plan when he's done dicking around with restricted free agents and actually has to make a move??

[DuckyNinja]

I'm pretty sure Maggette is the fallback option right now.  Not sure how that addresses PF, but it would certainly give us another legitimate scorer.

[johnny broad-street]

you nailed it TGP....you don't get points for effort in free agency. If we have to listen to "oh well....we gave it a shot" I'll be so annoyed

[jemagee]

I don't want maggette for the money it's going to cost.

I don't want the sixers to over reach to satisfy an impatient fan base if they don't get who they wanted, it's better to explore other options.

Philadelphia sports teams have to STOP LISTENING TO THE FANBASE cause the majority don't know what they are talking about

[Skates]

Kings are really stupid aren't they?  Don't they realize HOW BAD they really are and how good the west really is?  It's like the late iverson years in philadelphia with BK, you arent one piece away from contending.  Stop over paying mediocre guys

Yes, they are.  they still act like they can contend when they need to go into full rebuild mode.  BK would be very proud of them.

It's sort of weird to see some of these lesser name FAs signing before the big fish.

Not really.  There are only a couple of teams in play for the high end guys, lots of people are willing to (over)use the MLE.

I'm pretty sure Maggette is the fallback option right now.  Not sure how that addresses PF, but it would certainly give us another legitimate scorer.

I hope not, that would be very disappointing.

[Skates]

Davis will be a Clip, not much chance of Brand leaving now, if there ever was:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3470016

[tk76-]

You beat me to it- the other show is about to drop.

No more projections of how competative we could be with a legit post presence like Brand.

In my mind, this means very little shot to win with Miller, so time to think young, or should I say think Smith, biendrins or Okafor.

the dominoes are falling and its only day 1 of FA.

[Skates]

I don't think we ever planned to really go after Brand, from everything I hear Smith has been Stefanski's target.  I am sure he heard through the grapevine that Brand was unlikely to leave LA.  I also think Smith as the primary target tells us that Stefanski knows this team is not one player away from being a contender.  Smith is a more methodical, long-term move to try, and hopefully make.

[bebopdeluxe]

To be honest, I never held out a ton of hope that we would get either Brand or Smith...for the reasons we all know (Brand ain't taking a pay cut, and the Hawks will match any offer for Smith)...what I am trying to figure out is - given that Stefanski continues to talk about how the cap room can be used for trades, then what trades are out there?

The first thing that I would do (rather than signing somebody like Maggette) is see if we can move Miller (to either Miami for Marion or to Detroit for 'Sheed...although I recognize that they need to trade Chauncey to be interested in Miller).  IF we can move Miller for one of those guys, then we may still have the cap room to do more this summer (my current infatuation is seeing if we can steal Hinrich from the Bulls and get our PG for the next few years).

But - if BRand and Smith are off the board, I would rather do nothing than sign somebody like Maggette.

[tk76-]

Welcome to the other side Bebop.
I think I agree with your (and Skates ) long term thinking.  There may be no rush to move Miller (and i really enjoy watching the guy run the team) but we definitely have to switch gears from next year to a more developmental mode. 

I could have seen us competing in the East with Miller, Iguodla and a stud PF like Brand- but now it looks like we will not be able to add a stud while we still have Miller.  That means we are several players away- although those players may be on the roster, but 2-3 years from being ready for prime time (Young and Speights.)

If you figure in 2010 Iguodala, Thad, Lou and Sam will all be close to their prime, and Smith, Speights and Carney will all hopefully be contributors.  That is the year we wan to to have a real vet star to add on to the line-up so that we can make a run.  That means whatever move we make this year or next, we have to have an eye on what they team might be like in 3 years.  Any time before then this team may be winner, but it is unlikely to be only one piece shy of a contender.

[jemagee]

Miller isn't the long term answer at point guard, he's gone after this season and he's too old to stay much longer, the sixers have no legitimate alternatives and they had no shot at claderon...hinrich might be available unless the bulls wanna try something nutty (like at the 2 after they move gordon) and his price might be cheap.

If the sixers think Andre Miller is the long term solution at point guard, i'm concerned, miller should not be a sixer past february

[tk76-]

The only thing that would make me consider Hinrich is his attractive declining contract.  It creeps down as the cap climbs ever higher.  if he fails to perform it should be easy to move him, or even keep him as a reserve.