Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[TheGuiltyParty]

I'm barely hanging on here. I realize that I need to be patient and that Ed will get his man (positive thinking) but I'm seeing B-Diddy going to the Clippers, I'm seeing Toronto re-sign Calderon and trade for O'Neal, I'm seeing Beno re-sign with the Kings... errr, scratch that one. Anywho.... I'm ready to pop off that bottle of champagne I bought a year ago when I was told that this was the summer we were going to make a "big splash". I'm waiting to pop this baby open and paint the walls in my house a new shade of champagne (the wife will not be pleased).

Seriously... throw me a friggin' bone here. Do we even have a Plan B (that was Brand) or a Plan C if/when Smith re-ups in Atlanta???

[Skates]

It appears that Stefanski & Co. have been planning on Smith as our first target for months.  The first thing I want to know is what have they done to make it as realistic of a possibility as possible.  They cleared enough cap space to sign him to the proper size contract, but if that is all they have up their sleeves it likely won't be enough.  What else can and will they try to do to make Smith a Sixer?  Creative contract offer, assets ready for a S&T and selling Smith on the team and city so that he even signs a contract is what needs to be done/tried.  if after all of that he doesn't sign I know it was not for a lack of either planning or trying.

Then, if needed, I want to see the fall back plan and how it affects our future.  At a minimum there should be some move to shore up the PF position though a one year rental and to still preserve or even expand our cap space/potential cap space (i.e. expiring contracts) for the deadline and/or summer 2009.  The deadline is more realistic as teams will look to drop salary for the next two summers this year. 

Let's not all act like Kobe from last summer.  If he had his way Bynum would be in Jersey, probably along with Kwame Brown's expiring contract, J kidd and his rapid decline/max contract would be in LA and Gasol would probably be in Chicago.  Sometimes patience is a virtue, but I want every reasonable effort extended this summer before I am asked to be patient.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Suddenly the clouds have parted and the sun has shine upon me because I finally get it. Ed and DiLeo and others worked out the contract that they are going to offer Smith MONTHS ago. They know the situation better than us and so going into this... they were armed with a frontloaded contract that they plan to offer him. They'll meet with him tomorrow just make sure the two like each other on the first date (they'll both say all the right things) and then BAM... on July 9th, Smith will sign the frontloaded contract and we will all find out if this relationship is going to stick.

I get that. My question is what is Plan C?? If/when (negative thinking) the Hawks match that offer, where are we going to go next with our money?? I think THAT should be getting worked on right now and I would hope little tidbits about that plan would be leaked out.

[Skates]

What the heck happens to Maggette now?  The Clips will have to renounce him or trade him to a team that can absorb most or all of his salary before Davis signs.  The Griz and Sixers don't seem like realistic targets, except in a three way deal (possibly our Plan C or D or E?). 

The only other team that might have cap space will be the one that doesn't sign Arenas - Washington or GS.  Neither seems to really need Maggette, but they might be looking for him as a consolation prize I guess.  Otherwise his agent better be pretty creative or else he's signing for the MLE, possibly with an opt-out in a year or two to become a FA again or to have a team get "Bird" rights in him (no, I didn't look up the rules on that).  He may get a bit screwed by the Davis signing.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Maggette is the real loser in the Davis signing. I'm pretty sure he's screwed although he's probably hoping that things fall apart between us and Smith in hopes that we offer him something. Otherwise, he's going to get the same deal Beno Udrih did with whatever team he chooses (probably Orlando).

[Skates]

According to Wojnarski the Sixers will have the offer sheet ready for Smith tomorrow (no surprise there) and Maggette is likely heading to SA for the MLE:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AnQE365aS6QRe_dhnoGEZ6q8vLYF?slug=aw-spursmaggette070108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[tk76-]

I would rather us do nothing then throw our money at the wrong guy- Maggette.

If Smith doesn't work out than at least he is very marketable and could be moved.  If we sign Magette then we are stuk with him, and likely would be forced to move a youngfer SF (Iguodala or Young) in order to get a PF.

[sixersftw]

wow realgm has turned into a code red meltdown. i'm not overly thrilled with josh smith and i refuse to call anyone  " j smoove".  i really hope there is an out of left field trade in the works.  somehow we gotta get an Amare w/ a kerr special (2 draft picks).  he's been dropping the trade hints for like 2 months now.  if we get josh smith i think we'll be stuck in mediocrity.

[DuckyNinja]

wow realgm has turned into a code red meltdown. i'm not overly thrilled with josh smith and i refuse to call anyone  " j smoove".  i really hope there is an out of left field trade in the works.  somehow we gotta get an Amare w/ a kerr special (2 draft picks).  he's been dropping the trade hints for like 2 months now.  if we get josh smith i think we'll be stuck in mediocrity.

The shift button is your friend.  Also, explaining where you're coming from would be appreciated.  Although I agree, that J Smoove nickname is ridiculous.

[sixersftw]

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THE SHIFT BUTTON....

  Anything is an upgrade at pf but smith only adds to what we have, an athletic and dynamic break w/ no halfcourt game to speak of.  Also, while acquiring a non-back to the basket pf, we don't pick up shooting or anything that we lack.  we'll improve and we will probably pick up a significant number of wins during the regular season but when the playoffs come and things slow down we have no real consistent scorer in the post, which has been the key to almost every championship ever. 

[tk76-]

wow realgm has turned into a code red meltdown.

That whole Josh Childress story has me cracking up.  Especially the line about Artest.

[sixersftw]

wow realgm has turned into a code red meltdown.

That whole Josh Childress story has me cracking up.  Especially the line about Artest.

Yeah, its pretty funny.  I love how people can get angry because they heckled someone and he heckled back.  I wanted to jump in because i've met Childress twice but its too ridiculous.

[jemagee]

TGP - I hope you have more patience when you and your wife are participating in private time then you have with ed stefanski and the sixers...

So far nothing surprising has happened in free agency or trading, the sixers don't have the assets to acquire jermaine o'neal (sorry, no one they would consider trading is as good as a healthy tj ford...you wanna trade thaddeus or andre iguodala for him, meanwhile including sam to make the contracts match up?)

Calderon was never leaving toronto - he was a restricted free agent - and when toronto traded TJ Ford it was clear what's going to happen.

Brand wants a longer deal but is ok staying in LA and we all knew that

And anyone who thought baron davis should be a sixer just saddens me

Seriously, there is no reason to get upset or frustrated, it's early in free agency and brand was a pipe dream and really he hasn't re-signed with the clippers YET and he's not for sure helathy yet - all the others - they weren't going to happen or wouldn't be worth it anyway.

NOW...if you wanna talk about getting the bucks to over pay for andre miller since they seem to think they can build a contender now by trading away any young players they might have, then we can talk, but so far nothing earth shattering or sixer stifling.

If Josh Smith gets his act in gear i'll call him any damn name he wants...but i don't expect him to be  in philadelphia anyway.

[tk76-]

TGP - I hope you have more patience when you and your wife are participating in private time then you have with ed stefanski and the sixers...

[Skates]

It really is code red over there.  Someone just played the Nene card, a sure sign of major panic.  The Childress stuff is funny.  The guy is an excellent player, if we did trade Iggy for a better scoring wing I would love to pick up Childress to add back in some of the stuff, other than scoring, that Iggy does for us.