Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[jemagee]

Well actually, I referred you to the work...and just by pointing out names of non superstars doesn't 'strengthen' your argument any more than mine is weakened.

Of the guys you mentioned how many of them need a team to revolve around their chucking ability to win?

Iverson hasn't changed one iota from the player he was when he left, the player most wanted rid of cause he was selfish and shot too much and dribbled too much and yada yada yada, nostalgically wishing him back AND thinking he'll suddenly become a different player is beyond naive...and it's not an argument, it's an opinion, and like i said you haven't strengthened yours.

As for my assertions of allen iversons overall true value to a team, i did reference supporting data, if yo ucan't be bothered to read it, that's not my fault actually

Hey Ducky - "Defensive Efficiency" - check it out some time

[bebopdeluxe]

jem:

So...AI hasn't changed "one iota" from the player he was when he was here?

OK...I'm off to NBA.com...be right back...

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Hi!  I'm back...

So - comparing AI's last six full seasons with the Sixers (starting with the Finals team in '00-01 to '05-06) to last season with the Nuggets, here's what I come up with:

Sixers - 25 shots a game, 41.7% FG%, 1.64 ast/TO ratio

Nuggets - 19 shots a game, 45.8% FG%, 2.37 ast/TO ratio

At least on the surface, seems like a lot of "iotas" to me.

Now I freely recognize that these are two completely different situations - with the Sixers, he was forced to take a lot of shots, he did not have a lot of help on the offensive end, he had a less talented overall roster, etc...whereas with the Nuggets, he had another dominant scorer on the floor with him, the overall talent on the roster was better, he was not forced to do as much....

Hmmmm....

So - why is it that now that the Sixers 1) have another dominant scorer on the floor with him, 2) have a stronger overall roster than he had for much of those six years he was last here and 3) he will not be forced to do as much, that the dramatic improvements in his efficiency that we saw with the Nuggets last season (over 4 percentage points better shooting percentage and remarkably better ast/TO ratio) will not carry over here?

I watched many Nuggets games last season.  Anybody who saw the Allen Iverson that played for the Nuggets and say that they saw no difference in his approach to the game versus his approach to the game with the Sixers is just not being honest...and the numbers support this subjective position.  He shot the ball less (and with higher proficiency), he took care of the ball much better, he looked to facilitate his teammates...all things that you want a good point guard to do.  To me, if AI came back here, it would almost be like the '00-01 team on steroids...Iggy and Thad are certainly better than McKie and Lynch, Brand is so much better than Hill that it is not even a relevent comparison...

Whatever.

I'm not trying to relive the past.  I don't even think that it is going to happen.  But if the opportunity presented itself where Miller chose not to resign with us and AI would accept the MLE to come here (with all of the conditions on his play that would go with that), his recent play with the Nuggets would give, IMO, some credibility to the position that his game HAS changed (with the better roster that he played with), and that it might - just might - be a risk worth taking.

That's all.

[jemagee]

I wasn't really interested in debating the merits or not of Allen iverson I just found it interesting that all the names you mentioend in comparison weren't comparable to iverson in most ways.

Besides which, based on his discussions with the nuggets this past off season, the MLE doesn't seem to be something Iverson is interested in getting (if reports in papers are to be believed)

I love slacker.com

[bebopdeluxe]

jem:

I agree...recent reports (reports, mind you, before we got Elton Brand) suggest that AI might be open to restructuring his deal with the Nuggets with an extension...however:

1) He wants to win a ring - badly;

2) If he does not sign an extension with the Nuggets, there probably won't be any 5-year, $70+ million offers out there for him next summer (waiting for Lebron, DWade, Bosh, etc...);

3) He still loves Philly...and Philly still loves him;

I may be completely wrong on this - his finances might not be tight enough to pass on $20-25 million in salary to take the MLE.  All that I have said is that if he were available for the MLE, I would consider it. 

Today - no way.

Next summer - if we got to the ECF and were a PG away from the promised land?

Maybe.

[jemagee]

I just don't see it, the city may still like iverson but i gotta think that the way snider went on NATIONAL TV (ESPN) and dismissed iversons future, that's gotta stick in his craw a little, i know it would with me...he'll if i were iverson, i'd take the MLE from boston first just to beat the sixers

[bebopdeluxe]

jem:

I hear you, bro...a lot of it would have to do with what AI wants, because I am sure that he will be able to do better than the MLE next summer...perhaps with the Heat, for example.   He could also choose to, for example, sign the MLE with, say, the Lakers (if they don't think that Farmar is the long-term answer)...I doubt Boston - Rondo is pretty solid (unless he took Allen's place at SG).

[jemagee]

The lakers are very confident in jordan farmar, it's why they could include crittenton in the gasol deal without concern...unless he craps the bed next year i think they'd be fine.

BTW - watch the turiaf thing - if the lakers don't match i doubt iverson would be an MLE option there as they are tax weary - bynum will be due an extension soon - and if they somehow obtain artest (and thomas) they'll be in cap land for a while

[noah]

What do you guys think of Boki Nachbar?  11th in 3-point shooting in the NBA two years ago....

I know he probably doesn't get people excited, but he'd be a great fit IMO with his shooting ability and big frame. (6-9, 221)

[noah]

Alright, I'm starting to think Boki will be too expensive... Without any cap room and no MLE, all we have to offer now is the minimum. Courtesy of Philly Inquire:

"Veteran minimum: about $775,000 for a player with fewer than 10 years in the league, $1.1 million for more than 10."

"Right now, the market is for the higher-priced players," Stefanski said. "As the summer wears on, you'll get down to lesser money and the minimums."

He said that that would all "play itself out," but that most players won't go for the veteran minimum until later in the summer.

Sounds like we're gonna play a waiting game all summer long... Hopefully that will yield Michael Finley in August!  Yee ha, he's still getting paid by DAL, so why not?  Maybe he'll accept the vet min (1.1) if it means both contending and significant playing time...

[sixers hoops]

What do you guys think of Boki Nachbar?  11th in 3-point shooting in the NBA two years ago....

I know he probably doesn't get people excited, but he'd be a great fit IMO with his shooting ability and big frame. (6-9, 221)

Yeah, we can offer 998K.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Yee ha, he's still getting paid by DAL, so why not?  Maybe he'll accept the vet min (1.1) if it means both contending and significant playing time...

LOL! Michael Finley hasn't gotten paid from Dallas in a couple of years. It would be nice to get him but I suspect that he'll end up in San Antonio or Boston if Posey leaves.

[noah]

Yeah, we can offer 998K.

Yea, I'm starting to realize that we just don't have the cash to lure Boki.  Oh well... Looks like we're gonna play the waiting game for our shooter.... And that re-signing Lou + Iggy will come first.  Makes sense.  

Whoops, sorry TGP - should've checked that about Michael Finley... Still got my eye on him, though... although I read that the Spurs were intent on keeping him... Then again, they added Roger Mason to a roster that already includes Bruce Bowen + Udoku.  Maybe Finley will see Philly as the best balance of playing time + chance to win.  We shall see.  But I'm going to lean back and relax, because I don't see our shooter move happening for a while.

Meanwhile, shrewd move by Danny Ainge IMO... POB (Patrick O'Bryant) was a guy I've been following in GS... True 7-footer w/ an offensive skill-set.  2 years/ 3 mil = low risk/high reward... Classic buy-low situation.  Ainge is a guy who stole Leon Powe in the 2nd round + has shown great ability to stockpile young talent for cheap.  If POB turns into a player, I'll be green with envy.

[Skates]

The Knicks supposedly rebuffed the Clippers offer to simply take Zach Thomas off their hands.  Nothing sums up the Clippers standing in the NBA more than that, NY thinks it will get them to send something useful back down the road.

[noah]

LOL! Michael Finley hasn't gotten paid from Dallas in a couple of years.

Well technically, it hasn't been a couple years.... Finley has been getting paid by Dallas until last month, when his contract expired.  Courtesy of Wiki:   

"For financial reasons, however, in 2005 (Michael Finely) was waived by Dallas to avoid luxury taxes (as part of the league's new labor agreement) on his $51.8 million salary over the next three years."

When he got waived in the summer of '05, he had 3 years remaining on his salary... (05-06, 06-07, 07-08)... It just didn't show up on salary listings because it wasn't counting against the Mavs' cap, as per the new CBA exception... Exactly what we did w/ Aaron McKie.  So you're right that DAL isn't paying him anymore.... But it hasn't been a couple years.  Just a couple months.  

[noah]

The Knicks supposedly rebuffed the Clippers offer to simply take Zach Thomas off their hands.  Nothing sums up the Clippers standing in the NBA more than that, NY thinks it will get them to send something useful back down the road.

Exactly, lol!  Man, people in NYC are begging to dump Zach Randolph for peanuts, but the new front office is trying to fleece LAC again.  Dunleavy is on tilt... Isn't it nice to sit back in the catbird seat of all this FA action?  We won the big prize, and everyone else is scrambling to exercise inferior options.  Thank goodness Zach Randolph never sniffed the Wachovia Center, after all.