Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[TheGuiltyParty]

The rumor mill really seems to be slowing down now. It's gotta be incredibly frustrating for the RFAs who seem to be going nowhere with their current clubs. I think there's a better than good chance that Deng will be the first do anything and that'll be after his self-imposed deadline of August 4th.

[Skates]

Lots of stuff going on in the league at the lower levels.  Minimum and just above minimum salary guys are starting to sign around the league.  Carl Landry in Houston looking at offers from European clubs.  Sixers reach agreement in principle with Royal Ivey (won't sign him until the Iggy and Lou Will situations are resolved).  Too much little stuff to write here, check it out at HoopsHype:

http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm

[TheGuiltyParty]

There's always little stuff going on but what I'm saying is that there seems to be a large hush throughout the league as far as big trades or RFA signings go. Then again, "noah" is reporting this Prince for Artest trade. Unfortunately, no one else is.

[Derek Bodner]

fyi, "noah" is fire bk from realgm.

I haven't seen anyone else say it's a done deal, but there is an article in the sac bee saying that the pistons are considering it.

[jemagee]

The calm before the storm perhaps

[Skates]

There's always little stuff going on but what I'm saying is that there seems to be a large hush throughout the league as far as big trades or RFA signings go. Then again, "noah" is reporting this Prince for Artest trade. Unfortunately, no one else is.

I do find it interesting that the minimum guys are starting to reach agreements so quickly with a number of bigger names, i.e. all of the unsigned RFA's, still out there.  The max guys, the MLE/$1.9 million exception guys and the minimum guys seem to have been pretty easily slotted.  The RFA's all mistakenly believe they are max guys and are stuck in limbo or Greece.

[jemagee]

I believe the completely opposite, MLE/minimum guys have an easier time finding their place since it's just a matter of what teams are willing to offer up, and a lot more teams can bid on them, RFAs are in a crap bargaining position, and it really works against them, teams can low ball low ball low ball all they want, and they just have to threaten to match and no team is going to really offer them a deal (if they even had a cap room) because usually they know it's a waste of time, so it's either take your low ball offer, or find a sign and trade.

The second tier restricted free agents have been signing, and switching, teams...Turiaf got offered an unmatched, and according to reports the Warriors are either going to sign mo evans (i think) or match on azubukie (sp?) but not do both.

Restricted free agency is quite slanted towards the team, the players really have little to no negotiating power in my opinion so yeah it's going to drag out longer...and I don't buy your assertion that they 'all believe they are max guys'.

The warriors supposedly are just waiting to sign ellis and biedrins so they can make other moves

[Skates]

Considering the previous offers turned down by Iggy, Deng, Gordon and Okafor they are or at least were looking for max or very near max dollars allowed for their year's of service.  It does appear that Biedrins and Ellis are close to re-siging although there is nothing official yet.  Josh Smith might be the guy truly getting low-balled by his team.  RFA status is a drag on salaries as it is designed to be and it is exacerbated in a year when few teams have any cap space, making even S&T deals very difficult because of the BYC issues.

[jemagee]

I consider the difference between 50 million and 80-90 million awfully significant in terms of 'max dollars' - there's a lot of negotiating room in there.

[TheGuiltyParty]

I consider the difference between 50 million and 80-90 million awfully significant in terms of 'max dollars' - there's a lot of negotiating room in there.

I think the difference is more like $60-$85MIL but you're right... there's room for negotiating. I'm just glad that the Bulls, Hawks, and Warriors haven't given in to any of the RFAs and overpaid them yet. If one of them did, then it would make negotiating for the other teams a helluva lot harder. I wonder if there has been any talks between the teams about what they are doing with their RFAs. That seems like borderline collusion but Paxson, Sund, and Stefanski all have to be nervous considering some of the deals Chris Mullin has given out. He's quickly becoming the new Billy King.

[jemagee]

there's room for negotiating. I'm just glad that the Bulls, Hawks, and Warriors haven't given in to any of the RFAs and overpaid them yet.

I also think that's part of the hold up, not necessarily contract demands but not wanting to be the 'first domino' to fall...everyone is waiting to see what happens with everyone else.

[Skates]

there's room for negotiating. I'm just glad that the Bulls, Hawks, and Warriors haven't given in to any of the RFAs and overpaid them yet.

I also think that's part of the hold up, not necessarily contract demands but not wanting to be the 'first domino' to fall...everyone is waiting to see what happens with everyone else.

That goes for both the agents and the GM's.

[Sub]

Article in the NY Post about the Nets looking for "Minimum-wage types such as Kareem Rush and Royal Ivey". If Rush is really a vets min. type guy, wouldn't it be in Ed's best interest to look at this guy? 39% from the arc alone makes him intriguing, IMO.

[TheGuiltyParty]

If Rush is going to sign for the minimum then he should sign with whatever team tells him he'll get the most PT. If he thinks he'll get equal PT in Jersey and Philly then obviously we're the pick.

[tk76-]

Monte signs for apparently 6/66M.  That is a starting salary of 9M with 8% raises.  Hopefully this gets the ball rolling.

If Iguodala signs a deal starting at 10.5M it would be 5yr/62.5 or 6yr/77M.  Those are the types of numbers I hope/expect to see.  Anything lower would be gravy.

Add in Lou starting at 4M (Gibson starts at less) then that would be 14.5M for Lou+Dala.  Not cheap, but manageable.