Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[Skates]

It was matching up the salaries more than the position...give them smith and a future first...

I'm not a big fan of trading away future firsts for unproven players (reminds me too much of Kenny Thomas.)  DiLeo has shown he can sometimes find the diomond in the rough with draft picks.

I guess it depends on how sold you are on Williams.

Smith and a future first is too much for Williams.  The Nets are way down on him and they would jump at that deal, and there may be a good reason for their low opinion of him after being so happy to get him in the draft. 

[jemagee]

I doubt it has anything to do with trading broken down jason kidd for devin harris

Though overvaluing jason smith, and a low 20s first round pick seems par for the course

[Skates]

I doubt it has anything to do with trading broken down jason kidd for devin harris

Though overvaluing jason smith, and a low 20s first round pick seems par for the course

If they believed Williams was their PG of the future they would have targeted someone other than a PG as their primary trade piece.  I am actually with you on two points, first, that securing our future at PG is the most pressing need this team has, and second, that Williams has some talent and might be a starter down the road, but that is a big "might.".  His market value is lower than it was when he was a 20 something (21?) draft pick and I don't want to overpay.  There have been numerous reports that he has fallen far out of favor in NJ and I am not sure that they all relate to his abilities.  Smith is a solid 20 something draft pick and DiLeo gives me confidence that we can get a good player with a future draft pick in that range and can help us avoid buying role players by overpaying with the MLE down the road (the BK slow-cooking recipe for disaster).  I don't want to start giving away past and future draft picks on a guy with major boom or bust possibilities and who is not that highly valued by his own team.  I would love to work a package deal with the Nets, and likely a third team, to obtain Williams as part of the deal and some of their unsigned FA's.  I just think spending too many assets on Williams at this point would be unwise.

[jemagee]

And I think you are overstating Smiths value as I think he's a 3rd center...with one only really good skill that I think is wasted on a 3rd center...

PS - after one NBA game it no longer matters where a guy was drafted...yeah, i'm talking to you gilbert

[wow444]

I have to go with Skates on this one.  Smith and a 1st rounder is too much for Williams.

[Skates]

PS - after one NBA game it no longer matters where a guy was drafted...yeah, i'm talking to you gilbert

Tell that to the first rounder's guaranteed salaries.   

[jemagee]

PS - after one NBA game it no longer matters where a guy was drafted...yeah, i'm talking to you gilbert

Tell that to the first rounder's guaranteed salaries.  

My apologies, when comparing the relative value of two players of equal salary, where they are drafted doesn't matter, and after you've got an 80 million dollar then a 100+ million dollar contract it REALLY doesn't matter where you were drafted,

[Skates]

Speaking of Marcus Williams, he is going to be even more available acording to the Bergen Record (and other sources):

Dooling Is On His Way
Keyon Dooling is close to becoming a Net.

League sources said the Nets and Magic are close to agreeing on a sign-and-trade for the point guard Lawrence Frank pursued three years ago.

Dooling would sign a three-year deal for between $10 million and $11 million and then be sent to the Nets for their $3.3 million trade exception acquired from Dallas in the Jason Kidd trade.

This deal probably won't be finalized until next week, but when it is it will give the Nets 16 players under contract and almost certainly would spell the end of Marcus Williams' career with the team.

The Nets have been looking to move Williams the past two summers. Once they secure the veteran combo guard Dooling, he immediately would jump to No. 2 behind Devin Harris and also could spell Vince Carter at the two.

The Nets aren't going to give away Williams. They could try and deal him for a draft pick or package him with another player in a 2-for-1-type of deal to create a roster spot.

There would be little need for Williams.

[Skates]

From Hoopshype today:

Nachbar signing with a Russian team for three years, but has reasonable buyouts if he wants to return to the NBA.

Josh Childress considering an offer to play in Greece due to frustrations with Hawks management.

Deng wants an agreement soon or he will take the qualifying offer this year and leave next summer.

Iverson might be on the trading block to get under the luxury tax.

Nets looking to package Marcus Williams with Josh Boone or Sean Williams to get a more experienced player (and probably trying to reduce future cap holds for the 2010 summer).

Zach Randolph still on the market, supposedly the Clips wanted a first rounder back to take him.

Matt Barnes signs a one year deal with Phoenix.

At least one writer and supposedly a scout are high on Jason Smith (from SI.com):

4. The Sixers have some trade bait
The signing of Elton Brand has left Philadelphia with a bit of a logjam at power forward. With Brand, who has averaged 38.3 minutes in his career, expected to log heavy minutes at the position, incumbents Reggie Evans and Jason Smith will be fighting for the backup minutes.

If Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is looking to trade one (and there have been no indications that he is), Smith has value. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward concluded a superb summer league where he averaged 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds. Several scouts I talked to were impressed by Smith's improved ability to knock down the 15-18 foot jump shot with regularity.

"He's a starter in this league," said one Eastern Conference scout. "No question."

Smith will make $1.3 million this season and with team options at $1.4 and $2.2 million, he is one of the league's best bargains.

[jemagee]

Damn it, find that scout

So arroyo and nachbar to russia and possibly childress to europe?  Wow

[Skates]

Damn it, find that scout

So arroyo and nachbar to russia and possibly childress to europe?  Wow

Note, he never said starter on a good team. 

Weak dollar, strong Euro.  I keep hearing that the guys signing these big contracts in europe make more money because it is tax-free.  In the Childress story the team is paying his taxes, so that part I understand, but doesn't most of Europe have higher taxes than here?  Are they not income based?  Not trying to get off topic, but with the stronger Euro and these seeming tax advantages its sounds like players can make a lot more money in real terms over there.

[tk76-]

I know the players don't pay taxes in Russia, but I don't know if that's also the case for Western European teams.  The Euro/Dallar thing in definitely influencing things.  Its up to 1.6/1.

Still, you have to think Childress is trying to find some kind of leverage.  I would be shocked to see him go to Europe.

As for Smith being "a defineite starter in this league"; I just hope the Sixers find a GM who feels the dame way.

[jemagee]

The hawks as usual are a mockery of an nba franchise...lbut it's a legitimate option going to europe if the money's right, and all these NBA guys reportedly have easy outs after each season to come back.

Though I'd be wary of playing for any russian or russian owned teams as most of that 'new russian money' is coming from one place and one place only....and you'd hate knuckles ivanovic to break your legs if you don't win a game

[Skates]

I know the players don't pay taxes in Russia, but I don't know if that's also the case for Western European teams.  The Euro/Dallar thing in definitely influencing things.  Its up to 1.6/1.

Still, you have to think Childress is trying to find some kind of leverage.  I would be shocked to see him go to Europe.

As for Smith being "a defineite starter in this league"; I just hope the Sixers find a GM who feels the dame way.

It was probably one of our scouts.

The hawks as usual are a mockery of an nba franchise...lbut it's a legitimate option going to europe if the money's right, and all these NBA guys reportedly have easy outs after each season to come back.

Though I'd be wary of playing for any russian or russian owned teams as most of that 'new russian money' is coming from one place and one place only....and you'd hate knuckles ivanovic to break your legs if you don't win a game

Yeah, it appears that both of the Joshes want out of Atlanta pretty badly.  Screwed up ownership and a fanbase that could care less make what should be an appealing young team into something far less.

[jemagee]

I wonder if the sixers could 'steal' childress from the hawks, he's an excellent sixth man that can play back up at the 3 and the 2 (to a lesser extent) maybe they'll take willlie green and reggie evans, at least they are under contract

If any sixer scout said Smith is a definite starter in this league and was serious about it, he should be fired.