Player Movement Thread (Was Free Agency Thread)

[Skates]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3505264

Because he's a big man, I don't think his negotiations impact our RFAs all that much but Emeka Okafor and the Charlotte Bobcats are apparently still far apart on agreeing to a new deal. This shouldn't be a shock given what Bogut got from Milwaukee.

That Bogut deal will be a real problem for both Okafor and Biedrins.  Okafor and Gordon (must be a Connecticut thing)appear to me to be the two free agents who most over-value their services. Iggy, Smith, Biedrins, Deng and Ellis all seem to have potential to get better given their ages and career arcs.  We have discussed Gordon in detail before.  Okafor looks like a guy who has pretty much maxed out his talent and he is very solid and productive, but also very limited.  As much of an idiot as Sammy is, I think I still prefer Sammy on a three year deal than Okafor on a 5-6 year deal.  At this point Okafor should be looking for a six year deal at a decent figure like Ellis, which he would get because he is a big man.  I don't think a shorter deal helps him as much, especially with couple of good years for bigs in the draft in 2007 and 2008 who will be hitting the market in 4-5 years.

[tk76-]

I would flip Sam for Okafor as long as he signs to 5/65 or less.

[bebopdeluxe]

Agree 100 percent, tk.

[jemagee]

I would flip Sam for Okafor as long as he signs to 5/65 or less.

Is that what sam signed for?

[Skates]

Okafor at an average of $13 million per, no thanks.  To me Okafor is a slower, stronger, smarter, less athletic version of Sam.  He is a terrible FT shooter and although a good rebounder, he ain't exactly Kevin Love on the outlet pass.  His offense is very limited and I don't see him improving much.  If I had my druthers from the big man RFA pool I would get me some Biedrins way before Okafor.  Biedrins is more mobile and produces at about the same rate as Sam and Okafor, but is considerably younger and more efficient.  He also seems to have the best basketball sense of the three.  Biedrins is also a poor FT shooter, although not as bad as Okafor.

With Brand, Speights and Thad possibly inhabiting the low block for the next several years, an ideal replacement for Sam would be more of a high-post center like Bogut, although not at the salary he will be making.

[tk76-]

Brand/Biedins/Speights/Smith/Evans would be a really good frontcourt.  You probably could give away Evans if anyone would take him.

I do think Brand/Sam or Brand/Okafor is a better defensive frontcourt than Brand Biedrins- because that would force Brand to cover larger centers.

[TheGuiltyParty]

I really don't envy Milwaukee, GSW, or Charlotte because I think all three are vastly overpaying for big men that really aren't anything special. They are better than what most teams have but they certainly aren't going to be the #1 or #2 guys on a title contender and for that, I really don't like the idea of my team giving them massive contracts that pay them $11+MIL per season.

If Sam averages 11 points, 10 boards, and 2 blocks over the next 3 years, I imagine he'll be looking for a 5 year/$80MIL deal at the age of 29 and that makes me cry.

[Sub]

There's no way Cornstein (or whoever Sam's agent is at the time) would be dumb enough to look for that type of contract for Sam down the line. And he probably will maintain those averages.

[tk76-]

I really don't envy Milwaukee, GSW, or Charlotte because I think all three are vastly overpaying for big men that really aren't anything special. They are better than what most teams have but they certainly aren't going to be the #1 or #2 guys on a title contender and for that, I really don't like the idea of my team giving them massive contracts that pay them $11+MIL per season.

If Sam averages 11 points, 10 boards, and 2 blocks over the next 3 years, I imagine he'll be looking for a 5 year/$80MIL deal at the age of 29 and that makes me cry.

But those guys are bigs, and bigs get overpaid (Sam?)

Do you see the Sixers and Iguodala being in that much better of a situation with Iguodala?  The biggest advantage the Sixers have is that they have Brand and a roster full of emerging players so they won't need Iguodala to be more than the great complementary player he is.

[Sub]

I actually think Bogut's a nice player. Still a little pricey, but his deal wouldn't bother me if I was a Bucks fan. Milwaukee's problem is that they've overpaid for almost everyone else recently.

[Skates]

I actually think Bogut's a nice player. Still a little pricey, but his deal wouldn't bother me if I was a Bucks fan. Milwaukee's problem is that they've overpaid for almost everyone else recently.

cough* Dan Gadzuric*cough

[pointguard86]

Sasha Vujacic $15M for 3 yrs.  Make LouWills will get something along this amount. 


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lakers-vujacic&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Skates]

Two blockbuster S&T deals for Josh Smith on the table in Atlanta?  From the AJC:

Switching lanes
By Sekou K Smith | Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10:11 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

THE BASEMENT - This time a month ago I was busy calculating just how long it might take for the Hawks to wrap up negotiations with both Josh Smith and Josh Childress before putting the finishing touches on the roster in time for training camp.

Little did I know that I?d be sitting here this morning trying to wrap my dome around the fact that there?s a good chance neither Smith nor Childress would be in a Hawks uniform this season.

Childress, of course, is already gone.

Smith, on the other hand, is still in the crosshairs. But it?s not looking good for the Hawks on that front.

There are at least two, blockbuster sign-and-trade proposals the Hawks are chewing on regarding Smith (one from a Western Conference power and the other from an Eastern Conference big dog) that could dramatically change the landscape in Hawksville.

The ?proverbial? ball appears to be clearly in the Hawks? court regarding both opportunities, and we should presume many more. Because if they are resigned to the fact that they don?t intend to pay Smith a salary commensurate with what he feels he?s worth, then there only recourse is to sign-and-trade him.

The leverage we all assumed the Hawks had with their own restricted free agents went up in smoke last week when Childress bounced.

Anyone that doesn?t think Smith will wait this thing out as long as the Hawks is living in a dream world. If you don?t think he?ll sign a qualifying offer, play out his season and walk next summer as an unrestricted free agent you?re crazy.

If the Hawks want to get anything in return (and keep in mind they get absolutely nothing if he plays out the year and walks, NOTHING), they have to act now.

Any guesses on the alleged teams?  Detroit and Cleveland immediately pop into my mind in the East, Detroit seems to want to make a big move and Cleveland makes offers for everyone.  Do the Sixers or Heat counts as "big dogs" in the East?

Out West I am guessing someone from last year's 5-8 teams, Phoenix, Dallas, Denver and Houston.

[TheGuiltyParty]

I think it's the Mavs in the West with them dangling Josh Howard for Smith.

The Eastern Conference Big Dog is probably Detroit or Cleveland. The Cavs are probably offering a lot of their expiring contracts plus Varejao while the Pistons could be offering anyone since just about all of their starters have been involved in a trade rumor this summer.

[anklebreaker]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Detroit throwing Prince at Atlanta for J. Smith. 

The west is wide open with possibilities.... Perhaps Kirilenko and filler for J. Smith, could be J. Howard as TGP mentioned, maybe Odom and filler, maybe even Mcgrady.