2020 Free Agency Thread

[B-Roy]

• It is right to point out that DJJ "can't" shoot, however neglecting that if he could shoot, he'd be WAY, WAY out of our price range. You're not the only one to do this of course. One poster (not you) said that it would be a good signing ONLY if he could shout 35% from 3. Of course, if he could do that he'd be paid more like 4 years, $80 mil.

This.

I stole this post from here: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2022837 But it's highly relevant.

Here is the salary cap for forwards in the NBA

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/rankings/2020-21/cap-hit/forward/

I think we need to reconsider how we value players. If you are 6' 8" and can shoot 38% percent or better from 3 your are going to be an $18M plus player if you can play any defense. The higher your percentage from 3 three, and the higher your defensive value and the higher your ability to create your own shot the higher it goes up from there.

The fact of the matter is people over 6'8" are rare. If they have the eye hand coordination to shoot well they are even rarer. Lastly if they have any ability to move their feet and play defense they are just damm hard to find.

You see lots of comments in the press and on here about the cost of Barnes, or Middleton, of Hayward, of Harris. The fact of the matter is it is really hard to find guys like that and scarcity drives value.

 

[illmatic99]

I still don't understand why we didn't trade him..... unless nobody wanted him, which I guess wouldn't be surprising at this point.

what value do you think is there for a guy on an expiring contract earning 27 mil, who doesn't really make teams better?

 

[illmatic99]

the equivalent of this in Portland would be if we let Trent and Collins go and pursued Whiteside.

It's why the kings are who they are. Letting Bogdanovic (and Giles) walk without getting anything in return is just stupidity. Now they're stuck with Buddy Hield who doesn't want to be there and are severely devoid of talent. And on top of that they want to bring in Hassan, who does neither fits in stylistically with their pace, nor the age of the guys they want build around?

 

[TBpup]

We all have narratives, which is fine.

I'm probably a little too much "rose garden-colored", but like to get excited about our team (even though I know we'll probably never
win a championship). I would also like to say that I really enjoy your insights, and like many of your posts.

That being said, poster's sometimes forget some things:

• It is right to point out that DJJ "can't" shoot, however neglecting that if he could shoot, he'd be WAY, WAY out of our price range. You're not the only one to do this of course. One poster (not you) said that it would be a good signing ONLY if he could shout 35% from 3. Of course, if he could do that he'd be paid more like 4 years, $80 mil.
  
• Ditto with Giles injury history, however it really needs to be pointed out that if he didn't have that history, he'd be WAY, WAY out of our price range (more likely not available at all, but especially for the vet min).
• Ditto for all many of the potential acquisitions in the league.

The truth is, we're all going to wait and see how this all works out.

Of course that is all true and my only contention with DJJ at the full MLE was I thought there were better options out there. (Favors/Crowder/Harrell/Ibaka/Saric) all signed for the MLE or less. Now mabye Neil either didn' go after them or they just wouldn't come here and we may never know. But when I compare what some of the other teams got for their MLE vs what we got, that seems at least a legit question. Also, very few teams had cap room this year so IF Jones were to shoot 35% as mentioned above, there were only 1 or two teams that had cap space left after Draft day deals. About the only option for being more expensive because he was a better shooter would have been Miami with whatever Bird rights they had on him.

 

[Hoopguru]

Of course that is all true and my only contention with DJJ at the full MLE was I thought there were better options out there. (Favors/Crowder/Harrell/Ibaka/Saric) all signed for the MLE or less. Now mabye Neil either didn' go after them or they just wouldn't come here and we may never know. But when I compare what some of the other teams got for their MLE vs what we got, that seems at least a legit question. Also, very few teams had cap room this year so IF Jones were to shoot 35% as mentioned above, there were only 1 or two teams that had cap space left after Draft day deals. About the only option for being more expensive because he was a better shooter would have been Miami with whatever Bird rights they had on him.

I would bet they just didn't want to come her. They just spent months in a bubble, why would they want to come to a rain forest?

 

[B-Roy]

Of course that is all true and my only contention with DJJ at the full MLE was I thought there were better options out there. (Favors/Crowder/Harrell/Ibaka/Saric) all signed for the MLE or less. Now mabye Neil either didn' go after them or they just wouldn't come here and we may never know. But when I compare what some of the other teams got for their MLE vs what we got, that seems at least a legit question. Also, very few teams had cap room this year so IF Jones were to shoot 35% as mentioned above, there were only 1 or two teams that had cap space left after Draft day deals. About the only option for being more expensive because he was a better shooter would have been Miami with whatever Bird rights they had on him.

There's only two guys in that list of players that would have made any sense.

Favors is a center, there's no room for him here with Kanter and Nurk. He can't play PF, Utah tried and failed.

Same with Harrell.

Saric was an RFA....what's the point offering the full MLE when the Suns gave him that contract anyways? Would have been matched. He also sucked at PF, he only started playing well when the Suns played him as a backup center.

Ibaka - fine, but he's also more of a center at this point, and he would have had to choose us over the LA teams and Toronto. Not likely.

Only one there that is maybe a possibility was Crowder, but he got a larger deal and a larger role in Phoenix, but fine I'll give you that one.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

This.

I stole this post from here: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2022837 But it's highly relevant.

good call.

 

[B-Roy]

Hassan back to Sacramento.

 

[B-Roy]

Apparently it's a vet min deal for Hassan. If so, what a blow to this dude's ego.

 

[Scalma]

Apparently it's a vet min deal for Hassan. If so, what a blow to this dude's ego.

wow lol. Is that all Sacramento had to offer? It’d be even funnier if they didn’t.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I still don't understand why we didn't trade him..... unless nobody wanted him, which I guess wouldn't be surprising at this point.

Trade him when, back at the deadline? Drummond was traded for a second round pick and he's better than Whiteside. So he had the value of a third round pick?

As flawed as Whiteside was we needed his minutes at that point last year.

 

[B-Roy]

wow lol. Is that all Sacramento had to offer? It’d be even funnier if they didn’t.

The fact that he had to take the minimum shows how much interest there was around the league.

Speaking of minimum, I bet the "loyalty" shit with Melo is all a ruse. The guy didn't have any offers besides the minimum from us.

 

[Scalma]

The fact that he had to take the minimum shows how much interest there was around the league.

Speaking of minimum, I bet the "loyalty" shit with Melo is all a ruse. The guy didn't have any offers besides the minimum from us.

Olshey said Melo had plenty of opportunities to fill a similar role with other teams this offseason, opportunities that weren’t there when he first signed with Portland. Maybe it’s bs, but I wouldn’t be so sure.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I'd rather have Whiteside on a minimum deal than Giles.

But theres no way he would've happily taken that role here or accept a string of DNP... he had to go.

I wouldn't be surprised if he complains and gets released from Sacramento.

Shocked the rest of the league is getting smarter on these types of players. This used to be the type of player shitty run franchises such as the Knicks would always sign.

 

[B-Roy]

I'd rather have Whiteside on a minimum deal than Giles.

But theres no way he would've happily taken that role here or accept a string of DNP... he had to go.

I wouldn't be surprised if he complains and gets released from Sacramento.

Shocked the rest of the league is getting smarter on these types of players. This used to be the type of player shitty run franchises such as the Knicks would always sign.

Hassan was absolutely useless off the bench, and now you want him as 3rd string insurance? Sounds like a nightmare for team chemistry.

So glad we got off this guy.

 

[B-Roy]

Olshey said Melo had plenty of opportunities to fill a similar role with other teams this offseason, opportunities that weren’t there when he first signed with Portland. Maybe it’s bs, but I wouldn’t be so sure.

Maybe, Melo severely rehabbed his image last year. I just find it so hard to believe another team would want him besides New York.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Hassan was absolutely useless off the bench, and now you want him as 3rd string insurance? Sounds like a nightmare for team chemistry.

So glad we got off this guy.

Sure, if you ignore my second sentence..... I was saying if Whiteside would happily accept such role, but obviously he would not and thus he needed to go.

If he had the drive of Joel Pryzbilla.... but he doesn't, he's a stat padding poor attitude guy. He has amazing physical talent.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Maybe, Melo severely rehabbed his image last year. I just find it so hard to believe another team would want him besides New York.

Detroit, Charlotte, Atlanta, Sacramento, Minnesota, Washington all seem like they might have signed him. They've all made vastly worse signings.

Plus its only a vet minimum... not a huge deal to cut him if it goes bad.

 

[Scalma]

Maybe, Melo severely rehabbed his image last year. I just find it so hard to believe another team would want him besides New York.

I remember some people on this board were against the signing because of this narrative that he was a cancer, but it wasn’t true then and it’s not true now. He was always a good teammate. I remember everyone on the Knicks loved him, especially Porzingis. The only coaches he had issues with were assholes (George Karl) and it was when he was younger. If he rehabbed anything it was that he could still play.

I don’t really see any parallels between Melo and Whiteside. Melo is good for the locker room, showed up to the bubble in shape, embraced a different position, and hit clutch shot after clutch shot. Whiteside just moped around once Nurk came back. He’s an idiot, because if he would’ve just embraced his role, he could’ve gotten more money, because if he played as a backup the way he did as a starter, he’d be one of the most valuable bench bigs in the league.

 

[illmatic99]

Giles is a better player. Kanter is a better player.

Stats be damned.

Drove me so insane with his lazing around on our team. How he never sprinted off picks or just stood lead footed on defense. He coulda earned a better contract had he shown up in the bubble. He played like one good game and pouted the rest of time. Good riddens.

 

[Hoopguru]

I remember some people on this board were against the signing because of this narrative that he was a cancer, but it wasn’t true then and it’s not true now. He was always a good teammate. I remember everyone on the Knicks loved him, especially Porzingis. The only coaches he had issues with were assholes (George Karl) and it was when he was younger. If he rehabbed anything it was that he could still play.

I don’t really see any parallels between Melo and Whiteside. Melo is good for the locker room, showed up to the bubble in shape, embraced a different position, and hit clutch shot after clutch shot. Whiteside just moped around once Nurk came back. He’s an idiot, because if he would’ve just embraced his role, he could’ve gotten more money, because if he played as a backup the way he did as a starter, he’d be one of the most valuable bench bigs in the league.

He'll end up somewhere probably a contending team, as a back up.

 

[RoseCityRebel]

He'll end up somewhere probably a contending team, as a back up.

Or ... the Kings. For one year. Vet minimum. $2.32 million

Wow. Yet Meyers Leonard gets a guaranteed $10M with another $10M on a team option second year.

There is a reason for it. Locker room?

 

[Scalma]

Stauskas back with the bucks

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Noah Vonley to Bulls.

 

[TBpup]

Never thought Melo was a cancer....but do see him as a highly inefficient player who takes a lot of shots. He was 13th on the Blazers last season.....behind players that weren't even on the team by year end.

13th in eFG% but effectively tied for 3rd in attempts with Nurkic. THAT is what bothers me. Every shot he take is being taken away from someome far more efficient. Just doesn't seem like a very 'team' oriented approach.

 

[Buffalo Custard]

Did anybody else even offer Melo a contract? I wasn't expecting more than 3-4 teams to express an interest, but it seems like nobody wanted him. Nobody except Olshey, that is. Does that make Neil a visionary or a bozo?

 

[Labinot41]

There is one other aspect about Melo: he's a future Hallo of famer, a highly respected player on the Team and around the league who wanted to come back to Portland, it would have been a bad look if the Blazers didn't sign him imo

 

[andalusian]

I like Melo, and while he is clearly not the scoring machine he once was - he has a place on the Blazers and his Post scoring is nice to have - simply because the Blazers do not have anyone else other than Kanter that can really do it.

If he plays 20-24 min a game - often as the 3rd option on offense - that's a great fit.

 

[Natebishop3]

The main issue is that Melo isn't a small forward anymore, so when he was playing that position we were significantly worse off.

 

[BalancedMan]

Any thoughts on picking up JJ Barea as that backup PG once Dallas cuts him?

https://thesmokingcuban.com/2020/11/22/mavericks-sign-jj-barea/