2020 Free Agency Thread

[illmatic99]

Clutchfans has a 13 page thread on Christian Wood because he liked then immediately unliked a tweet about the Covington deal.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/christian-wood.308544/

Thought we were crazy.

 

[Chris Craig]

An interesting depth chart if Neil decided to do this;

Sign and trade Whiteside for LaMarcus
Sign Millsap for tax MLE
Resign Hood
Resign Melo
Sign Austin Rivers for BAE
Trade for Kanter with trade exception

Dame Rivers Simons
CJ Trent
Roco Melo Hood
LMA Millsap Little
Nurk Kanter Collins

Would be an offseason trader Bob could appreciate. Don't have to worry about hard cap if the team uses tax MLE instead of full nontax MLE.

Of course this exact depth chart isn't likely... but shows that Neil has a lot of options to add players. Hopefully he can do better than our normal free agent offseasons.

If Aldridge returns it will probably be the 2021-22 season as a FA on the cheap

 

[Natebishop3]

Given the available roster that the Blazers had most of last year, I'd say that it's more like, "Dame is out, who the hell else but me can put the ball in the hole?"

He was usually out there with Trent and Melo. There were other players on the floor who could make a shot. He just chooses not to pass it.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Hood will be back. Unless he's offered a ridiculous amount of money that he can't say no to.

That's been the expectation all along.

 

[glazeduck]

Hood will be back. Unless he's offered a ridiculous amount of money that he can't say no to.

That's been the expectation all along.

I think so too. I think Neil told him after taking a team-friendly deal that we'd be a safety net for him, to shop around knowing he had minutes and money with us if he wanted/needed.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Isn't Galinari going to Dallas?

Smoke!

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I think so too. I think Neil told him after taking a team-friendly deal that we'd be a safety net for him, to shop around knowing he had minutes and money with us if he wanted/needed.

I mean, I don't believe much of what Quick writes, but he claims Hood has pretty well told him as much.

 

[Labinot41]

 

[blazerkor]

Clutchfans has a 13 page thread on Christian Wood because he liked then immediately unliked a tweet about the Covington deal.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/christian-wood.308544/

Thought we were crazy.

I was just thinking about him and the fact that there might not be money out there for him to get a sizably bigger contract than the MLE. Maybe we can convince the young guy to sign the MLE for two seasons so we can give him close to 17 million a season after that. Really who knows what's going on until it happens.

 

[BigGameDamian]

We aren't the only team that will be gunning for Jae Crowder. I could easily see Dallas, GS, Lakers, Clippers among others going after him also.

 

[B-Roy]

No idea why we would re-sign Whiteside or go after any of the bigger name centers just to play 18 MPG behind Nurk, not to mention Zach who will also spend time there. There are SO many centers on the market we can definitely get a competent one for the vet min. Spend the MLE money somewhere else.

Competent centers who could sign for the vet min:

Alex Len
Bismack Biyombo
Robin Lopez
Taj Gibson
Jahlil Okafor
Kyle O Quinn
Cheick Diallo
Noah Vonleh
WCS
Mason Plumlee
Joakim Noah

 

[glazeduck]

I mean, I don't believe much of what Quick writes, but he claims Hood has pretty well told him as much.

I pay 0.00% attention to Quick, but I'm glad to know that. Such that it doesn't violate tampering rules, I'm glad that Neil is looking out for his guy if the need arises.

 

[glazeduck]

No idea why we would re-sign Whiteside or go after any of the bigger name centers just to play 18 MPG behind Nurk, not to mention Zach who will also spend time there. There are SO many centers on the market we can definitely get a competent one for the vet min. Spend the MLE money somewhere else.

Competent centers who could sign for the vet min:

Alex Len
Bismack Biyombo
Robin Lopez
Taj Gibson
Jahlil Okafor
Kyle O Quinn
Cheick Diallo
Noah Vonleh
WCS
Mason Plumlee
Joakim Noah

WCS or Noah please and thank you.

 

[wizenheimer]

"Completely wrong'?

that's my middle name....says my wife every day

 

[TBpup]

that's my middle name....says my wife every day

That's awesome! Knowing your role can be important.

 

[42N8Bounce]

No idea why we would re-sign Whiteside ...

Agreed that Whiteside should not be a primary target. However, with the Blazers over the cap they have to consider their option/exceptions that they have available to sign players.

They currently have 9 players under contract. Their options/exceptions to sign additional players are:
* Non-taxpayer MLE, $9,258,000
* BAE, $3,623,000
* Vet minimum (~$2.5M)
- Trade Player Exception, $7,069,662
- Early Bird Rights Hood, 175% previous contract (~$10M)
- Bird Rights Whiteside

If the Blazers use the MLE on a player like Milsap (10 players signed) then the BAE on a backup point guard (11 players signed), and sign Gabriel to the minimum (12 players signed), they then have 3 roster spots to fill - using the exceptions noted above.

The decision then becomes - Do you bring back Whiteside or choose another player at the vet minimum?

I'm not advocating for re-signing Whiteside. I just think that Whiteside allows the Blazers to use an exception and get a player a step above the players available at the vet minimum.

 

[Scalma]

Jae Crowder is not a good shooter. His shooting splits with Miami look like an aberration if you look at the rest of his career.

he got hot at the right time. I feel like he’s gonna be massively overpaid if he gets the non tax MLE. I guess he’ll always defend but meh.

 

[Chris Craig]

Clutchfans has a 13 page thread on Christian Wood because he liked then immediately unliked a tweet about the Covington deal.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/christian-wood.308544/

Thought we were crazy.

Maybe he liked the tweet because he saw Portland get better and it reinforced his desire to come here. Lol

I so want the Blazers to get Wood too(in addition to already getting RoCo) now. Rockets fans would be so pissed

 

[B-Roy]

Agreed that Whiteside should not be a primary target. However, with the Blazers over the cap they have to consider their option/exceptions that they have available to sign players.

They currently have 9 players under contract. Their options/exceptions to sign additional players are:
* Non-taxpayer MLE, $9,258,000
* BAE, $3,623,000
* Vet minimum (~$2.5M)
- Trade Player Exception, $7,069,662
- Early Bird Rights Hood, 175% previous contract (~$10M)
- Bird Rights Whiteside

If the Blazers use the MLE on a player like Milsap (10 players signed) then the BAE on a backup point guard (11 players signed), and sign Gabriel to the minimum (12 players signed), they then have 3 roster spots to fill - using the exceptions noted above.

The decision then becomes - Do you bring back Whiteside or choose another player at the vet minimum?

I'm not advocating for re-signing Whiteside. I just think that Whiteside allows the Blazers to use an exception and get a player a step above the players available at the vet minimum.

View attachment 35095

The ONLY reason why I could see them re-signing Whiteside in that scenario is to have a larger contract to match salaries with. He is not a positive player, and he was even worse off the bench in the bubble. I would argue that a guy like Robin Lopez, who knows and accepts his role is a better on-court presence than Whiteside, whose play seems to fluctuate based on how well he's feeling on a particular day. Seriously, no thank you.

 

[Chris Craig]

Agreed that Whiteside should not be a primary target. However, with the Blazers over the cap they have to consider their option/exceptions that they have available to sign players.

They currently have 9 players under contract. Their options/exceptions to sign additional players are:
* Non-taxpayer MLE, $9,258,000
* BAE, $3,623,000
* Vet minimum (~$2.5M)
- Trade Player Exception, $7,069,662
- Early Bird Rights Hood, 175% previous contract (~$10M)
- Bird Rights Whiteside

If the Blazers use the MLE on a player like Milsap (10 players signed) then the BAE on a backup point guard (11 players signed), and sign Gabriel to the minimum (12 players signed), they then have 3 roster spots to fill - using the exceptions noted above.

The decision then becomes - Do you bring back Whiteside or choose another player at the vet minimum?

I'm not advocating for re-signing Whiteside. I just think that Whiteside allows the Blazers to use an exception and get a player a step above the players available at the vet minimum.

View attachment 35095

Let Whiteside walk and go after Wood. Let Collins back up Nurk.

 

[Scalma]

The ONLY reason why I could see them re-signing Whiteside in that scenario is to have a larger contract to match salaries with. He is not a positive player, and he was even worse off the bench in the bubble. I would argue that a guy like Robin Lopez, who knows and accepts his role is a better on-court presence than Whiteside, whose play seems to fluctuate based on how well he's feeling on a particular day. Seriously, no thank you.

I could probably come up with a list of at least 5 free agent centers I’d take over Whiteside and I don’t even hate Whiteside. I just don’t think he’s a fit as a backup at all. He’s clearly a guy that’s better when given a larger role.

 

[42N8Bounce]

he got hot at the right time. I feel like he’s gonna be massively overpaid if he gets the non tax MLE. I guess he’ll always defend but meh.

Last year crowder shot 34.4% from 3.
Career he has shot 34.0% from 3.

I think 34% is a baseline that teams will be using to gauge his effectiveness. Nobody thinks he's become a 40%+ 3 point shooter because the last 20 games he shot 44.5%

I'd be very happy to sign Crowder. Even if we have to overpay a bit. Now is the time to go all in!

 

[Scalma]

Harkless for near minimum/BAE > Crowder for MLE.

for the record we shouldn’t be targeting either one imo.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[blazerkor]

In three hours so much shit is going to hit so many fans. Woj's twitter will melt down. The people in the NBA front office will be running around like chickens with their heads off. It's going to be great. I will be so disappointed if there are no Blazers announcements today.

 

[Hoopguru]

I love it when a 6"10" Christian Wood that goes un-drafted and has been in the league 4 year? is going to get a payday.

 

[Scalma]

I wonder of Woj/Shams/etc are just sitting on a bunch of agreements because leaking em now could get their sources in trouble, or if their phones actually just blow up the second free agency opens. I’m going with A because there’s almost always multiple tweets when the clock hits.

 

[wizenheimer]

I wonder of Woj/Shams/etc are just sitting on a bunch of agreements because leaking em now could get their sources in trouble, or if their phones actually just blow up the second free agency opens. I’m going with A because there’s almost always multiple tweets when the clock hits.

in the past, the 5 to 8 days before the moratorium ends in July are filled with news of teams and players reaching agreements. This is an unprecedented time

 

[B-Roy]

Aminu’s deal with us was announced literally the second free agency started. Literally.

 

[Scalma]

Aminu’s deal with us was announced literally the second free agency started. Literally.

That might’ve been the first time Neil fed Woj lol