Free Agency

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Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

rather have Spencer Hawes than Kaman. He is a NW guy and is quite funny (he caused a twitter storm re: Obamacare yesterday)

+1. I hate Kaman. Also love when Hawes wore his sonics themed suit, I believe the first time he played OKC.

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Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

rather have Spencer Hawes than Kaman. He is a NW guy and is quite funny (he caused a twitter storm re: Obamacare yesterday)

Yeah I agree. Kaman was limited defensively and mobility wise in his prime, but now he is on the decline. Hawes has similar problems but is younger, improving, and better with floor spacing offensively.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Ilyasova!!!

I'd be interested in the Blazers signing him. If his majorly improved three point shooting sticks, he'll be a valuable player.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Eric Gordon was pissed that he was traded in the manner he was with the Clips. Neil told him hours beforehand the trade was dead and Gordon would be with the Clips for the long-term. Gordon was awkwardly then on a bus with season ticket holders when the news broke. I don't think there is any way he signs an offer sheet with us.

If we are the only team that offers him a max deal, I think he might be willing to forgive Olshey.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

You just like him because he's a Republican.

Nah, I didn't even know. I liked him talking shit about the Zombie Sonics during the playoffs. pretty funny shit.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

No question, Batum's agent is a bona fide dick. But we've known that for a while now. Most players leave the negotiating strategy to the suits they hire to take care of it. I'm sure Batum is no different. I don't blame Batum for any of it. If he does have a bad attitude towards Portland, it seems more likely its because his agent is poisoning the well.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Jameer Nelson opted out. He's an UFA.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Jamaal tinsley will be an UFA.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Mike Tokito: NBA/union settle on Bird/waiver dispute. Players claimed off waivers can get early Bird, but not full Bird. Limits J.J.Hickson/#Blazers. about 21 minutes ago
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Bouna the boner is just coming off as a fucking idiot more than anything else. You'd think an agent would want his client to have the best possible team around him. If he proceeds with this course of action all he'll succeed in doing is hurting his client's team, and nothing more. A team, I might add, that has stated countless times how much they value Batum and that they'll match any offer, yet Bouna's response is that we can't talk to him? Weird.

I'd think that an agent is more focused on taking care of his client financially, than with worrying about the team he plays for currently. Does Batum signing an MLE offer sheet with, say, the Spurs help out Batum more than a $12 million deal with Toronto? Either way, Portland can match.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Batum and his agents odd behavior if anything hurts his free agency value. Teams want a positive guy and if your bitching with your old team it sounds like a disgruntled employee that might eventually bitch when he gets to a new team. So maybe we should be thanking Batum's agent for acting like an ass, hurting his clients value, and lowering the price we'll have to pay to match.

Hogwash.

Batum has not once bitched about his role in Portland, and even moved to the bench and produced still when Gerald Wallace was in Portland. If an agent's antics mattered, nobody would ever hire Drew Rosenhaus. Hell, just a year or so after supposedly banning Warren LeGarie clients, Paul Allen now has a GM and an 'interim' coach who are LeGarie clients.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

I'd think that an agent is more focused on taking care of his client financially, than with worrying about the team he plays for currently. Does Batum signing an MLE offer sheet with, say, the Spurs help out Batum more than a $12 million deal with Toronto? Either way, Portland can match.

That's sort of my point. Since we're matching either way (or so we've been told), that means Batum will be here next year. So I don't see the point of his agent hurting Batum's team capspace-wise, because I don't see how anything this agent is doing or saying will result in more money for his client.

Is San Antonio going to increase their offer because of his comments? No.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

There are literally no attractive gettable FAs. Can't we use our cap space for "lopsided trades". Like Utah just did to get Mo Williams. Only... getting an actually good player.
 
There are literally no attractive gettable FAs. Can't we use our cap space for "lopsided trades". Like Utah just did to get Mo Williams. Only... getting an actually good player.

Igoudala

{Poasted via palm pilot}
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Jason Quick ‏@jwquick
Blazers will enter free agency with $16.5 million in cap space, counting cap holds on Batum, Lillard, Leonard, Claver and Freeland.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Jason Quick ‏@jwquick
Blazers will enter free agency with $16.5 million in cap space, counting cap holds on Batum, Lillard, Leonard, Claver and Freeland.

Hmm, that's not bad. About a million short of a max-level deal, I believe. Not that anyone worth a max-level deal (Deron Williams) is going to sign with Portland. Maybe they can use a chunk of that on Iguodala.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

The #Kings Ideal target is SF Nicolas Batum, but he's restricted. - ChrisBHaynes
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

I'm dense, we all know that, so when did Iguodala become a FA?
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

KG getting a 3yr, 34mil deal from BOS.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

So.... Just out of curiosity... Besides possibly signing Batum, does anyone here really expect Portland to acquire a high-impact FA under the age of 30 (hell, or even a legit, undisputed starter)?
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

So.... Just out of curiosity... Besides possibly signing Batum, does anyone here really expect Portland to acquire a high-impact FA under the age of 30 (hell, or even a legit, undisputed starter)?

I think its more likely we go into the season with a lot of 1 year deals and deal them in lopsided trades at the deadline. Might even do some lopsided trades off the get go, but the capspace I dont' think will be used on long term signings.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

That's sort of my point. Since we're matching either way (or so we've been told), that means Batum will be here next year. So I don't see the point of his agent hurting Batum's team capspace-wise, because I don't see how anything this agent is doing or saying will result in more money for his client.

Is San Antonio going to increase their offer because of his comments? No.

So Batum is supposed to sign an offer sheet for considerably less money just so the Blazers can spend more money on someone else?

I'd fire my agent immediately if he gave me that sort of crappy advice. The agent's job is to get "me" my market value, not to negotiate with a team so a chunk of my truemarket value can be given to another player. Maybe, mayyyybbbeee, when a player is nearing the end of the career, has made shitloads of money, and wants a title, do you see them give up a large chunk of market value to help the team their signing with. That's a rare exception, though, and usually those players are not counted on to be part of a franchise's future.

What if Batum is convinced to sign a MLE deal with, say, San Antonio, instead of a $12m/year deal with Toronto, and the Blazers blow that extra money on another FA who is an absolute disaster. LMA starts demanding a trade, and Batum is sitting there wondering he gave up $35m to play for a terrible team, when he could have been paid his market value to be on a terrible team.
 
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Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

I honestly think we will acquire a player via trade rather than sign a big-name FA. That is, if we end up using our cap space. Like others have said, I'm leaning more towards thinking Olshey will keep the space for next season, and sign some veterans to help fill hole's this next season and mentor some of our younger players.

I think Lillard is a starter right off the bat, or at least needs to be thrown into the fire. PG's develop much quicker this way, but I think it will be important for the Blazers to sign a Vet PG that is fine with coming off the bench and mentoring Lillard. A Kirk Hinrich-caliber player comes to mind.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Also, did anyone else hear Olshey say in the post-draft conference that POR views Nolan Smith as a combo-guard? In other words, they viewed him as a nice player coming off the bench, but it seemed as though they were regulating him to the bench for sure. Definitely the right call there.
 
Re: Now what? i.e. Free Agency

Toxic offer Gordon. He's one of the few FA's I would max out.

A nucleus of LA, Lillard, Gordon, Batum. A surprise out of Leonard. A coming out party for Elliot Williams. Whoever else we might be able to add this offseason. Led by one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, Jerry Sloan. We are good enough to pull a Dallas Mavericks.
 

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