If you're Neil Olshey - who do you call first?

[Natebishop3]

I'm really curious about this. I think we've kinda talked about it before. Neil and Paul can't be in more than two places at once. They have to target one person, and really push hard to sign that one person.

Who would you go after? Who do you think Neil will go after?

Will they call at 12:01? Will they try to fly out and see that person on July 1st?

This could really make or break our offseason. If Neil picks the wrong guy, say Kevin Durant, and tries and fails. Can he just call up Dwight Howard? Can he call up Horford if they know they're option #2?

 

[Wizard Mentor]

HW

 

[Natebishop3]

I think it will be really interesting to see what Neil/Paul do. See who they target first. Where do they put their expectations?

If Neil doesn't even try to go after Horford/Durant and maybe goes third tier instead, I think that really says a lot about our drawing power.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

My agent.

 

[TBpup]

Ghostbusters

 

[drexlersdad]

Go all in on Horford? If we strike out on him, does it insult the next guy? I don't know.

 

[TBpup]

By then I think they will have a pretty good idea of whom would be receptive to their offer and who they don't really have a chance with. Now if we get reports of Paul firing up BlazerOne on the evening of June 30th or an 'Octopus' sighting off of Miami beach late next week.....well, wouldn't that be fun.

 

[Pinwheel1]

It's a great question but for me the answer depends on which top free agent has the most interest in us. And Neil knows this better than us because he can talk to their agents.

These guys have egos and they all want to be a franchise's #1 target. So I agree it is important to go all in at 12:01. But which one?
Neil needs to guess right. If he has no clue, then I would go with either Horford or Whiteside.

And if I had to choose one of those two........Whiteside. But again I would hope he has a better gauge on it than us.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I think it may be more a case of who lets us call them, than who we call. I'm sure Neil will talk to their agents ahead of time and see where we fit on their schedules, not the other way around. If you're Kevin Durant or Al Horford, you pretty much get to tell people when they get to talk to you. No point calling Kevin Durant at 12:01 when he's already on another call.

Actually, that may be the way to do it. Call all those guys immediately after midnight, and when it kicks over to voicemail, because they are on a call with someone else, leave them a short 10-15 second voicemail. That way, they all have a voicemail message from Neil with a 12:01 time stamp that makes them all feel like they were our first choice.

BNM

 

[Mediocre Man]

This is a much better question

I go for Horford.

 

[craigehlo]

Howard

 

[Rhal]

I'd still call Durant first. I'm not sure how everything works but I don't think NO is just on hold for hours waiting to talk to Durant. After Durant i'd call Whiteside/Howard/Horford

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'd still call Durant first. I'm not sure how everything works but I don't think NO is just on hold for hours waiting to talk to Durant. After Durant i'd call Whiteside/Howard/Horford

Well, Durant can only take one call at a time. I'd imagine that's OKC first, out of courtesy, unless they've already told him, see what other offers you get and then come see us and we'll give you more. Im surer OKC has maded it clear to him and his agent they will do everything in their power to keep him.

Next up are probably GSW and SAS. If he knows Neil wants to talk to him, his agent will probably arrange a call at a time that works for both parties, but I doubt if we're even in his top three, probably not even top 5. No way is he taking Neil's call at 12:01, or anything close to that.

BNM

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Olshey will know if a guy would be a waste of time and if a guy would even be open to listening to us.

He needs to be on Howards doorstep at 12:01am. Howard is one of those guys that would eat that up. If you show him how badly you want him, and he seems to already like lillard and our guys, and fits us like a glove (well other than age a tad) i believe that would mean a lot to him.

Howard is leaving houston for sure, and needs a new home. Horford and durant are much murkier and i think atlanta and okc are the most likely to keep them. Whiteside could leave, but i feel like he will have plenty of suitors.

I wouldnt be upset if it was whiteside or howard.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

He'll have 2 secretaries and a phone system that can handle five or six calls at once...... and he'll have his computer open to S2, of course.

 

[Scalma]

It'll be cole Aldrich and I'll be burning down the blazers facility soon after.


Seriously though, either Whiteside or Horford

 

[Reep]

Have Neil call Horford and Dame call Whiteside. I would love to say Durant, but given the trade and their money advantage I think it would be pointless.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Have Neil call Horford and Dame call Whiteside. I would love to say Durant, but given the trade and their money advantage I think it would be pointless.

Dame won't do it..... but CJ would!

 

[Reep]

Dame won't do it..... but CJ would!

Close enough.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I call Dwight Howard and order Shrimp Fried Rice, Chicken Chow Mein, Moo Goo Gai Pan, and two sides BBQ Pork using a really offensive and terrible Chinese accent.

 

[Scalma]

So here's a question..just where IS Dwight going? NY will prioritize Noah I'm guessing, and Dallas is going after Whiteside and Conley. Who's going to make Dwight their priority? Milwaukee? Charlotte? Seems like if Portland prioritized him they could probably get him.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

So here's a question..just where IS Dwight going? NY will prioritize Noah I'm guessing, and Dallas is going after Whiteside and Conley. Who's going to make Dwight their priority? Milwaukee? Charlotte?

We will. Hopefully.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Whiteside

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Here is how I would do it. Go after the cheapest of the big three first and in this case the one you think you have the best chance of getting; Whiteside. Get an early commitment if at all possible. Then you can go to the other two and say see we already got Whiteside, now we want you. Of course, that doesn't mean you ignore the other two while getting a commitment from Whiteside. I am hoping that Olshey really does have that kind of relationship with agents that they will trust him enough to tell there is no chance to sign their client, and so make it easier to determine a course of action.

 

[Chris Craig]

Not sure why everyone has suddenly jumped on the Dwight Howard bandwagon. First Call: Horford, second call : Whiteside, 3rd call: Marvin Williams and then I guess howard

 

[riverman]

I thought Horford was going to stay put with a max 5 year deal....read something about that yesterday. I'd say Whiteside because of his youth, then Howard after he's been wined and dined in New York, Dallas and Miami...if he's greedy we'll find out that way. If Howard wants a basketball culture..he'll come to us.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Don't call Howard. Let the market take care of that one. Call Durant (just to leave a voice mail), then Horford, then Whiteside, then OKC to see if they still want to keep Kanter, then Cole Aldrich, then Milwakee to talk about Monroe, then check back on Howard.

 

[riverman]

Don't call Howard. Let the market take care of that one. Call Durant (just to leave a voice mail), then Horford, then Whiteside, then OKC to see if they still want to keep Kanter, then Cole Aldrich, then Milwakee to talk about Monroe, then check back on Howard.

That's sensible

 

[HailBlazers]

Not sure why everyone has suddenly jumped on the Dwight Howard bandwagon. First Call: Horford, second call : Whiteside, 3rd call: Marvin Williams and then I guess howard

The "first call" was months ago, Olshey has been wooing agents for days. Excited to see what he produces this summer but you can bet Neil has been putting in work for some time.

I thought Horford was going to stay put with a max 5 year deal....read something about that yesterday. I'd say Whiteside because of his youth, then Howard after he's been wined and dined in New York, Dallas and Miami...if he's greedy we'll find out that way. If Howard wants a basketball culture..he'll come to us.

Will be pretty telling if he picks NY (Melo). Pretty lateral move from Houston but who knows maybe he'll believe Rose (Brandon Roy 2.0?) isn't done yet.

 

[Harry's Raincoat]

The ground work has already been set. Agents have been talked with and interest is KNOWN to N.Olshey and the other GM's.
We've let Whiteside's and Howard's agents know that we have significant interest and we know who has interest in us.

The phone call is a formality IMO. The pitch and contract agreement is the tough part.