We need a home run in free agency

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Mediocre Man said:
He's just not here, Erik. The closest thing we have is Harkless, IMO. If he improves his handles and gets a more consistent shot, he could be a 16-20 ppg scorer
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as long as he's doing that, could he go on a really late growth spurt too? Another 2-5" would be great... thanks!

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
as long as he's doing that, could he go on a really late growth spurt too? Another 2-5" would be great... thanks!

STOMP
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Wow what a great question.

Science tells us men can grow into their 20's. With proper diet and maybe a stetching torture machine, there is nothing stopping Mo Harkless from growing to 6' 10" or 6' 11"
 
I agree with the general sentiments of this thread. If ever there was a high chance of Portland hitting a home run in FA, it's now. If we can't right now, given our 2 star players, the level of basketball this team played last season with the team we already have, the cap space we have, and the successful future that could be had with even 1 more high tier player, In this Blazers fans mind it will NEVER happen...EVER. Portland is in its best position for success, and luring that elusive elite FA, than it's probably ever been. We have to pull a rabbit out of the hat this FA period. Please basketball gods show us favor and mercy.
 
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julius said:
is this where I whine about the mods playing favorites? I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure either, but it's good to know you think it's a problem also. See, we can find common ground, even though some of your posts are asinine
 
UKRAINEFAN said:
I'm gonna go Kingspeed on you'all and say that we are getting Whiteside. I'm sure you know I have no inside sources but I think it's gonna happen!
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I have that feeling too, but it's hard not to be skeptical as a Blazers fan.
 
I have reservations about Whiteside's brain, and his offense, and the negatives that go along with a single-minded focus on blocking shots, but I recognize that considering the alternatives and possibilities, signing Whiteside would be a major coup and would improve the team.

Go get him Neil! (Unless you can get Horford, of course)
 
42NBounce: Crabbe and Harkless at 7.5M?? I guarantee they both get 15+ million. But i still want to keep both.
 
OSUBlazerfan said:
42NBounce: Crabbe and Harkless at 7.5M?? I guarantee they both get 15+ million. But i still want to keep both.
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Yeah.... no way Crabbe gets less than 13 a year. I have already seen multiple reports that he is one of the guys that teams are looking at. New York being one example of a team that's targeting him.
 
The optimist in me hopes they make a run at Festus or Biyombo, the realist suspects it's someone we haven't considered much if at all or fallback to Leonard. I'd be shocked and disappointed if they go after Howard while Whiteside seems destined for the brighter lights of a bigger market

STOMP
 
Only 3 starting level, really good players have ever signed with us via Free Agency.......
Rod Strickland '92
Kenny Anderson '96
Brian Grant '97

Who was best is debatable.

This is our best opportunity since then, because of careful cap planning, to land a big name FA. Hoping we do it.
 
All I can think of is Charlie Brown and Lucy holding that damned football. This time it's gonna happen, this time it's gonna be great, this time . . .

I guess we find out once and for all just how much pull Damian has, just how much of a salesman Neil is (either towards us or free agents), and we finally learn if their combined forces of will can actually transform Portland into any kind of free agent destination.
 
Harry's Raincoat said:
Only 3 starting level, really good players have ever signed with us via Free Agency.......
Rod Strickland '92
Kenny Anderson '96
Brian Grant '97

Who was best is debatable.

This is our best opportunity since then, because of careful cap planning, to land a big name FA. Hoping we do it.
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You have to add andre miller to that list. Dude has to be one of the best players to ever not make one all star game.
 
OSUBlazerfan said:
42NBounce: Crabbe and Harkless at 7.5M?? I guarantee they both get 15+ million. But i still want to keep both.
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Salaries should be looked at as percent of CAP. Last year, the cap was at $70M. A fringe starter was paid around $5.5M. That's about 7.8% of the CAP.

For next year, we have to take into account the expected rise in the CAP (for 2017 and 2018). In 2018, the CAP is expected to be around $110M. 7.8% of that is $8.6M.

If a team pays a fringe starter more than $8.6M, then they have less money available to go after top tier starters. Will Crabbe be a top 3 player on a team? If a team believes so, then I can see them making offers in the $15M range. If a team believes he's a fringe starter (which is where I believe he is), then he will probably be paid in the $7M - $12M range. If a team is willing to pay Crabbe $12M+, I say they can have him. That's tying up money that could be spent productivity elsewhere. But it only takes one dumb GM....
 
Nikolokolus said:
All I can think of is Charlie Brown and Lucy holding that damned football. This time it's gonna happen, this time it's gonna be great, this time . . .

I guess we find out once and for all just how much pull Damian has, just how much of a salesman Neil is (either towards us or free agents), and we finally learn if their combined forces of will can actually transform Portland into any kind of free agent destination.
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Probably the greatest analogy ever on this site. Until it happens, and I hope it's this year, that's exactly what it's like.
 
42N8Bounce said:
Salaries should be looked at as percent of CAP. Last year, the cap was at $70M. A fringe starter was paid around $5.5M. That's about 7.8% of the CAP.

For next year, we have to take into account the expected rise in the CAP (for 2017 and 2018). In 2018, the CAP is expected to be around $110M. 7.8% of that is $8.6M.

If a team pays a fringe starter more than $8.6M, then they have less money available to go after top tier starters. Will Crabbe be a top 3 player on a team? If a team believes so, then I can see them making offers in the $15M range. If a team believes he's a fringe starter (which is where I believe he is), then he will probably be paid in the $7M - $12M range. If a team is willing to pay Crabbe $12M+, I say they can have him. That's tying up money that could be spent productivity elsewhere. But it only takes one dumb GM....
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I disagree on Crabbe. If he gets paid 13 by someone he still doesn't really tie up space as his cap hold is still 2.7 MIL until we decide to match which is 3 days after league offices open on July 7th. If we haven't spent our money by then or traded to fill our spaces by that time then it is our fault imo. We can talk to teams and players July 1st and have an agreement in principal. I can't see any scenario (except for striking out in everything - free agency and trading) where we would need to worry about Crabbe and his contract from another team. However, if someone wants to pay both Harkless or Leonard over 12 then I think we have to let one of them go (which is sad if it is Mo as he is probably my #1 of our 3 RFA's) because I don't think we can have all 3 of our guys make 13 each and not pay a huge luxury tax bill into the future.
 
42N8Bounce said:
Salaries should be looked at as percent of CAP. Last year, the cap was at $70M. A fringe starter was paid around $5.5M. That's about 7.8% of the CAP.

For next year, we have to take into account the expected rise in the CAP (for 2017 and 2018). In 2018, the CAP is expected to be around $110M. 7.8% of that is $8.6M.

If a team pays a fringe starter more than $8.6M, then they have less money available to go after top tier starters. Will Crabbe be a top 3 player on a team? If a team believes so, then I can see them making offers in the $15M range. If a team believes he's a fringe starter (which is where I believe he is), then he will probably be paid in the $7M - $12M range. If a team is willing to pay Crabbe $12M+, I say they can have him. That's tying up money that could be spent productivity elsewhere. But it only takes one dumb GM....
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So you wouldnt match at 15M? On crabbe?
 
KeepOnRollin said:
I disagree on Crabbe. If he gets paid 13 by someone he still doesn't really tie up space as his cap hold is still 2.7 MIL until we decide to match which is 3 days after league offices open on July 7th. If we haven't spent our money by then or traded to fill our spaces by that time then it is our fault imo. We can talk to teams July 1st. I can't see any scenario (except for striking out in everything - free agency and trading) where we would need to worry about Crabbe and his contract from another team. However, if someone wants to pay both Harkless or Leonard over 12 then I think we have to let him go (which is sad if it is Mo as he is probably my #1 of our 3 RFA's) because I don't think we can have all 3 of our guys make 13 each.
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I got the impression that he was talking about tying up the cap going forward, not this offseason. Having a guy like crabbe tying up more than 8% of the cap is bad for the team.

While I see where he's coming from, I think it's worse to let assets walk out the door for nothing. We can sign him and trade him mid season if we are uncomfortable having his contract on the books, or try to get someone like philly to bite on a crabbe for Noel sign and trade.
 
Natebishop3 said:
I got the impression that he was talking about tying up the cap going forward, not this offseason. Having a guy like crabbe tying up more than 8% of the cap is bad for the team.

While I see where he's coming from, I think it's worse to let assets walk out the door for nothing. We can sign him and trade him mid season if we are uncomfortable having his contract on the books, or try to get someone like philly to bite on a crabbe for Noel sign and trade.
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That may be the case with all three of the players they made the QO to. Sign them now and trade them latter. There is no way they could sign a big time FA, keep all three at $12-15M+ and then sign CJ next summer. They would be well over the cap.

Dame --- 25
CJ --------23
FA--------23
Crabbe---13
Harkless-13
Leonard--13
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That's $109 million right there on 6 players. Someone would have to go.
 
TBpup said:
Harkless-13
Leonard--13
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Aww hell no to these two making that much.

Crabbe is a guy you need to resign. He's an asset that we will likely trade in the next few seasons since I don't see him being happy coming off the bench long term. He'll get a contract for 4 years $45 mil.
 
I think you basically pick the two cheapest offers and match on those guys and let the guy who got the biggest offer go if you are POR. Everyone has an order of how they rate the 3 guys but in reality they are all pretty close and most people would have a different order they list them. Let the money talk.
 
Mediocre Man said:
Makes no sense. The cap is expected to vault up again next year
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As pointed out in my earlier post, my percentages take into account the rise in CAP thru the 2018 year.

Percentages are percentages. If a fringe starter gets paid $15M long term (13% of the 2018 CAP), that leaves less money to attract top tier starters.
 
KeepOnRollin said:
I think you basically pick the two cheapest offers and sign those guys and let the guy who got the biggest offer go if you are POR. Everyone has an order of how they rate the 3 guys but in reality they are all pretty close and most people would have a different order they list them. Let the money talk.
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I agree. I think crabbe is a must to retain though. I think its apparent he has value around the league and could be traded at a later date fairly easily
 
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