Who will be out there in free agency for backup PF/C?

[Draco]

We don't know exactly what the next CBA will look like but I think it's more likely than not there is some sort of MLE. If they do get rid of or reduce the exception that would probably be phased in over a number of seasons. So in the interest of speculation, lets say once the lockout ends we have ~$5 million to spend on a free agent.

We are two deep at PG (Felton, Smith), SG (Matthews, Roy), SF (Wallace, Batum).

Our obvious need is PF and C. We have Oden, LaMarcus, and Camby. Oden is projected to be out for the start of the season, so we don’t have any early season backup. Oden and Camby additionally are the two most injury prone players on our roster. LaMarcus was worn down from playing too many minutes as the only big man last season and will need more rest. The team will be more competitive if they can have the option of not having to play extended minutes of small ball with Wallace or Batum out of postion at PF.

So we need to target the best available PF or C we can get. From scanning Storytellers salary page, below is my list of players I think could be available for all or a portion of the MLE, I believe all are UFA except the last 5. Some would be worth the entire MLE, some only a smaller portion just above a minimum contract.

Nenad Kristic
Glen Davis
Kenyon Martin
Chris Wilcox
Chuck Hayes
Jeff Foster
Josh McRoberts
Kris Humphries
Nazr Mohammed
Samuel Dalembert
Reggie Evans
Brandan Wright (RFA ?)
Aaron Gray (ETO)
Ronny Turiaf (ETO)
Spencer Hawes (RFA)
Antonio McDyess (Team option)


I left Tyson Chandler, Nene (ETO), DeAndre Jordan (RFA), Marc Gasol (RFA), off my list because they all will cost more than the MLE. Dalembert may go for more than the MLE as well.

Who do you want us to target in free agency?

 

[Draco]

I would target Kenyon Martin, then Kris Humphries. Although a number of these guys could workout fine. We don't need to add a starter, we just need a guy who is capable coming off the bench as the 7th or 8th man and won't lose a game for us.

 

[McNicholicious]

Chuck Hayes, Kris Humphries, Dalembert, or Reggie Evans would all be good in my opinion. I may lose it if we wind up with Big Baby, I really hate that guy. He is actually a pretty solid backup PF, but man I can't stand him.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Pendergraph?

There's not many to choose from in free-agency. Our best bet it to trade for one.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hayes will be re-signed by Houston, or I'd choose him.

Since Nate is calling the shots, I will go with Evans

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Evans would be good. I doubt he would cost close to the full MLE too.

 

[Kaydow]

If I'm Lamarcus Aldridge, I'm pissed off right now. We traded the two guys who got him the ball at the rim, and we passed on drafting a guy who could help take some of the pressure off him. Here's how next season will go.

"Hey Lamarcus, with Greg & Camby out tonight we need you to go out and guard Dwight Howard for 40 minutes tonight. Oh, and can you give us 25/10 also?"

 

[Pinwheel1]

If I'm Lamarcus Aldridge, I'm pissed off right now. We traded the two guys who got him the ball at the rim, and we passed on drafting a guy who could help take some of the pressure off him. Here's how next season will go.

"Hey Lamarcus, with Greg & Camby out tonight we need you to go out and guard Dwight Howard for 40 minutes tonight. Oh, and can you give us 25/10 also?"

Are you talking about Faried? You think this guy with zero offensive game would take pressure off of LMA next year? We are talking 5-7 minutes max and again Wallace would get those minutes because Batum needs them at SF. Hell Chris Johnson can do that. LMA will get relief by adding a center, not a rookie like Faired. Hopefully it will be Greg. If not they need someone much bigger than Faried

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

My first would be Dalembert but I think there is some demand for him. How about Josh McRoberts; pulled down 5.3 rebounds in 22 minutes, shoots 54% and he shoots the three at 38% and he is an ok free throw shooter. with Mc Millan's offense (and actually I think with any team that doesn't have a superstar) everybody on the team has to be a shooter.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Kenyon Martin. Maybe that was the agreement with the Nuggets: "we'll let you have Martin's replacement in the draft if you let him go in free agency".

Martin has sort of made the transition from crazy headcase to elder statesman. And he made it back from worse knees than Greg has. Here's hoping he's BFF with Felton and will follow him where'ere he leads.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Kris Humphries.

Do we really want a Kardashian?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Josh McRoberts would be kinda funny. He'd've been gone from the Blazers almost exactly the same number of games as Oden.

 

[B-Roy]

Are you talking about Faried? You think this guy with zero offensive game would take pressure off of LMA next year? We are talking 5-7 minutes max and again Wallace would get those minutes because Batum needs them at SF. Hell Chris Johnson can do that. LMA will get relief by adding a center, not a rookie like Faired. Hopefully it will be Greg. If not they need someone much bigger than Faried

There's more to a game than scoring. Faried would be able to spot minutes for Aldridge better than a CJ.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Do we really want a Kardashian?

Well out of the three, that would be the only one worth watching.

 

[Pinwheel1]

There's more to a game than scoring. Faried would be able to spot minutes for Aldridge better than a CJ.

I was being sarcastic about CJohnson. Neither is going to take those 10 minutes a game from Wallace at the PF. It was better to take a chance on a potential starter in Smith (Down the road) than on a guy who will always be a role player like Faried.

 

[B-Roy]

I was being sarcastic about CJohnson. Neither is going to take those 10 minutes a game from Wallace at the PF. It was better to take a chance on a potential starter in Smith (Down the road) than on a guy who will always be a role player like Faried.

I don't see much potential in Smith. The guy is a senior already, lacks the explosiveness of many of the combo/points picked in the years before, and doesn't have a good jumper.

Faried also saves you if there are any injuries. Smith was drafted in an already crowded backcourt.

 

[Draco]

My first would be Dalembert but I think there is some demand for him. How about Josh McRoberts; pulled down 5.3 rebounds in 22 minutes, shoots 54% and he shoots the three at 38% and he is an ok free throw shooter. with Mc Millan's offense (and actually I think with any team that doesn't have a superstar) everybody on the team has to be a shooter.

McRoberts would be an interesting pickup, give us some rebounding and knock down open shots on offense. I think he would be a great fit. Is he the best player out of the Jack, Bayless, whatever that Indy swingman was trade?

 

[Blaze01]

I read that Kristic is going overseas to play, so scratch him off the list.

Interesting to see if West opts out, if he does or even if he doesn't. I think POR should go after Carl Landry. A toxic contract may dissuade New Orleans from resigning him...

DeAndre Jordan would be another guy, give him a full MLE deal with all the kickers\up front money you could and force the clips tightwad owner (Sterling) to match it...He said he would, but he has said lots of things like that before and then pull the exact opposite.

Dalembert\Martin\Humphries are all nice vet options....

Or they could try some young guys like Earl Clark\Brandan Wright, who have yet to produce

Lastly, they could try and stick it to MEM and give Gasol a toxic offer. Tehy would match it, but it might force them to deal some of thier other guys away at a later date like OJ Mayo and possibly Rudy Gay...

 

[SlyPokerDog]

If things finally go right we'll have this guy named Marcus Camby as our backup PF/C.

 

[MickZagger]

Pendergraph?

There's not many to choose from in free-agency. Our best bet it to trade for one.

You serious? All those guys listed are better than Pendergraph.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Not having summer league sucks for this. There usually are a few guys out there that have worked hard to improve. At this point Barron and Cjohnson may be options for the end of the bench. Pendergraph is an option. Sure he looked bad in summer league when they asked him to be an offensive weapon, but that would never happen in the real season. I know he is working out hard.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Jordan Hill anyone? They have Patterson developing as their PFOTF behind Scola and now have Montiejunas behind Chuck Hayes and Thabeet. He's only 23, athletic, decent role player potential.

 

[Natebishop3]

I've said this before a long time ago, but I would do a toxic offer to Marc Gasol, if only just to piss off the Grizzlies.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Jeff Foster has always been a rebounding and fouling machine. He's an even clumsier Przybilla, without the injuries.

By the way, this is an endorsement.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I've said this before a long time ago, but I would do a toxic offer to Marc Gasol, if only just to piss off the Grizzlies.

That would be another bridge we burn but it's worth a shot. He'd vault Portland back into contention again.

 

[MickZagger]

I like Turiaf, Hayes and Mohammed from that list.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I would take anyone from that list. Dalembert and Wilcox would be my favorite's though.

 

[Natebishop3]

That would be another bridge we burn but it's worth a shot. He'd vault Portland back into contention again.

Those bastards fucked us with the Darius Miles deal. I'm all for screwing them over.

 

[RR7]

If I'm Lamarcus Aldridge, I'm pissed off right now. We traded the two guys who got him the ball at the rim, and we passed on drafting a guy who could help take some of the pressure off him. Here's how next season will go.

"Hey Lamarcus, with Greg & Camby out tonight we need you to go out and guard Dwight Howard for 40 minutes tonight. Oh, and can you give us 25/10 also?"

So you were expecting Faried to be covering Howard?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The elite teams have a three-bigman rotation. Even when Greg is able to play it's going to be a while before he gets into the flow of things considering he hasn't played since 2009. Speaking of toxic offers, what about Nene? The Blazers have already been linked to him in this article below. A future three-man rotation of LMA/Nene/Oden would put Portland back into contention. Would you give up Wallace or Batum for Nene?

The SI article from May: LINK

SI.com reports: "Nuggets and Nene are not close to an agreement on an extension, sources say. Haven't discussed terms in weeks. Nene is inclined to stay in Denver. But there will be a robust market for 28-year old center. Houston, Portland possibilities." It's worth noting that Portland is capped out so that would have to be an extend-and-trade scenario.