NBA Free Agency 2014

[CDu]

That is a WHOLE lot to give up for Chandler, who has been a bit injury prone the last year or two. Giving up all that *and* taking on Felton? No thanks.

I'm not sure I really understand that deal from either side. Dallas made their cap situation a bit worse this summer with this move, while New York (who is well over the cap) saved a bit of money this year but hurt their cap situation for next summer (when they'd actually be in position to make moves).

As for the actual players changing hands, it's a whole lot of "meh" except for the possibility of development with Shane Larkin. But really, aside from getting a couple of second round picks (maybe Jackson can turn those into a late-first round pick?), this trade is just a case of shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

[kAzE]

That is a WHOLE lot to give up for Chandler, who has been a bit injury prone the last year or two. Giving up all that *and* taking on Felton? No thanks.

Agreed . . . the #34 pick in this draft is going to be a good player . . . and they are giving up Larkin, who was their first rounder last year, and, in my opinion, a vastly superior asset than Felton. You get Chandler at the end of his contract, past his prime, and you lose a guy who might be the best shooter in the league in Calderon. I guess this is an attempt to get better immediately, so that they can squeeze something out of Dirk's last few years, but this is just blowing up your future for a very small improvement in the present. If Chandler gets hurt, this becomes a disaster for them.

I actually like this deal for the Knicks, though, they get younger with Larkin and the draft picks, and Calderon is a very tradeable asset because of his shooting. They can get rid of him next summer, which creates the cap room that they want. And who can argue against getting rid of Ray Felton? That's a huge win, no matter how you slice it.

[Billy Dat]

Agreed . . . the #34 pick in this draft is going to be a good player . . . and they are giving up Larkin, who was their first rounder last year, and, in my opinion, a vastly superior asset than Felton. You get Chandler at the end of his contract, past his prime, and you lose a guy who might be the best shooter in the league in Calderon. I guess this is an attempt to get better immediately, so that they can squeeze something out of Dirk's last few years, but this is just blowing up your future for a very small improvement in the present. If Chandler gets hurt, this becomes a disaster for them.

I actually like this deal for the Knicks, though, they get younger with Larkin and the draft picks, and Calderon is a very tradeable asset because of his shooting. They can get rid of him next summer, which creates the cap room that they want. And who can argue against getting rid of Ray Felton? That's a huge win, no matter how you slice it.

The Knicks needed a PG and we just got a starter and a back-up. Calderon is a little past his prime, but he's 32 and had a really solid year last year playing 81 games. Like you say, he can shoot, and we will hopefully get some cheap rookie talent at #34. I'll take it.

That being said, Chandler was a great Knick for the short time he was with the team - a good guy all around who had some bad injury luck but earned a DPOY while with the squad. We'll miss the big guy.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

File this under Rumors That Probably Make No Sense For Anyone Involved:

Ric Bucher ‏@RicBucher 5m
Source: Toronto looking to S&T Kyle Lowry to Miami for cash and future picks. Part II: Bosh opts out, returns to Toronto.



I'm guessing Ric Bucher is one of those dudes who is willing to report anything?

[FerryFor50]

File this under Rumors That Probably Make No Sense For Anyone Involved:

Ric Bucher ‏@RicBucher 5m
Source: Toronto looking to S&T Kyle Lowry to Miami for cash and future picks. Part II: Bosh opts out, returns to Toronto.



I'm guessing Ric Bucher is one of those dudes who is willing to report anything?

Yea that would be a dumb move by everyone - Miami, Toronto, Bosh... only Lowry would benefit here.

[CDu]

File this under Rumors That Probably Make No Sense For Anyone Involved:

Ric Bucher ‏@RicBucher 5m
Source: Toronto looking to S&T Kyle Lowry to Miami for cash and future picks. Part II: Bosh opts out, returns to Toronto.



I'm guessing Ric Bucher is one of those dudes who is willing to report anything?

Yea that would be a dumb move by everyone - Miami, Toronto, Bosh... only Lowry would benefit here.

I could theoretically see Part I happening. But not Part II. And even Part I seems strange because Miami just traded up to get Shabazz Napier.

But yeah, no way Bosh agrees to opt out and then go to Toronto.

[Matches]

I could theoretically see Part I happening. But not Part II. And even Part I seems strange because Miami just traded up to get Shabazz Napier.

Lowry was a guy I know the Heat had some interest in, as a replacement for Chalmers and potentially a guy who could be serviceable at PG and relatively affordable. I agree, though - that idea's dead after the Heat got Napier. Questionable how much the Heat really needs a true PG anyway as long as they have Lebron - a combo guard like Napier may actually be a better fit.

[FerryFor50]

Lowry was a guy I know the Heat had some interest in, as a replacement for Chalmers and potentially a guy who could be serviceable at PG and relatively affordable. I agree, though - that idea's dead after the Heat got Napier. Questionable how much the Heat really needs a true PG anyway as long as they have Lebron - a combo guard like Napier may actually be a better fit.

They just need a capable PG. Someone who isn't going to make bad decision after bad decision and is capable of hurting teams that leave them open.

You know, someone who isn't Mario Chalmers...

Chalmers had a few good years in Miami, but I think he's regressed. I actually think being on the Heat has messed with his head. He might have been better off on a team without James and Wade barking at him non-stop.

[Henderson]

Questionable how much the Heat really needs a true GM anyway as long as they have Lebron ...

Fixed that for you. This was obviously LeBron's pick. When asked about that last night, a Heat source said the team didn't consult with LeBron about the pick, but added that they were aware of his wishes. Too bad they couldn't free up cap room by just releasing Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley. LeBron handles those duties anyway.

[richardjackson199]

Not sure if this is the right thread, but James Michael McAdoo is a free agent now, right? He went from being a certain top 10 pick 2 years ago, to leaving school early undrafted. Wow. I think JMM will make an NBA team and be a solid player. But maybe UNC's finance classes on "sell stock high" were also paper classes.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Ric Bucher issued a full retraction on that Lowery/Bosh story on Twitter. It was such a dumb transaction that it's hard to understand how he got so easily taken in by his sources.

Meanwhile, a local radio talk show host just reported the following:

Andy Slater
‏@AndySlater
Pat Riley, Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, and LeBron James were together tonight in Coconut Grove. No sign of Chris Bosh.

Weird that I can't find any corroboration elsewhere on Twitter, but in another tweet, it sounds like this reporter saw them with his own eyes.

The feeling around here is that Wade and Bosh will opt out, but obviously no one can say for sure.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Udonis Haslem has opted out of a 1 year extension, which I think was for around $4.5 million, with the understanding that he'll get a 3 year deal worth around $8-9 million, freeing up around $1.5 million in cap space this offseason.

Haslem has the same agent as Wade and Bosh. Hard to imagine this isn't part of a bigger plan. Just waiting on the official word from Wade and Bosh.

[Duvall]

Woj: Suns to attempt to assemble a new Big Three with LeBron, Carmelo and Miles Plumlee.

[Henderson]

Woj: Suns to attempt to assemble a new Big Three with LeBron, Carmelo and Miles Plumlee.

My first thought was, "Yeah, and I'm pursuing intimate relations with Scarlett Johansson too." Then I thought, hmmm, that kind of makes some sense. All that cap room.

Anyway, I hope Scarlett starts returning my calls, or I'm opting out.

[Dukehky]

Napier to the Heat doesn't mean that they should not go after Lowry. Napier isn't an automatic starter in the league or anything, but good depth never hurt anyone. They need to try desperately to get some kind of rim protection, but I'm not exactly sure what else is out there.

I always thought the Big 3 would opt out then re-sign for a discount.

[TexHawk]

They just need a capable PG. Someone who isn't going to make bad decision after bad decision and is capable of hurting teams that leave them open.

You know, someone who isn't Mario Chalmers...

Chalmers had a few good years in Miami, but I think he's regressed. I actually think being on the Heat has messed with his head. He might have been better off on a team without James and Wade barking at him non-stop.

I know he became the punchline after this last Spurs series, but it's easy to forget that Chalmers outplayed Tony Parker in games 6 & 7 last year. His 20 points in Game 6 helped keep that series alive (+/- is flawed, but he was +22 in those games, better than anyone else). 2013-14 was his 2nd best statistical season (he averaged double figures in 2009, on a pre-Lebron/Bosh Miami team). He also was the primary defender on Russell Westbrook in the 2012 Finals.

Of course, he didn't play well vs San Antonio this time around, so I doubt he comes back. But he'll land somewhere. He likely won't approach what he accomplished in Miami, but that sorta depends on where he ends up. I could see him becoming a poor poor poor poor man's Robert Horry, his value increases if he's on a good team that needs timely shooting and defense. On the 2015 Pelicans? Doubtful.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

My first thought was, "Yeah, and I'm pursuing intimate relations with Scarlett Johansson too." Then I thought, hmmm, that kind of makes some sense. All that cap room.

Anyway, I hope Scarlett starts returning my calls, or I'm opting out.

Yeah, I sort of had the same reaction. It's not a bad situation, and Woj is really trying to sell it (and does a decent job). The big problem is that it's Phoenix, and I think that's potentially a dealbreaker. I'm sure Phoenix is a fine city to live in, but I just don't see Lebron leaving Miami for a non-marquee team in a non-marquee city. The last big free agent to go to Phoenix was who?

And putting aside Lebron, I think it's even more unlikely that his wife Savannah would be happy with the move, which is I think a much, much bigger factor in his decisionmaking than we give it credit for.

------------------------------

I'm relieved specifically by the decisions by Wade and Haslem to opt out. I was worried that things would get a little weird around here had Wade opted in and prevented the team from making necessary improvements, or worse, chasing Lebron away. I think he has again bought himself a lot of goodwill from the fans down here, and thereby shielded himself from much of the criticism that would otherwise have likely attended his declining skills.

And, as for Haslem, I think people outside this city might find it surprising or even ridiculous, but he's going to have his jersey retired when his career is finished. He is a Miami native, and there is no Miami athlete who has shown more loyalty or who has sacrificed more for any of the sports teams here. Period. I don't think it's even close.

[brevity]

Woj: Suns to attempt to assemble a new Big Three with LeBron, Carmelo and Miles Plumlee.

My first thought was, "Yeah, and I'm pursuing intimate relations with Scarlett Johansson too." Then I thought, hmmm, that kind of makes some sense. All that cap room.

Anyway, I hope Scarlett starts returning my calls, or I'm opting out.

Yeah, I sort of had the same reaction. It's not a bad situation, and Woj is really trying to sell it (and does a decent job). The big problem is that it's Phoenix, and I think that's potentially a dealbreaker. I'm sure Phoenix is a fine city to live in, but I just don't see Lebron leaving Miami for a non-marquee team in a non-marquee city. The last big free agent to go to Phoenix was who?

And putting aside Lebron, I think it's even more unlikely that his wife Savannah would be happy with the move, which is I think a much, much bigger factor in his decisionmaking than we give it credit for.

We're getting a little sidetracked here. I want to hear more about Scarlett Johansson's cap room.

[sagegrouse]

Yeah, I sort of had the same reaction. It's not a bad situation, and Woj is really trying to sell it (and does a decent job). The big problem is that it's Phoenix, and I think that's potentially a dealbreaker. I'm sure Phoenix is a fine city to live in, but I just don't see Lebron leaving Miami for a non-marquee team in a non-marquee city. The last big free agent to go to Phoenix was who?

And putting aside Lebron, I think it's even more unlikely that his wife Savannah would be happy with the move, which is I think a much, much bigger factor in his decisionmaking than we give it credit for.

------------------------------

I'm relieved specifically by the decisions by Wade and Haslem to opt out. I was worried that things would get a little weird around here had Wade opted in and prevented the team from making necessary improvements, or worse, chasing Lebron away. I think he has again bought himself a lot of goodwill from the fans down here, and thereby shielded himself from much of the criticism that would otherwise have likely attended his declining skills.

And, as for Haslem, I think people outside this city might find it surprising or even ridiculous, but he's going to have his jersey retired when his career is finished. He is a Miami native, and there is no Miami athlete who has shown more loyalty or who has sacrificed more for any of the sports teams here. Period. I don't think it's even close.

Well, Sir Charles, for one.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Well, Sir Charles, for one.

Barkley was traded to Phoenix, though...I'm not sure how much say he had in that. I think Steve Nash back in 2004 is probably the best answer, but he's Canadian and so that doesn't count.