With the AD's departure yesterday making it 3 from last year's miracle season, it kind of got me thinking. At this time last year, AD, JJ and Nate were all questionable to return. In fact, it was almost a foregone conclusion they'd be gone after another 30 win, rebuilding, no-playoff appearance season. With JJ I was counting the years when his contract would expire. I felt AD was a cast-off from Portland - I mean was anybody excited when we got him? - and although Nate was Mr. Sonic, in the previous 3 seasons I never got the feeling he was a great coach. And now look: BGJ 5yrs/29 mil AD 5yrs/30 mil Nate 5yrs/30 mil So I'm interested to see if they were a product of a great system/team chemistry or vice versa.
All three in my opinion are overpaid. Before last season no one wanted BGJ, AD was coming off of a career year where he averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds a game, and Nate was expecting to get hugged at some point during the season. Now they are worth a combined 90 million dollars? Doesn't seem rational to me. If Big Game James were 26 I would be all for him getting that kind of money. Same with AD, but you can not tell me that at age 35 you would feel remotely comfortable paying those players over 6 million a year. Or that you would feel comfortable paying Nate McMillan the same money that you are paying Gregg Popovich who has won 3 NBA Championships. Rick Sund and company are doing things right so far this offseason. The interesting thing will happen when Flip, Vlad, Reggie, and Damien are all tenured offfer sheets. I suspect that three out of the four will be matched with a strong offer also made to Potapenko. Projected line up next season Luke/Flip/Cleaves Ray/Flip Sweet Lew/Vlad/Damien Nick/Fortson Magloire/Bobby/Jo Pet
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">All three in my opinion are overpaid. Before last season no one wanted BGJ, AD was coming off of a career year where he averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds a game, and Nate was expecting to get hugged at some point during the season. Now they are worth a combined 90 million dollars? Doesn't seem rational to me. If Big Game James were 26 I would be all for him getting that kind of money. Same with AD, but you can not tell me that at age 35 you would feel remotely comfortable paying those players over 6 million a year. Or that you would feel comfortable paying Nate McMillan the same money that you are paying Gregg Popovich who has won 3 NBA Championships. Rick Sund and company are doing things right so far this offseason. The interesting thing will happen when Flip, Vlad, Reggie, and Damien are all tenured offfer sheets. I suspect that three out of the four will be matched with a strong offer also made to Potapenko. Projected line up next season Luke/Flip/Cleaves Ray/Flip Sweet Lew/Vlad/Damien Nick/Fortson Magloire/Bobby/Jo Pet</div> Magloire? You never mentioned a trade with him.
Maybe Vlad for Magloire?..I read months ago during the playoffs that the Hornets wanted Vlad.. But yeah we really need a starting center and some decent role players from the bench.
Yeah, I messed up. I meant to leave Vlad off of my list and add Magloire via sign and trade. I know that it is wishful thinking but I hope that it could happen. My projected line up: Luke Ridnour/Erick Strickland or Rick Brunson/Mateen Cleaves Ray Allen/Ron Murray Sweet Lew/Damien Wilkins/Bostjan Nachbar Nick Collison/Reggie Evans Jamaal Magloire/Danny Fortson/Bobby Swift/Johan Petro Seems feasible, but I don't know if we could absorb Magloire contract. They wouldn't do a sign and trade straight up Vlad for Magloire. They would want something or someone else in the deal.
I just looked up Magliore. I always thought he was like 6-8, about E. Brand's size. Turns out he's 6-11 260, a true center. So if we get him we'd have Collison, Fortson, and Mags with Swift and Petro waiting in the wings. I've only seen him play a little; what I recall is he has huge paws and one of those guys who can dunk easily when under the basket without gathering himself. 13-10-1.5 before his injury plagued season last year. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd love to have him; if we can sign and trade with Vlade let's do it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post"> If Big Game James were 26 I would be all for him getting that kind of money. Same with AD, but you can not tell me that at age 35 you would feel remotely comfortable paying those players over 6 million a year.</div> It's the nature of the beast it seems; you don't look to the future - they're looking to pay AD and BGJ for the next two seasons' production, and swallow anything after that as the price of beating out other teams for their services. James for five years, given he is 30, baffles me, but then it is New York. Who said no more Layden would stop the fun? As far as Magloire is concerned, while he wants out of New Orleans, they wanted picks seven and 16 for him, and turned down pick seven and a player. Vlad straight up won't get it done, my guess is we'd have to throw in a first rounder and probably Flip or Reggie as well. Is it worth it? Legit centres (particularly All-Star ones) are at a premium, but that's a lot to give up, particularly if the pick isn't protected.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">It's the nature of the beast it seems; you don't look to the future - they're looking to pay AD and BGJ for the next two seasons' production, and swallow anything after that as the price of beating out other teams for their services. James for five years, given he is 30, baffles me, but then it is New York. Who said no more Layden would stop the fun?</div> So essentially they're paying them 2yrs/30 million And I heard Isaiah offered Larry Brown 5yrs/60 million <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">As far as Magloire is concerned, while he wants out of New Orleans, they wanted picks seven and 16 for him, and turned down pick seven and a player. Vlad straight up won't get it done, my guess is we'd have to throw in a first rounder and probably Flip or Reggie as well. Is it worth it? Legit centres (particularly All-Star ones) are at a premium, but that's a lot to give up, particularly if the pick isn't protected.</div> That's a pretty steep price. I'd give up Vlade and a 1st, but no more. The 1st will be probably be low, and I find it unfathomable it'd be a lottery pick (my how things change in a year )
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post">The 1st will be probably be low, and I find it unfathomable it'd be a lottery pick (my how things change in a year )</div> My, how things change in an offseason.