The Free Agency rumor mill and junk heap

You know the topic was Lamarcus right?

 

CHANNING GONNA GET PAID $$$$$$$$$$$$

 

I see a bunch of teams overpaying for talent this year, and IMO it is going to hurt them down the line.

 

Agree. Maybe the no GM thing is actually good for Portland now. By the time the dust settles - there will be some good players left for the MLE with no suitors.

 

He might as well wait it out.

Frye isn't the best player on Earth, but if Darko is worth 20 million then Frye is worth approximately 100 billion dollars.

 

Half man, half an effort.

 

Yup, and it kind of invalidates the whole contention from the owners that they need to redo the CBA because they aren't turning a profit ... so far the biggest spenders have been the T-Wolves, the Bucks, and the Grizz; three of the least profitable teams in the league.

 

I think a lot of teams are counting on the fact that pay cuts across the board will be grandfathered into the next agreement with the players union, but the point you make is legitimate. They are going to have a hard time getting the CBA reworked by making these moves. They completely undermine the NBA's position at the negotiating table to get pay cuts across the board grandfathered in.

 

Fuck that trade. LMA + Nic maybe Oden is too much to add to Batum.

EDIT: Oden himself + filler (read not Batum) Is fine, but given his production when healthy I would strongly hesitate on giving up our two best defenders. Also Paul does get hurt alot I would be on the burnside bridge if Paul and Roy were out for any length of time next year. I just feel Oden has such incredible upside and my WORST FEAR BAR NONE is trading Oden and seeing him become the once in a generation center. Paul is godlike and maybe it would be worth it, but if we were within a hair without including LMA I would rather trade Aldridge then Oden.

 

IMO we will have to include both Oden and Batum plus expiring contracts and maybe Rudy for CP3 and a bad contract (Okafur and/or Posey) to have any chance. I also would hate to give up Oden but for CP3 you have to do the trade.

 

This didn't seem worth its own thread, but I thought it was amusing, so I'll throw it in here.

About the Nuggets and Warkentien:

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_15415380

Either we have a spreading wave of organizational envy, or a new generation of diva GMs. I'm just kidding. It's clearly both.

 

I would trade Oden at this point for Paul. I think adding Paul would take a TON of pressure off Roy, and could possibly be the extra piece that makes LMA an All-Star. If Paul can make David West and Tyson Chandler look good, I think he can make Aldridge look like a freaking manchild.

Go off the original trade offer of Andre Miller, Joel Przybilla, Nicolas Batum, Jerryd Bayless and add Oden. That should be more than enough to get it done.

Then go after Morrow. I've always loved that kid after he torched us a couple seasons ago. He has a good shot.

I would actually like to see Rudy play with Paul. I think the two could make beautiful music together.

Paul/Williams/Johnson
Roy/Rudy
Morrow/Babbitt/Cunningham
Aldridge/Pendergraph
Okafor/Camby

 

I agree. But I tend to think we're going to get oubid by the Knicks or the Nets regardless; if the real goal of the hornets is to cut salary, then we won't be able to keep up.

 

Let's hope they get some commitments quick to eat up some of their salary, then. Joe Johnson, don't go to ATL, sign quickly with NY. Boozer, go to NJ.

 

My nightmare is that Lebron signs with the Nets and then the Nets turn around and offer the Hornets Devin Harris and Derick Favors for Paul and Okafor.

 

I don't think the Hornets want to trade Paul just for salary relief. I'm sure they want some legitimate talent in return, too. The Knicks are very, very short on legitimate talent they can send back in addition to taking large contracts off the Hornets' hands.

Plus, New York taking Paul and other large deals off the Hornets' hands would destroy their cap space. The cap space taken up by Paul is well worth it...the cap space taken up by Okafor/Posey? Not so much. Does New York want to punt any chances of being a free agent player to become a much worse version of the Hornets?

 

I think the Hornets would like to also stay competitive as well as cut salary. Monty also knows these players inside and out and can coach them. Finally, a decent GM could turn Przy and Miller into more assets as well as a bit of cap space.