I'm thinking Indy isn't going to match and is going to upgrade SG and try to get by with Asik or somebody like that at center. http://www.indystar.com/article/201...land-Eric-Gordon-Pacers-meet?odyssey=nav|head
That would be my hope.... but thirteen days is a long time. They might try to find a decent alternative, not find one, and then match. Hopefully they extend an offer to Gordon and that ties up their money.
With a verbal agreement reached does this change Portland's plan to meet with Gordon later this week?
Considering we haven't see the actual deal yet, it doesn't say much. Indy is small market and they don't have an owner like Paul Allen.
Have they made him an offer yet? How do you know they're maxing him out? My point was that maybe we're doing a toxic offer, all front loaded, in hopes that Indy can't afford to drop that kind of quan. Maybe Gordon could be had cheaper and without the immediate financial impact that our offer to Hibbert would have. Ever think of that?
yeah, but he arguably makes more impact and is a local boy. Personally, I'd rather have Hibbert than Gordon for the next 4 years. But IND may be thinking that a power scoring guard is more important in the East than a complete center after seeing Bosh advance.
That they value SG more than C? Also that they think they can get Greg Oden in a year and hope he pans out in his hometown.
Agree with MM. Remember when the Blazers signed Trenton Hassell to an offer sheet and even had a press conference about it... and then the T-Wolves matched?? Until the offer period has run, the offer sheet means nothing (except an RFA might like to play with you and your money is tied up). Might as well talk to Gordon (maybe if the Pacers do match the Blazers might be willing to sign Gordon to a higher offer sheet so it makes sense for Gordon to talk too).
It's a musical chairs game of other teams restricted free agents. PDX takes Hibbert from Indy. Indy takes Eric Gordon from NO, NO takes ? from MIN, MIN takes Batum from PDX.
if it ends up that we basically trade Batum for Hibbert and spend 2M more a year in doing so, I'll take that every time. Not optimal, but the best of a poor situation.
I agree... especially if we can work out a sign and trade with MN for something of value. I'd rather keep Batum, probably, but adding a legit center entering his prime is bigger than the loss of Batum if he's gonna make $12m/year. Ed O.