So is a Maynor a keeper if he plays well the rest of the season?

I don't see the point in going into the off season with stop gap signings being our priority. We should be thinking BIG MOVES this summer. If we fail to make big moves that will help cement a roster for the future, then we should do 1-year contracts to preserve cap space and flexibility for the following year. But to TARGET two guys who have no future with the team is just not a good use of money.

 

So in order to re-sign or back up PG we need to eat $5.8m of our cap space until he is signed, correct?

 

I think Portland will renegotiate a contract with Maynor if he works out. I suspect it will be 3-4 mil per too.

 

That will be limited though MM. The moment we resign him to a new deal (3-4 million) after the QO is made; our space goes down immediately.

 

Isn't Dalembert kind of a malcontent no matter where he is? Jermaine on the other hand would be perfect for Leonard. Right now he is playing well. 17 minutes a game. But what are the odds of him staying healthy next year.
He will be an old 35 next season. But i think Leonard could learn a lot from him.

l agree we would need one more Vet just in case. but I am all for giving Leonard the starting spot next year. About 25-30 minutes a game.

 

I understand that, but why would he sign with us so quickly for suck little money? If he does decent the rest of the year, why wouldn't other teams come after him with more money? Every day we have Maynor's $5.8m cap hold on our books is another day we can't go after a a difference maker via FA or trade

 

See I again disagree with this statement. Just look at what Clippers did for years before they traded for CP3. We need to be relevant and we definitely don't need to be overpaying for talent. The price premium is for prime-time players; which other than Josh Smith or Howard, aren't available this summer.

It's better to sign these type of players "short term" until a disgruntled vet asks to be moved. Then we will have a lot of options to use in obtaining that type of player. If we go overpriced, then that player won't be as valuable to the team wanting to move the disgruntled star.

 

If you saw my off-season deal with obtaining McGee; we could actually absorb Maynor's 5.8 cap hold and still trade a second rounder and 11 mil TE to Denver for McGee.

 

It is my understanding that he can't get more then that QO of 3.28 next year. So why would he not sign right away? The only way he doesn't sign right away is if we don't offer the QO to him and then he just become unrestricted and can sign with any team.

 

Well, I DO agree that there aren't (m)any UFAs worth throwing money at this summer. But, I think we have to explore uneven trades before we go using our cap space on stop gaps.
And because uneven trades don't require maximum cap space, I'm not too concerned about using some of our space re-signing either Maynor or Hickson (depending on price). If we can maintain in the neighborhood of $6M in cap space that should still allow us to make an uneven trade for a long-term player.

 

I believe in the "uneven trade" scenario as well. How would retaining Maynor hurt that situation? The "uneven" trade scenario of 6 million would be available with retaining both Hickson and Maynor (6 mil you suggested).

 

We really have a few priorities this summer, and one is a starting center. The great thing about getting a starting center is that if he is any good when Leonard finally looks ready we can move the person in front of him pretty easily as long as we aren't asking for a lot. I don't think going out and blowing all our money on one guy is going to suddenly make this team a lot better, unless his name is LBJ or Durant, infact were seeing what happens when our starters get a ton of minutes with no one on the bench to really help out and Wes/Batum are hobbled, LA has had several injuries he has played thre we can realough and Damien looks tired as hell. We need a center and a bench.

 

Not sure who you're talking about, but I assume you are referring to Hickson and Dalembert. If not, please clarify and ignore my comments.

I don't have a love affair with Hickson - as a starting center. Never have. We got him VERY cheap for exactly the reason you stated. He may not play a lick of defense, but neither does Pekovic. So, if the choice is between the two, I'll take the younger, cheaper, better rebounding Hickson over Pekovic. I also think Hickson would make a good back-up 4/5. Guys who come of the bench usually do so for a reason - they have some deficiency in their game that prevents them from competing against other NBA caliber starters. In Hickson's case, that deficiency is defense. But, he makes up for this defensive deficiency in other ways (outstanding rebounder - and BTW, defensive rebounding IS part of defense, it limits the opponents second chance opportunities) and he scores in double figures without plays run for him (hustle/garbage points). As such, he's currently holding his own, treading water, against most starting centers. Having that type of player coming of your bench would be a luxury. We need someone to back-up our bigs, Right now, we have crap. Hickson coming off the bench, at some point, would make our bench WAY better than it currently is. I don't, and have never said, I want Hickson as our long term starting center. I could live with stating him for one more year, while Leonard develops, or until we find someone better.

Not sure if your referring to Hickson or Dalembert when you say "a guy who does not ant to come off the bench". If Dalmbert, he's been a spot starter the last three years, and is only starting now due to an injury to Larry Sanders. If Hickson, he wants to be a starter now because he's in a contract year and wants starter money. Someone may overpay him based on his scoring and rebounding, but I think most GMs (not named David Kahn) are intelligent enough to recognize Hickson's limitations and pay accordingly. In any case, he'll get what he gets. If it's excessive, let him walk or work a sign and trade. If he's cheap enough (again) resign him as a short term stater, long term back-up. Backing up both front court positions will let him continue to play as many minutes as he currently is as a starter - but against the other teams' bench. I have never advocated overpaying to keep Hickson. In fact. my whole reason to keep him over blowing all our cap space on Pekovic is that Hickson will be cheaper. If he's cheap keep him, if not move him.

BNM

 

Here is are the players who primarily play center who are 14/8/1bpg.

Dwight Howard
Al Horford
Nikola Pekovic

Basically, Nards would be a Top 4 center. You could probably add Tim Duncan to the list, because even though he is a "PF", he basically is their center.

 

I think it would be great to have a center put up huge numbers on offense, but I really hope the focus this off season is a defensive minded center. Whether that's a new player, or Leonard learns how to play defense. We need someone in the paint that will alter the opponents game plan period.

It would also be nice to have someone who drew fouls in the low post as well.

 

To tell you how good Leonard has been playing lately, those are his averages the last 3 games (13.3, 6.3, 0 blks)

http://bkref.com/tiny/UWNI0

There's the list of centers in his ballpark the last three games.

 

Are you really only looking at stats? He has still played zero defense, and those points have come mostly on guys creating them for him. It's OUTSTANDING that he has soft hands and is athletic, but let's not get carried away. Minnesota and Charlotte have no center. Teams aren't even scouting him for crying out loud.

I have a pre written statement prepared by my secretary ready for if Leonard shows the ability to be our center of the future, but some of you are really jumping the gun I think

 

Yes. he plays no defense. Yes, he's played against bad teams. Yes, he's a rookie. Yes, teams aren't scouting him. I get all that. Just let me enjoy myself, for fuck's sake.

You're such a jackass about white centers.

 

I am rooting for him, honestly, but whether he was green, white, black or purple, it seems like people are overreacting a tad.

 

No kidding. All I said was he's been effective in his last three games. There was no need to single me out in your rant.

And why are you rooting for him? He's been half the reason why we won the last two games, thus hurting our lotto chances!