http://hoopshype.com/2015/07/26/the-rookie-extension-impact-for-2016/ Maybe Barnes could be available........
Yeah it will be interesting. I think Golden State keeps Barnes even if he is maxed out at $20+ million a season. The cap will go up again the following summer so giving Steph the max as well won't be a problem. Barnes seems to be a starting member of their core. Unless that changes during this season I can't see them letting him walk. Houston is a more intriguing example. I bet Dwight opts out to get the new max so that's $30 million he'll make. DMo or Jones could both be available, I don't think the Rockets consider them ideal starters. Houston has shown they let restricted free agents walk who are overpaid. There will be a dozen teams with max cap space after the main Allstar free agents sign.
I was a big time Horford fan boy but I think that shipped sailed. He's a bit of an overlap and his age doesn't warrant the move. If we are gonna get someone a bit older, it's gotta be something like Durant or "take over" caliber. Horford is damn good, but not a difference maker IMO. Kinda like Aldridge
Two years ago yes. Next summer; I'm not so sure. Would you rather have Enes Kanter, Tobias Harris, Reggie Jackson, Omer Asik at max money? Obviously its ideal to have an allstar for the max but there are only two dozen of them and there's over 100 max salary slots in the league.
If Al Horford went to Portland that would be amazing! I mean he's better than Ed Davis. That an improvement!
http://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/2016/ Sorted by 2016 salary; can filter by type and position. Looking at UFA wings, not a whole lot that fit our timeline. Evan Turner? Kent Bazemore? E'twaun Moore? There's a lot of RFAs that would make sense, but...they're RFAs.
So now we have a two year window on the rebuild because of Lillard's age? Guys. It's thinking like that lost us LMA. We might not make the playoffs for five years.
Horford is an option if we acquire another all star like Cousins. He'd be that borderline 3rd star we never had in the 'Marsha "era". Getting Horford along with an all star could allow you to trade a couple young bigs and picks for a borderline allstar wing. A Derozen type. Derozen will probably opt out though, and Chandler Parsons could opt out as well.
Wrong, LMA is the one who stated he wanted out rather than go through another rebuild. So we had to think like that to try and keep him.
Lillard will start to decline athletically in a couple years. If the Blazers are 5 years away from finishing a rebuild we may be better off trading Damian. I bet he could fetch next years #1 pick, who would be 19 which is 7 years younger; plus a second great young prospect. Its basically the spot we were in back in 2011 with LaMarcus. Back then Wes and Batum became above average starters plus we drafted Lillard so it was worth taking a shot at contending. If we don't hit multiple players like that in the next year or two it will be time to consider trading Lillard while he is fully in his prime.
Yeah. Sadly, that has been at the back of my mind too. If the Blazers can't trade for a disgruntled All Star or sign a free - sorry can't actually finish that sentence - they may have to go full implosion. Wouldn't be fair to Dame in the long run, anyway.