If you're Neil Olshey - who do you call first?

Whiteside

 

Did you guys even hear about our meetings with Aminu, Davis, or Monroe?

Neil runs a tight ship with regards to FA

 

No on aminu or davis. But i vaguely remember hearing about monroe

 

Not using Kobe as a pitch man should help.

 

No Kobe plus Ingram is major improvement

 

"Reports are emerging that Hassan Whiteside's first Free Agency visit will be with the Portland Trail Blazers."
- No mention of sources.

 

I wonder how far along Olshey is in the process right now. Have to figure he's already got his board set for who to go after and in what order.

I also wonder if dame and CJ will be involved in the meetings they have with FAs

 

I really hope they are.... I want CJ and Dame to convince these guys that they need to join up.

 

Any word on where Neil and PA are headed? I'm guessing these guys aren't flying commercial so no PDX sightings probably. I'm also guessing Dame and CJ will tag along with the posse.

Where is Whiteside based in atm?

I believe they met with Monroe in DC first last year while simultaneously sending out contracts to Dame and Aminu (Woj announced it at 12:25 AM on July 1). They had met with Aldridge prior to July 1.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the thing. You can't contact agents and negotiate before July 1, but you can set up meetings. So, I'm sure they have a meeting set up with HW. However, they do need to fly to wherever he is. If they want a meeting with another high profile FA, they may have to fly to meet them, too, afterwards.

So, it makes sense to make your "first call" to a 2nd tier FA who you want to sign regardless. Obviously, that's a lot easier when you have a ton of cap space like we did last year.

 

There seems to be little value these days in showing up for a meeting at 12:01 unlike in years past.

 

I'm beginning to think it's Whiteside.

Maybe they'll shock the world and go after DeRozen and trade for Monroe. We'd be almost impossible to guard

 

Our defense, on the other side...

 

It already sucks, and has for years

 

Sure. You are right. But I still have hopes it sometimes get better.

 

Cole Aldrich. Unrestricted. Of 47 centers in Basketball Reference last year, he was:
#1 in Drtg
#1 in DBPM
#1 in steals/36
#2 in blocks/36
#6 in WS48
#8 in rebounds/36
#8 in EFg%
#13 in AST/36
#22 in points/36
#25 in FT% at 71% (you can keep him on court at end of games)
#44 in TOV (bad)
#47 in fouls/36 (his Achilles heel)

He's a rim protector and rebounder who shoots fairly well from inside 10 feet, gets a reasonable number of assists. Better stats than Ezeli. Here he is compared to Biyombo, Ezeli, Horford, Howard, and Plumlee: http://bkref.com/tiny/wF3lS

Here he is compared to Whiteside: http://bkref.com/tiny/KJBcV. Note the similar very low DRtg.

 

Cole Aldrich reminds me of this guy