Let's say we re-sign LA and Wes. What then? I'm not sure Lopez comes back. I think Olshey has bigger plans. What's your ideal lineup next year?
Make a splash in the draft, trade up -- Mario/Turner/WCS/Johnson Sign some under-the-radar FA's like: Dellavedova/Koufos/Joseph/Huertas
-Trade Batum, Kaman, and Crabbe, Future 2nd (2019) to NO for Tyreke Evans ($11.2M), 56th pick and Future 1st (2016) -Trade Steve Blake andand future 1st (NO 2016), for Robert Covington ($1.1M), 45th pick, 60th pick -Trade 60th pick, 2018 1st round pick (top 16 protected) to Boston for 28th, 33rd picks -Trade 33rd pick, future 2nd (2018), cash to Memphis for 25th pick Draft Robert Upshaw 23rd ($1M) Draft Justin Anderson 25th ($1M) Draft George De Paula 28th ($1M) Draft Moussa Diagne 56th (Stash) Total: $25M (8) Resign Lamarcus Aldridge 5/115 ($20M) Resign Wesley Matthews 2/16.5 *PO($8M) Total: $53M (10) Sign Tyson Chandler 2/19 *PO* ($9M) Sign Brandon Wright 2/11 *PO* ($5M) Sign CJ Watson 2/7 ($3M - MLE) *PO* Sign Jermaine O'Neal for Vets Minimum Sign Faquan Edwin for minimum Total: $70M (15 players, 1 stashed) PG Lillard(35)/Watson(15)/de Paula SG Matthews(27)/McCollum(26)/Edwin SF Covington(15)/Evans(26)/Anderson PF Aldridge(34)/Leonard(18)/O'Neal C Chandler(28)/Wright(16)/Upshaw Cap Space next year after Lillard Extension: $1M-$26M (based off Player Options)
I think there are two main paths. The first one is the conservative one. If, as you say, we re-sign both LA and Wes then we're on that path and we definitely re-sign RoLo. We had a top 3 offense AND defense in the first third of last season, and our starting five was clicking like crazy. Lopez was the player that transformed us and you don't forget that. So, the Conservative Plan is: Re-sign Aldridge, Matthews, Lopez. Keep Batum, keep the pick, draft somebody who can contribute IMMEDIATELY, perhaps Montrezl Harrell. Main goal: upgrade the bench. The locks for minutes are CJ and (surprisingly to me, but obviously given the playoffs) Leonard. Needs: guard who can defend both guard positions and allow CJ or Damian to play off the ball, and preferably can hit threes. Also available cheap, because we won't have much money. Although Tim Frazier is interesting, he's undersized. I don't see us playing him and Damian or CJ together much. If he was 3 inches taller... So I think we follow the Rockets and try to find a player in Europe. American players in particular are DESPERATE to get to the NBA, and will take less money than they could get in Europe for a chance. They're also much more ready to contribute than a fresh-out-of-college player. I'd still like to see what Koponen can do, and he's tall and can play both guard spots and hit the three, but who knows if he's got the necessary athleticism, and besides, the Mavs have his rights. I'd say Daniel Hackett, but his 3 point % is not good. We will also need a backup 3 and ideally a rebounder. If we went the Euro route, I'd advocate Sonny Weems for the backup wing, but he might command too much money. Perhaps this is the year Crabbe comes into his own - we can always dream (Summer League MVP?) Perhaps our draft pick can be the backup rebounder/PF. If not Harrell, there are a bunch of players who would be good (I like Richaun Holmes ) I think Freeland would be good, but as with Claver, I seem to like the player more than Stotts does. That's the conservative route. I think we go that way if Aldridge agrees to re-sign. If he doesn't... it's the Blow Everything The Fuck Up route. Exciting in the Summer, depressing in the Fall. But whichever way we go: Afflalo has to go, Blake and Kaman should ideally also go, or if they don't, they should be regarded as injury insurance/elder statesmen at best.
I dunno if Dellavedova counts as "under the radar" since he won the series for the Cavs and LeBron picked him out to praise. And Koufos is going to be a hot property, I think, because his defensive stats are amazing. I don't know that we can afford to have ANOTHER guard who can't defend, so Huertas should be out as well. Who's Joseph? I like the idea of Brandan Wright, though.
Cousins at C A healthy Ibaka at PF Rested Nic at SF Fully recovered Wes at SG Improved Dame at PG Aaaaaaand, a NEW COACH.
Hmm. If the Spurs let him go, then you probably don't want him. But he can't be worse than Blake... can he?
Was researching Daniel Hackett and came across this: I have no idea what they're saying, but clearly they're demonstrating that he would DOMINATE in the NBA...
So you expect us to get a starter (whom you'll bench and play out of position) plus a first round pick for an underperforming player on an expiring contract, turn a pick three years in the future into two similar value picks from this year, and use cap space to sign players to below-market-value deals, but somehow end up $7M+ over the cap by the time we're done? Fascinating.
resign LA Go after Hibbert/Jordan or other elite defensive center to help with our defense. Drafting so low I prefer high energy guys who can contribute by hustle plays. No learning curve for hustle If we can't resign LA then make sure we sign and trade for good talent and or draft picks. Would love to trade with Lakers for their draft pick. Obviously LA would have to want to go there. Kobe and LA wouldn't be bad and maybe Lakers might want to give Kobe one last shot, be kind of stupid but who knows. Probably dumb thought but I really like this draft and would love to find a way to get into top 2
the Pels are already playing Evans on the bench as a SF.. Even as a SF off the bench here he'd play a PG type roll. Plus i think the Pels want more length and would love to have Batum as a pick n roll option with Davis. Covington had 74% of his spot up opportunities contested last year and still shot 38% from 3. He'd be a 40% shooter. That's fair market value for Wes, especially since you give him a player option after year one. Tyson Chandler is not more then a $9M to $10M a year guy. Watson may be worth more but if you don't get him you can use Tyreke and CJ as backup PGs. And the cap is getting bumped up to $67M. The room exception makes $70M. And this draft is so deep it's worth trading a future first for them. Boston takes it cuz they already have a 1st rounder and already have an abundance of youth at the moment
Well, first if we know we are Re-signing LA (5/109) and Wes (1/8.5), we should probably draft Upshaw first of all. Trade Kaman+cash for the 76ers 35th overall draft pick and take DePaula if he is there (which I doubt, so in that case Rozier instead) Since we have the core all back might as well re-sign RoLo to something reasonable (3/24). Bring back Freeland (2/7) and Wright (vet min). Use the MLE on Aminu. Dame / Rozier / Blake Wes / CJ / Crabbe Batum / Aminu LA / Leonard / Wright RoLo / Upshaw / Freeland I'm not sure we can do this money wise but that lineup would be nice (when they'd finally get to play together by around new years).
My dream idea..... Re-sign LaMarcus. Sign either Hibbert or DJordan. Sign-n-trade Batum if necessary to make it happen. Look for new SF.
