Free Agents

"Terraholm" <terraholm_SpamNata_.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5bhljbF2spin8U1@mid.individual.net...
> mmasw wrote:
> I know they would like Blake back, but he seems to have made his market
> price a full MLE with
> several teams interested.
>
> So I think they will try not to add salary. #1 starts at almost 4 mil.
> next year
>
> I have not yet looked at your other posts but one of them surely notes
> this improves your hopes of a
> Zach trade...

I don't think Blake is an upgrade over Jack, especially in the long run.
Blake is about as good as he's going to get, and Jack continues to show
improvement. I saw him play in Houston against the Rockets this spring, and
he absolutely abused Rafer Alston with his physical play.

Having seen Durant play a lot, he's the real deal. The decision is not fait
accompli. But given Zach's lack of defense and tendency to dominate the
ball, I think a deal (either this year or next) for a small forward is a
strong possibility.

How do Zach and R. Jefferson's contracts compare?

The Mavs will be looking for a better post presence and have some talent to
spare. Josh Howard and another piece or two?

The Rockets need a point and a four in the worst way, but they couldn't take
Zach's salary with Yao and McGrady, and Jack probably doesn't shoot well
enough. Plus the Rockets really don't have any non-Yao/McGrady parts that
would be of much use to the Blazers. Rumors have Mike Bibby getting a
re-structured contract and reuniting with Adelman. Add a four in the draft,
and they'll be very good at least until McGrady's back gives out.

Lamar Odom?

I think a deal involving Jefferson would be most interesting, unless
Portland drafts Durant (in which case, Zach stays). The Nets have too many
parts at the 3, but they are still competitive in the East. They need to
win NOW while Kidd is still playing. I think they get better with Zach, and
Jefferson would be a good fit for Portland.
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On Tue, 22 May 2007 19:01:47 -0700, "Terraholm"
<terraholm_SpamNata_ RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

>mmasw wrote:
>> he y Laurel...you'd know the blazer situation
>>
>> I assume they have the MLE....is the...what's it called? bi-annual
>> exception?.... available?
>
>The BAE RealGM has them listed with one available and not used this last year, so no.
>
>> in any event, with Oden as "bait" it would seem that Portland just
>> became a more attractive team for free agents
>
>Personally I doubt they use their MLE this year or at least not all of it.
>
>I know they would like Blake back, but he seems to have made his market price a full MLE with
>several teams interested.
>
>So I think they will try not to add salary. #1 starts at almost 4 mil. next year
>
I'm not sure that's the view of KP...from an interview:

Question: Does this change how you approach free agency and whether
you feel like you need to make a run next season?

Kevin Pritchard: I don’t think it moves our time frame up much, but
what it does is make sure we make good decisions in free agency, and
quite frankly it makes me hungry for a couple guys potentially who are
going to be out there, even more hungry for me to go after them.
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Nick Shrimpton wrote:
> "Terraholm" <terraholm_SpamNata_.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:5bhljbF2spin8U1@mid.individual.net...
>> mmasw wrote:
>> I know they would like Blake back, but he seems to have made his
>> market price a full MLE with
>> several teams interested.
>>
>> So I think they will try not to add salary. #1 starts at almost 4
>> mil. next year
>>
>> I have not yet looked at your other posts but one of them surely
>> notes this improves your hopes of a
>> Zach trade...
>
> I don't think Blake is an upgrade over Jack, especially in the long
> run.

I think the idea was more to an upgrade over Dichau.


>
> How do Zach and R. Jefferson's contracts compare?

Nearly Idenical contracts. And both are off BYC now.
That deal has been rumored.

>
> The Mavs will be looking for a better post presence and have some
> talent to spare. Josh Howard and another piece or two?

Howard is not going anywhere. Stackhouse is the one most likely moved.

>
> The Rockets need a point and a four in the worst way, but they
> couldn't take Zach's salary with Yao and McGrady, and Jack probably
> doesn't shoot well enough. Plus the Rockets really don't have any
> non-Yao/McGrady parts that would be of much use to the Blazers. Rumors have Mike Bibby getting a
> re-structured contract and reuniting
> with Adelman. Add a four in the draft, and they'll be very good at
> least until McGrady's back gives out.

I doubt portland wants too help Houston get better....

>
> Lamar Odom?

I do see that as a possibility, same thing though, Zach demanding a double team takes pressure off
Kobe and helps the lakers more than Odom helps the blazers IMO. Besides having Odom and Oden on the
team would be rather confusing for Rice...

>
> I think a deal involving Jefferson would be most interesting, unless
> Portland drafts Durant (in which case, Zach stays). The Nets have
> too many parts at the 3, but they are still competitive in the East. They need to win NOW while
> Kidd is still playing. I think they get
> better with Zach, and Jefferson would be a good fit for Portland.

Yes.

I think Paul Pierce is going to demand a trade. There is also a possibility of a sign and trade for
Lewis.


--
Laurel T
"It's another one of those things that sort of
gurgles up from the basketball Babylon,"
Petrie on a Trade Rumor
Laurel T
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mmasw wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 19:01:47 -0700, "Terraholm"
> <terraholm_SpamNata_.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> mmasw wrote:
>>> he y Laurel...you'd know the blazer situation
>>>
>>> I assume they have the MLE....is the...what's it called? bi-annual
>>> exception?.... available?
>>
>> The BAE RealGM has them listed with one available and not used this
>> last year, so no.
>>
>>> in any event, with Oden as "bait" it would seem that Portland just
>>> became a more attractive team for free agents
>>
>> Personally I doubt they use their MLE this year or at least not all
>> of it.
>>
>> I know they would like Blake back, but he seems to have made his
>> market price a full MLE with several teams interested.
>>
>> So I think they will try not to add salary. #1 starts at almost 4
>> mil. next year
>>
> I'm not sure that's the view of KP...from an interview:

I doubt using the MLE will be totally his decission. A new president coming in will have a big say
on the cap problems and the main goal may be to keep them under the tax line. They are going to be
near or over the escrow limit (even if they do not re-sign Travis and Ime) so a MLE may well have
them paying 10 mil instead of 5 for an average player.
Of course Allen could approve it.
He once told Nash he did not mind paying the luxury tax if they get back in the top 4 in the west.

>
> Question: Does this change how you approach free agency and whether
> you feel like you need to make a run next season?
>
> Kevin Pritchard: I don't think it moves our time frame up much, but
> what it does is make sure we make good decisions in free agency, and
> quite frankly it makes me hungry for a couple guys potentially who are
> going to be out there, even more hungry for me to go after them.

I can not think of any MLE guys that would have any GM drooling... =)
My guess is that he is thinking more of the elite FAs which would require a sign and trade. Lewis
and Billups likely being the top of that list.


--
Laurel T
"How should we Democrats select the next presidential nominee?
Smoke filled rooms? Brokered convention? National primary?
Personally, I prefer jump shots from the top of the key."
--Bill Bradley
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On 23 Maj, 16:42, "Terraholm" <terraholm_SpamNa....DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> So I think they will try not to add salary. #1 starts at almost 4
> >> mil. next year
>
> > I'm not sure that's the view of KP...from an interview:
>
> I doubt using the MLE will be totally his decission.
> A new president coming in will have a big say
> on the cap problems and the main goal may be to keep them under the tax line.
> They are going to be
> near or over the escrow limit (even if they do not re-sign Travis and Ime) so a MLE may well have
> them paying 10 mil instead of 5 for an average player.
> Of course Allen could approve it.
> He once told Nash he did not mind paying the luxury tax if they get back in the top 4 in the
> west.

I guess Allen after years and years of "throwing dough in the well"
decided not to overspend just for sake of overspending. But here you
have a great core of a team and really good chances for reestablishing
some post-season presence almost form Year-1 of Oden era. So I'm sure
he'll be all for it as suddenly Blazers started looking really good
(at least on paper).

The only weak spot is PG. Jack would be good from the bench but not as
a guy running the show. The problem is - not many marquee point guards
will be available. In theory there will be Billups, but he'll stay in
Detroit. Maybe it would be worth to risk with Jameer Nelson - I know
Magic are not extremely happy with him and chances are he'll walk.

> > Question: Does this change how you approach free agency and whether
> > you feel like you need to make a run next season?
>
> > Kevin Pritchard: I don't think it moves our time frame up much, but
> > what it does is make sure we make good decisions in free agency, and
> > quite frankly it makes me hungry for a couple guys potentially who are
> > going to be out there, even more hungry for me to go after them.
>
> I can not think of any MLE guys that would have any GM drooling... =)
> My guess is that he is thinking more of the elite FAs which would require a sign and trade.
> Lewis and Billups likely being the top of that list.

Lewis goes to Boston, remember ? ;-)

Cheers,

L'e-szczur
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"mmasw" <jump DeleteThis @nolegs.com> wrote in message
news:iv6753dj63mum2i52vu4a00tsn493fbuad@4ax.com...
> he y Laurel...you'd know the blazer situation
>
> I assume they have the MLE....is the...what's it called? bi-annual
> exception?.... available?

What's that? mid-level exception?
 >> Stay informed about: Free Agents 

mmasw wrote:
> he y Laurel...you'd know the blazer situation
>
> I assume they have the MLE....is the...what's it called? bi-annual
> exception?.... available?
>
> in any event, with Oden as "bait" it would seem that Portland just
> became a more attractive team for free agents

Here is an article that lays out where each team is and the likely FAs.

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/morestories.asp?id=3862&NAV=1
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