:: Official 2010 NBA Free Agency Thread ::

[bhzmafia14]

We really had no choice. Im just mad that we didnt get him for cheaper last summer. Joe Johnson deal worse and hes 29. If Rudy doesnt bring it next year, he will get that Pau Gasol treatment from the fanbase.

We wasnt going to get fair value for him so we was pinned to a wall. Let him go and be a 20 or 30 win team or resign him and see how far we can go with our current team.

 

[bhzmafia14]

We really had no choice. Im just mad that we didnt get him for cheaper last summer. Joe Johnson deal worse and hes 29. If Rudy doesnt bring it next year, he will get that Pau Gasol treatment from the fanbase.

We wasnt going to get fair value for him so we was pinned to a wall. Let him go and be a 20 or 30 win team or resign him and see how far we can go with our current team.

 

[shoeking2101]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell me the Grizzlies didn't do that, smh. Should of just let him at least sign with another squad....should of let him go, and gave the reigns to THE JUICE MONSTER and company.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

http://insider.espn.go.co...age%3dteamtrinity-100701

anybody got this.

thanks in advanced.

 

[JD617]

How good would Team Trinity be?

---

By John Hollinger
ESPN.com

LeBron, Wade and Bosh.

The dream of every team in the free-agent chase is to unite those three All-Stars on one roster, creating a powerhouse trio unlike any the league has ever seen and seemingly ensuring a steady stream of championship parades in the coming years.

There's just one little catch for Team Trinity, regardless of the city the esteemed trio plays in: assembling the rest of the squad.

Putting three superstars together via free agency requires a full-on roster evisceration that would make even the 1998-99 Bulls shudder. Miami, for instance, is pursuing the trio by working a sign-and-trade of its last three contracted players to Toronto for Chris Bosh. If successful, the Heat could have a roster of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Bosh and 10 empty slots that could be filled only with second-round draft choices and minimum-wage contracts.

New Jersey, New York and Chicago could put together the triumvirate only by similarly denuding their rosters. As a result, a fair question on the eve of free agency is whether the cure is worse than the disease. Is it possible to become a contender with 10 players, including two starters, pulled off the scrap heap?

[h4]MINIMUM-CONTRACT PLAYERS[/h4]
An example of 10 veteran players who signed for the minimum last year. (Team Trinity would need to sign 10 to meet the league's roster minimum.)
[table][tr][th=""]Pos.[/th][th=""]Player[/th][th=""]2009-10 PER[/th][/tr][tr][td]G[/td][td]Anthony Carter[/td][td]10.34[/td][/tr][tr][td]G[/td][td]C.J. Watson[/td][td]13.88[/td][/tr][tr][td]G[/td][td]Devin Brown[/td][td]10.06[/td][/tr][tr][td]G[/td][td]Quinton Ross[/td][td]3.04[/td][/tr][tr][td]F[/td][td]Rodney Carney[/td][td]12.72[/td][/tr][tr][td]F[/td][td]Joey Graham[/td][td]10.62[/td][/tr][tr][td]F[/td][td]Josh Powell[/td][td]6.77[/td][/tr][tr][td]F[/td][td]Joe Smith[/td][td]11.29[/td][/tr][tr][td]C[/td][td].J. Mbenga[/td][td]11.63[/td][/tr][tr][td]C[/td][td]Theo Ratliff[/td][td]10.28[/td][/tr][/table]

And I do mean scrap heap. It's easy to say, "Anyone would flock to play with those three!" but that isn't quite accurate. Hamstrung by an inability to pay the usual low-level salaries required to lure veterans (the midlevel or biannual exception amount), Team Trinity would be left to pick up the scraps -- replacement-level talents available for the veteran's minimum, second-round draft picks and D-Leaguers. The only respite might come from a veteran waived or bought out at midseason -- a la P.J. Brown in 2008 or Joe Smith in 2009 -- but even so, we're talking about eighth-man types.

How good could such a team be? Believe it or not, it still could be quite good -- even if the three never got a decent teammate. Using my preseason prediction model, I plugged in a team with those three players and used fairly conservative estimates for what they might produce in the coming season -- a player efficiency rating of 29 for James, 26 for Wade and 23 for Bosh. I gave James 3,100 minutes, Wade 2,850 and Bosh 2,600.

For every other minute played by Team Trinity, I inserted my replacement-level figure of a 10 PER -- this is what I input when a team has an empty rotation spot or has it filled by a player projected to produce less than 10. I never go any lower than this and have never felt a need to, as virtually anyone who produces at a lesser rate (once we include defensive value) is quickly replaced.

OK, that's my methodology; now for the result. This team, believe it or not, is projected to win 61 games.

And, of course, that is in a worst-case scenario -- it might not be filled entirely by replacement-level players. At least one decent veteran might decide it's worth taking the plunge, especially if the exposure can get him a contract next year after he's on national TV twice a week playing with Team Trinity.

Mike Miller, for instance, reportedly has meetings with both the Knicks and Heat scheduled for Thursday. While adding him to a deeper roster might not change the outlook much, having him replace 35 minutes a night of replacement-level stinkiosity would add several wins over the course of a season.

Even if Team Trinity didn't get somebody as good as Miller, a lesser player could help. In fact, pretty much any half-decent player -- C.J. Watson, let's say, or Rodney Carney -- would add a couple of wins to this projection.

On the other hand, the biggest liability for Team Trinity would be the potential of one of its three stars missing time with an injury. A prolonged absence by any one of them would turn the club into a .500 outfit; if two of them went out, it would be awful.

I should stress that all this depends on a single team amassing three superstar talents. It really works only with a James-Wade-Bosh combo; once you start replacing one of those three with a David Lee or a Joe Johnson, the rest of the roster becomes a much greater liability.

But nobody has ever put together three stars in their prime of the magnitude of James, Wade and Bosh -- in fact, if not for Kevin Durant, they would have been the top three players in PER this past season. Of course, nobody has ever surrounded three stars with an expansion team, either. Nonetheless, it says here they'll have a heck of a team -- even in Year 1, before they can start filling out the rest of the roster. About the worst I can say is that they might not be champion-caliber right away, but if not, they'll be darned close.

 

[japanair21]

Only person to move so far:

Drew Gooden.

 

[got shoes]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Only person to move so far:

Drew Gooden.

moves every 6 months.

 

[clkru]

I guess Gay adds value to the Griz for when they'll be sold to Seattle's Steve Ballmer during/after the lockout.

Hey, Gay might not be a max guy (yet), but I'm looking forward to buying his Sonics jersey in a few years!

 

[bhzmafia14]

Originally Posted by clkru

I guess Gay adds value to the Griz for when they'll be sold to Seattle's Steve Ballmer during/after the lockout.

Hey, Gay might not be a max guy (yet), but I'm looking forward to buying his Sonics jersey in a few years!

He will be tradeable. I just have a feeling that we will do him just like we did Pau. We will find out that he can only get us so far with the team we have after about 3 years. Then, we going to end up trading him to a team that's one piece away from being a championship contender and its going to be deja vu all over again.

Rudy will probably be an all-star very soon just like Pau was that one time in Memphis. When he's traded to a team with a superstar, he will blossom and people will start calling him one of the top 5 SF's in the league like they did with Pau.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Uhmn except he has never been nearly as good as Pau in his entire life...

 

[JAYxSF415]

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Originally Posted by clkru

I guess Gay adds value to the Griz for when they'll be sold to Seattle's Steve Ballmer during/after the lockout.

Hey, Gay might not be a max guy (yet), but I'm looking forward to buying his Sonics jersey in a few years!

He will be tradeable. I just have a feeling that we will do him just like we did Pau. We will find out that he can only get us so far with the team we have after about 3 years. Then, we going to end up trading him to a team that's one piece away from being a championship contender and its going to be deja vu all over again.

Rudy will probably be an all-star very soon just like Pau was that one time in Memphis. When he's traded to a team with a superstar, he will blossom and people will start calling him one of the top 5 SF's in the league like they did with Pau.

This is Rudy Gay.

 

[therav4]

Originally Posted by JPZx

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Rudy Gay and Grizz agree to 5yr/80mil deal. FML

Kahn saved from his own stupidity

How do you get a max contract without ever making the All-Star game? Especially when bums like Mo Williams have made it.

I already said in the other thread that this was stupid for the Grizz. They could have waited until Minn offered him a contract, matched it, and saved millions and millions of dollars. Instead they offered him all this money outright....

I think I rather pay Rudy Gay $16 million per year rather than waste my cap on a 4 yr/$20 million deal on Darko and 3 year/$13 million on Pekovic. 
$16 mill a year for Gay or $9 million on Darko/Pekovic... I think Minnesota loses. I gave Kahn a chance after last years draft with all those PGs... but after this years draft along with this Free Agency... this schmuck doesn't know what he is doing.
  

 

[eeibaby]

Originally Posted by chillainvillain

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Originally Posted by clkru

I guess Gay adds value to the Griz for when they'll be sold to Seattle's Steve Ballmer during/after the lockout.

Hey, Gay might not be a max guy (yet), but I'm looking forward to buying his Sonics jersey in a few years!

He will be tradeable. I just have a feeling that we will do him just like we did Pau. We will find out that he can only get us so far with the team we have after about 3 years. Then, we going to end up trading him to a team that's one piece away from being a championship contender and its going to be deja vu all over again.

Rudy will probably be an all-star very soon just like Pau was that one time in Memphis. When he's traded to a team with a superstar, he will blossom and people will start calling him one of the top 5 SF's in the league like they did with Pau.

This is Rudy Gay.

QFT.

 

[bhzmafia14]

I just think its funny that people were saying the same thing about PauGasol when he was putting up 17 and 8 during his first 4 seasons in theleague. People laughed at us for giving him that contract because hedidn't necessarily deserve it. He couldn't take the team far and peopleexpected more out of him since he was being paid like a star. Pau wasaround 24 or 25 at that time.

I know damn well that people on here wasn't raving about how great PauGasol was back then. I'm sure Rudy could flourish next to anothersuperstar which is why he was still a highly coveted free agent. Youcan't doubt Rudy's talent. Its his LEADERSHIP. Similar to Pau, he can'tlead a team. Now, put him next to somebody that will set him straightand there you have it. Another all-star.

People didn't even have Pau in their list as a top 10 big man in the league. They had guys like Jermaine O'neal ahead of him. Pau didn't make his first all-star appearance til 2006 at the age of 26 I believe, so it took him 5 years. Rudy is entering his 5th year at the age of 23. Its like people keep questioning his talent moreso than his leadership. As long as he's not the leader on whatever team he goes to and has a star next to him, he will do big things. Its not that hard to understand.

My main thing is that he's basically about to be the leader of our team since he's getting paid like one. Zach is still here, so I'm sure the players look to him before Rudy.

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Originally Posted by clkru

I guess Gay adds value to the Griz for when they'll be sold to Seattle's Steve Ballmer during/after the lockout.

Hey, Gay might not be a max guy (yet), but I'm looking forward to buying his Sonics jersey in a few years!

He will be tradeable. I just have a feeling that we will do him just like we did Pau. We will find out that he can only get us so far with the team we have after about 3 years. Then, we going to end up trading him to a team that's one piece away from being a championship contender and its going to be deja vu all over again.

Rudy will probably be an all-star very soon just like Pau was that one time in Memphis. When he's traded to a team with a superstar, he will blossom and people will start calling him one of the top 5 SF's in the league like they did with Pau.

LOL

 

[super t1ght]

joe johnson 6 years, 120 mill @ 29 years old

makes rudy gay look like a steal 5 yrs 80 mill

 

[drama23]

whats up with ATL? they like Casper Johnson that much even after this years PO performance?? j smoove can't shine with him being #1..

 

[iminchucks5]

Raptors sign Amir Johnson 5 years $34 million

 

[al3xis]

What's the point of valuing cap space when you throw out 20, 30, 40 million to the likes of Darko, Amir Johnson, Drew Gooden and John Salmons?

Then Rudy landing 80 mill.

Teams will never learn in this league. I'd just sit on my money before handing out those deals.

 

[goldmember]

What's the deal with all these signings so far

 

[Animal Thug]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

What's the deal with all these signings so far

This is kind of what happens in professional sports. Everything goes the exact opposite way of what everybody predicts..

 

[krs87]

at most of the signings today

 

[iminchucks5]

supposed, word is the Lakers offered Mike Miller 5 years 30million

Source told FOXSports.com that Mike Miller has already met with the Lakers, Knicks and Heat out in L.A. Lakers offered 5 years, $30 million.
-Jeff Goodman, FoxSports

 

[10508 cardo jr ln]

Originally Posted by Drama23

whats up with ATL? they like Casper Johnson that much even after this years PO performance?? j smoove can't shine with him being #1..

  

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

I just think its funny that people were saying the same thing about PauGasol when he was putting up 17 and 8 during his first 4 seasons in theleague. People laughed at us for giving him that contract because hedidn't necessarily deserve it. He couldn't take the team far and peopleexpected more out of him since he was being paid like a star. Pau wasaround 24 or 25 at that time.

I know damn well that people on here wasn't raving about how great PauGasol was back then. I'm sure Rudy could flourish next to anothersuperstar which is why he was still a highly coveted free agent. Youcan't doubt Rudy's talent. Its his LEADERSHIP. Similar to Pau, he can'tlead a team. Now, put him next to somebody that will set him straightand there you have it. Another all-star.

People didn't even have Pau in their list as a top 10 big man in the league. They had guys like Jermaine O'neal ahead of him. Pau didn't make his first all-star appearance til 2006 at the age of 26 I believe, so it took him 5 years. Rudy is entering his 5th year at the age of 23. Its like people keep questioning his talent moreso than his leadership. As long as he's not the leader on whatever team he goes to and has a star next to him, he will do big things. Its not that hard to understand.

My main thing is that he's basically about to be the leader of our team since he's getting paid like one. Zach is still here, so I'm sure the players look to him before Rudy.

Uhm just people were too stupid to put recognize Pau's greatness, doesn't mean that Rudy is following the same path.

Pau Gasol scored 17 points a game while playing ONLY 31 MINUTES PER GAME. Rudy scores 19 while playing 40 MINUTES A GAME.

Per 36 MINUTES, Pau scored 20 points a game in his time as a grizzly, Rudy only 17.

Rudy right now isn't better than Pau in his rookie year. So DON'T compare the two. 

Could rudy get better? Sure, but right now there is no empirical evidence to suggest he will ever be as good as Pau.