NBA offseason thread

[Clockwork Orange]

Unless you're a fan of the Spurs or Pistons, your horse is out of the race and it's time to start gearing up for next year. The draft & free agency are just around the corner (barring a lockout that would impede free agency), so what does your team need? Who should they go after? Who should they draft? Who do they need to get rid of? What's their cap situation? Plenty of discussion to be had and I know we've got a few hoops fans around here.

For the Nuggets, it's looking as though they might have more options than I thought they would.

http://nuggets.realgm.com/articles/3...agic_number_8/

While this article isn't completely accurate (the Nuggets would have to buy out Vo Lenard to help create that kind of space), it's at least a ballpark figure. Lenard is not exactly irreplaceable, so I could see a buyout forthcoming. So with $8 million in cap space, two 1st round picks and all of their core players locked up under contract, the Nuggets could be in a prime position to make the transition from playoff team, to contender with a few shrewd moves.

Ray Allen won't happen, I can't see him playing for George Karl again. Michael Redd would be ideal, but I think he'll re-up with the Bucks (if for some reason he decides he wants out, the Nuggets should be doing everything within reason to land him). Larry Hughes had a great year, but I'm leery of anyone who blew up in a contract year after a career of inconsistancy.

That leaves one guy as a viable option to start at the 2 guard spot available on the free agent market. Bobby Simmons.

The leagues most improved player a year ago, he shot 43.5% from 3 point range and put up a very respectable 16 points and 6 rebounds per game. He's 6'6, 25 years old and widely considered to be a cheaper option than the top shooting guards on the market. He'd fit in well as the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the team. He's also versatile enough to slide over to the 3 spot when needed.

As for the draft, it's pretty simple as far as I'm concerned. Secure another shooter to come off the bench with the 1st pick and get the BPA with the 2nd pick. So let's say Rudy Fernandez with pick #20 and Wayne Simien with pick #22. Both will come off the bench and neither will be expected to do anything other than be a contributor, allowing them to develop at a much less frantic pace. Drafting Simien may seem odd what with the Nuggets glut of big men, but come on, would it really break anyone's heart to see Francisco Elson released?

If things shook out this way (and remember, this is all speculation and projecting on my part) the Nuggets roster would look like this for 05-06.

Starters
G Andre Miller
G Bobby Simmons
F Carmelo Anthony
F Kenyon Martin
C Marcus Camby

Bench
G Earl Boykins
G Rudy Fernandez
G Greg Buckner
G/F Dermarr Johnson
F/C Nene
F Wayne Simien
F Eduardo Najera

Say goodbye
Francisco Elson
Wesley Person
Bryon Russell

Give that team a full season under George Karl and they've got a chance to be something very special. Fell free to agree or disagree.

So how about your team?

[DariusGoingDeep]

im a t-wolves fan.

i dont know what the hell to think after this last year. sprewell is gone, makes me happy. but i hear cassell is staying...which pisses me off, he and sprewell were both cancers. Wally might be traded, but i dont know who we'd get for him...

i hope we pick up larry hughes in FA---haveing enough money from spree cassell and wally...he and KG would be pretty dominant along with a yound stud from teh draft and some fresh talent from trades.....

the team needs a shake up though, i feel bad for KG--he puts his heart out on the line every game, and no one else around him is willing to do the same...that will have to change before we make another run like 03-04

[MajikMan7]

We'll lets see my team needs either Marvin Williams or Andrew Bogut and to resign Mike Redd. Then resign either both or one of Danny G and Zaza. Then get TJ Ford closer to 100%. And add one or two free agents and we'll be ready to go.

BTW my team is the Bucks.

[ludo21]

Originally Posted by DariusGoingDeep

im a t-wolves fan.

i dont know what the hell to think after this last year. sprewell is gone, makes me happy. but i hear cassell is staying...which pisses me off, he and sprewell were both cancers. Wally might be traded, but i dont know who we'd get for him...

i hope we pick up larry hughes in FA---haveing enough money from spree cassell and wally...he and KG would be pretty dominant along with a yound stud from teh draft and some fresh talent from trades.....

the team needs a shake up though, i feel bad for KG--he puts his heart out on the line every game, and no one else around him is willing to do the same...that will have to change before we make another run like 03-04

i too am a wolves fan, i ope somehow warrick drops to us in the draft, and we nab him. I hope Cassell goes and then the wolves can just start over with some youngs guys. Hughs would be nice and i hope that KG can leer him over. Anyway as long as we got KG the wolves will saty in contention

[labronco]

Am I the only one who was disappointed with Kenyon Martin? Even though he's got a great heart, I just did not see a player worthy of "max" deal and the three first round picks. But that's how it is with KMart. He really needs a stellar back court to shine.

KMart's biggest problem is at guards position, especially, Anthony Miller. He can make pretty alleyoop passes, but i think his passing skills end there. He can slash with the best of them, but i grimace everytime he attempts at jumper.

And as much as I like Earl, please, he really needs to come off bench. He cannot start along side of Miller simply because Boykins cannot cover the opposing 2, and Miller cannot play 2 because he simply cannot shoot.

We really need a new point guard. As long as we have Miller and Boykins at starting guards, we will never see what kind of player KMart can be for us.

As for the draft, NBA draft is not like NFL, and it is very difficult to project, especially year like this. They don't make draft reviews like NFL, and it's frustrating for fans like us.

Suggestions: Up and coming guys like Devin Harris from Dallas could be a good player for us. I do like Stephon Marburry, but it would take much creativity to bring in a player like that to our small town.

I am pretty happy with the forwards we have. I think we have seen a great progress with Francisco and would hate to see him go. We drafted him, and I wish for a change, we keep a player that we draft. If he can get more consistent with his mid-range jumper, he can be a starter in this league, I think. I also hate to see Byron and Wesley go. But i guess we can't keep them all.

[clarker]

It feels like the off season. What has it been six weeks since game one.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by labronco

Am I the only one who was disappointed with Kenyon Martin? Even though he's got a great heart, I just did not see a player worthy of "max" deal and the three first round picks. But that's how it is with KMart. He really needs a stellar back court to shine.

KMart's biggest problem is at guards position, especially, Anthony Miller. He can make pretty alleyoop passes, but i think his passing skills end there. He can slash with the best of them, but i grimace everytime he attempts at jumper.

And as much as I like Earl, please, he really needs to come off bench. He cannot start along side of Miller simply because Boykins cannot cover the opposing 2, and Miller cannot play 2 because he simply cannot shoot.

We really need a new point guard. As long as we have Miller and Boykins at starting guards, we will never see what kind of player KMart can be for us.

As for the draft, NBA draft is not like NFL, and it is very difficult to project, especially year like this. They don't make draft reviews like NFL, and it's frustrating for fans like us.

Suggestions: Up and coming guys like Devin Harris from Dallas could be a good player for us. I do like Stephon Marburry, but it would take much creativity to bring in a player like that to our small town.

I am pretty happy with the forwards we have. I think we have seen a great progress with Francisco and would hate to see him go. We drafted him, and I wish for a change, we keep a player that we draft. If he can get more consistent with his mid-range jumper, he can be a starter in this league, I think. I also hate to see Byron and Wesley go. But i guess we can't keep them all.

kmart apologists, I predict a future in this vocation.

[yavoon]

no "lets get joe johnson" talk?

[Clockwork Orange]

Originally Posted by yavoon

no "lets get joe johnson" talk?

No, he's restricted. Phoenix can and will match any offer for him.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

No, he's restricted. Phoenix can and will match any offer for him.

u so sure? that'd basically make them pay a lot of luxury tax guarenteed for the next 5 years I think. AND NEXT OFFSEASON they have to give amare a max deal. which means all their starters would be making near or over 10 million per.

mark cuban would do it. but how many others?

to simplify it, I think there is definitely a price that would net u joe johnson. not sure what it is.

[Clockwork Orange]

Originally Posted by yavoon

u so sure? that'd basically make them pay a lot of luxury tax guarenteed for the next 5 years I think. AND NEXT OFFSEASON they have to give amare a max deal. which means all their starters would be making near or over 10 million per.

mark cuban would do it. but how many others?

While that's true, it's already been publicly stated by the Suns front office that they have every intention of keeping him. Anything short of offering him a max contract isn't going to get him away from Phoenix. Any team that signs him to an offer sheet is basically just taking care of negotiations for the Suns.

I'm not sure what their stance on paying the luxury tax is (some teams hate the idea, others don't seem to mind). Stoudamire will get his max deal, Nash, Richardson & Marion are already locked up. It just pretty much assures us that they'll be the same run & gun team that only plays about 7-8 guys every night and are one injury away from their season going down the tubes.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

While that's true, it's already been publicly stated by the Suns front office that they have every intention of keeping him. Anything short of offering him a max contract isn't going to get him away from Phoenix. Any team that signs him to an offer sheet is basically just taking care of negotiations for the Suns.

I'm not sure what their stance on paying the luxury tax is (some teams hate the idea, others don't seem to mind). Stoudamire will get his max deal, Nash, Richardson & Marion are already locked up. It just pretty much assures us that they'll be the same run & gun team that only plays about 7-8 guys every night and are one injury away from their season going down the tubes.

yah and TO sez he'll sit out the entire season, verba sez he will retire if he dont get 35 million. wait till rubber meets road. I see this nothing more than posturing. the suns want ppl to waffle and no serious suiters to come after joe.

the suns know they are in a pickle, and on top of it they have the spurs to think about, blowing their load on keeping the team they have now together COULD very well mean they just get to lose to the spurs like b****es in the next half decade of playoffs. Remember the spurs have pretty much everyone important lockedup for 4 years.

[Clockwork Orange]

Originally Posted by yavoon

yah and TO sez he'll sit out the entire season, verba sez he will retire if he dont get 35 million. wait till rubber meets road. I see this nothing more than posturing. the suns want ppl to waffle and no serious suiters to come after joe.

the suns know they are in a pickle, and on top of it they have the spurs to think about, blowing their load on keeping the team they have now together COULD very well mean they just get to lose to the spurs like b****es in the next half decade of playoffs. Remember the spurs have pretty much everyone important lockedup for 4 years.

I agree to a point, but the way things are set up, Phoenix really doesn't have much choice but to go with their current group. Even if they let Johnson walk, they've got to give Stoudamire his max deal a year from now. That's gonna put them over the cap and leave them with no flexibility to sign free agents outside of the mid-level exception anyway. They might be better off just biting the financial bullet, paying their current group and praying that they find a player or two in the draft who can contribute something and add some depth to their team.

I think they'll keep Joe Johnson and continue to get beat by the Spurs year after year because they still won't be able to guard anybody and they'll still have no depth. That's the way they set themselves up when they had all that cap space a year ago. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

[yavoon]

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

I agree to a point, but the way things are set up, Phoenix really doesn't have much choice but to go with their current group. Even if they let Johnson walk, they've got to give Stoudamire his max deal a year from now. That's gonna put them over the cap and leave them with no flexibility to sign free agents outside of the mid-level exception anyway. They might be better off just biting the financial bullet, paying their current group and praying that they find a player or two in the draft who can contribute something and add some depth to their team.

I think they'll keep Joe Johnson and continue to get beat by the Spurs year after year because they still won't be able to guard anybody and they'll still have no depth. That's the way they set themselves up when they had all that cap space a year ago. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

they COULD guard well, they just dont. their coach intentionally speeds up play by having them play charmin style defense. keeps fouls down, keeps team running. now mind u they can't necessarily guard well on any given play. it takes time commitment in practice and coaching and philosophy, but there is nothing fundamentally bad about their defense besides possibly nash. the rest of their starting 5 are excellent athletes, marion and johnson are established quality defenders, amare could be a beast. that leaves richardson who I'm sure could do well in a scheme.

I agree they might just go w/ it. I just dont think thats their only option. and its certainly not a slamdunk to sign some albeit versatile, non top tier shooting guard who does nothing spectacularly well.

also if they DONT sign joe johnson they leave open the ability to play marion serious minutes at SF with richardson at the 2. by signing johnson u've locked in a bunch of expensive perimeter players. and of course amare always lets out little whines and b****es about how he wants to play PF not center, but honestly he's a much scarier matchup at center than he is PF.

[Rock Chalk]

I was checking mock drafts and, barring Houston getting the lottery pick, they should be in the mid twenties (I forget the exact pick number) and most of the mock drafts I looked at (this was a while ago) had us taking Joey Graham from OkSU. Good choice, we are in need of a power forward really bad but if Simien is there (which most mocks said he would be) I'd homer up and take that walking double double.

Yao, T-Mac, Simien on the floor

[Mr. Trout]

As for the draft, it's pretty simple as far as I'm concerned. Secure another shooter to come off the bench with the 1st pick and get the BPA with the 2nd pick. So let's say Rudy Fernandez with pick #20 and Wayne Simien with pick #22. Both will come off the bench and neither will be expected to do anything other than be a contributor, allowing them to develop at a much less frantic pace. Drafting Simien may seem odd what with the Nuggets glut of big men, but come on, would it really break anyone's heart to see Francisco Elson released?



Francisco Garcia should be there at #20 as well. I think he would give the Nuggets a great scoring option off the bench. I don't know very much about Fernandez but Garcia really tore threw the first couple rounds of the tourney this year.

[mattleecrew]

Being a Knicks fan all I have to look forward to is more bloated contracts hobbling up and down the court. All I can hope is the young guys like sweetny and ariza get more playing time. We have two 1st round draft picks but who knows where that will lead to. Thomas says he has no plans of trading them but he loves throwing packages together as we have seen over the past two seasons. Could make for an interesting draft day.

[Nuggets4]

All right CO, I'm gonna do this piece by piece.

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

While this article isn't completely accurate (the Nuggets would have to buy out Vo Lenard to help create that kind of space), it's at least a ballpark figure. Lenard is not exactly irreplaceable, so I could see a buyout forthcoming. So with $8 million in cap space, two 1st round picks and all of their core players locked up under contract, the Nuggets could be in a prime position to make the transition from playoff team, to contender with a few shrewd moves.

$8 mil is a HIGH guess, and not only that but we have to factor in our two draft picks. Meaning, even if we have $8 mil, it'll only be ~$5-6 mil when we get to it.

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

Ray Allen won't happen, I can't see him playing for George Karl again. Michael Redd would be ideal, but I think he'll re-up with the Bucks (if for some reason he decides he wants out, the Nuggets should be doing everything within reason to land him). Larry Hughes had a great year, but I'm leery of anyone who blew up in a contract year after a career of inconsistancy.

That leaves one guy as a viable option to start at the 2 guard spot available on the free agent market. Bobby Simmons.

The leagues most improved player a year ago, he shot 43.5% from 3 point range and put up a very respectable 16 points and 6 rebounds per game. He's 6'6, 25 years old and widely considered to be a cheaper option than the top shooting guards on the market. He'd fit in well as the 2nd or 3rd scoring option on the team. He's also versatile enough to slide over to the 3 spot when needed.

Damn right on Simmons. I've been pimping him on the Nugs board I post on since around December. That said, he's restricted and the Clippers will probably hang on to him. Not to mention we'd have to have more than the MLE to offer him, which we probably won't.

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

As for the draft, it's pretty simple as far as I'm concerned. Secure another shooter to come off the bench with the 1st pick and get the BPA with the 2nd pick. So let's say Rudy Fernandez with pick #20 and Wayne Simien with pick #22. Both will come off the bench and neither will be expected to do anything other than be a contributor, allowing them to develop at a much less frantic pace. Drafting Simien may seem odd what with the Nuggets glut of big men, but come on, would it really break anyone's heart to see Francisco Elson released?

Yes, especially for Simien. Elson is a strong practice player and is one of the more intelligent big men on our team. IMO, he's REALLY underrated and a lot of teams would kill to have Francisco as a back-up center. As for Simien, he's too short for what we need. He's a PF. We already have Nene and Najera to fill the back up PF position. If we're gonna go for a PF, we need to grab a Charlie Villanueva type (ugh) who's big enough to play some center. Johan Petro would be my choice, but he's a fast riser and will be gone. PErsonally, I think that Randolph Morris of Kentucky is worth a look. As for Fernandez, rumor has it that since he couldn't get a promise, he's pulling out of the draft. Bummer because, like you, I think he could have been a good fit for us. I hope we look at Francisco Garcia now though. His biggest knock is that he doesn't have a mid-range game. That said, he can shoot the three like no other. We need that.

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

If things shook out this way (and remember, this is all speculation and projecting on my part) the Nuggets roster would look like this for 05-06.

Starters
G Andre Miller
G Bobby Simmons
F Carmelo Anthony
F Kenyon Martin
C Marcus Camby

Bench
G Earl Boykins
G Rudy Fernandez
G Greg Buckner
G/F Dermarr Johnson
F/C Nene
F Wayne Simien
F Eduardo Najera

Say goodbye
Francisco Elson
Wesley Person
Bryon Russell

Give that team a full season under George Karl and they've got a chance to be something very special. Fell free to agree or disagree.

So how about your team?

Buckner is a free agent and is looking for more money than we're ready to give him. Personally, I don't expect him back, but I haven't heard anything so it's just speculation. DeMarr is a free agent as well, but hopefully he'll be back. I'd love to see Person and Russell back as well (Person for shooting, Russell for leadership).