NBA Offseason Thread

[goldengreek 0]

Bulls cant keep Chadler now. Having two guys that can board and block shots, but have absolutely no offensive skills wont cut it. Those two combined might average 8 pts a game

[goldengreek 0]

dp

[goldengreek 0]

NBA Free Agent List:

 

DONT FORGET: The players that are restricted free-agents can be retained by their current teams by matching another teams offer sheet. Restricted free agents are almost impossible to sign.

 

TOP 25 FREE AGENTS ACCORDING TO PROBASKETBALL.COM

 

Ben Wallace, PF/C, Detroit

Jason Terry, PG, Dallas

Peja Stojakovic, SF, Indiana (Player option)

Al Harrington, PF, Atlanta

Mike James, Toronto (Player option)

Chris Wilcox, PF, Seattle (Restricted)

Nene, PF/C, Denver (Restricted)

Drew Gooden, PF, Cleveland (Restricted)

Bonzi Wells, SG/SF, Sacramento

Matt Harpring, SG/SF, Utah

Joel Przybilla, C, Portland

Ronald Murray, Cleveland

Speedy Claxton, PG, New Orleans

Vladimir Radmanovic, SF/PF, LA Clippers

Jared Jeffries, Washington (Restricted)

James Posey, SG/SF, Miami (Player option)

Nazr Mohammed, C, San Antonio

Reggie Evans, PF, Denver

Keith Van Horn, SF/PF, Dallas

Sam Cassell, PG, LA Clippers

Alonzo Mourning, Miami

Fred Jones, Indiana (Restricted)

Ruben Patterson, Denver (Player option)

Bobby Jackson, PG/SG, Memphis

Francisco Elson, Denver (Restricted

 

Best of the rest by position:

 

POINT GUARD

David Wesley, Houston

Marcus Banks, Minnesota

Chucky Atkins, Memphis

Jason Hart, Sacramento (Player option)

Jannero Pargo, Chicago

Gary Payton, Miami

Tony Delk, Detroit

Nick Van Exel, San Antonio

Jacque Vaughn, New Jersey

Milt Palacio, Utah

Anthony Carter, Minnesota

Keith McLeod, Utah (Team option)

Rick Brunson, Seattle

Howard Eisley, LA Clippers

Lindsey Hunter, Detroit

Royal Ivey, Atlanta

Andre Emmett, Miami (Restricted)

Moochie Norris, Houston

Darrick Martin

Jeff McInnis, New Jersey (Player option)

Eddie Gill, Indiana

Darrell Armstrong, Dallas

Troy Bell

Mike Wilks, Cleveland

Mateen Cleaves, Seattle

Alvin Williams, Toronto (Player option)

Anthony Goldwire, LA Clippers

Antonio Burks, Memphis (Restricted)

Lionel Chalmers

Aaron Miles, Golden State

Anthony Roberson, Memphis (Team option)

Horace Jenkins

 

SHOOTING GUARD:

 

Keith Bogans, Houston (Restricted)

John Salmons, Philadelphia (Restricted)

Derek Anderson, Miami (Player option)

DerMarr Johnson, Denver

DeShawn Stevenson, Orlando (Player option)

Greg Buckner, Denver (Player option)

Anfernee Hardaway, Orlando

Jimmy Jackson, SG, Phoenix

Lamond Murray, New Jersey

Aaron McKie, LA Lakers (Player option)

Richie Frahm, Houston

Eric Piatkowski, Chicago

Linton Johnson, New Jersey

Matt Carroll, Charlotte (Team option)

Voshon Lenard, Portland

Shandon Anderson, Miami

Rawle Marshall, Dallas (Team option)

Awvee Storey, Washington (Restricted)

Stacey Augmon, Orlando

Andre Owens, Utah (Restricted)

Charles Smith, Portland

Bernard Robinson, Charlotte (Restricted)

Alex Acker, Detroit (Restricted)

Kevin Burleson, Charlotte (Restricted)

Reece Gaines, Milwaukee

Tony Bobbitt, LA Lakers (Restricted)

Jermaine Jackson

Von Wafer, LA Lakers (Team option)

Alan Anderson, Charlotte (Team option)

Devin Green, LA Lakers (Restricted)

 

SMALL FORWARD :

 

Jumaine Jones, Charlotte

Tim Thomas, Phoenix

Rasual Butler, New Orleans

Devean George, LA Lakers

Trevor Ariza, Orlando (Restricted)

Justin Reed, Minnesota (Restricted)

Devin Brown, Utah (Team option)

Walter McCarty, LA Clippers

Laron Profit, LA Lakers

Jiri Welsch, Milwaukee (Restricted)

Qyntel Woods, New York

Eric Williams, Toronto (Player option)

Toni Kukoc, Milwaukee

Lee Nailon, Philadelphia

Ronald Dupree, Minnesota (Restricted)

Ryan Bowen, Houston (Player option)

Maciej Lampe, Houston (Restricted)

George Lynch

Adrian Griffin, Dallas

Calbert Cheaney, Golden State

Shavlik Randolph, Philadelphia (Restricted)

Matt Barnes, Philadelphia

Bryon Russell, Denver

Ndudi Ebi

Donta Smith, Atlanta (Team option)

Sean Banks, New Orleans

Terrence Morris, Orlando

 

POWER FORWARD :

 

Darius Songaila, Chicago (Player option)

Jackie Butler, New York (Restricted)

Alan Henderson, Cleveland

Jackson Vroman, New Orleans (Restricted)

Clifford Robinson, New Jersey (Team option)

Stanislav Medvedenko, LA Lakers

Lawrence Roberts, Memphis (Team option)

Samaki Walker, Indiana

Sean Marks, San Antonio

Aaron Williams, New Orleans

Brandon Bass, New Orleans (Team option)

Bo Outlaw, Orlando

Josh Powell, Dallas (Team option)

Jared Reiner, Phoenix

Lonny Baxter, Houston

 

CENTER :

 

Melvin Ely, Charlotte (Restricted)

Lorenzen Wright, PF/C, Memphis

Kelvin Cato, Detroit

Jarron Collins, Utah

DJ Mbenga, Dallas (Restricted)

Mario Kasun, Orlando (Restricted)

Scot Pollard, Indiana

Michael Olowokandi, C, Boston

Jake Voskuhl, Charlotte

Antonio Davis, Toronto

Brian Grant, Phoenix

Ervin Johnson, Milwaukee

Loren Woods, Toronto

Boniface N'Dong, LA Clippers (Restricted)

Michael Bradley, Philadelphia

Curtis Borchardt, Boston (Restricted)

Ha Seung-Jin, Portland (Restricted)

Jamal Sampson, Sacramento

Pat Burke, Phoenix

Zendon Hamilton, Cleveland

Earl Barron, Miami

[Guest Felonies!]

Well, I said we needed a big guy, so maybe he'll work. I'm still concerned about the interpersonal dynamics of it, though.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

The problem is the playoffs showed how to stop Ben Wallace. He might be a major force for them during the season, but come playoff time, if they make it, they might not fare much better than they did this year and last year.

[Brett Favre 0]

Damn, Tyrus Thomas and Ben Wallace? Thats like the greatest 1-2 defensive combination ever.

 

The Pistons need a center? How about Eddy Curry for Tayshaun Prince?

[The Electrifyer 0]

Omg 4-Years?! I don't want Ben on the Bulls for one year, let alone FOUR YEARS?!

[goldengreek 0]

The problem is the playoffs showed how to stop Ben Wallace. He might be a major force for them during the season, but come playoff time, if they make it, they might not fare much better than they did this year and last year.

Barring multiple injuries, they are a LOCK for the playoffs.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'm practicing modesty. I'm not going to claim instant playoff team when they barely made it this past season.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Wallace to the Bulls is interesting. Probably not the move I would have made, but interesting. I wonder if they would have been better off getting someone younger and cheaper like Przybilla or Mohammed, or sticking with Chandler. Still, those guys are probably going to get more money than they're worth, if Nene's contract is any barometer, and at least Ben Wallace is probably worth that money for the next 2 years. Getting him for less than max has got to be considered a minor victory, at least.

[Guest Felonies!]

They should at least make the playoffs with Ben Wallace. I expect them to at least win their first series since the '98 Finals.

[Ripper 0]

Suns sign Eric Piatkowski. I personally like this pick up.

 

Tim Thomas signs with the Clips, and honestly, I am happy at the money that saves the Suns. They can sign some even cheaper talent in the summer league and some undrafted rookies.

 

And Maciej Lampe is back with the team in the summer league.

 

I am still wondering who did Casey Jacobson piss of that they haven't resigned him yet.

Piatkowski is unfortunately done I think. He had a brutal 2 years in Chicago.

 

 

I attribute that to Scott Skiles being a fucking dick.

 

Which by the way is the reason that the Ben Wallace thing will work in Chicago, because those two dicks should really mesh.

 

If the Pistons were smart they would be trying to work a sign and trade with Chicago for Chandler. Chicago regrets that huge contract that they signed him to, and want to get rid of him, and most other teams ain't taking that contract on. They can get Ben and STILL be in great position in the free agent game this year or next.

[Human Fly 0]

Can any Detroit fan fill in the gaps on what happened with Ben Wallace?

 

I read a few months ago that he had fired his agent and was just going to pay a lawyer by the hour to work out a contract and he had no intention of even talking with other teams. Then last week I read that he hired a big name agent (I think David Falk, but could be wrong) and was looking to test the waters. Is this Flip Saunders's fault?

 

I think this is a huge loss for Detroit. Wallace epitomized the hard work blue collar Pistons of the last few seasons. Rasheed and McDyess is not going to get it done in the 2006 - 2007 season, they might as well blow the team up and rebuild around Rip and Prince.

 

How big does the Darko draft debacle become now?

[Ripper 0]

Um...not too big because Carmelo still would have been on the team and he does about half of the things that Tayshawn Prince does on the court.

 

So the pistons lost a big man that hustles and gets rebounds. He couldn't cover a single decent big man one on one in the post, he was horrible on offense, and became a dick at the seasons went on. Fuck him.

 

They do need to go big man searching. I say grab Joel Pryzbilla and call it a freakin day.

 

And the Hawks starting lineup has become: Speedy Claxton, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Sheldon Williams, Zaza Paculia.

 

Not to shabby.

[teke184 0]

Wallace's departure, while helping the Bulls, also pulls the plug on the Pistons' championship hopes because they've got 4 scorers but no one to pull down the boards or block shots for them anymore.

 

 

And, yes, the Darko debacle hurts them seriously because they picked Darko before he was ready, then gave up on him before he could develop.

 

Now, with no Darko or Ben, they're up shit creek and will need to pull off something interesting in order to get a big man in the center this year.

 

 

Otherwise, we may see another iteration of the "five shooters, no D" philosophy that can win games but not championships.

[naiwf 0]

Somewhere in the midst of a midnight snack Shaq has to be smiling to himself. With Big Ben gone, Miami is the odds on favorite to cruise through the East as long as Wade doesn't get hurt. Joe Dumars needs to step in before Detroit completely self destructs. I still think they'd have been better offering Ben whatever he wanted and shipping 'Sheed out. There's never a time where it's better to have a supremely talented guy who plays hard once a week instead of a guy with limited skills who plays hard every night. If this deal goes through it's an excellent time to be a Pistons hater.

[Ripper 0]

I agree with that too. Sheed, in all honesty should be backing McDyess up right now. (seriously) Plus he has been shooting freethrows at a Ben Wallace pace. If I had to give one of those guys up, you give up Rasheed....although I have this sneaking feeling that despite all the bullshit on the court, Rasheed is lower on the being a dick totem pole than Ben.

[Guest]

Somewhere in the midst of a midnight snack Shaq has to be smiling to himself. With Big Ben gone, Miami is the odds on favorite to cruise through the East as long as Wade doesn't get hurt.

False. BIG TIME false.

[teke184 0]

Somewhere in the midst of a midnight snack Shaq has to be smiling to himself. With Big Ben gone, Miami is the odds on favorite to cruise through the East as long as Wade doesn't get hurt.

False. BIG TIME false.

Then who is the favorite?

 

 

Cleveland's good but they're still a few role-players away from being a favorite. (Detroit's worsening helps them out, though, at least as far as playoff seeding goes.)

 

The Bulls look good on paper but we'd have to see how things turn out on the court.

[naiwf 0]

Somewhere in the midst of a midnight snack Shaq has to be smiling to himself. With Big Ben gone, Miami is the odds on favorite to cruise through the East as long as Wade doesn't get hurt.

False. BIG TIME false.

Then who is the favorite?

 

What he said. Detroit will be worse. Cleveland's still not ready. New Jersey can't beat Miami. Chicago and Washington aren't good enough to threaten them. No other team was able to win 42 games in the East this season and there are no draftees or free agents that are gonna allow any team not listed to make a quantum leap from non playoff team to the favorite in the East unless Wade gets hurt.

[Guest]

I don't think they'll cruise by any stretch.

 

Cleveland has no chance unless they get better (i.e. Anderson Varejao steps up), Detroit we can totally forget about, even with trades.

 

If Indiana had a point guard, I'd say that they could play well enough to get deep in the playoffs. They don't, so I'll scratch them off too, but they can possibly get one through a trade. New Jersey falls in this category, except for they have no bench. Washington needs bigs, forget them, and the Hawks are too young.

 

I think that the Bulls can realistically handle the Heat in a 7 game series. What I see in Miami is a team that will become lazy after winning a title, outside of Wade and Shaq. As we know, just those two won't win a conference (example, 04-05). How are the Heat going to be able to guard a team that is more experienced than the same team they couldn't guard last year? There's not going to be Malik Allen in the lineup anymore, or Tyson Chandler off the bench. Regardless of what you guys think of Ben Wallace, he changes the game on the defensive end. Yeah, he's not worth the money he'd getting, but that doesn't mean he's not an integral part. Stick Tyrus Thomas in the game, slashers coming off the bench aren't going to have it easy. The Heat could not guard the assortment of guards that the Bulls had at their disposal, this won't change.

 

I'm not saying that the Bulls are the favorite, Miami is. What I am saying is that there's no way they'll cruise. That's a big stretch. The fact is, they can't guard anyone, especially if the Celtics get Iverson. That's hell to Miami, even if it isn't to the rest of the conference.

 

Clever EDIT: You guys know exactly which players I'm talking about in Miami being lazy. And Shaq could get very fat again. It's happened before.

[Guest Felonies!]

I attribute that to Scott Skiles being a fucking dick.

 

Which by the way is the reason that the Ben Wallace thing will work in Chicago, because those two dicks should really mesh.

Don't you think that'd be a reason why they wouldn't mesh, though? I have this feeling that Wallace won't buy into Skiles's coaching like he would for a "big name" coach like Larry Brown, and then it's gonna be all sorts of doghouse nonsense from there on out.

[goldengreek 0]

Um...not too big because Carmelo still would have been on the team and he does about half of the things that Tayshawn Prince does on the court.

 

So the pistons lost a big man that hustles and gets rebounds. He couldn't cover a single decent big man one on one in the post, he was horrible on offense, and became a dick at the seasons went on. Fuck him.

 

They do need to go big man searching. I say grab Joel Pryzbilla and call it a freakin day.

 

And the Hawks starting lineup has become: Speedy Claxton, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Sheldon Williams, Zaza Paculia.

 

Not to shabby.

Dont forget Williams of the bench

[goldengreek 0]

Omg 4-Years?! I don't want Ben on the Bulls for one year, let alone FOUR YEARS?!

I'm sorta with you. I wanted Wilcox or Nene, but Wallace is better than Pryzbilla and Nazr Mohhamed

[goldengreek 0]

Wallace's departure, while helping the Bulls, also pulls the plug on the Pistons' championship hopes because they've got 4 scorers but no one to pull down the boards or block shots for them anymore.

 

 

And, yes, the Darko debacle hurts them seriously because they picked Darko before he was ready, then gave up on him before he could develop.

 

Now, with no Darko or Ben, they're up shit creek and will need to pull off something interesting in order to get a big man in the center this year.

 

 

Otherwise, we may see another iteration of the "five shooters, no D" philosophy that can win games but not championships.

McDyess can play center for a year as long as he stays healthy, and play sheed at the 4

[goldengreek 0]

Somewhere in the midst of a midnight snack Shaq has to be smiling to himself. With Big Ben gone, Miami is the odds on favorite to cruise through the East as long as Wade doesn't get hurt.

False. BIG TIME false.

Then who is the favorite?

 

What he said. Detroit will be worse. Cleveland's still not ready. New Jersey can't beat Miami. Chicago and Washington aren't good enough to threaten them. No other team was able to win 42 games in the East this season and there are no draftees or free agents that are gonna allow any team not listed to make a quantum leap from non playoff team to the favorite in the East unless Wade gets hurt.

You forget the bulls are young and improving every year. They gave the Heat its toughest challenge in the playoffs IMO

[alfdogg 0]

If you guys are that desperate for a young center, you can send Wallace over to us, and we'll give you David Harrison.

[alfdogg 0]

Currently rumored deal on ESPN is Chandler to the Hornets for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith.

[Fökai 0]

Better that the Bulls overpaid for Wallace, whose sheer reputation can get him by defensively, than overpaying Joel Przybilla (probably $9 mil annually) or Nazr Mohammed.

 

Currently rumored deal on ESPN is Chandler to the Hornets for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith.

 

Does that mean that Chandler's contract is off the books? P.J. is a free agent next year (making $8 million this year), so that frees up some money along with the Knicks' pick if they choose to swap. That means that signing Hinrich and Nocioni will be a definite if they choose to stay. This isn't an exact depth chart, but more a sorted roster...

 

Hinrich

Duhon

 

Gordon

Sefolosha

Basden

J.R. Smith

 

Deng

Nocioni

Khyrapa

 

Tyrus Thomas

Malik Allen

P.J. Brown

Othella

 

Wallace

Sweetney

[goldengreek 0]

Currently rumored deal on ESPN is Chandler to the Hornets for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith.

DO IT Bulls!!!!!!!!!!