Free Agency 2009

[deadshot11]

Thoughts on this year's free agent class and what different teams are going to do?


Starting off with the Lakers, I have a feeling we're going to end up with Ariza, but not Odom. The best thing for the team would be for them to both take mid-sized contracts to be able to keep the team together. I don't think Odom will be willing to do that. He'd have to take a serious paycut from the $14 mil he got this year. I have a feeling Odom will take a big ~$10 mil/year contract from a high bidder, maybe someone like Detroit. Ariza might be more willing to hang around for ~$6 mil/year, as he seems motivated to stay in LA.


There's also been rumors of the economy affecting this free agent class, with less teams willing to pay top dollar to lure top/mid players. A lot of teams trying to stay out of the luxury tax as well. Plus there's a lot of pretty good free agents on the market this summer. Not as big of names as next year, but still a lot of very good guys who can help a team win.


And lastly, he's not exactly a free agent this year, but there's still the question of whether Phil Jackson retires this summer because of health. He's won his 10th, taking the lead in championship rings, and may be satisfied. There's also talk on the radio that it's getting harder and harder for him to travel with the team, as his surgically repaired leg swells up everytime he gets on a plane. Can't fly, can't coach. And the free agent rumor is that if he does retire, Kobe's going to lobby for none other than...

At least one well-informed NBA informant insists that Lakers coach Phil Jackson will hang up the clipboard this summer and his successor could be Duke's Mike Krzyzewski -- especially if his highly-influential agent (Kobe Bryant) puts the heat on Lakers management. Journal Times

from Insidehoops

[mbuser]

this article is about six weeks old, but i hit on most fantasy-relevant players and i don't think a ton has changed in the interim
http://busersports.com/2009/04/30/offseason-fa/

as for the lakers... they are already well over the cap but can technically give odom whatever they want, as he's a bird rights player. as for ariza, he hasn't been with them long enough to qualify for any exception, so the only way he stays is if he agrees to their MLE - coincidentally it should work out to just under $6M. i don't see how/why teams with tons of cap don't go after ariza
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/la_lakers.htm

[KalElen]

i doubt odom can get 10m after his last 2 seasons with lakers. his role was different which in part explains his numbers dropping, but he was often criticized for his inability to adjust and contribute more. most people had him as an x-factor for the lakers going into the finals. i don't think any team with cap space (most are in cost cutting/rebuilding phase) will give 30 year old x-factor 30m (3 years with 10 per) in this economy. the smartest thing for him to do is to take 5-7m from the lakers and claim that he took a pay cut in order to win more rings.

turk is the most intriguing fa for me. he too is 30 so i don't see young teams going for him. he's gonna cost them a lot of money, but i doubt that he is the guy that makes rebuilding team a contender. detroit is the only team that might go after him, but they have prince. i think that his free agency is gonna be ugly both for him and for the magic if they don't agree to pay him what he wants straight away

[deadshot11]

Any thoughts on what goes down at 12:01am tonight?

I haven't said this online yet, but I think the biggest piece in free agency this year is actually Rasheed Wallace. More so than Hedo, or Boozer, or Odom/Ariza. Wallace is definitely going to leave Detroit. He's a versatile big who plays great defense, has championship experience, and is a great teammate. I think he'll give a contender that extra needed mental 'edge' that it takes to win at the highest level. I think he's the most important question of where anyone goes this summer. He pretty much has his pick of the contenders. He can sign for the mid-level with Boston, San Antonio, Cleveland, or Orlando. I think if he signs with any of those four, he instantly bumps them up a notch to top contender along with the Lakers (assuming they get Odom/Ariza back, which is the rumor).

[baller crimson]

Boozer's staying, at least for now:

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—Carlos Boozer(notes) has reconsidered free agency, or at least put it off a year.

Boozer let the Utah Jazz know on Tuesday that he will stay with the team for the final year of his contract rather than opting out and becoming a free agent — which he once said he intended to do.

Link

[RedHopeful]

Well, Boozer after all that talk early this past season, didn't opt out. Shortly after, Okur also announced he wasn't going to opt out. This really puts the Jazz in a bind now regarding Millsap and I think the Jazz won't be able to match a pretty good offer by another team.

As far as the Lakers, it appears Odom will be playing elsewhere. Ariza can be had for less plus they've already got Gasol/Bynum. Mitch K is already on the hook for giving Andrew a ton of money so he needs to have the kid to start earning it.

Hedo I think will end up in Portland especially if they don't get one of the FA PG's.

[baller crimson]

Looks like Ben Gordon and Charlie V are going to Detroit

Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordonand Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanuevaflew to Detroit on Wednesday morning for a mid-day meeting with team president Joe Dumars and indications are both are moving rapidly toward deals with the Detroit Pistons

Source: Y! Sports

[mbuser]

i just don't get a good feeling thinking about gordon in detroit. i think chicago is the perfect fit

[RedHopeful]

i just don't get a good feeling thinking about gordon in detroit. i think chicago is the perfect fit

55 million over 5 years...OVERPAID!!
I personally find it hard to fathom Detroit just signed two big contract for offensively minded players only. Will they really try and sign Avery Johnson now? What about some other personnel moves? Attempt to move Hamilton? Paying two SG's a total of like 24ish million a year isn't a winning formula.

[silentjim]

i just don't get a good feeling thinking about gordon in detroit. i think chicago is the perfect fit

55 million over 5 years...OVERPAID!!
I personally find it hard to fathom Detroit just signed two big contract for offensively minded players only. Will they really try and sign Avery Johnson now? What about some other personnel moves? Attempt to move Hamilton? Paying two SG's a total of like 24ish million a year isn't a winning formula.

No kidding. I really think Gordon was and should have been part of the Bulls future, but paying him 11 million a year is insane. The Bulls can either go after some other free agents, or just save the money up for next season.