Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

I don't know that it's a playoff team either, but it's a team that would win at least 30 games, even with little growth from the young guys. With good to great performances from those guys, it would be a playoff team.

 

I think if you switch out Deng with Batum, then it's a fringe playoff team. Then again, Batum would likely cost twice as much as Deng. If Deng is our starting sf, you'd have to account for him missing around 40 games, which means for half the season, your only real upgrade would be Zaza over Hibbert, unless you decide to slide Afflalo over to sf. The other 20+ games we would need to win to make the playoffs would have to come from Randle, Russell and Clarkson's improvement (because I don't think the Afflalo signing is an upgrade as much as it is just a little more depth), and whatever a new coach can bring. That's a LOT of games to win from just those two factors.

 

I think that team would be talented enough to make at least the 9th seed, but we'd have to count on the right leadership to get there. If Byron Scott is still our coach, that team is the 14th seed still.

 

I think there's just no way it happens. I don't think there's any chance that the Kings give us their best player in franchise history besides maybe Webber. I also don't think there's any chance the Thunder give up Westbrook to a Western Conference team, especially early in the process meaning they'd wait until the deadline to make sure they got the best package available.

Also I think Batum, Derozan, and probably Whiteside get maxed out this summer no matter what. I think those three are no brainers. Barnes probably will too, but since he's an RFA it's hard to say.

 

I think Mitch and Jim definitely could panic and try to make a move like that to save their jobs, but I don't think it would happen. If they tried something like that, they'd have to look East which is even more concerning because there's not much out there worth panicking over.

 

I don't think both happen, but I do think that if Durant tells OKC he's leaving, they know Westbrook is out as well the next season. If you offer the #1 (Simmons) with Clarkson for Westbrook, are they going to get a better offer? People are saying Simmons is a once in a decade talent. I think OKC could easily sell to their fans a Westbrook for Simmons AND Clarkson swap. Then we sign Horford with our remaining cash.

Huertas/Russell
Westbrook/Huertas/Swaggy Pee
Durant/Brown
Randle/Nance
Horford/Black

 

How often does a team trade an MVP candidate in conference? I don't know that I've seen it happen that often.

I just don't think OKC wants to see Westbrook 3 times a year. You don't think if Cleveland found out he was available they'd offer Kyrie/Love/picks?

 

I think they offer Love. Cleveland likes Kyrie and he's a better fit with Lebron. Westbrook is completely ball dominant. Kyrie can play off the ball a little bit more. (I mean, Kyrie still likes the ball in his hands, but he's a better outside shooter that Westbrook). Durant can play off the ball a bit which is why Westbrook/Durant works. Lebron and Westbrook on the same team might be problematic. If you watch Cleveland, Lebron is carrying the ball up the floor a lot. Also, OKC is a small market team that doesn't like to pay taxes. For them to have a chance they need to have stars on rookie deals that grow on the team.

Also, let's say they offer Love and Kyrie. Would you trade Clarkson and Simmons for Love and Kyrie? Not sure that I would. Kyrie and Love neither one play much defense. Love plays zero. Even with the second best player in the world (Lebron), they still aren't dominant.

But trading the MVP candidate in conference isn't as big a deal when you consider that a Clarkson/Simmons package would set them back into rebuilding mode to where they wouldn't be really competing with the Lakers. They would almost have to trade him to somebody if Durant leaves or they lose him for nothing.

 

yeah, I don't think they will all get max but the days of getting player like Lou and Nick at 5-8 million/year are over in my opinion

 

You want Huertas on the team next year... AND you want to start him over Russell?

 

And picks and whatever else? Sure to keep him out of my conference. Besides, I get a nice starting point to go forward. Is it as nice as Ben Simmons? Who the heck knows? Simmons can be as highly touted as he wants, but I still don't know for sure what he is. I know for sure Kyrie is as good a young PG as there is in the league and Love is a good player too.

The Lakers would not easily trade for Westbrook, especially this summer. It just wouldn't happen. Would it happen at the deadline? Maybe, but the Thunder would not be in any rush to lose both Durant and Westbrook in one summer. No chance.

 

thanks for sharing this, very helpful article. I always this get confused

 

I ran the numbers on that team. We could replace any one of those four with a max player and still be okay cap wise.

 

My team. Not Punk's crazy idea.

 

Afflalo would be replacing Clarkson in the starting lineup. Clarkson isn't near the defender Afflalo is, but he is a much more dynamic scorer.

The Deng comment was meant to be a little sarcastic. I suppose it didn't come out that way. But he will get hurt. He's not super durable and he'll be one year older. Kids don't typically make gigantic jumps like that though. I think a 15 game improvement next season (granted we don't land any big time free agents) is a good start. Then the next season we get into the 6th seed range, then the following we jump into title contention. Once again, this is all based on us not getting Simmons and not signing Durant/Westbrook/etc.