Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

I'm still very okay with this, but he's played himself away from a max contract. If we offer him that much, we're overpaying by a LOT. If that means leaving with Barnes and other talent, it might be worth it but still something to consider. We might be able to pry Barnes away even without a full max offer.

And Riley is either going to have to get VERY creative or Wade will have to take a fairly sizable pay cut for Whiteside to get a max deal. So either Whiteside/Wade take pay cuts to stay in Miami or Whiteside chases the cash.

 

That's a good idea. Mahinmi is another guy that could give you decent value.

I'm not sure what Mozgov would cost at this point.

 

I agree. I just don't want Whiteside at all due to the fear he blows up like a balloon or just reverts back to what he was for the first 5 years of his career. But I get tired of saying the same thing over and over again, so I thought I'd try it from a different angle. I knew the argument was weak, but hey, it's new. Just trying to beat the dead horse with a different color stick.

 

I've got the same concerns @Savory Griddles. But I said at the start of this season if he maintains this play to the end of the season I'll be a believer. And he has, he's about to become the first Heat player to get a double double in the playoffs since LeBron. He was average early in his career, but something changed, he grew, and he hasn't let up. I believe that's hard work and reaching his prime, it happens, rarely, but it happens. Happened with Gerald Green when he was written off after many chances. I offer Whiteside max, he's worth the risk to me, we have to take some risks. If he doesn't work out he's tradeable to, at only 27/28/29.

 

Yeah it's hard to think what he'll do past this now. He had a massive opportunity to break out this season, but it never happened. More minutes didn't equal more success. He's a favorite of Jerry West, so I have no fears with his mentality or anything but I'm not sure he grows past this point. I'm not sure he's ever much more than 3&D with maybe a little bit of post game here and there. Very good player, but not someone to go nuts on.

 

How much does everyone think Bazemore will get? I really like him. Should never have let him walk in the first place. Weren't we all screaming about it at the time? But I wonder if we could unload Lou along with our first and maybe Clarkson to get a star without eating into our salary cap, then fit Durant, a star not named Whiteside ( ) and Bazemore in?

 

Not without dumping a bunch of players off on someone.

 

Butler and Cousins are the two big names that are coming up. Think of other "disgruntled" stars in their cities and they're up for trade.

I'd say Butler is worth it.

 

That sounds pretty expensive, but it's hard for me to gauge exactly where the inflation this summer will land. A guy like him could really cash in if he does something extraordinary in the playoffs.

His numbers this season were pretty solid. 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. He played 75 games during the season.

Last season 14 players put those kinds of numbers. Cousins, Green, Harden, Butler, Leonard, James, Carter-Williams, George, Millsap, Rondo, Westbrook, Curry, and Evans.