Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

Got a feeling Whiteside knows the situation and the Lakers want him. I have a good feeling he will be a Laker on July 1.

 

Yup.

Someone earlier mentioned that they didn't like us publicizing our interest in big name free agents because then we look bad when we strike out. Someone else responded that maybe it was just random speculation from Ramona anyways.

I don't think either is the case. Ramona doesn't just blow hot air, and there is good reason to leak our interest in free agents to the media.

IMO, that report yesterday was essentially Mitch using the media to legally signal to Whiteside's representatives that he's our top target and we'll have a max contract ready for him at 9:01 on Thursday night. We want him to know that we want him.

 

Offer Whiteside the max and I think he's ours. Our advantage of having so much cap space comes into play here, while other teams are waiting on Durant we can go after both.

Whiteside seems like a guy who would really love it in LA and he fills a huge hole for us.

But then we would need to sign some nice vets. If Warriors get KD, I'd steal Iggy from them asap. Any other Shane Battier typed available?

 

Getting hyped up for Whiteside...really hope we get him.

 

15/12/4 center? Yeah you throw max money at that guy. I know right now Harrison Barnes is not on everyone's list, but I really think we need to platoon that small forward position until Ingram grows into it. Barnes still offers versatility at both forward positions that we DON'T HAVE ON THIS ROSTER. If not Barnes, maybe we can give Jeff Green a look. We have a serious depth issue at small forward that needs to be addressed going forward.

 

I don't see how Riley won't try to deal. He's already @ 47 mil on the books with only 4 players (one of whom may never play again) and $52 million in free-agent cap holds, he needs to fill in a lot of blanks AND has to try and resign Wade, Deng, Whiteside who will all want a part of the new NBA TV contract money going around this summer. Of course he can go way over the cap but he'll only be able to do vet min deals and the minimum-salary exception. Miami only has early bird rights on HW and have to use cap space to sign him for more than a league average salary and they can't offer a fifth year on his deal. How much does Wade want for all his years of service? Won't he ask for a deal like Kobe's? And Deng, he's going to figure he's got 1-2 years for big money left.

Whiteside turned 27 days ago, entering his prime, he will want the max. I don't think he's just a one-year fluke, '14-'15 season was similar stats based on 36 minutes and he still
improved in all areas. But I can't speak for his attitude. I don't have that big a problem with the Len thing. He has some fight in him and needs to watch it that's all. As far as his reported big head, that is an issue on this team because Miami has a strong vet support system in place. Who in LA is going to put him in his place and give tough love? Unless MWP comes back we got no one. Some ego and cockiness is ok but reports are his has ventured into the delusional range in the past. We aren't the Spurs where he walks into a tight disciplined culture. We don't need a Boogy situation here, though with Sploetsra they are saying maturity concerns are ok right now so he is worth the risk imo. I put my faith in Luke and staff in being able to keep his feet planted.

 

You watch Ray Donovan, know how things work, the media can be a tool in today's world.

 

I'd prefer Horford honestly.

 

I like Horford a lot and certainly wouldn't be upset if we ended up with him. That said, I think Whiteside is a more realistic target. There's been smoke about him coming to LA for a while nd I think he's definitely showing that he is willing to leave Miami for the right offer. There's risk with him just like any other free agent, but the potential gain here is much too high for us to pass on him.

 

The cool thing is his max isn't as much as Horford's. You get to save some cap space and add more pieces...

 

Same with Parsons; his max is about the same as Whiteside's. You can improve your team and my expectation would be that Mitch keeps enough flexbility to add a max guy next season. Hello, Westbrook.

 

It's time we outsmart Riley. Snatch both Deng and Whiteside away from him.

 

dangerous bet. he can still convince wade to take minimum in exchange for a max deal next year. it's legal, but requires trust and/or outright cheating.

i think if you play your cards right, you can guarantee one of them by offering both and putting a limit on the offer. whiteside might balk at that, but if you make deng a rich offer and put a quick expiration on it, you can make that happen.

anyway, whiteside still makes me very nervous. he doesn't seem to have a great head on his shoulders. not that this FA crop is teeming with high talent/high character guys, but it seems you're definitely sacrificing in one direction here. but he is probably the most attainable of the high talent players, so i guess you roll with it.

 

Here's more to look forward to w/ Whiteside.. 7'0 Tall w/ a 7'7 REACH .. This can potentially be a very formidable Defensive- YOUNG/ATHLETIC team if signed ...

 

BTW He's literally standing on his tippy toes !!!!

 

min deal anywhere but miami and he loses his bird rights, which is what would allow for the max deal that followed.

btw, i mentioned a few weeks back that if you really wanted to stick it to riley, you'd offer whiteside max, wade a three-year deal starting north of 20 per, and deng the rest. it would be just delicious.

 

A couple of you guys asked my opinion of how Whiteside would fit in to the new system.

Positives

-In the new system we'll set a ton of screens, and he's a really good screen setter. He gets guys open with contact.

-He rolls hard off of those screens, and is such a threat to finish at the basket if he gets the ball that it forces the weakside to really commit to him. This has a positive impact on everyone. Russell or Clarkson coming off of a PnR with Whiteside would actually have someone who they could pass the ball to, so the other team can't just focus all of their attention on them as they come off of the PnR. This will make their life a lot easier. It also means that the weak side defender has to really commit to Whiteside as he rolls to the basket, meaning that 3 point shooters will be open on the weak side.

-Pretty good mid range shooter, which helps against soft hedges.

-Obviously a great rim protector.

Negatives

-The system has a lot of action where the 5 can act as a playmaker, and he's not a really good passer, so you're limited in the kind of actions that you can run effectively with him on the court.

-There's a lot of switching in GSW's defensive system, and he's not good at defending on the perimeter, especially on the PnR.

-I don't remember him as a great rim runner in transition, but I could totally be wrong about that.

-Can't really pop and space the floor from 3 point range.

From GT