Yep! We'll have 60 million available to spend. It's conceivable we add two max deals and still have room left over (depending on how long those max guys have been in the league).
Awesome! Good to know! There are some pretty solid free agents that can be helpful pieces this off-season...Thanks, Real.
My dream scenario... Everything in Sacramento collapses and demarcus becomes available... We win the Ben Simmons sweepstakes.... Sign kd as a Free agent We sign and trade Roy Hibbert and Clarkson along with future picks for cousins Russel Kd Simmons Randle Cousins
I typed out a reply about possible trades then.. deleted it all. Until the coaching/front office situation is addressed none of this makes any difference really.
Read a report earlier the Lakers are planning to offer a max contract to DeMar Derozan. I've come around to the idea. He is an All Star caliber player. Probably the second best player on the market after Durant.
Looks good in theory but Simmons can't shoot at all. People clown and laugh at me for saying Nance should get some time at SF. If Nance can't play SF right now or until his shot improve Simmons certainly isn't going to be ready out of the gates. If we keep with your optimstic scenario I would rather sign and trade Roy Hibbert, include Nance, and include the #1 pick for Cousins. That's just me talking today and its easier to say this without the #1 pick in our hands and might be harder to part with, but as of today I would do that trade Russell Clarkson KD Randle Cousins
Your crazy if you think Demar is the 2nd best player on the market. I'd gladly admit I'm not much of a Demar fan unless you like Dunking a lot, good FT shooter, and good/great at getting to the basket. Yes, I know he's restricted but Harrison Barnes to me is clearly better than Demar in the areas that matter most. outside/mid-range shooting, post up game, and great (versatile) defender. All in all I would much rather use other options first before going with Demar right after KD. And yes, I understand if we went with Barnes we would have our money tied up waiting to see if GSW would match.
How is Barnes better? He's a role player on a stacked team. DeRozan has had to carry that Raptors team along with Lowry and they've gone to two probably three consecutive postseasons? DeRozan is an All Star. The dude is averaging 23, 4, and 4 this season and they have the second best record in an improved conference. Let me know when Barnes does that. I'm not saying he's not capable, but there's no way as a role player he's better than a guy who is showing to be a very capable #1 option. Barnes may be a better fit, but way is he a better player?
Could there be better packages... of course, but if they are desperate, beggars can't be choosers. I agree though a lot of negativity would have to happen for Kings to be in the kind of position the Magic were in with Howard telling them he was leaving for sure and wanted out thus making the Magic have to accept some sort of trade.
When I watch the Demar play whether it was last season and at times this year I see someone who doesn't shoot as well as he should given his strengths and skills. He's not a 3pt shooter, never has been, and his mid-range lacks consistency. Granted I don't have a clue what our offense will look like next year with a new coach (God willing) but I have to go with what our offense is right now and factor in how Demar would play into that. We don't create driving lanes for our players the way we should. Barnes on the other hand may not have or has shown the scoring game Demar has but he plays much more under control. He's a winner, not a winner of just some division in a weak Eastern Conference, but an NBA champion. Barnes a role player.... yes he may be on a stacked Warriors team, but put him on a few other teams and he's their 2nd to 3rd best player. I'm not taking anything away from Demar as a person. Doesn't get in trouble and as far as I know is respected among his peers. But I remember Barnes' draft interviews and what's stuck out always about him is he's mature beyond his years. Great teammate, a winner, and his game has always improved even on a great warriors team. I don't just look at stats and I'm sure (hope) you don't either. What do you do when your in a shooting slump in the Finals or Playoffs. Barnes had a few really bad games in the playoffs but would come up huge in the 4th quarter to make "winning plays". Give me that kind of player
I can't speak for @Lakers2015, but I can tell you that DD's game has matured quite a bit. He's not the same player he was in 2010 and that's evidenced by the eye test and the stats (including advanced stats) bear that out. So, does Z. Lowe's piece he has written about DD; there also another piece by SI they speaks to this...
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/01/12/demar-derozan-toronto-raptors-kyle-lowry-dwane-casey For those interested.
I don't see how it's crazy to say a guy who is definitely gonna be an All Star is better than a guy who is at best the third or fourth best player on his team. I'm not taking away from what Barnes does, but playing with three other All Stars in Curry, Klay, and Green he doesn't have to do much offensively other than slash and space the floor. Yes he can post up, but so can Derozan. Is Derozan a great shooter? No, but his mid range game has improved, incredibly athletic, great off the dribble, on the break, creates his own shot, draws fouls, decent defensively, and can make clutch shots. I think it's incredible unfair to use Toronto's lack of success as like a knock against Derozan. Look at the roster. Can you say they've underachieved? No they haven't. If anything they've overachieved given the talent around Lowry and DeRozan. Just like with Chris Bosh. He goes to Miami and all of a sudden a guy who was seen as a playoff choke artist is a champion.
I thought you mentioned you liked him . He was traded and is going to be cut by the team he was traded to