Official: Unsubstantiated Trade Suggestions, Speculation, And Rumors

Then I think we just ride out the year and maybe sign someone in the off season. I keep forgetting about Mitch's undercover plan of securing the top 5 lottery pick Just felt that trade would give us solid direction going forward but I still agree with you.

 

Im with you. Pray the players pan out on cheap contracts while also spending money on a mix of another star player and experienced veterans that still have room to grow. Good mix of youth and experience is essential to a championship team.

 

Does Jackson make westbrook expendable?

 

No. Westbrook is locked up for 3 more years including this one, and they'll give that Durant/Ibaka/Westbrook core a little more time to make a run while their window is open; at least until 2016 when Durant officially becomes an FA. OKC is cheap, and from what Woj tweeted, Jackson will command 13-to 14 million on the open market. I doubt OKC pays that...

 

Not sure Jackson is worth 13 to 14 million. Thanks for the info.

 

Sure. He might not be; nevertheless, from a Woj column,

"For Jackson, 24, the transformation from sixth man to an impact starter is validating everything that NBA executives and coaches suspected: He could be a star. Jackson turned down a lucrative, rookie contract extension in October, and he’s determined to be a starter in the NBA.

He’s generating a market value that’ll test the Thunder’s resolve in restricted free agency this summer. Every night, executives examine Jackson, and his offer sheet possibilities are climbing into the $13 million to $14 million range. As one Eastern Conference executive told Yahoo Sports: “He’s a bigger Eric Bledsoe – and probably better.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/reggie...of-saving-the-thunder-s-season-202546189.html

Check out what Harden said recently about the position that Jackson is in...

“I fell into the same situation, and that could have been my only contract And I’m sure Reggie feels the same way,” Harden told The Oklahoman. “He has to get the money that he’s earned and that he’s worked his whole life for. It’s the nature of the business. It’s going to happen every single year and it’s going to continue to happen.”

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....kson-he-has-to-get-the-money-that-hes-earned/

I think he leaves where A.) He most more money from another team B.) Has an opportunity to start, IMO.

 

Hes definitely going to the team that pays him the most, obviously will start. Thats the problem with some of these young free agents that havent fully hit their ceiling, youre signing them based on some potential and I personally, am not willing to gamble giving someone a near max contract cause of their flashing.

 

At some point we'll have to take that risk though. Fielding a super team from "old star FA's" isn't working

 

We already got enough defensive struggles dont you think lol, atleast thats what everyone else is saying! Monroe would IMO have to play next to a Hill/Davis(Scrappy type rim defender) to makeup for his defensive skill set. Re-sign Davis,Sacre for a combined 4 mill. Sign your boy Monroe for 14 mill. Thats 18 mill total in big men, Randle comes off the bench but gets a very good dose of starter type minutes.

We have 32 mill to spend. So 32-18 leaves us with 14. 7 players total now Kobe,Randle,Clarkson,Young,Davis,Sacre and Monroe. Keep all three draft picks( Yes, im banking on the lottery, we need to strike gold darn it!) which is another 3 players and should account for 7 mill or so which then leaves us with 7 mill left and puts us 10 players total.

3 mill for PG, 3 mill for SF, 1 mill for another reserve(Buy another 2nd round pick?).

Hinrich/Felton/Nelson/Barea/Stuckey/C.J Watson/Farmar/Lin/Udrih/Rivers/Larkin/Blake <-> Rookie(Top 5 lottery)?
Kobe <-> Clarkson <-> Rookie(Houston 2nd rd)?
Danny Green/Aminu <-> Rookie(Houston 1st rd)?
Monroe <-> Randle <-> Rookie(Purchase 2nd round pick)?
Davis <-> Sacre

Not bad but IMO, I think theres a lot of value PFs out there and think were better off passing on Monroe and getting a bargain starting caliber PF, then having more money to spend towards a legit PG/SF.

 

I wouldnt be opposed to that, but from my calculations wed still have more money to spend on some 1 year deals, or am I wrong? We have 32 million give or take with just Kobe,Young,Randle and Clarkson on the books.

Take out 7 million combined IF we keep top 5 pick(Im sold on Okafor), Houstons 1st and 2nd round picks. Puts us up to 7 players. Down to 25 million.

Sign your boys Biyombo and Harris for a combined 14 million. Puts us at 9 players, down to 11 million.
NOTE: For you out there who for example would rather have Jeff or Gerald Green and bringing back Ed Davis, itll probably cost around the same money.

Re-sign Lin, Kelly, and Sacre for 6 million combined. Were at 12 players now, with 5 million left over. Which I think wouldnt be a bad idea to keep free and use it if you need it for a bargain free agent or to be able to use in order to pull off a certain trade by having that extra cushion.

Lin/ Rookie PG
Kobe/Clarkson
Harris/Young/Rookie SF
Randle/Kelly
Biyombo/Okafor/Sacre

Thats 12 players, 5 million to do whatever. Then in 2016, Kobes 24 mill comes off the books and HOPEFULLY we can land a max player like Durant/Lillard etc. WITH enough money to re-sign Kobe who takes a very team friendly contract to go for the gold.

 

I like the idea of Biyombo & Harris but I think Harris is headed to NY.. I'm sure you saw that recent article about how close he is with Melo & how much he wants to play in NY with him. I'm all for Harris going to NY.. They're going to be 1 of the major competitors for free agents so if they're using up cap space on a mid tier guy like Harris it gives them less to spend on the higher paid FA's.

I'd love to loot some of the young talent from the Bucks.. Henson & Sanders are both being under utilized.. Wolters lost his minutes to Bayless.. Middleton is capable of playing a much bigger role.. They're focusing so much on developing Giannis & Parker, & playing Knight so much that young players with tons of potential aren't getting the run they should.. They're the 4 seed in the East right now, maybe they'd give up some of those young guys for a proven veteran like Jordan Hill. I love Hill but I don't want to pick up his option or commit long term money to him. Would be awesome to get a couple young guys like Henson & Middleton for him. A walking double double like Hill has to be appealing to a playoff team that's playing Zaza 20 MPG.

 

Thats probably Mitchs plan. Drive up Hills value and unload him for long(er) term players or pick(s).

 

My dream for next season is this:

Draft jahlil okafor

sign goran dragic and jimmy Butler

resign ed Davis

healthy and improved jumpshot in Julius Randle

pg- dragic/clarkson
sg- kobe/nick
sf- jimmy/wes
pf- randle/kelly
c - okafor/davis

 

^ That team will have a mixture of youth and veterans. All capable defensive stoppers as well!