Free Agency around the league

[JCSunsfan]

New York Knicks: If Amare is the best they get this off-season, they have failed.


Atlanta: Joe Johnson is supposedly hesitating about signing the super max offered by Atlanta. He wants to go to Chicago depending on who else goes there. So much for being "the man." He wants to be a third option behind Rose and FA (Lebron/Wade/Bosh). Hmmm. Isn't that what he had in Phoenix?

Miami: So, someone is going to gut their team and end up with practically nothing of real value. It's looking like Miami. They might get Bosh, but they have to keep Wade.

Cleveland sales of prozac are going through the roof.

New Jersey: So, who are they signing?

Chicago: Its the place where every free agent wants to go to win it all. There seems to be something "not right" about the players consorting to determine which will be the next power team for the next 6 or 7 years.

 

[carey]

Chicago: Its the place where every free agent wants to go to win it all. There seems to be something "not right" about the players consorting to determine which will be the next power team for the next 6 or 7 years.

Agreed, and I don't think it's going to work out the way they think.

 

[jagu]

NBA is comedic. This traveling circus of All-Stars is getting pretty old fast. Sign and end the misery.

 

[dodie53]

Joe tried to be the man,
he failed.
so, maybe he wants to be the 2nd or 3rd banana again.
idk.

 

[overseascardfan]

ESPN is reporting that Amare has told reporters that if he signs with NY that Tony Parker and Carmelo Anthony are ready to join him next year.

Steven A Smith is reporting that 3 scenarios could take place and this is what he is hearing:

1) Lebron & Bosh would sign with MIA but since Bosh wants the max he probably would not sign with MIA but is seeking a S&T.

2) Lebron signs with NY and Amare and JJ are willing to take only $15.7M a year each to play with him.

3) If Lebron signs with NY, Wade will sign with CHI because he doesn't want to be alone in MIA and sees CHI with Rose & Noah as a team with potential.

I do not believe a word from Steven A Smith as he is always wrong, but that could be why none of these guys have signed yet.

 

[Folster]

I think patience around the league and in the media will start wearing pretty thin if we emerge from this long weekend with no decision from the big free agents, especially if we hit the 8th with no commitments. A lot of fans are already of the opinion that the major free agents are just feeding their inflated egos with grand presentations and royal treatment.

LeBron has to know where he wants to play by now. Wade is waiting on Bosh. Nobody knows what Bosh is doing. Stoudemire is waiting to see if anyone will join him in NY, and Joe Johnson is waiting to see if LeBron goes to NY. Someone needs to man-up and make a decision.

 

[PDXChris]

Here my predictions at this point, although, some are a done deal.

LeBron James (Celveland)
Dwyane Wade (Chicago)
Chris Bosh (Houston) S&T
Joe Johnson (Atlanta) done
Amare Stoudemire (New York)
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) done
Paul Pierce (Boston)
Carlos Boozer (Chicago)
David Lee (New Jersey)
Rudy Gay (Memphis) done
Ray Allen (Boston)

Anyone else have any guesses.

What I think is going to happen is that Chris Bosh wants 6 years cares more about money then winning, but also hates Toronto. Houston has the best players to offer up since Chicago will not part way for Noah. James will stay home and Wade will see there is no hope in Miami and also wants to be close to his kids because of his bitter and crazy divorce and custody battle. Chicago is high on Boozer, signing him will leave money for JJ Redick. David Lee gets big money from NJ since they have no other options. Although, I am purely guess with Lee and have no basis.

My team then looks like this

PG Rose
SG Wade
SF Deng
PF Boozer
C Noah

Bench
Taj Gibson
James Johnson
JJ Redick
Omer Asik
Chris Duhon (Vet's Min)
Aaron Gray (Vet's Min)

 

[chickenhead]

It is a circus, and it is starting to get pathetic--on both sides. It's easy for me to say that I would never take part in a parade or stake out the airport for one of these FA visits. But it's not like I haven't been paying more attention to this offseason than any other.

Honestly though, the craziest part is the waiting period between offers made and offers accepted, offers "accepted," and contracts signed. Everything is being milked for all it's worth.

 

[Yuma]

Actually, as a fan, I have always wondered why guys don't get together, decide to take less, and go for a championship. Of course, I was hoping someday they would decide to come to sunny Phoenix and do this.

 

[Mainstreet]

Actually, as a fan, I have always wondered why guys don't get together, decide to take less, and go for a championship. Of course, I was hoping someday they would decide to come to sunny Phoenix and do this.

If this actually happened where a big three trio of players decided to do this it could ruin the game. There could be like only two or three legtimate contenders in the league. I'm not saying it would likely happen but perhaps this is an item that at least should get some lip service in the next CBA.

 

[Irish]

So far the free agent frenzy has been a bit of a fizzle. Some like Pierce and Dirk seemed almost proform in declaring for free agency since it was all be certain they were returning the Celtics and Maves.

Today the Republic is reporting JJ is returning to the Hawks. LeBron continues to flirt, but a return to the Cavs is still a serious possiblity. Wade remins in play, but a return to the Heat seem likely. Bosh is having a major problem getting the Raptors to agree to a sign and trade and can't get a supermax deal without and S&T. The general sillence around Boozer make me think he's likely to be back with the Jazz.

The irony is that if every player is after a max contract, they will all end up with their old teams who can offer a sixth year. Amare is the exception because of his history of injuries.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If this actually happened where a big three trio of players decided to do this it could ruin the game. There could be like only two or three legtimate contenders in the league. I'm not saying it would likely happen but perhaps this is an item that at least should get some lip service in the next CBA.

It was tried once. Karl Malone, Gary Payton etc in LA.

 

[Chaplin]

Duhon signed with Orlando. 4 years I believe.

Who plays point guard in NY now? Miami and NY are going to be JOKES next year.

 

[carey]

NY and Miami are looking bone thin. They had to know the risk on going all in on these guys...

 

[Louis]

Duhon signed with Orlando. 4 years I believe.

Who plays point guard in NY now? Miami and NY are going to be JOKES next year.

Plus Sergio Rodriguez (sp?) signed with Real Madrid.

They must be pretty confident that they can get Tony Parker. From another board I visit, the word is that George Hill is preferred by the majority of the players for the Spurs.

Quite frankly I was surprised to see that Amare thinks he has that much influence or is that close to Parker. Melo I understand, they have played together in international competition. But then again what do I know about these guys? Nothing.

 

[SunsTzu]

Duhon signed with Orlando. 4 years I believe.

Who plays point guard in NY now? Miami and NY are going to be JOKES next year.

Doubt the Knicks ever planned on keeping him. Obviously who they go after will depend on how successful they are with the other big FAs but there are as good and better PGs available.

 

[Folster]

Plus Sergio Rodriguez (sp?) signed with Real Madrid.

They must be pretty confident that they can get Tony Parker. From another board I visit, the word is that George Hill is preferred by the majority of the players for the Spurs.

Quite frankly I was surprised to see that Amare thinks he has that much influence or is that close to Parker. Melo I understand, they have played together in international competition. But then again what do I know about these guys? Nothing.

SA can still get a better offer than Curry's contract and Wilson Chandler. Sure NY could do a sign & trade using David Lee, but if the Spurs bring in Splitter, Lee becomes less enticing.

 

[Folster]

As for a point guard, I heard on New York radio that the Knicks like Raymond Felton and feel he would excel in D'Antoni's system.

 

[elindholm]

As for a point guard, I heard on New York radio that the Knicks like Raymond Felton and feel he would excel in D'Antoni's system.

Felton can't shoot. I don't see a D'Antoni fit there.

 

[Folster]

Felton can't shoot. I don't see a D'Antoni fit there.

Just telling ya what I heard. I'm really interested to see who the Knicks bring in especially as it seems they will not add LeBron or Wade.

 

[Griffin]

Just telling ya what I heard. I'm really interested to see who the Knicks bring in especially as it seems they will not add LeBron or Wade.

My guess is they'll settle for someone like Luke Ridnour.

 

[chickenhead]

Bosh to Miami*

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmS7chMnSYc9R3gT96SEGCY5nYcB?slug=ap-freeagency-heat

 

[Griffin]

Funny stuff:

If this does go down, the Heat will nearly have an entire starting five under contract, which is good since teams have to have at least five players to play. But as Fanhouse's Tom Ziller notes, depending on whether or not Bosh is obtained through sign-and-trade or not, the Heat will have at least $12 million left over to pursue ring-chasing free agents. That's a lot of P.J. Browns, you guys.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...agency-arms-race-is-Heating-up?urn=nba,254241

 

[dreamcastrocks]

My guess is they'll settle for someone like Luke Ridnour.

Ridnour is a good PG to settle for.

 

[Gaddabout]

Kevin Durant just signed a 5-year extension for $86 million. OKC just got a monster bargain. If Durant were a free agent this year he would have been as cherished almost as much as LeBron. But he took the guaranteed money instead of waiting to find out what the new CBA was going to be.

Expect the other potential 2011 free agents to follow suit: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, etc. The only one no one's going to pursue is Yao Ming since his career can almost be a tax write off for the Rockets.