Lebron Opts Out/Becomes Free Agent

[Superbone]

We don't know if Alex Len's legs are long-term.

And he has yet to prove himself. He was our #4 Center last year behind Plumlee, Frye and Markieff. And Frye and Markieff are a pretty motley crew at backup Center.

He is nowhere close to being a drawing point, let alone a BIG drawing point. Until he proves himself, he is a non-entity. Especially if you consider him to be a key in attracting the best-of-the-best.

He will be after this season when HE DOMINATES THE LEAGUE!!!

 

[mojorizen7]

I simply don't see it. That doesn't mean that with LeBron the Suns are not a instant playoff thread. I just don't see us with this roster getting past San Antonio or Oklahoma City. I think our roster of guys snuck up on people last year which won't happen again this season. People are overvaluing our guys I think.

No way LeBron means title unless we pulled in another high profile player to play alongside of him. Having said that, our bench would be rounded out assuming we don't have to get rid of a bunch of guys to bring in that second player.

Completely agree, especially your points about depth/bench and the Suns sneaking up on teams.

-By adding LBJ and another quality frontline player our depth would instantly improve everywhere.
-The Suns won 48 games very quietly it seems. Bad teams don't get scouted like the good teams do Suns need to be ready for this.

 

[KloD]

I simply don't see it. That doesn't mean that with LeBron the Suns are not a instant playoff thread. I just don't see us with this roster getting past San Antonio or Oklahoma City. I think our roster of guys snuck up on people last year which won't happen again this season. People are overvaluing our guys I think.

No way LeBron means title unless we pulled in another high profile player to play alongside of him. Having said that, our bench would be rounded out assuming we don't have to get rid of a bunch of guys to bring in that second player.

Ok, no offense, but that is jsut a ridiculous theory in a season of 82 games. Sure in the first quarter I can see we surprised people, but this isn't the NFL where you play a team once outside of your division.

That said, Miami won only 6 more games than the Suns and they played more teams in the East. The Suns managed a pretty damn good season missing their 2nd best player 1/2 the season in the West. For whatever reasons they had the success, they had it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Completely agree, especially your points about depth/bench and the Suns sneaking up on teams.

-By adding LBJ and another quality frontline player our depth would instantly improve everywhere.
-The Suns won 48 games very quietly it seems. Bad teams don't get scouted like the good teams do Suns need to be ready for this.

But we weren't a bad team. We were expected to be and it's possible we caught a few teams by surprise early but we beat some very good teams. And we did this after we'd become the talk of the league. For much of the season we were on a pace to win 50 some games. Plumlee and Frye ran out of gas, Bledsoe got injured and we struggled to play close to .500 ball once those things happened. And 48 wins means there were only 10 teams in this 30 team league with a better record than us.

Steve

 

[mojorizen7]

It is interesting that, at this time, 56% of Suns fans who voted in the Poll thread chose the lowest of five categories regarding the chances of LeBron choosing Phoenix. 56% of us have voted for "Less than 5%" chance.

My vote for "Less than 5%" was not just a prediction. It was a hope.

LeBron James is a basketball ****. I don't want him here.

Let's build a balanced team around free agency and trades . . . and more significant draft choices than 2014.

He is a **** and i'm honking my car horn with cash in hand baby!

 

[KloD]

Now it's making sense.
http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...Riley-Window-To-Improve-Miami-Supporting-Cast

It's a power play. If Riley doesn't impress, they are moving on. His little speech may have come back to bite him. Here's to hoping he can't find a good supporting cast to play for less money than they can get elsewhere.

 

[FutureSuperstar]

So what your saying is adding LBJ to the current roster and making little to no changes elsewhere makes the Suns the favorite to win it all? I just want to make sure of your stance on this before i comment again.

Yes, Lebron is that good.

 

[Cheesebeef]

have we signed him yet?!?!?!

 

[AzStevenCal]

have we signed him yet?!?!?!

Sure. We're all going out to celebrate our first championship tonight, didn't you get the invite?

Steve

 

[KloD]

Sure. We're all going out to celebrate our first championship tonight, didn't you get the invite?

Steve

Yeah, we're all meeting at the Carl's Jr. on the corner of that street.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yeah, we're all meeting at the Carl's Jr. on the corner of that street.

can we make it Jack In the Box. My toilet always overflows after CJ's.

 

[sunsfan88]

Sure. We're all going out to celebrate our first championship tonight, didn't you get the invite?

Steve

Steve if LeBron does actually somehow sign here, everyone on ASFN gotta make the trip to Phoenix to celebrate. Wherever the best bar in Phoenix is. Even I'll make the long drive out to the desert.

Yes I know I'm counting my eggs waaaaaaaayy before they hatch.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Take Lebron off of the Heat and ask yourself who has a better record last year, Phoenix or Miami. Keep in mind Miami managed to win only 54 games with Lebron while we won 48 without him. My guess is adding Lebron to our roster would be good for at least another 6 wins to match Miami's output last season. Miami was the favorite to win it all prior to the season starting.

And we won 48 playing most of our games in the west. I agree with Steve.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It is interesting that, at this time, 56% of Suns fans who voted in the Poll thread chose the lowest of five categories regarding the chances of LeBron choosing Phoenix. 56% of us have voted for "Less than 5%" chance.



My vote for "Less than 5%" was not just a prediction. It was a hope.



LeBron James is a basketball ****. I don't want him here.



Let's build a balanced team around free agency and trades . . . and more significant draft choices than 2014.

You've got to be kidding. Build through free agency without pursuing the best free agent. How is LeBron any more of a **** than Kevin Love, Carmelo, Dwight Howard, Shaq or anyone else? He gave Cleveland plenty of time to build a team and they couldn't even hire a decent coach let alone put decent players around him. He carried a bunch of scrubs to the finals there. Yes. The way he left was tasteless and classless and I have rooted against him for that. If we can put a good offer in front of LeBron and sign him in a businesslike way-well that's just good business done by a sharp GM. It's not player collusion. It's how free agency is supposed to work.

 

[JCSunsfan]

can we make it Jack In the Box. My toilet always overflows after CJ's.

My wife won't let me go to cj's. Says the commercials are demeaning to women. I think she has a point.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Now it's making sense.
http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...Riley-Window-To-Improve-Miami-Supporting-Cast

It's a power play. If Riley doesn't impress, they are moving on. His little speech may have come back to bite him. Here's to hoping he can't find a good supporting cast to play for less money than they can get elsewhere.

Oh this is good news. I don't think Riley can pull it off.

 

[slinslin]

Even if all 3 take massive paycuts

Lebron 17.5
Bosh 15
Wade 12
+Cole, Haslem, Napier

The Heat will still only have max 10M$ caproom.

No way Lowry or Isiah Thomas take that when they can get closer to 12M$ starting from their current teams or Lakers, Mavericks and so on.

Ariza will also get offers in the 10M$ range as will Gasol and Deng likely but at least Gasol and Deng already had their big paydays. Still don't think they will take paycuts to go to Miami when other good teams offer them more.

And it all hinges on the big 3 all taking paycuts. If Lebron wants the max, Wade and Bosh have to take even heavier paycuts to even get to 10M$ in caproom.
If Bosh does that he is really stupid because he could easily get 15M$+ and be the star on a team again.
I don't understand what is in it for Bosh to take such a paycut. He already has 2 rings, his legacy won't improve by winning another ring while being regarded as a role player.

 

[sunsfan88]

Oh this is good news. I don't think Riley can pull it off.

You gotta think that they know what their doing otherwise Wade and Bosh woudnt have opted out of so much money just to watch LeBron go somewhere else.

 

[slinslin]

You gotta think that they know what their doing otherwise Wade and Bosh woudnt have opted out of so much money just to watch LeBron go somewhere else.

They needed to opt out to sign long term deals themselves and not risking the chance to be stuck on a Miami Heat team without Lebron and capspace.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They needed to opt out to sign long term deals themselves and not risking the chance to be stuck on a Miami Heat team without Lebron and capspace.

this could be a CYA move like you said above, but I'd be stunned if Wade could recoup the 40 million over the next two years (even if he signed for much longer) he's giving up this year with any other team if he left.

 

[sunsfan88]

@WindhorstESPN "Heat telling free agents they will have $12+ million to spend, indicating Wade & Bosh ready to take huge pay cuts, sources told ESPN"

Nope, like I said, they had a plan. Wade will sign on for $12M/yr and Bosh for $11M/yr. LeBron gets the max.

Miami has over $12M to spend to get themselves something nice.

 

[Folster]

@WindhorstESPN "Heat telling free agents they will have $12+ million to spend, indicating Wade & Bosh ready to take huge pay cuts, sources told ESPN"

Nope, like I said, they had a plan. Wade will sign on for $12M/yr and Bosh for $11M/yr. LeBron gets the max.

Miami has over $12M to spend to get themselves something nice.

Except Lowry, Deng and other free agents that Miami is pursuing will likely get contracts starting at or near 12 million a year. Miami has to fill out an entire roster with 12 million and veteran minimum deals. They can't afford to give 12 million to a single free agent. They also have an obligation to Haslem as well since he did them a solid by opting out. He has to have handshake deal.

 

[sunsfan88]

Except Lowry, Deng and other free agents that Miami is pursuing will likely get contracts starting at or near 12 million a year. Miami has to fill out an entire roster with 12 million and veteran minimum deals. They can't afford to give 12 million to a single free agent. They also have an obligation to Haslem as well since he did them a solid by opting out. He has to have handshake deal.

Miami can sign Allen for the vet min, he's willing to play for free as long as it's with 'Bron.

Napier, Cole
Wade, some other vet min
Deng, Allen
LeBron, Haslem
Bosh, Birdman

Or

Lowry, Cole
Wade, Napier
LeBron, Allen
Haslem, Beasley?
Bosh, Birdman

 

[elindholm]

Napier, Cole
Wade, some other vet min
Deng, Allen
LeBron, Haslem
Bosh, Birdman

Or

Lowry, Cole
Wade, Napier
LeBron, Allen
Haslem, Beasley?
Bosh, Birdman

Neither of those lineups is very impressive, and the idea of Ray Allen guarding SFs at this stage of his career is absurd.

 

[CardsFan88]

So after having all those players opt out, and we're assuming those that did opt out, besides lebron, are going to take pay cuts.... and all they want to spend is 12 million?

Meaning Heat ownership is only willing to add what, 3-5-7 million dollars to last year's payroll? Wow. Not only do I think it's not going to bring them much, I think that's a low ball plan considering they could literally go hog wild and sign everybody Lebron wants from this FA class and then re-sign the four that have opted out.

I mean, let's look at it that way. They CAN do ALL of that, but the cheap Heat ownership is only willing to spend 12 million on FA's, much of that offset from others reduction in salary?

It sounds more and more like Lebron and company have had it with their cheap owner, and if this is their plan to keep Lebron and co., it doesn't look good imo.

It seems at this point Lebron and company gave the Heat a great chance to keep them, and ownership isn't really interested.

The Heat have the most flexibility now that four players opted out. They also have the most holes, BUT they can do what Lebron and company wants, but aren't. Lebron and company have given the Heat the keys to be the biggest spenders in free agency, and amazingly $arver looks like Mark Cuban at this point compared to him.

While the odds overall haven't gone up since Lebron and company have known this for who knows how long, I think we just got enough information to up ours and everybody's chances to land James based on our previous lesser known information.

Of course they can all re-sign, but I think it's crystal clear Lebron IS playing hardball because the ownership is cheap, and it appears Riley is incapable of overcoming it, but is obviously going to try.

12 million with all that space and people willing to take salary cuts, what a joke.