More Free Agents Are Off the Board

[George O'Brien]

As expected, Robert Traylor has signed with Cleveland. Less expected was that Loren Woods signed with Toronto and Lonnie Jones signed with Milwaukee.

Milwaukee lost Skinner to the Sixers and had their signing of Etan Thomas matched. At this point their strategy seems to be to load up on project players like Zendon Hamilton and Lonnie Jones to join Pachulia, Santiago and Gadzuric. Looks like they may do their 48 minutes of center with five guys playing 9 minutes each.

 

[Joe Mama]

Well, there goes Lonnie Jones. I'm really starting to wonder what the Phoenix Suns are going to do.

Joe Mama

 

[corrado]

Add Mihm

Add Chris Mihm to that list of dwindling big men. What are the Suns doing waiting for someone to get waived. They don't seem in any hurry to add a big man which they could really use.

 

[Alan]

Vin Baker signed with the Knicks. They can't sign Dampier now. Leaving the Hawks... and possibly Suns... as his suitors.

 

[Joe Mama]

Add Chris Mihm to that list of dwindling big men. What are the Suns doing waiting for someone to get waived. They don't seem in any hurry to add a big man which they could really use.

I'm worried about the frontcourt situation also, but we really don't know what is going on behind the scenes. I'm just hoping that Scott Williams is in their big frontcourt acquisition this summer.

Joe Mama

 

[F-Dog]

The Bucks did a really nice job with their MLE--they might have picked up the best two centers left in Lonnie Jones and Zendon Hamilton, and they might have picked up the best PG left in Mike James.

They could easily be thanking the Wizards for matching Etan Thomas' offer sheet by Christmas.

 

[Dan H]

Vin Baker signed with the Knicks. They can't sign Dampier now. Leaving the Hawks... and possibly Suns... as his suitors.

Interesting . . . would he sign with the Suns for a one-year, minimum deal? I think that might be more interesting to him than signing with the Hawks. Dampier added to the core without any subtractions would make the Suns one of the top teams in the west.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Interesting . . . would he sign with the Suns for a one-year, minimum deal? I think that might be more interesting to him than signing with the Hawks. Dampier added to the core without any subtractions would make the Suns one of the top teams in the west.

If Damp signs a 1 year deal, it will be for the full MLE (like 233-23 teams still have theirs I would think). I don't even know if that is likely, but there is NO way he takes a min deal from us.

 

[George O'Brien]

If Damp signs a 1 year deal, it will be for the full MLE (like 233-23 teams still have theirs I would think). I don't even know if that is likely, but there is NO way he takes a min deal from us.

Zero chance.

Right now Joel Przybilla and perhaps Marcus Fizer are the only guys on the board worth bothering with. Both have huge health issues which may mean that teams are reluctant to give them more than minimum salaries. But their agents are going to keep shopping every team with a "million dollar exception" before they settle on the Suns.

 

[Joe Mama]

Interesting . . . would he sign with the Suns for a one-year, minimum deal? I think that might be more interesting to him than signing with the Hawks. Dampier added to the core without any subtractions would make the Suns one of the top teams in the west.

absolutely not. If you is going to sign for the minimum why wouldn't he go to New York? My guess is that he ends up in Atlanta until they can trade him.

In order for Phoenix to land Dampier they would have to do a sign and trade. Personally I don't see it happening.

Unless I am missing some foreign players were guys who did not play with NBA teams last year this is what is left at Center.

Pryzbilla - he is a restricted free agent. Since the most the Suns can offer is something around $1 million I'm guessing that contract would be matched.

Rebraca - HoopsHype lists him as restricted as well although I thought he was an unrestricted free agent. The big question with him and Pryzbilla is their health.

Mamadou N'diaye - I was advocating getting him at the beginning of the summer leagues. Then I shifted my attention to Lonnie Jones. I read somewhere the other day that N'diaye is close to signing with the Clippers.

Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje - I honestly don't think I've ever seen this guy play. I know the Portland Trail Blazers drafted him, and then he played for somebody else in the summer leagues. He is a 260 pound, 7 foot center out of Georgetown.

Scott Williams - he is probably acceptable for 10 minutes off the bench. That's about it. He wouldn't be a bad signing, but he certainly isn't going to save the frontline or blossom into a good player.

Jabari Smith - another late first-round draft pick who really hasn't done anything in the NBA. He is also about 255 pounds and 7 feet tall.

Mikki Moore - he played decently at times for the Utah Jazz last year. My guess is that he will be back with them this season. The Suns just don't have much to offer other than playing time.

Corie Blount - he is really a power forward who can play some Center.

Kevin Willis - even though he is a dinosaur is probably better than any of these other guys. I just doubt they would be a will to get him away from San Antonio.

There's just not much to choose from right now.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

My impression is that the Hawks did not give Pryzbilla a qualifying offer ($3.9 million), so he is an unrestricted FA.

One issue I cannot get a handle on is the status of players who have to get some kind of deal by the middle of Aug or they become free agents. These contract quirks are most common with second round picks, but I wonder if that is the reason why HoopsHype does not show Gadzuric with a contract amount.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

N'diaye is close to signing with the Clippers.

Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje - I honestly don't think I've ever seen this guy play. I know the Portland Trail Blazers drafted him, and then he played for somebody else in the summer leagues. He is a 260 pound, 7 foot center out of Georgetown.

Joe Mama

being a hoya alum, i have seen a lot from ruben. very high expectations when he was first enrolled. he sucks though. no athleticism or coordination. he has nothing to offer the suns.

 

[Yuma]

We have SEVERAL months, time-wise to get a center. There are guys who will be cut, traded, not signed, etc. At the end of the day, we need a guy to add 10 minutes or so a game while Lampe and Jake get minutes and continue to improve. Why pay big bucks for a third center when you are trying to develop young guys?

 

[JS22]

Ive been saying this for the past month. Bring in Kevin Willis. Yes, Kevin freakin' Willis. He's big, mean, and still has enough fuel to put in 15 min a game.

Willis, Voskuhl, Lampe.

No, its not great. Hell, it might not even be good. But it should work. You've got the big bruiser in Willis. You have the flat out hustle guy who leaves it all on the court in Voskhul. And you've got possibly the most interesting center prospect in Lampe. In 2 years he might be an all out stud, but right now he can shoot lights out, or fire up 10 bricks in a row. You never know with this guy.

None of those 3 are great by any means...but they should be enought to get us by. Hell, bring in scott williams too. It cant hurt. Lets have a 4 man center rotation. Why not?

 

[Yuma]

As lond as we DON'T trade anyone away, I say bring in two journeymen centers. Let's give Jake and Lampe time to improve without trading away what we have now!

 

[NJYAJ09]

As lond as we DON'T trade anyone away, I say bring in two journeymen centers. Let's give Jake and Lampe time to improve without trading away what we have now!

Two journyman centers? Dont you think one is enough?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Ive been saying this for the past month. Bring in Kevin Willis. Yes, Kevin freakin' Willis. He's big, mean, and still has enough fuel to put in 15 min a game.

I would love Willis. However, how in the hell are we going to get him? He is in the perfect situation right now. He isn't relied on for big minutes, which he shouldn't be at his age. He is in a championship organization, playing behind the best big man in the league.

There is no way we can pull him away.

 

[George O'Brien]

Two journyman centers? Dont you think one is enough?

Last season the Suns carried six inside guys and needed them all.

 

[F-Dog]

If the Suns bring in Scott Williams, they definitely need to bring in another center as well. There's no guarantee any more that Scott can stay healthy, or that he can be effective even when he is healthy.

I wouldn't mind seeing Mikki Moore in a Suns uniform. He's a pretty good defender for weighing 225--kind of a starving man's Camby.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Well, Rebraca is supposed to sign a 3.2 million dollar deal with the Clips very soon.

Cross him off too

 

[cepstrum]

Well, Rebraca is supposed to sign a 3.2 million dollar deal with the Clips very soon.

Cross him off too

I just read that on hoopshype. This is crazy. Werent we all thinking that he was supposed to be getting the vets minimum. If rebraca signs for this much, I dont see Joel Pryzbilla signing for the minimum.

 

[George O'Brien]

I just read that on hoopshype. This is crazy. Werent we all thinking that he was supposed to be getting the vets minimum. If rebraca signs for this much, I dont see Joel Pryzbilla signing for the minimum.

JP had a knee injury late in the season. Otherwise I'm sure he could get at leat the "million dollar" exception from someone.