NBA 2009 Off Season Thread
 

Welp since the season wrapped up a little bit ago I figured I'd start this up so stuff doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

Who do you guys think are the biggest FA coming out this year? I think it might hurt whoever they are with next year's class being he greatest collection of free agents in a long time, teams may want to be saving/setting up for that.

For the C's Glen Davis & Leon Powe are both restricted FA with Eddie House, Marbury & Mikkie Moore unrestricted.

I think Marbury & Moore are both gone but I think Davis, Powe & House will all be back with the team.

As for the rest of the NBA there is something interesting free agents out there. Odom, Ariza, Artest, Villanueva, David Lee, Turkoglu, Boozer and some others. Kobe could even opt out and be a free agent but that's doubtful.

Kinda off topic but the 2010 class is straight up ridiculous, look at some of these guys;

Joe Johnson, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce (opt-out clause), LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki (opt-out), Kenyon Martin (opt-out), Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming (opt-out), Adam Morrison & J.J. Redick, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd (opt-out), Jason Richardson (opt-out), Tyson Chandler (opt-out), Peja Stojakovic (opt-out), Marcus Camby, Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal, Amare Stoudemire (opt-out), LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Manu Ginobili, Chris Bosh

I know a lot of them are early termination options but WOW - there's a lot of pretty good role players too that are becoming free agents in 2010. All of those guys listed are All-Stars or pretty close to it (granted some of them are a bit older)

Can see both complete lists here: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...eeagents-09-10

I wanna say fuck the Celtics and I hope that the Lakers meet them in the Finals next year. kbye

I just hope the Celtics resign Big Baby. He really upped his game this year and he's showing a lot of promise.

Suns and T'Wolves are discussing Amare Stoudemire for Al Jefferson and the #6 pick. T'Wolves are giving up way to much for practically the same player.

and Jefferson will be way better because he rebounds and plays defense.

Ben Gordon is a free agent too. Apparently the Pistons are already planning on throwing an $11M/year offer at him.

However, this could just be Chicagoans trying to start drama because the same people who reported that also reported that the Pistons are trying to trade Rip Hamilton.

There's something i dont like about Ben Gordon, i just cant put my finger on it.

I admit that I don't know much about basketball, but it's kinda surprising to me that Turkoglu opted out of his contract.

He just wants more money from Orlando. Doubt he really wants to go somewhere else.

That worked out well for the Lakers last season

Ben Gordon was impressive during the playoffs but I haven't seen him play very much outside of that.

I'm curious to see where Allen Iverson ends up?

I'd say Iverson is bound for Charlotte. For some reason I see him and Larry Brown both wanting a reunion.

I think he would help put some asses in the seats there

I'd rather see him in a run & gun system like the Warriors or Knicks run though

I think Ariza is gone and Odom stays.

We all have heard Shaq to the Cavs. I dunno about that. I don't think him and Lebron will work well together.

I'm waiting for .......and the NY Knicks select......out of Davidson College....Stephen Curry :love:

god, no Iverson to the Knicks. I love Iverson, but the Knicks would be taking more steps backwards with that move.

Charlotte would be a good fit. Nobody goes to the game here. And they are hardly ever talked about. Iverson would jump start some ticket sales

Not saying they are going to get him or anything, pretty sure they got enough shooting guards right now - but I think AI in a system like that would be fun to watch.

I also don't think the Knicks are going to get Stephen Curry, he might not be on the board when they pick. I think James Harden would be a good fit for the Knicks, don't think he will fall that far though.

Not going to happen. Apparently the Suns (read: Steve Kerr) put the offer out there. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Cavs need to pull something off and win it all to have a real shot at Lebron staying, otherwise expect him to care more about winning then money.

Celtics have a max contract they can offer next summer, not sure exactly what that means, but I think Ray Allen comes off the books....

man... KG at PF, Lebron at SF, Pierce at SG...

not happening

yea, I've read a bunch of things online that the Knicks want him and Curry wants to play there. Here's one article from this week

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basket...,3396482.story

I am a huge fan of his just seeing him play here when he came to UNC Charlotte and then of course in the 2008 tourney. I would love that to get done.

With AI, he was my fav player at one point, but he just seems to make teams worse now. I think your Celtics would actually be a better spot for him cause he'll be around guys that can kind of put him in place. Kind of like a Marbury deal. One year or something

No fucking way is that happening. LEbron is NYC bound if he's going anywhere.

Good for you, Paul.

If Kobe opts out, he will probably resign right?

Yeah, I've heard he might opt out to make some salary space to help keep Odom, Ariza and Brown.

All indications are that Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak will do whatever it takes to keep all three. All three of them want to stay.

Ariza could get a huge amount on the market if he wanted i think

Yeah he could. Dude came up big in the playoffs

I could see a lower team like Memphis try to offer him the full mid-level.

They can offer all they want, but Ariza is not going anywhere.

I'm not saying he'll take it.

I know

What about LeBron to the Clippers in 2010? He would have Blake Griffin & Eric Gordon as his supporting cast...

that would be awesome, imo

Iverson to the Bobcats would be good IMHO, but they dont have the space to sign him. They really fucked up their cap room bringing in Diop, Nazr, Diaw and Bell. Felton is a free agent and they are going to have to resign him, and they are already over the cap.

Jefferson is way better than Amare, I just dont get that trade...plus adding in the 6th pick? WHAT?

Jefferson is going to be the number 2 big man in the NBA behind Howard for a long time. The Wolves need to dump cardinal and Miller, and sign a real PG. Maybe the an lure Felton, or maybe they go for a guy like Jarrett Jack. Jefferson/Love will be a nice start, they can add.

I think Gordon to the Pistons is wrong, I think they are going to break the bank for Boozer.

Gordon to the Thunder could be a surprise.

Westbrook, Gordon, Durant, Green and Thabeet in the draft....thats a hell of a starting 5 to grow together.

I think Zack Randolph, Marcus Campby or Chris Kaman move before the draft.

If they do find a way to move Wallace for Shaq, and Wallace retires, the Suns would then have 16 million in cap room, right? Hello Trevor Ariza and random Center? That would be a major coup.

Think they would still have Baron Davis.

Dont think they have the Cap room in 2010. I think Randolph, Kaman and Davis are signed past 2010.

don't see this on any list anywhere. According to RotoWorld he's not an FA until 2011.

That said, I dont see what the Suns are clearing cap right now. After this year, Nash (will prob be resigned though), Shaq and Amare come off the books. Clearing Shaq and Amare means they'll have almost $40 mil free in that 2010 summer, and that's not even counting a reduced contract for Steve. After those 3 expire, they will have J-Rich ($14.5 mil) and Barbosa (at like $7 mil) as the only BIG contracts they have. I dont see when they are so eager to trade away free money during a great FA class like the 2010 one. Don't get it.

If they get rid of Shaq to the Cavs, the Suns would get to clear money with Ben Wallace retiring this year. They would clear money INSTANTLY, which will definitely help them avoid a luxury tax. If you can't contend for a chip (realistically) then that tax is a heavy price to pay for mediocre. You can shave money, add some quality depth, and make a solid splash in 2010.

My bad, I meant Richard Jefferson from the Bucks. Dunno why I put Jason Richardson

Monta Ellis yet again had to denounce trade rumors

stephen jackson is weighing 240 but says its a good thing cuz he can run better and overall is in better shape then he use to be he says he will cut his weight to 230 or 235 to play

Anthiny Randolph has added weight on and is working on a consistent mid range game

i think the warriors should draft Jordan Hill or Brandon Jennings this year

Is that Kobe with Kim Kardashian?

No, that's Kobe's wife, Vanessa.

who is that Purto Rican on the right playing a little pocket pool?

One year from now the Knicks will gave LeBron!!

Lebron James and Steph Curry. :yes:

But you know the Knicks and there fucking draft picks.

and the NY Knicks select.....out of Iceland, Radmmira Vokalaj.

AHHH WTF :mad:

lol

ok... let's assume the Cavs don't win it all next year.

The only thing they'll have is they can sign Lebron for more then anyone else.

So, clearly if he leaves, it's not about the money.

it's for a chance to win... and money will be a factor but not the top factor.

Boston will have a max contract to offer, a good team and good young players Rondo, Davis, Perkins, (ok, that assumes Davis is back).

I know the whole NY thing, I just can't see them having a better chance to win at that point then Boston... but anything is possible.

Did I also see Dirk is on the FA list next year? think he gets tired of being the bridesmaid and opts to go somewhere to try and win?

Knicks aren't gonna win a championship with or without LeBron. The whole playing no defense whats so ever and "7 seconds or less" offensive strategy isn't going to win shit. It's exciting to watch but championships aren't won that way.

I thought I read somewhere that the Clippers could offer LeBron the max - maybe not though.

Would be so sick if the Celtics got him, would have to ditch #23 tho. I don't think that'll happen - I'm guessing he stays in Cleveland

Yeah, I don't think LeBron's going anywhere. I have friends who are Knicks fans convinced that they're getting LeBron and Bosh next year, but I think they have a much better chance stealing Dwyane Wade away from Miami. Cleveland's going to offer more than anyone else and they'll still be the team best set up for a Finals run in the East.

The Bucks are pretty much doomed this offseason, which is a big part of why I'm finding myself care less and less about the franchise every day. They easily could've had the money to extend Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva, but they stupidly held onto Richard Jefferson and his bloated contract because they thought they could make the playoffs last year. It's the same short-sighted bullshit we saw with Larry Harris running the team. A sane, successful GM would've shipped Jefferson to Cleveland for expiring contracts.

Instead, they're doomed. They have one year left on Jefferson's fat contract that you might as well eat to free up some long-term salary. Michael Redd is still collecting checks on a max contract he never should've gotten in the first place. They're going to lose a guy who will eventually develop into an All-Star point guard in Sessions because of it, and Villanueva isn't worth whatever he's going to get on the open market.

They could conceivably match any offer Sessions gets, but if they do, they won't have any money to sign their lottery pick. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if they take some shitty European player they have no intention of bringing over for three years. That's how much of a trainwreck this franchise is now.

DAMMIT RGS, sorry to read.

Knicks? THe jets too.

Jeff Laggerman.

Cleveland will be able to offer the most money, but if they don't make a big move and the Cavs don't make the finals again, it wont be about the money, it will be about winning a championship.

Can the Cavs really offer that much more money though? I know they can offer a little more than a max contract since he currently plays for them, but he would still be getting a max deal elsewhere.

At the same time, where could he go that would offer him a better chance at winning a championship that also has the cap space to sign him? Teams like the Knicks that are actively clearing space for next summer are still going to be further from an NBA title than Cleveland, even with James on their roster.

I used to think that James was a goner, but with the way the East has played out the past couple years -- Detroit fading to an also-ran, Boston's window closing, and only Orlando really standing in their way -- I think it's likely that LeBron returns to Cleveland. The only question is if he signs a huge extension or only signs on for like two or three more years in Cleveland to try to win a title there. That way he'd have a very good chance at competing for a championship while still keeping his options open for that huge contract while still in his prime.

RGS, this is an awesome point. LeBron won't be signing any 20 year contracts.

Did anyone hear about the Celtics/Pistons proposed trade? Rondo and Allen to Pistons for Rip, Prince, and Chauncey Stuckey. Dumars laughed uncontrollably before telling Ainge to fuck off.

CAnt go bad with Chauncy Stuckey

looks like the bucks traded richard jefferson to the spurs for bruce bowen,kurt thomas and frabicio oberto

wow, making cap room for 2010.

Expected that Bowen and Oberto will be waived and return to San Antonio. This saves the Bucks enough money to be able to re-sign Sessions or Villanueva without going over the luxury tax, as well as some cap room for next year and a shit ton of cap room in 2011 when Redd and Gadzuric come off the books. Still would've preferred that the dealt Jefferson to Cleveland for Szczerbiak's expiring deal, but this isn't bad. At least now they can afford to sign a draft pick.

if the spurs can get sheed in free agency the spurs look great on paper

of course if no one offers sheed 8 mill a year he says hes gonna retire

Its the Spurs...they look good on paper always, even before this move.

I think it is a bad move though, I dont think jefferson fits in with them.

They should also instate the Alan Houston rule one more time.

T'Wolves are sending Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards for the #5 pick and a bunch of scrubs. Minnesota will have the #5 and #6 picks and are said to be holding on to both.

Amazing trade for Minnesota....wow.


Wiashington could roll with Arenas, Miller, Butler, Jamison.

Yeah I heard Washington wanted another veteran piece to add to the mix and not a rookie. T-Wolves got what 4 1st round now picks now right? Pretty funny considering they went so many years without having a 1st rounder due to a violation they had with Joe Smith or something.

WTF? Oberto to Detroit for Amir johnson

Also, Etan thomas, Songaila and Pecherov to minnesota in the draft pick trade.

Those scubrs make the trade not that amazing.

Sixers are going back to the old school 76ers logo. :love: kinda.

Wow didn't realize Randy Foye averaged 16PPG last year, that's more than Miller

indeed

though most likely his ppg will go down with the wiz

Definitely but I was assuming Miller was the "main part" of the trade at first.

fuck, I can see the T-Wolves taking Curry at 5 or 6. Knicks desperately want him

Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings would fit in better for Minnesota.

Have I mentioned that I desperately want the Suns to take Earl Clark? cause I do.

Good call.

Add young PG and SG to their twin Towers, Love and Jefferson, and they have a potential solid team in 3 years.

I want the Celtics to trade Rhondo for like Foster, the 13th pick and TJ ford.

Can this happen pls?

Speculation that Minnesota desperately wants Rubio and would be willing to throw their multiple first rounders away to move up and get him.

Suns agree to trade Shaq to Cleveland for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, the 46th overall pick, and cash.

Salary dumps because your owner is a retarded piece of shit...tell me how my ass taste :(

now I gotta get another new Suns jersey this year...fuuuuck.

lol at Cleveland fans being like CHAAAMPIONSHIP on message boards and shit because of Shaq. Hell, now I kinda want cleveland in the finals next year, just so Kobe can shit on Shaq and ask him how his ass taste.

Great trade.

The problem is Big Ben is considering retirement. If he does hang 'em up, what's plan B?

WOuld have preferred the Shaq for Peja and Chandler trade. Even with his injury problems I think he Peja would have fit exceptioanly well on this team.

I think I read had they not traded Shaq and kept Kobe they would have saved 21 mil instead of 5.5.

lol

Sammy G how in the bloody fuck can you be serious? For a team who has to maneuver money to sign their current team, and with a coach who wants to only coach home games... Yeah, Kobe will DEFINITELY BE BACK IN THE FINALS.

Big Ben retiring IS plan A! They want to buy him out, and dump the contracts.

am I right in thinking that if Wallace retires, the suns get cap room right away?

You're an idiot. The idea was thrown out there for P-Jax to coach only home games. It was never a real possibility, not even really considered. Just something that was mentioned. Fuck.

Also, Ariza and Odom are both being brought back. Barring injuries, I guarentee the Lakers make the finals once again.

They will definitely be top 3 in the West again. I dont see anyone in the West really improving at all, so the Lakers will stay on top. The Spurs will always be considered until Duncan retires. Phoenix is done. Dallas is over-rated. Nuggets dont really have any options to get better, New Orleans has take steps backwards. There is really no one to challenge them.

Had Portland not had Miles money come back, where they could have signed a top notch FA like Boozer, they would have been serious contenders next year I think. As it stands, I think they are going to land Hinrich in a trade, which would be a GREAT fit. But I dont know of a Hinrich, Roy, Batum, Aldridge, Oden, Pysbilla, Webster, Outlaw, Fernandez team, as DEEP as it is, will be enough to ever get by the Lakers.

Shaq to Cleveland I am not sure about and was kind of skeptical how it would work when I first heard about it. I think if Shaq plays as good as he did this year, it will open up a lot of space for James. But Shaq just seems like he just wants to whore in on the Lebron James show. Whatever, I hope Howard punks him honestly.

The Phil Jackson thing I have no problem with. If his players are fine with it, then the whole thing is moot. The Lakers have good veteran players on the team, that I really don't see him not being there making a huge differance

Should be fun tonight. I hoping Curry or Flynn to NY

I'm pretty sure Indiana is drafting someone from North Carolina.

Looking forward to the draft even though the Celtics didn't pick until the 2nd to last pick in the 2nd round.

Also don't care about the Shaq to Cleveland trade, he is going to miss like 30 games during the regular season and it's not gonna be a huge difference once the playoffs role around. Still are going to struggle with Orlando's big guards and the Celtics will be back to 100% so whatever. Wonder if Steve Nash is gonna try to go to the Knicks now though? He can opt-out after next season

I am no more an idiot, than you are a hopless fanatic. It isn't written in stone that your beloved P jax is coming back. And do you honestly think that this title won't go to Kobe's head? Do you think this notoriously soft team will have enough killer instinct to WANT to repeat?

I dont dis-agree, but like I said too, who in the west are going to beat them? Yao is another year older, with another injury, and more wear and tear. T Mac is a Shell. Houston is not a legit contender. The Spurs are the only team that can really match up with everyone, and they are getting old. The Mavericks are in salary cap hell, and might lose Kidd. The West is no longer the dominant conference, especially if Boozer lands in Detroit.

Rockets mulling over a deal that would send T-Mac's Expiring Contract/Corpse, Landry and Brooks to Phoenix for Amare and Barbosa.

Houston = CHAAAMPIONSHIP

If they resign Aretest and make that trade, perhaps. I just dont like Barb as a franchise PG...

if the trade was made, I'd lay money the Rockets ring up Minnesota and give them $3mil for the 18th pick and take Brandon Jennings or one of the other guys available.

I think Jennings might be gone, but it would be a good idea.

Where are you gets getting these rumors?

Lebron to the Knicks for Madison Sqaure Garden

The Amare/Rockets rumour came from Vecsey in the NY Post:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06252009...015.htm?page=2

I should have known Vecsey is always full of shit, but I started freaking out right away instead...

but there's been a denial by both sides and now the Suns might be working on a Ben Wallace for Tyson Chandler deal...

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/56239

<font color=goldenrod>Lakers sell the 29th pick of the draft to the Knicks for $3 million</font>

lol Chandler for Wallace? what? that would be a steal for Phoenix.

hmmm, Knicks trying to give 8 and 29 for a lower spot tonight?