Chicago's coming for Al (Probably)...

[Buzzard]

No I said "not many teams" will match that. My meaning being that 1 to 3 will be willing to anti up that much money. Also meaning that whoever (if a trade does happen)we move him to better be willing to give Al 10 mill a year or risk losing him along with whatever we got for him....

Al's value goes down simply due to the "not knowing issue" of how much he will cost to resign....if we already had him locked up for a reasonable price his value would be much higher

[Diesel]

I count only 3 teams with that type of money and none that has that big a need for Al... So could you help me?

[er9dverk]

travis heath's thoughts on the subject:

http://www.insidehoops.com/around-122905.shtml

Quote:

"- The Hawks actually won a few games while I was gone, and now they are starting to think they are good. I have even heard rumblings that the Hawks are a little gun-shy now to trade free agent to be Al Harrington, and that they want to keep the team together as a result of the team's recent "success." When a team is 7-19 and they are talking about success, that just shows you how bad things have really been in the A-T-L of late. The Hawks would be foolish not to move Harrington for other assets if they get the chance, because he's going to bolt quicker than Jessica Simpson this summer."

[Diesel]

There's no indication that he will bolt.

1. His relationship with BK seems very strong and professional.

2. If Money is his main objective, then Bolting only hurts him.

3. I can't find a team that will realistically put down 8-10 on Al... Moreover, none that will outbid us if we were to put down 8-10 for Al.

The talking heads are just talking.. with no reality check...

[Lascar78]

yeah it's not like Al's said he wants to go to a winner or anything

[exodus]

The Hawks have won 20 games with him over two seasons. If he was really worth $8-10 million he would have shown it by now.

[Vol4ever]

Al or Odom. I would do that in a heartbeat. 6-10 and can play several positions. I think Odom is a much better player than Al. I have heard rumblings about Phil being upset with Lamar, but I think it was in reference to him missing some key three pointers and being on the wrong side of the lane for a last second shot and they lost the game.

I can't see this deal happening from the Lakers point of view, but I would be a happy camper if it did!

[Diesel]

Yeah he said that...

In the breath after he said "The Money is first"...

Please Lascar, continue to half read stuff...

[Lascar78]

you're funny man. I'm the one half-reading?

How can a player make it any clearer than "it would take A LOT for me to stay here".

To any unbiased reader, that statement makes it clear that he is probably leaving. Unless we overpay him and sign someone else to convince him that we'll win a lot more, which is unlikely. It really doesn't get any clearer than that. He likes it here, but he's not going to stay miserable and keep losing just to do us a favor

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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I count only 3 teams with that type of money and none that has that big a need for Al... So could you help me?

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I do not believe you are this illiterate or out of the loop when it comes to salary cap issues. If someone wants Al they will get him.

I honestly think he would be a good fit in Denver, Minnesota, or Dallas. If cap really determined whether a GM could or could not aquire a player he liked....Walker and Payton would not be in Miami and Crawford and Curry would not be in NY. Don't play dumb and act like you don't know this just to swing something your way...

Either of those three teams could have Al this time next year. The only requirement is they want him bad enough. You asked for some help, now you have it, sorry it took so long but it has been a really busy month....

[Ralph]

When you are talking about an unrestricted free agent, the only thing that matters is what the free agent wants. If the free agent wants a change of scenery, he's gone. If the free agent wants to stay and make more money, he stays. There's no magical power that any GM has that can take any unrestricted free agent away from a team who holds Bird Rights on a player. Gary Payton wanted to play with Shaq Oneal and he Heat. It had nothing to do with Pat Riley and what he offered.

I have to agree here with Diesel. No team has enough money to overcome what Atlanta can offer. As somebody else has said, Al Harrington is a tweener Sf and usually teams do not pay high dollar for that. I think it will all come down to what Al Harrington wants. Even if he wants to leave, I think he would still like to work out a Sign and Trade deal instead of going somewhere for less than he's making now. That only makes sense being that this may be his biggest contract.

[mudderfudder77]

Lets clear up a few points about the Bulls:

Duhon can only be traded with his permission (doubtful that will happen)

Gordon is not a PG. Period.

Nocioni is an excellent help defender and can hold his own against 3's & 4's

Hinrich is playing out of position at the 2, but would an excellent PG if he could play there full time.

Sweetney is inconsistent, but at times has shown some excellent skill.

Songalia is just now finally turning into the player the Bulls though they had signed. Still, he's just average.

I can't believe the Bulls are going to be willing to part with the Knicks pick, not with NY threatning to be a bottom 3 team.

I could see the Bulls willing to part with some combination of Hinrich, Gordon, Nocioni, Thomas, Piatkowski, and their own draft pick, possibly a top 10 for Harrington.

My feeling though is that Paxson will wait till the offseason - see who's out there in FA, draft the best big man available, and possibly hold onto his cap space for one more year.

[exodus]

Assuming the Hawks trade Al and get Nene and Nene recovers completely from surgery, would you trade Hinrich for Nene?

[mudderfudder77]

Interesting question - both players have a bit of the "unknown" about them. Nene due to injury, and Hinrich because he's been playing out of position.

I guess it would depend on team need. If you had a decent PG and were in desperate need of big men, then maybe. The Bulls are in that exact position, but I don't think Paxson would pull that trade off. I think I like Hinrich to much as a player to make that trade - but I'm probably over-valuing him.

What has Nene really ever done? He's got potential, but is he ever gonna show it?

[exodus]

Thx for the reply. I just wasn't sure how much you guys valued Nene and Hinrich.

So do you think they will be going after Przybilla? Who do you think their primary fa target will be?

Since you guys will probably be our main competition for free agents I am just curious what you are looking for.

[mudderfudder77]

We need bigs. We'll draft big, and we'll sign big - but unfortunately there are few FA's out there who are worth a damn.

I think we'll go after Pryz, Wilcox, Nene, and Harrington in FA and look for the best available Big man with New Yorks pick. With our own pick I could see us draft a big guard (Joe Johnson type - possibly Ronnie Brewer).

I don't think we're going to offer anyone an outrageous contract, but I would hope that we heavily pursue Wilcox, Harrington, and if his demands aren't too outageous Pryz. I also expect that we will be trying to trade one of our guards for a big man.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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I think it will all come down to what Al Harrington wants. Even if he wants to leave, I think he would still like to work out a Sign and Trade deal instead of going somewhere for less than he's making now. That only makes sense being that this may be his biggest contract.

---

This is pretty much my point....or at least a good part of it. Diesel made his argument out to be "only three teams have enough cap space to make a run at Al". My point is cap space is not the final factor...the player's wishes and the bidding teams wishes, if they jell can get a deal done even if said team is over the cap.

Chances are there is at least one cap strapped playoff (read winner) team that will make a solid run at AL. Miami came out of nowhere to sign Walker when every rumor concerning him read resign with Boston or he ends up in NY. Same thing with Payton, everyone and I mean everyone had him going back west last year....

Curry was either going to us or he would resign with Chicago for one year and test the market again after he laid to rest his heart issue. Out of the blue again comes cap strapped NY. And despite their cap issues they also aquired QRich and Crawford as well. Three high dollar players within a years time despite one of the highest payrolls in the league, Miami same thing with Payton and Walker.

My point was simple, it is not always the teams with the most money that end up with the best free agent players after all is said and done....in fact it is probably truer that the teams with the most money ususally loose out more than they win out when it comes to high quality free agents.

[Ralph]

The players wishes are what matters the most, but a player in Al Harrington's position (being that's he's 25 and about to sign a five to six year deal) will be less likely to give up his "Bird Rights". That's why so many teams are attempting to trade for Harrington now. If a team truly has a want for Al next season, then they will probably trade for him now to acquire his "Bird Rights".

[mudderfudder77]

Neither Curry, Walker nor Payton were highly sought after in the FA market, and none of them were going to sign deals in the neighborhood Harrington will.

Curry had his heart condition. Payton is old and has attitude issues. Walker is getting up there in age and is nothing more than a chucker. Harrington is going to get big money, and there will be very few teams who are going to be able to bid on his services.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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Harrington is going to get big money, and there will be very few teams who are going to be able to bid on his services.

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I don't disagree with this at all. I think I stated in my original post that "only a few teams will be go after Harrington" Are you saying you agree with me?

Or maybe you are disagreeing with me on my 2nd point, that a playoff level team will go after Harrington. Believe I mentioned Denver, Minnesota, and Dallas as possibilities.

If so we just have to disagree. I really think Harrington will move on and he will move on to a winner. That's his best fit. He is not a superstar but he would be a nice compliment to one....