Good Bibby Interview after Bulls game with Webber / Payton

[Traceman]

They still have plenty of money to make a competitive offer to Bibby.

Define "competitive." According to Hoopshype, they have about $50.5M committed in salaries for next season:

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/portland.htm

As for Detroit, they COULD have room but I can't imagine them paying big money to Bibby at this stage as it would hinder any chance they might have of reeling in a much bigger fish in '10.

I think a 4-5 yr offer (team option in yr 5) starting at $8M-$9M a year gets it done. As for Marvin, I think a similar offer gets it done with the 5th year beinng guaranteed instead of a team option. If we could get Bibby for 4 yrs/$36M and Marvin for 5 yrs/$45M - $48M, I'd be all over it.

All of the above said, if Bibby plays like he did last night for the rest of the season, we might have to pay him $10M a season. I wouldn't excced $10M a season for him though.

[Traceman]

Wings are a dime a dozen and the Hawks would be able to replace Marvin's current production for less by signing a solid vet, but the Hawks would lose any upside Marvin has left and that upside (whether perceived or actual) will drive his price up.

I think $7.5 is too high for Zaza but there definitely will be teams willing to give him close to the full MLE, so he should be in line for a $1 million raise (and possibly more given the dearth of quality big men league wide).

Zaza is playing like a guy worth $5M a season right now. I'd be very happy to resign him to a $4yr/$20M deal at a flat $5M a season. That said, I won't be surprised if another team offers him that and drives his price up a little. We shall see.

[AtLaS]

I have no doubt the Hawks will screw this one up. Bibby will be a hot commodity and I just don't have confidence in Sund/ASG to get something done.

[bronnt]

I have no doubt the Hawks will screw this one up. Bibby will be a hot commodity and I just don't have confidence in Sund/ASG to get something done.

Atlanta is already screwing a few things up by failing to give Acie a fair shake, in order to see whether Bibby is expendable right now or not. Bibby and his 15 million dollar expiring contract could be the hottest commodity on the market, especially since he's having a career year shooting the three. The problem is that we can't afford to part with him. We don't know what Acie can do, and ownership can't risk taking a step back and losing their hope at building up the fanbase.

It's a huge shame since this current Hawks team can't contend for a championship, and trading Bibby could net us some pieces to help 2-3 years down the line, when this team should be ready. The team is stuck cashing in this year, when our big hope is to advance past the first round of the playoffs and maybe have a prayer at going to the conference championship. I don't know exactly what Bibby is worth on the trade market, but I bet it's enough to give us a good bench.

And this offseason brings some concerns as well.

1) Joe Johnson needs an extension, because we don't want him on the open market in 2010 when everyone will having cap space.

2) Marvin Williams needs a new deal, and we need to avoid overpaying. If he takes the QO, he's unrestricted in 2010 and again there's lots of teams with cap space in that year. Of course, there's a chance he completely flies under the radar in 2010 since there's like 15 big time wings who'll be free agents then, but Atlanta wouldn't be able to afford any of them, so our best hope is to do something with Marvin this offseason.

3) Zaza is either best or second best reserve center in the NBA, and he's going to get some money. There's almost certainly no one who's looking at him as a starter, so we'll have a chance at keeping him, and since our starting center is undersized, he's a big key to our bench.

4) Bibby is having a huge year, it's a contract year, and I'm seriously scared our GM will overpay to resign him since we don't have any other options at the point. If Bibby walks and Childress doesn't come back, we could get under the cap (by renouncing rights to Chillz) for a pretty good FA class. If we overpay for Bibby and hold onto Chillz' rights, the MLE might not be available under the luxury tax, meaning it's not available. And I have a feeling someone really talented this offseason is going to be forced to settle for the MLE because almost no one will be under the cap.

[mrhonline]

Define "competitive." According to Hoopshype

Never use hoopshype.

:)

Edited January 22, 2009 by mrhonline

[frankthetank966]

I dont watch NBA TV who is the guy who starts the interview? He has a pretty funny voice...Anyways who does G-P think he is? The way he begins his chat it seems like he is talking to his buddy over the phone LOL!

"Are you going to come back to Houston next year?" -Cwebb "To where!?!?!" Mike "I mean are you going to come back to Atlanta?" - Cwebb

His son is pretty good from what I hear.

"Its two inches Webb, it's two inches Webb! thats what the league requires..." - Mike